Less About Griping, More About Encouraging

By Richard Whittall Media Takedown

Writers must seize this defining moment in Canadian soccer history
Because this is my first official “official” column as a CSN writer, I thought I’d take a step back and look at the big picture.

We all know Canadian soccer is going through what corporations sometimes euphemistically call a “transition period.” Canada will have three MLS teams by 2012, the Canadian Soccer Association has voted for reform itself (kinda sorta grumble grumble), rumours of the CSA’s interest in a pro all-Canadian D2 league are floating to the surface, we’re hosting the Women’s World Cup in 2015, TSN holds MLS rights coast-to-coast—in short, the future—while uncertain—isn’t exactly bleak for football in this country.

It may or may not be coincidence that these changes took place at the height of another “transition period”; that of print journalism into the digital age. That particular transformation (or disintegration depending on your perspective) hasn’t been as smooth or as hopeful. Again, most of us know the story—old media couldn’t come to grips with the loss of their means of revenue (ad and copy sales), nor the loss of their authoritative voice (enter the bloggers).

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