TFC A BIG CLUB …… MHHHH MAYBE ….

By: nicholas | March 7th, 2008

This comes to us from our MLSR Canadian contributor. It is an excerpt of an off the record interview he did with a confident and candid unnamed TFC official regarding the long term plan for Toronto FC.

Q: What is the big picture for Toronto FC, looking 5 or 10 years out?

TFC: “We have a comprehensive long term plan to be a big club in North America. We owe our supporters nothing less.”

Q: What do you mean by big club? Do you mean signing a designated player?

TFC: “That’s a part of it, a component. Our idea is to invest in all facets of our club structure, from youth academy up to a designated player. But it is also about branding. We want to build the Toronto FC brand to be recognized throughout North America and beyond.”

Q: How do you plan to achieve this?

TFC: “Early on, we looked at MLS, and realised that an LA Galaxy or a DC United have a definite brand that is out there. You can see it in what they do. The LA Galaxy is touring Asia right now and furthering its brand through the promotion of their designated player. This will have a big effect on their profits and may continue long after Beckham is gone. On the other hand DC United has forged links in their Central and South American communities in Washington, DC and also in South America. They have built a certain amount of brand credibility as a result. Part of that starts with winning league titles and international championships, but part of it also is getting out there, talking to people, getting Spanish speaking staff,going down to Central and South America and building those links. When Mo (Johnston) was down there, every time MLS was mentioned DC United was brought up by the either by agents, clubs or officials there. We would like to get to that stage.”

Q: When will you start doing this?

TFC: “Immediately. We we want to have nice relationships down there in the short term, say 5 years. We also want to expand our brand outside of Toronto. Maybe we will form a partnership with a Brazilian or Argentine club similar to the ones FC Dallas has with Brazil’s Atletico Paranese. They (FC Dallas) train in Brazil, exchange best practices and ideas, even players. Two FC Dallas players came to the club via that partnership. (Editors Note: Ironically they are the two players who scored goals for Dallas against their old side in a friendly last night.) That’s the kind of thing we want in the near future.”

Q: What about Toronto FC will help make this easier to do? Are the stadium facilities and fans attractive to foreign clubs and players?

TFC: “We look at some smaller markets in MLS and realise that they have a lot of work to do and that work has only gotten harder over time. We have learned from their mistakes and how they treated the sport. One reason that DC United and LA Galaxy have become significant brands is because they have treated their clubs and fans as serious football clubs and fans. In Toronto we are lucky because we are already off to a good start off the pitch in that regard. Now it’s time to build towards something on the pitch and win so that eventually the TFC name 5, 10, 20 years out, is a huge brand like CD Guadalajara or a DC United or LA Galaxy. That starts immediately with this Canada Cup and CONCACAF Champions League. Our goal is to represent Canada and be competitive in the group stage.”

Q: What is MLSE willing to do to see this happen?

TFC: “Whatever is deemed prudent and necessary.”

Q: Does that mean a designated player?

TFC: “Whatever is prudent and necessary.”