THE CSL’s POSITION ON PLAYING GAMES THAT CLASH WITH CANADIAN NATIONAL TEAMS

The CSL cares about the Canadian national team and its progress in the World Cup. The CSL cares about Canada’s women and takes pride in their recent Olympic achievement.

 

The CSL has remained staunchly Canadian, having declined entry requests by teams from New York State and Michigan over the years.

 

The CSL and other leagues in Canada have been embroiled in controversy for many years over the question of avoiding a clash with important games involving the Canadian Men’s World Cup team, the Canadian Women’s team, the Canadian Olympic team and other attractive games such as the FIFA U-20 World Championship games of 2007.

 

 Canadian leagues, including the CSL, appear to take a first position of trying to avoid a clash if an important national team game is scheduled and their first position may favour the cancellation of all games. Then reality takes over.

 

In the CSL, Friday night is the most popular time period for some clubs and there are only so many Fridays to accommodate their home games. Other leagues have similar congested schedule considerations.

 

A number of games in the CSL and other leagues were played on September 7 when Canada defeated Panama in a World Cup qualifier.

 

The CSL considered the impact of playing their three games would be minimal and would not compromise the league’s overall support to Canada’s bid for World Cup qualifying. The three games were scheduled early in 2012,  the CSL accumulated various commitments for these games, including a televised game commitment in Toronto – for tape delay the following Sunday.

 

The CSL league office was not requested by the clubs involved or any member club to postpone a game scheduled for September 7.

 

It’s a discretionary decision balancing many considerations and the CSL will review its position of September 7 and will continue to consider carefully all upcoming important national team games with a view to providing enthusiastic support including the cancellation of games if necessary, as long as there are sufficient benefits to the Canadian national team game in doing so.