Wednesday, March 4, 2009
MARKHAM - Could it be that PistolasFC.com has had such a major impact in the region, so as to spin off a bevy of new teams in the 2009 season? Well, we can't take all the credit, but the popularity of the site from around the world continues to grow, so we'll take some.
In fact PFC posted the second highest number of monthly hits in February - second only to August's playoff runup. And with only 28 days in the month, the August record would have been broken with the addition of those 3 extra days alloted to August.
News from the league headquarters has solidified 16 teams for this years 2009 season - up 4 expansion teams from last year. And there's is still the possibility of 2 more teams entering into the mix, which would bring the league up to 18 teams.
League expansion has been one of the great successes of the off-season already, and with so many teams, a tiered system is inevitable.
Ideally, you'd like to see teams come back year after year under the same name as they do in other leagues, which makes it easier to set up tiered systems. That way, the bottom 3 teams in the Premiership would be relegated, and the top 3 teams in Division 1 get promoted. If the situation were that all of last years teams are returning from 2008, then it would make sense to have the top 9 teams start off in the Premiership while those who finished in the bottom 3 would join the new teams in Division 1. That would definitely be the best option as is also serves a sort of reward to teams who have been around since the leagues inception (albeit under different names). Alternatively, the next best option would be to play a regular season with 18 teams, and have the top 9 teams at the end of the season enter the Premiership Division in 2010.
Also, with 16 teams, the playoff format works out more evenly as it divides by two each week. With 18 teams, the bottom two deservedly would miss out from the playoffs while the top 16 advance, or have an elite 8 only make the playoffs.
Pistolas FC, undergoing a rebuilding year themselves, embrace the new competition and realize that this year will be the toughest of all. But as the new guys quickly become adjusted with the veterans, every game will prove to be a memorable one.
