Subject: I.1

Just looked at the prize money my beloved Canadian clubs got this year. The prize money is a good benchmark for all league financing. Got to tell you guys have no chance in basketball. PPM is giving you far less money than the USA, big Europe and us in the Other World League.

These countries get a New York Yankee budget. You a Bluejay budget. No wonder why its so hard for Canada to win here.

Bad analogy. Jays are spending right now

There's no future left. But they look pretty damn good right now

It's based of the fact that Canada has 112 Basketball teams. The USA has 238 (not sure how to check Other World). Canada's top prize money team won 10.1M while the USA's won 14.1M. Not too bad considering their twice our population

A better analogy is that the Bluejays have nothing since their budgets were cut since the one they won the World Series over 20 years ago.

The reality Canada is your going to have to build your clubs on about 2/3 the money other countries are getting. There's going to be no Canada USA rivalry. Canada is going to get crushed.

Im pointing this out because I still love my homeland and I know that PPM is very stealthy in hiding this fact. However I made my living crunching financial numbers. Where it might got past the average member here,it didn't get past me.

This is the basis they use and its crap. Unless of course your just content to be Swansea in the British Premiere League. Wallowing in a world of Chelsea's and Manchester United's. If this is what you want, you deserve to be mediocre.

Ever wonder why Canad fair so poorly at Hockey our national game here? It surely isnt the management. We got the best. Its all about the money or lack of it.

A final irony on the Bluejays. The Bluejays era of a winner came to an abrupt end after their last World Series. They were bought by a European company, "Interbrew" that immediately slashed the budget. The Jays have never been the same since.

I was just being fastidious. Canada's numbers are dropping. I see it each month in my monthly report to PPM HQ. Hockey is healthy, soccer is a dude. Handball is on the fence and basketball I think is healthy, from a community stand point, and we're not even that bad on the global scale, but the USA is just much better for obvious reasons.

With all due respect Canucks, as in my post above you would make a great Swansea fan. I have absolutely doubt hockey could be on the same level as the Czech Republic if they were given an even chance to be financially competitive. This is not of any fault of yours or the great managers here.

As a financial professional, I can tell you every country has to deal with fixed costs. Its far harder to build a 1 billion dollar stadium on a Canadian budget than American one. The 30% by other nations give huge advantages in discretionary spending. Your never going to get near the bidding power for players in Canada as in other countries.

So what do I ask for? An even chance. With competitive budgets, let the chips fall where they may from country to country. Let the best country win.

I want to agree, but my hockey and soccer clubs are near the top in terms of wealth and buying power. It is almost to the point where I can't get value for my players because they're worth more than 95% of the teams can afford. The only ones who can buy are my rivals and why make them better!?

The reality here is your one of the very few in Canada that can do it. In the Asian soccer league, Im the only that can do this. Almost everyone else in a league that once had over 5 division is treading water.

My friend the big money in soccer is heavily centralized in Eastern Europe. Years of huge budgets over everyone else have created a huge imbalance thats hurting everyone.

Well the thing is that due to alot less managers in Canada, to get to the top is alot easier. I'm doing very well in Canada, but we're I in let's say Czech Republic, I would have alot tougher time doing as well. So if you compare where I would be playing there, the money would be close to the same.

Also, prize money is a very small part of our revenue. While sponsors are also affected by the country u play in, OTR is the biggest factor and if you can compete with teams in national tournaments then you can compete. But first you do need do dominate your own county

Ok guys. You win. I will shut up. If you guys feel solely content to be Swansea of the Premiere League, thats is your choice. As a Canadian outside looking in, I had hoped you might aspire to something a little higher. That said, its your league do what you want.

As I said to Canucks earlier, the only thing I asked for was an even chance. Make no bones about it. your not getting here. You have the best managers in the world here, but PPM has already pre-determined your fate as a 2nd class nation.

Don't tuck tail! The financial system needs a huge rebuild. But how do you ensure the EPL gets the same finances as the MLS or K-League?

One thing that is interesting to see is the success Canadian teams have in international tournaments in hockey. Sure there are twice as many managers in hockey then in basketball but it does show that it's possible