Indoor soccer an option in Edmonton

Written by John Short

Saturday, 16 December 2000

Steve Ryan is tired of snide observations about the quality of National Professional Soccer League owners and the future of the indoor game. The league commissioner confirmed Friday afternoon that fans in some communities have been forced to endure lousy ownership situations. Yes, Edmonton's checkered soccer past was part of the debate. ``My sympathies are with the players and other employees who lost their jobs last month'' when Wojteck Wojcicki disbanded the Edmonton Drillers, said Ryan, speaking by telephone from his New York office. Several problems remain. Some players taken by other franchises in a dispersal draft have been slow to receive immigration documents: no play, no pay. Fortunately, captain Martin Hansor and keeper Jim Larkin received permission Friday to play with Kansas City and Wichita. Other approvals have been fast-tracked. Ryan said he is especially concerned that financial hardships have struck blameless individuals so close to Christmas. He committed himself again to ending the days of unstable ownership. ``Individuals without the means to fulfil their obligations cannot be involved in the positive future of indoor soccer across North America,'' he said. ``We have established an expansion committee to ensure that prospective owners can meet -- will meet -- stringent standards.'' Singled out for praise as models for the future were franchises in Toronto, Buffalo, Milwaukee and Baltimore. ``The owners and ownership groups in those cities have the resources they require in this building phase of our league. Edmonton also has citizens of that quality. We're pleased that some have declared interest in becoming (and remaining) participants in the NPSL.'' Not that having Edmonton return to the league is a slam dunk. Far from it. ``We're expecting some further information in February,'' Ryan said. If he could design the future exactly to his specifications, at least one other Western Canada city would enter the NPSL when Edmonton does. The possibility of another Prairie community joining Edmonton in a two-pronged application before the start of the 2001-2001 season is remote. ``Some individuals in Saskatoon and Calgary have shown interest in expansion franchises but there has been no concrete proposal.'' Based on population and sports profile, Calgary must be considered the favourite possibility -- whenever, if ever, a proposal takes shape. ``We're extremely interest in the building (Stampede Corral) where the Calgary Flames played their original NHL games,'' Ryan volunteered. ``There would be about 6,000 or 6,500 seats available for indoor soccer. The building capacity would be right,'' providing room for adequate season-ticket sales and leaving room for significant walk-in crowds. The NPSL's focus on buildings of limited capacity points out part of the problem that faced Wojcicki and previous owner Peter Pocklington: one available building is too large; the other is too small. Average crowds of about 5,000 at the 17,000-seat Skyreach Centre would probably pay operating costs, or come close, but the empty seats send negative signals to all involved. Elsewhere on the Northlands grounds is the AgriCom, which handles about 4,500 spectators and is about 1,500 too small. ``The biggest problem in a building of that size is that ticket prices get too high,'' Ryan explained. ``There is not much room for bargain sales and the current soccer demographic (young couples, many with one or two children) is not in position to pay too much for sports entertainment.'' In the background, however, is a positive development. For several years, owner Drew Schamehorn of the St. Albert Saints has been working toward construction of a 6,000-seat building to house his Alberta Junior Hockey League franchise. ``We've been informed of that possibility,'' Ryan said. ``Of course, we're interested.''