Realignment Proposal

[Sandman]

It’s kind of weird having the Div. 1 season all but complete before the end of January, but I am sure teams are already looking ahead to next year. However, there are some fundamental flaws to the current alignment. Mainly, that there is the potential of deserved teams not being promoted due to the imbalance of the groupings. Here’s a suggestion that would prevent the aforementioned scenario:

-Lump Div 1 A and B together and create one Super Division.
-Have 20 teams in one division.
-Each team plays each other once.
-19 games (status quo, no scheduling problems)
-Top two teams promoted
-Bottom three relegated.

This way, there will be no argument over who is deserving or who is not. It creates an even playing field for ALL teams. It also makes it tougher to get promoted. I think it makes sense. Any thoughts?

If not, the status quo for next year will most likely be:
Div 1B
Firmen
Norvan
Club Ireland
Binger’s
Van Olympics
Norburn
Lobbans
Shaheen

Div 1A
Sikh Temple
Richmond United
Deep Cove
PCOV
Serbia
Hagar’s
Meralomas
Peg/Biminis

Wild card: where Cliff Avenue and Croatia are placed

SandmansigningofffromDiv1

[Regs]

Sandman,

That is a solid proposal, good luck with it

As you know that you are back in Premier, how would you have felt if after winning your side, you had to play in a 4-team playoff to get to premier? The teams would be the 2 first div teams and the 2 worst premier teams. Best 2 teams in the round-robin win the 2 Premier spots for the following season.

Cheers and congrats again,

~Regs.

[Ballbaby]

SandmansigningofffromDiv1

Funny, Sandman, I can feel the sense of relief you have in that statement. Winning promotion in Division 1 is the toughest endeavour to achieve. There is too much disparity in level of play from the top teams to the bottom teams in my opinion and many skilled teams get caught in the whirlpool of "mucker" soccer and can't get out. It speaks well of your team to make it back to premier as quick as you did and the experience in Division 1 will cement in your head why you want to stay in Premier from now on.

I went through this when I played for Vancouver PAO, now Olympics, and it was tough. We tried to get the team to Premier, but it wasn't to be. Very tough.

Well done.

[Gaffa]

Seems like a good idea, I think 'Balls' makes a good point with regard to the parity of the 1st division, but you could argue the same in the premier as well. If we are to realign the 1st division, I think that realignment of premier has to be done as well.

Wouldn't one strong premier division and one strong 1st division produce a better league. Why we have to have a pyramid system is odd. All the divisions complain about the differing standards, so why not realign the whole league. A strong Div 2 could also be achieved this way...

Good idea Sandman, but I fear the CAT system will somehow scupper the plan...

[Regs]

Gaffa,

I'm intrigued on how this would be affected by the CAT system? Nothing would change in that aspect, would it?

Cheers,

~Regs.

[Teelay]

I would agree that winning Division 1 promotion is a very daunting task, and likewise for Division 2 promotion (of course not quite as hard). But the discrepancy between the teams in both Division 1 and 2 from top to bottom is ridiculous.

Why not create a smaller Premier Division? Instead of having two sides of 7 teams, why not have one league of 8 or 10 teams, move the bottom 4 or 6 down and combine with the top 10 Division 1 teams (into a Division 1 Superleague proposed by Sandman), move the bottom Division 1 and top 10 Division 2 teams into a grouping (Division 2 superleague), and have a Division 3 (bottom of current Division 2). These Superleagues in Division 1-3 would have ~16 teams in them, and we would still have top 2 advance, bottom 2 drop.

Could it really be that easy?

[Regs]

Teelay,

There actually used to be these so-called Super Leagues about 10 years ago in the lower mainland... they were called the VMSL Premier, VMSL Division 1, VMSL Division 2...

~Regs.

[Gurps]

Just a thought......
Why not have a Div 1a and Div1b (like they do now) but put the weaker teams in B. Then, you have to get promoted to Div 1 A. The top two teams from A get promoted to premier. This creates a very strong Div 1 A. With the increase in competion and talent, the teams moving to Premier would be better suited to the level of play.

Think about it.......this year, you would have had Clan, Temple, Firemen, and Indo all on one side

This would also get rid of the "mucker syndrome" so many teams in Div 1 complain about....

Plus you have the bottom two premier teams getting relegated to Div1A.....

[Regs]

Gurps,

This Div 1B you speak of... under your scenerio, it sounds an awful alike to a Div 2...

Cheers,

~Regs.

[Gurps]

True Regs.....but this way the you are ensuring that only the top div 1 teams are having chance at promotion.....yeah there is Div 2....but whats the point of having Div A and B if it comes down to the luck of the draw with respect what side you get put on?
In other words....weaker Div 1 teams may be getting promoted at the expense of stronger ones....

[Sandman]

You have to crawl before you walk. I think Combining Div 1 A and B is a good prelude for any other future changes.

Further, and most important this change is not complicated, it can be installed with very little disruption. Drastic changes like introducing weaker Division's, bringing down four teams would ruffle too many feather's. In other words, too much too fast.

Sandman

[Gurps]

Thats very true Sandman....
My suggestion would involve alot of disruption....and alot of ruffled feathers...
But why not combine the two one season....
and split the bottom from the top the next season?

[Gurps]

One more thing.....does anyone think it's fair(or unfair) that some teams in Div 1 get Cat Div 1 cat spots and others dont?
I think the top teams in Div 1 should get first choice at any Div 1 cat spots not filled by premier.....would also help teams attempting to get promoted...and change Div 1 and Div 2 cat from year to year...
Just a thought.......

GURPSREALLYBOREDATWORK

[Captain Shamrock]

You guys are talking about the poor teams in each division. Just remember that every league in the world has 'poor' teams. Just look at the bottom of every league. Sandman's idea is okay in theory but there would be a big possibility that a number of teams could be tied for first because every team only plays each other once. Next year will be tough again no matter who is on your side. That's what makes the league interesting. As for the 1A being the top side and 1B being the feeder league, I disagree. As you know, Sikh Temple dropped 2 points to the Peg-Olys who happened to be fighting to avoid relegation. That's what makes it so difficult to get promoted. You have to be prepared EVERY week or you could drop points to teams that you're supposed to beat.

[gilly]

I really don't mind the twin division 1 grouping setup, however, I think we need to start at the top with the Premier Division. I believe that is where the "super" division needs to take shape with only 10 teams. This means that over time, perhaps a period of two years, 4 teams would have to be relegated back to Division 1. The system, similar to the late 80's and early 90's would increase the level of football in both Premier and Division 1. Every game in Premier could be a potential 6 point swing, and the teams battling for promotion in the Division 1 groups will have potentially more teams to contend with (because of those coming down from Premier) for the sole promotion spot in each group.

Changes can only happen if the league wants them to. I think there have been a lot of good ideas kicked around here, but ultimately it is the league's decision. Hopefully, some league executives are lurking and willing to listen to some of the possible suggestions to improve the level of competitive play in BC.