Soccer is more than just soccer in Canada
Give Toronto FC a whole lot of credit. They are not afraid to swing for the fences. More often than not, they seem to connect. They will play a friendly against a giant this summer as they host Real Madrid.
FC is a massive success. And they have their fans and their marketing department to thank. As two London soccer teams roll through the early going, they are looking for our help in creating big time success.
Before now, having a professional soccer team in Canada was like eating popsicles in the summer. They looked great right from the beginning and they were very enjoyable while they lasted. But in the end, as hockey swung back into action, everyone was left holding a stick.
Soccer just could not seem to break through. It was really no different than in any part of north America.
Soccer was always criticized for its lack of scoring. It was just a bunch of guys with thunder thighs in shorts running around for an hour and a half.
If people wanted to see that they could go to their local YMCA.
The Toronto Blizzard and the Montreal Manic went away when the NASL did and soccer got quiet after that.
Even the start of the MLS in the United States didn't crank up much hype in Canada.
Our national teams show glimpses every once in awhile, but they tend to make more headlines changing coaches than they do winning games.
But Toronto FC is different. It has something to do with the fact that thanks to a heavy immigrant population, Toronto has more fans now who appreciate the game of soccer than they ever have. But it is also thanks to those fans teaching other people how to have fun at a soccer game. You don't sit down and wait for a ball to go into a net before you cheer. You stand and sing and cheer and then if a ball goes in, you cheer and sing even louder. If your team wins, you cheer even louder than that. It isn't about the game. It's about the experience.
That's what sells live sports today. That's what sells soccer for Toronto FC.
That and a great marketing department that continues to keep the club as high as possible on the radar.
FC London is about to make their home debut. London City is back in action in 2009. These two teams provide excellent soccer to watch at their level. They will have players who come through and go on to hit heights in the MLS or other leagues around the world.
They have the game. But that isn't enough to have soccer succeed in Canada. What they need is the atmosphere. That's where we come in. It will take going to games and getting wrapped up in them. It will take finding the songs to sing and singing those songs. The question is, are we as residents of London and the surrounding area up to the challenge ?
