MTS Centre ranks among 20 busiest in world

[newflyer]

I just realize that Celine Dion is playing two concerts at the MTS Centre.

Oct 27 & Oct 28

I was told the first concert sold out in minutes.

[newflyer]

The official Rexall Place capacity for hockey is currently 16,839.

source: Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rexall_Place

I thought it was close to 18,000 .... it is only slightly larger than the MTS Centre.

[DAVEinEDMONTON]

Originally Posted by thegreattait

People just ignore the Trolls. If we keep responding to Markus then he gets the attention he wants. If we just let him make his comment and ignore it then all will be well and we don't have to have pages of city bashings.

Thank you the the other outsiders who made useful comments that were actually discussion worthy. Your commitment to actual discussion is appreciated.

Also I think that having a highly ranked facility with respect to attendance isn't necessarily a reflection on the city but on the venue and the management which promotes it. Vancouver for example has two large venues and several smaller ones. Vancouver gets as many shows to Winnipeg and in fact probably more then we do. However there events get spread out to different venues, some of which compete against one another. Where as in Winnipeg there is only a single venue suited for each type of concert or performance, and competition only comes into play for smaller events such as what might be held at the Burton cummings theatre or at the Centenial Concert Hall.

This has more to do about efficiency and promotion of a single complex as oppose to which city has the bigger concert schlonge. If you wanted to get into a competition of which city gets more concerts then you need a ranking that compares all the city venues together. Since this is not that ranking then I think a lot of the comments made here about "our city gets more concerts then your city" are pointless, since there isn't any information in these rankings to prove your point either for or against Winnipeg. If you want that kind of discussion then find those rankings and lets get a well informed concert bashing discussion going.

I agree with your comments. Vancouver actually has three large venues if you count BC Place (which accoustically is way worse than any concrete arena IMO). And I noticed that some of the smaller acts that are in MTS Centre are in other venues in Edmonton and Calgary which distorts the numbers for Rexall Place and the Saddledome somewhat. However, I think True North does do a good job of bringing in the concerts. If not more different acts then plainly scoring lots of double nights. This could be a reflection of True North's business practices and/or because there is more space available to hold a second concert. Either way, it does explain the high numbers for MTS Centre.

[DAVEinEDMONTON]

Originally Posted by newflyer

The official Rexall Place capacity for hockey is currently 16,839.

source: Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rexall_Place

I thought it was close to 18,000 .... it is only slightly larger than the MTS Centre.

Rexall Place has gone through a number of seating changes through the years. The addition of an upper tier of seats after initial construction and then a reduction of seats from (I think) around 17,500 to accomodate the luxury boxes during the last set of renovations.

Ineteresting though when you consider the extra 1,800 seats in Rexall compared to MTS and potentially double that number if they built an arena with, say, 18,000 seats. 1,800 seats times, say, an average of 55 games times, say, $40 a ticket is a potental of $4,000,000 plus in revenue. Not a maker or breaker for any NHL team but many enough to afford some better talent perhaps???

[Great Dane]

Originally Posted by DAVEinEDMONTON

Rexall Place has gone through a number of seating changes through the years. The addition of an upper tier of seats after initial construction and then a reduction of seats from (I think) around 17,500 to accomodate the luxury boxes during the last set of renovations.

Ineteresting though when you consider the extra 1,800 seats in Rexall compared to MTS and potentially double that number if they built an arena with, say, 18,000 seats. 1,800 seats times, say, an average of 55 games times, say, $40 a ticket is a potental of $4,000,000 plus in revenue. Not a maker or breaker for any NHL team but many enough to afford some better talent perhaps???

Daryl Katz just has to pull out his cheque book now.

[trueviking]

Originally Posted by h0twired

Ken King (Flames President) has said on record a number of times that they are currently looking at proposals and that the arena will remain on the Calgary Stampede grounds (most likely along Macleod Tr where the Big4 building is).

Rumour has it that they will also be putting the C-Train underground at the location to allow for better pedestrian flow.

hmmm...doesnt exactly sound like a slam dunk....

[freeweed]

Give the US 2 solid years of hard recession while oil prices stay propped up due to OPEC cuts (and the fact that other countries are going to be buying as much oil as the US used to), and our dollar will stay high.

Shitty US economy + high Canadian dollar = Winnipeg gets an NHL team again.

The only stickler will be convincing 'peggers that $40 for a nosebleed seat is no more expensive than a $40 concert ticket (which is likely the very cheap tickets for some of the big name acts the MTS Centre gets these days).

The 2 things that killed the Jets (low CDN$ and rising US economy) probably won't be factors for many years. The fact that many in the hockey world still talk about Winnipeg is a very good sign. Even Bettman has moved beyond lip service, he's actually seriously thinking about it.

[Great Dane]

Las Vegas is actually the front runner for a team and will probably have a franchise by 2012. Kansas City is also a possibility as is Seattle.

As much as I would like to see the Jets return to Winnipeg, I don't think the Corporate support is there as much as it would be in a place like Hamilton; especially with Balsillie spearheading that charge.

Could Winnipeg be competitive with a $45 Million floor? I have trouble believing it.

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by trueviking

hmmm...doesnt exactly sound like a slam dunk....

It's not a slam dunk as you say, however as opposed to running around and talking in the press about things, as has gone on in Edmonton, the folks in Calgary have quietly got things together. They have a site picked out (the Stampede is also on side wiht the location), and are co-ordinating things with the city about the C-Train access etc as part of the Stampede expansion plan. You mihgt not be hearing much about it, but it will happen.

[Great Dane]

Originally Posted by Hawker

It's not a slam dunk as you say, however as opposed to running around and talking in the press about things, as has gone on in Edmonton, the folks in Calgary have quietly got things together. They have a site picked out (the Stampede is also on side wiht the location), and are co-ordinating things with the city about the C-Train access etc as part of the Stampede expansion plan. You mihgt not be hearing much about it, but it will happen.

Actually Katz is pushing things along here in Edmonton quietly as well it seems.

Feepa (I believe) was mentioning an announcement could come as soon as 2009 or early 2010 with Construction being completed by 2012-2013.

I bet you both Edmonton and Calgary build their arenas at around the same time.

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by DAVEinEDMONTON

I agree with your comments. Vancouver actually has three large venues if you count BC Place (which accoustically is way worse than any concrete arena IMO). And I noticed that some of the smaller acts that are in MTS Centre are in other venues in Edmonton and Calgary which distorts the numbers for Rexall Place and the Saddledome somewhat. However, I think True North does do a good job of bringing in the concerts. If not more different acts then plainly scoring lots of double nights. This could be a reflection of True North's business practices and/or because there is more space available to hold a second concert. Either way, it does explain the high numbers for MTS Centre.

As Dave has said,there are a couple of reasons for the MTS Centre's success. One is definitely the fact that Winnipeg doesn't have a secondary arena to have a lot of minor shows. Three others are:

1. The newness of the building/market: When a new building opens, it gets a lot of bookings both because the building is new, and because it's an untapped market for the act/band coming into it. Winnipeg might sell out two concerts of artist X while Edmonton only sells out one because said artist has been in the venue in Edmonton 5 times in the past 10 years, lessening demand somewhat. This is not to discount the halo affect of a new building, which, for example, got Sask Place (now the CUC) in Saskatoon many of the same accolades in the late 80's and early 90's as the MTS Centre is now getting.

2. Internal booking. The MTS Centre (again reminding me of CUC in Saskatoon) produces a lot of their own events, esp the smaller acts that come into the building. For the most part the Saddledome and Rexall don't produce events, just acting as a landlord for acts that want to come into the facility.

2. More available booking days, esp in the winter. The MTS Centre has the 40 games (plus playoffs) of the Moose. It's the only professional sports team in the building. The Saddledome and Rexall OTOH, have 44 NHL dates, plus 36 WHL dates, plus 8 NLL dates, for 90 or so event dates in the same time period. This means that there are times that bands can't get into a building because of no availability. The MTS Centre may well have more people coming in for not sports events, but both the Saddledome and Rexall have a lot more people in total coming into their buildings.

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by Great Dane

Actually Katz is pushing things along here in Edmonton quietly as well it seems.

Feepa (I believe) was mentioning an announcement could come as soon as 2009 or early 2010 with Construction being completed by 2012-2013.

I bet you both Edmonton and Calgary build their arenas at around the same time.

True...things have settled down the past year or so in Edmonton...I was thinking about the big studies and such the City and Northlands did up in Edmonton. As for the buildings going up @ the same time, I wouldn't be suprised, although I would suggest more on the 2013-14 time frame in Calgary, as the Flames lease at the Saddledome finishes up in 2014.

[freeweed]

Oh, forgot to add (while a bunch of dingbats went off talking about Edmonton and Calgary): while the MTS Centre is nice, and may sell lots of tickets: it's the baseball park that really shines.

Considering the facility is only used for roughly 4 months a year, it's still the jewel in Winnipeg's crown if you ask me. It REALLY makes those summer days feel like... summer, and not just a brief 6 week respite from winter.

[1ajs]

Originally Posted by freeweed

Oh, forgot to add (while a bunch of dingbats went off talking about Edmonton and Calgary): while the MTS Centre is nice, and may sell lots of tickets: it's the baseball park that really shines.

Considering the facility is only used for roughly 4 months a year, it's still the jewel in Winnipeg's crown if you ask me. It REALLY makes those summer days feel like... summer, and not just a brief 6 week respite from winter.

indeed it is

[Greco Roman]

Originally Posted by freeweed

It REALLY makes those summer days feel like... summer, and not just a brief 6 week respite from winter.

Yes, but Winnipeg gets more summer weather than six weeks. You grew up there (or at least lived there); you know that.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Markus41

This ranking will surly drop when both Edmonton and Calgary build new arenas that will outperform Winnipeg's; it's only a matter of time.

Yet another high quality contribution.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Originally Posted by Great Dane

Las Vegas is actually the front runner for a team and will probably have a franchise by 2012. Kansas City is also a possibility as is Seattle.

As much as I would like to see the Jets return to Winnipeg, I don't think the Corporate support is there as much as it would be in a place like Hamilton; especially with Balsillie spearheading that charge.

Could Winnipeg be competitive with a $45 Million floor? I have trouble believing it.

Oh you're so wrong!

The Las Vegas bidder has pulled out. Kansas City guy bought a 25% stake in Nashville and he now he has claimed banruptcy and is on tax evasion charges. Seattle I've never heard of, but I have heard of a Portlans Oregon bid. So don't blow smoke if you know nothing!

[Great Dane]

I think you should stay up to date on current affairs before you ramble on about situations you know nothing about relating to the NHL.

With Harrah pulling out it works IN FAVOR of the Las Vegas group of Jerry Bruckheimer, Harry Sloan and David Bonderman. They're still working on an arena with AEG off the strip and want a team there by 2011.

Houston has an arena built, is the 6th largest TV market in the US and some BOG have stated that they would like to see an NHL team in Houston. AHL team draws strong attendance.

Seattle has the Sonics leaving when their lease expires and there have been whispers that Seattle would be looking at the possibility of a team when the NHL considers relocation or expansion.

How about you actually learn something about what the current state of affairs are in the NHL before you spout off knowing nothing instead?

[drew]

Originally Posted by Great Dane

How about you actually learn something about what the current state of affairs are in the NHL before you spout off knowing nothing instead?

That's a good point.

Perhaps you could enlighten us with your evidence of the level of corporate support in Winnipeg, or lack there of, that would exclude us from getting another NHL team.

You have mentioned it rather casually in two threads now, without offering anything to back yourself up.

[thegreattait]

On a similar note here is an article from the Winnipeg Free Press

Elton's Winnipeg concerts 3rd-highest grossing in world

Updated: October 15 at 11:05 AM CDT



Elton John’s two-night appearance at the MTS Centre last month was the third-highest-grossing concert stand in the world so far this year.

According to Billboard magazine, Sir Elton’s concerts here Sept. 19 and 20 grossed $3,450,775 in ticket sales, behind only the Austin City Limits Music Festival and a three-night stand by Leonard Cohen in Dublin, Ireland.

The Austin festival — held Sept. 26-28 and featuring Foo Fighters, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Beck and others — took in $11,767,838 in revenues.

Leonard Cohen grossed $6,171,090 from three shows June 13-15 in Dublin.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

4. Ozzfest (Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, Serj Tankian, Hellyeah, Jonathan Davis, Cavalera Conspiracy, Shadows Fall, Apocalyptica, In This Moment), Frisco, Texas, Aug. 9, $3,335,362.

5. Elton John, Halifax, Sept. 26-27, $3,204,635.

6. Neil Diamond, Hollywood, Calif., Oct. 1-2, $2,854,920.

7. Elton John, St. John’s, Nfld., Oct. 2-3, $2,150,517.

8. Leonard Cohen, London, England, July 17, $1,915,769 .

9. Leonard Cohen, Copenhagen, July 5, $1,905,089.

10. New Kids On The Block, Boston, Sept. 26, 28, $1,783,505.