So the constant talk for years about Canada needing a league as an essential component for a WC bid is suddenly pure fantasy now? There's nothing 'delusional' about the thoroughly-reported and disgustingly-corrupt manner in which FIFA conducts it's business.
Based on what, exactly? Why would Bob Young -- owner of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and founding partner of this new league -- want to put his money into a soccer team destined to fold in a decade because it is merely a front to meet a FIFA checklist? Your argument makes no sense.
I, for one, am taking the optimistic view. You don't need 30,000+ people in a stadium to make a professional sports league work. Look no further than junior hockey, the ECHL, or even the AHL. Only 1/3 of AHL teams average more than 7,000 fans per game and no team averages more than 10,000. In the ECHL, no team averages more than 7,500 and most teams are in the ~4,000 range. Both leagues are fully professional, face similar geographical/travel challenges, and yet manage to stick around. Is it really far fetched for a soccer team in Hamilton or Winnipeg to draw 5,000 fans a game in cities of 800,000? It might be a tough sell to capture the interest of the casual fan but that's not what they need. They just need a small, dedicated fan base and fortunately for them, the culture of soccer may provide just that. Many people who follow the game don't care about the level, they'll support their local club. That's how it works in Europe and with promotion/relegation, the idea of a 'minor league' does not carry the same stigma. Especially when it potentially means facing off against MLS teams in the Canadian Championship.
Key to success will be owners like Bob Young, passionate individuals willing to take a small annual loss or are able to subsidize it via their other holdings (in Young's case, the Tiger-Cats) until such time as it is sustainable. That is in part why Toronto FC was such a success, after all. MLSE was able to throw their financial weight behind the team in a way other owners would not be able to. Again, I'm optimistic about this. If done right, I think it could work.
If done right. It would be huge for Canadian soccer. We have always had no shortage of recreational soccer players especially at the youth level. Our problem has always been developing players to that next level and this league can hopefully help do that.