Saskatchewan Rush
 

Congratulations to the Saskatchewan Rush on a great season and on winning the NLL cup for the second straight year.

Amazing fan base built in Saskatchewan already and highly expect it to be getting bigger. Going to be harder to get a ticket next year in ToonTown!

Go RUSH Go!

Who wants to see a pre-season game in Regina???

I'm definitely in for that!

???

National Lacrosse League. I would love for Winnipeg to have a team.

Anyway, congrats to the Rush.

I Would as well.

Winnipeg Warriors maybe. And maybe a team in Ottawa the Ripsaws possibly?

Kinda BS that there would be a team in Saskatchewan over Winnipeg for obvious reasons. Hopefully that changes soon.

But yeah, congrats.

Not really. They likely moved to Saskatoon because it's an underserved market (especially in Winter). In the summer/fall, the eyes are on the Riders, but Winter there is only the Blades. They were also smart about it and called the team the "Saskatchewan Rush" and although the epicentre is Stoon, there has been a fair bit of interest in Regina too... Just like with the Riders, the epicentre is Regina, but it spiders out.

With Winnipeg, there is the Jets that takes a huge amount of any possible corporate support and general media attention. That's likely why Winnipeg probably won't get a team for the foreseeable future (similar reason why they were moved out of Edmonton, i.e. the Oilers overshadow during the season), but who knows, maybe it'll happen. I mean... if Edmonton wasn't quite there to have a CFL team, an NHL team, and an NLL team... Kinda makes sense that the owner of an NLL team would try to do the same thing in Winnipeg with half the population and a lower disposable income... :shrug: (Not slagging Winnipeg... Alberta cities generally have the highest disposable income in the country).

I agree. I don't think there is room in the Winnipeg market to adequately support another sports team. Not to mention trying to split time at the MTS Centre between Jets, Moose and NLL.

Congrats to the Rush!

^ Winnipeg's sports plate is pretty full. As entertaining as a NLL franchise would be, you'd be hard pressed to find another city of under a million people with more going on in terms of pro sports... something would have to give.

That said, I echo the congratulations being extended to the Rush. What an amazing first season in Saskatoon.

I read up on the nll ( Wikipedia) and discovered that each team plays only 18 games a season. I'm assuming it's 9 home games which wouldn't be too much. The MTS centre already has a busy schedule. 9 games may fit. Edmonton had similar issues which forced the rush to relocate. But it seems Calgary is doing ok with the roughnecks and the hit men competing with each other.

Just amazing season for the Rush. When the move to Saskatoon was first announced last year, once I got past the "who knew that there was professional lacrosse?" stage, I figured that this would be another failed pro sports experiment in Saskatoon much like our basketball teams, The Storm & The Slam in previous decades.

Most of the people that I knew (almost all of whom are active sports supporters) figured that they'd be lucky to draw more than 7,000 - 8,000 fans at $40 - $60 ticket prices. As I recall, they drew about 9,000 for the first game in January. Word of mouth spread quickly about the atmosphere at the games and attendance continued to rise, until it became the toughest ticket in the province to secure.

I could see the season ticket base realistically being in the 10,000 range for next year. Given that they averaged about 7,000 fans in Edmonton, the Owner, Bruce urban now looks like a genius for moving the team to Toontown.

Congrats to the entire Rush Organization. Let's go for the Threepeat next year.

It seems the key is having the owner of the NLL team also be the owner of the arena that they play in where there's competition between NHL and NLL.

The Flames own the Roughnecks so they can make it work easily enough. The Rush moved to Saskatoon due to lease issues with the new arena in Edmonton. Rumor is Edmonton will get a new NLL team that will be owned by the Oilers. So Winnipeg could probably make a go of it if True North bought a team. This is all because they can use the NLL team as a complimentary piece, and get gate revenue for 9 more events a year.

NLL is now top dog in Saskatoon so that will work for them as there isn't any pro hockey to cannibalize the market.

^ As was I'm sure the case in Saskatoon 18 months ago, Winnipeggers are barely aware of the NLL's existence right now. But with the noise coming out of Saskatoon and if Edmonton gets a team again, it could become a big deal regionally and then it's possible that TNSE would get in on it.

That said, TNSE is pretty busy with two pro hockey teams + the usual entertainment lineup at MTS Centre. The Moose were a relatively easy sell here given the Jets tie-in and the fact that it's a familiar product, whereas the NLL would take some real marketing oomph.

I think it could work in Winnipeg but with all the things TNSE has on the go right now I'm just not sure how much of a priority it is for them.

Anyway, I wonder if Saskatoon will end up becoming the NLL's number one hotbed?

MTS Centre was reportedly designed with hosting two home teams. Back before the Jets returned there was a fair bit of chatter that the NLL would be the second time.

After the Jets returns there was chatter about adding in another hockey team. The talk was around the possibility of a WHL team. There is (was?) even a proposed plan for an approximately 5,000 seat arena near the IcePlex which could have worked well for a WHL team.

Now that the AHL and NHL are both in the city the schedule at MTS Centre is pretty full and the push for a 5,000 seat arena has slid to the backburner. The talk of the WHL is all but dead for now. With the possibilities of sharing essentially dead there seems to be little hope for the NLL right now.

That said fortunes could turn. It still feels like the AHL is going to move out of here as other markets are going to be more lucrative long term, especially something like putting the Moose in Saskatoon.

PS Doubt the NLL would use the Winnipeg Warriors name even if they came due to its history as the city's WHL team.

[QUOTE]=esquire
Anyway, I wonder if Saskatoon will end up becoming the NLL's number one hotbed?[/QUOTE}

One could make the argument that it already is.

I'd read (unconfirmed) last week that the Rush sold more merchandise this year than the rest of the NLL teams combined. High sales are to be expected for a new franchise, but typically not to that level. Participation in local lacrosse leagues also jumped 30% from last year. Given the lack of pro competition in the market, demand for tickets & merchandise, I can easily see the Rush becoming the Roughriders of the NLL

Good job Saskatoon and congratulations on a very successsful season. I'm hopeful it keeps up.

If TNSE is going to have a secondary tenant at the MTS Centre, then it couldn't do better than the Moose. Great hockey, reasonably priced, relevant to Jets fans.

Even though a NLL team might bring in a few more fans per game, I'd think that 38 Moose home games would make TNSE a lot more money... the fact that the farm team is in the same building doesn't hurt either.

That said, the concert schedule doesn't seem as busy as it once was with the low C$. Maybe a third sports team at MTS Centre isn't that far-fetched?

What? your not going to the Meat Loaf concert on the 9th...;) lol..

Moose is my choice as well, honestly, If the thread hadn't poped up, I would have not known..

This may be one for the "Sports in Canadian Culture" thread, but the relative popularity of the Rush in Saskatoon, the Moose in Winnipeg, etc., does speak to the fact that as much as Canada seems like a bit of a sports monoculture with the NHL at the top, there are certain regional quirks and exceptions.

(And no, no Meatloaf for me... isn't that guy pushing 70 by now?! I'm amazed he's still touring!)

I understand, Who talks about the Gold Eyes other than the Winnipeg community( to any large degree)...

But as many before me have mentioned, I'm glad it's been a success for the community and those that are interested in Lacrosse..

This thread reminds me, I saw an advertisement for the Saskatchewan Rush at the Palm Springs airport in February. At the time I thought it was odd for a Saskatchewan team to be advertised in the U.S., especially with no direct flights to Palm Springs from either Saskatoon or Regina.

That is weird. Seems like an expensive way to reach potential fans given how few people seeing it would actually ever buy a ticket. Maybe it was just some sort of vanity thing by the team owner... does he have a place down there?

Here it is!

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CZcjrYzVAAAtllx.jpg

I noticed it when I was in Palm Springs and every time I've flown there I see multiple people from my Saskatoon to Calgary flight continue on through and follow me on to the Calgary to Palm Springs flight. I agree it's a weird bit of advertising but it didn't go unnoticed.

My guess is that he had signed a multi year advertising lease when the team was in Edmonton and he just changed the sign to reflect the new location of the team. Edmonton unlike Saskatoon does have direct flights to Palm Springs.

I think the challenge with the Moose is not how it does at MTS Centre compared to other possible options but rather how the Moose could do in an appropriate hockey friendly market, like Saskatoon, that does not have another pro team. In other words would the Moose sell more tickets in Winnipeg or Saskatoon for example.

I think there is room for a few more sports dates in winter and if NLL is only the nine home games others mentioned it could work from a schedule perspective. The challenge becomes would the lacrosse dollars be getting pulled out of the small pool as potential Moose ticket sales?

In terms of concerts, without doing in depth analysis I think it is roughly even with where it has been. The change there is some of the smaller shows are being moved to the now TNSE controlled Walker Theater. There were reportedly a number of concerts in MTS Centre selling in the 5,000 ticket range that would work better at the Walker even with its lower seat count.

Ya, It makes Bruce Urban look like prince charming finding the right arena/city for his cinderella champion team..

I bet Edmonton civic officials are kicking themselves thinking that the Rush had no options outside of Edmonton on The Prairies. Bruce Urban obviously did his homework and made the right gamble on moving Rush a few hours down the Yellowhead hwy to the largest arena on The Prairies outside of Calgary/Edmonton.

The Rush fan bus from Edmonton doesn't have far to go & the Saskatoon young demographic, as compared to other Canadian cities, plus its acceptance of a winning team proved to be a symbiotic relation with the team. As the Rush started winning more, the fans started to arrive and the team was able to feed off that energy.

My guess is that SaskTel Centre will add in the 1,000 remaining seats in available space in a couple years & ride that wave.


It would be great if Saskatoon paved the way for Winnipeg to get a NLL team someday, I'm not sure if that puts a lot of pressure organizing time at MTS Centre, It seems like concerts do seem to pass Winnipeg up as compared to Saskatoon.. Maroon 5, Neil Diamond last year plus Garth Brooks this week in Saskatoon but not in Winnipeg just to name a few.

..Ottawa had a NLL last decade before it moved to Edmonton but it didn't gain much attention and exhibition games in recent years haven't been well attended either..:shrug:

lol.. Not to be looking for errors in posts, but Garth Brooks has a few shows, lined up at MTS....:shrug:

http://www.ticketmaster.ca/Garth-Bro...dp_Artist_Name

Umm, there is another large, NHL hosting arena on the Prairies you missed that is bigger than SaskTel Centre.

In terms of the NLL coming to Winnipeg I stand behind my earlier claim that they will not have a place to play *unless* the AHL moves to a market that can sell more Moose tickets than Winnipeg.

Yeah, MTS Centre is much larger in square footage than SaskTel arena. Winnipeg and the MTS Centre also receive more concerts and live events than Saskatoon. All one has to do to confirm that is look up the Poll Star numbers released every year.

Great job with the Rush though. It looks like a fantastic atmosphere. I think Winnipeg's pro sports calendar is filled to capacity with the Jets, Moose, Bombers and Goldeyes.

If the Canadian Soccer League comes to fruition, I would rather see a pro soccer team here to be honest. Average ticket price of $20 - $25 with a break-even point of 4000 or so might be doable for the 'Peg in a few years.

oh, my bad.. Garth must have booked MTS in this last month since he booked SaskTel Centre as his lone Western Canadian dates back in April..

Calgary already has a NLL team and the only other arena that comes close to SaskTel Centre potential capacity of 16k seats is MTS Centre but its smaller at just over 15k and not able to add any significant amount of seats..

some highlights of Sask Rush Championship..

• Video Link

• Video Link

Would they expand SaskTel Centre given that there's apparently a discussion underway about demolishing it and replacing it with a new building?

Sure to be a hot topic of discussion.

Other than the fact that it is located outside of the city, the main knock on SaskTel Centre is the size of the concourse and limited concession and washroom space - Much like other arenas designed 35 years ago. The circulation area was probably adequate for a 12,000 seat arena, but puts crowds of 15,000 in there and eat up concourse space with private boxes and you're going to have problems. You also have to remember that the bones of the place are now 30+ years old and there is only so much lipstick that you can put on that pig.

That being said, if you were to hold a referendum on a new downtown-ish arena, fully funded by Saskatoon taxpayers, I doubt it would pass. I'd guess that the regular users of SaskTel Centre constitute the vocal minority. Not sure if the occasional user would be willing to foot their share of the bill for a new facility while this one can still secure Garth Brooks for 6 shows.

I fully expect that Saskatoon will continue to use SaskTel Centre for the next decade or two and will probably do some basic renos to add more concessions, washrooms and complete the seating capacity and executive suites around the bowl. If the city does decide this year to build a new arena they will plan it over the next couple decades while securing downtown land first etc..

This strikes me as the sensible thing to do... I know nobody loves the SaskTel Centre's location but the Rush are proof that if you give people something to get excited about, they'll come out to watch. The building itself looks fine relative to its function.

I would be so bold as to say that I GUARANTEE it wouldn't pass.

So long as the conversation gets started now, I think a downtown arena can be done in 10 years.

Either that or massive renos to the Sasktel Centre. Lots of space out there to increase concourse size if they really wanted to go that route.

I actually checked capacity online before posting and listed capacity of SaskTel Centre is a couple hundred under MTS Centre.

They added some seats to MTS Centre this year that made it larger than SaskPlace.

278 Loge Seats were added prior to the 2015/16 season in the upper deck to bring the capacity to 15,294 (as per wiki).

I doubt there would be much reason for SaskPlace to increase seating. IMO They would be better to spend the money to improve the facility. 15,195 is MORE than sufficient for NLL, NHL (pre-season or otherwise), NBA exhibition, concerts, etc. etc.

If the return of the Jets in Winnipeg has proven anything, it's that limited capacity in an arena is a GOOD thing. Especially in a smaller market.

Ya, I think the people of Saskatoon are use to driving Circle Dr & then Idylwyld to the facility, & once the Parkway Bridge is done next year it will add an addition bridge route to get to the arena from the East side where most people in Saskatoon live.
Since SaskTel Centre will have had several sold out events beginning of this month alone and typically does sellout most of its big concerts plus all the Rush sellouts this year, I could see them trying to milk the arena for as much as its worth & Rush owner along with the City of Saskatoon pushing to get the rest of the arena to full original planned seating capacity of 16k soon. :tup:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7267/2...4f648ed4_o.png
http://sasktelcentre.com/seatingChart

^ Why did they leave those peculiar gaps in the seating bowl in the first place? I'm surprised they didn't just finish it off when they expanded the stands a number of years back.

A "Saskatchewan Smile"?

;)

The Winnipeg Roughriders. It has a nice ring to it.

I believe we'll already be seeing that group on the turf at Investors Group Field this year...

Starting tonight, I believe.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7267/2...4f648ed4_o.png

I'm not entirely sure why they left those areas clear.. In the past, they have offered Sportscasters area to have vista over arena while talking about events..

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7125/2...a408ba24_o.png
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSDYg7HUTCM

..and have been used most recently for added live entertainment (live band) such as during the last NLL Finals game.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7662/2...5f3e624a_o.png

It also offers space for drawing second level curtains for events etc..
The space can simply have seats slid into place if used on retractable base..

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7312/2...40a4f175_o.png

..or seats could be added on a permanent deck like the rest of the upper level..

Considering SaskTel Centre has been filled with sell out crowds 8 times (that's 8000 extra saleable seats that could have been there) in the last couple weeks alone including Justin Bieber's concert tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if SaskTel Centre gets those seats erected in those spots in the near future..:tup: