Stadiums and Arenas of Canada

[Hybrid247]

1. Chl
2. Nhl
3. Cfl
4. Mlb
5. Mls

[isaidso]

Almost perfect. I may as well post the answer as you almost nailed it:


Attendance by Canadians in Sports Leagues

1. CHL ~7.5 million (52 teams)
2. NHL ~5.0 million (7 teams)
3. MLB 2,099,663 (1 team)
4. CFL 2,029,875 (8 teams)
5. MLS 1,026,835 (3 teams)
6. AHL ~ 800,000 (4 teams)
7. CIS Football ~ 600,000 (27 teams)
8. NBA 555,584 (1 team)
9. NBL ~ 350,000 (8 teams)
10. AAIPB 307,472 (1 team)
11. NLL 212,200 (3 teams)

[Chadillaccc]

I wish Rugby were bigger here. Such a good sport.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I wish Rugby were bigger here. Such a good sport.

Most countries pick one or the other. It's either football or rugby, baseball or cricket. Few seem to have room for both. Australia seems to be the lone exception. The only rugby I've ever seen is 'Muddy York' marching in the Gay Pride parade.

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Almost perfect. I may as well post the answer as you almost nailed it:


Attendance by Canadians in Sports Leagues

1. CHL ~7.5 million (52 teams)
2. NHL ~5.0 million (7 teams)
3. MLB 2,099,663 (1 team)
4. CFL 2,029,875 (8 teams)
5. MLS 1,026,835 (3 teams)
6. AHL ~ 800,000 (4 teams)
7. CIS Football ~ 600,000 (27 teams)
8. NBA 555,584 (1 team)
9. NBL ~ 350,000 (8 teams)
10. AAIPB 307,472 (1 team)
11. NLL 212,200 (3 teams)

When Ottawa joins the CFL my list will probably be correct

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Hybrid247

When Ottawa joins the CFL my list will probably be correct

That's what I was thinking too. The CFL will go up to 84 regular season games from 81 while average attendance will likely dip from 28,000/game to 27,000/game with small stadia in both Ottawa and Hamilton coming on stream. Then again, Winnipeg will be bigger at 33,500. Who knows?

84 x 28,000 = 2,352,000

Then again, the Jays have pulled in 4 million in one season so a lot depends on how this 'improved' team performs.

[Chadillaccc]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Most countries pick one or the other. It's either football or rugby, baseball or cricket. Few seem to have room for both. Australia seems to be the lone exception. The only rugby I've ever seen is 'Muddy York' marching in the Gay Pride parade.

I used to play. My boyfriend coaches, refs, and plays rugby, and plays almost every other sport for some reason. He's actually been helping select the players for Alberta's under-18 provincial rugby team this past month. He refs for adult mens division 1 rugby here in Calgary, that's about as professional as it gets in Canada I think, unfortunately. It's such a good mans sport. No padding, just pure brutality and athleticism, awesome.


We're talking about setting up a team for Calgary to join the international gay league next year. He's been in contact with Muddy York actually, just trying to get pointers to see how they managed to get it off the ground and make it work. I believe Toronto and Montreal are currently the only cities with teams in the gay league. It's too bad Calgary and Edmonton aren't closer together, because I know a lot of guys up in Edmonton would love to be part of it, but here in Calgary it might be hard to generate interest for it.

[Hybrid247]

Originally Posted by isaidso

That's what I was thinking too. The CFL will go up to 84 regular season games from 81 while average attendance will likely dip from 28,000/game to 27,000/game with small stadia in both Ottawa and Hamilton coming on stream. Then again, Winnipeg will be bigger at 33,500. Who knows?

84 x 28,000 = 2,352,000

Then again, the Jays have pulled in 4 million in one season so a lot depends on how this 'improved' team performs.

Quite true. With the way they're playing right now I don't think it'll be a big improvement if any.

[isaidso]

We'll see. They do need to start winning, but I still have confidence that they can begin chalking up the wins. Even if they don't, interest in the Jays has been piqued. Attendance will likely be over 2.3 million regardless of how they do. If they do well, they will hit 3 million.

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

I used to play. My boyfriend coaches, refs, and plays rugby, and plays almost every other sport for some reason. He's actually been helping select the players for Alberta's under-18 provincial rugby team this past month. He refs for adult mens division 1 rugby here in Calgary, that's about as professional as it gets in Canada I think, unfortunately. It's such a good mans sport. No padding, just pure brutality and athleticism, awesome.


We're talking about setting up a team for Calgary to join the international gay league next year. He's been in contact with Muddy York actually, just trying to get pointers to see how they managed to get it off the ground and make it work. I believe Toronto and Montreal are currently the only cities with teams in the gay league. It's too bad Calgary and Edmonton aren't closer together, because I know a lot of guys up in Edmonton would love to be part of it, but here in Calgary it might be hard to generate interest for it.

That's awesome. I love all the gay recreation leagues here in Toronto. They're a nice break from the bar scene and a chance to play sports that were sometimes intimidating places in high school.

I started off joining the gay swim team and went to the Outgames in that sport. I switched to Canadian football 4 seasons ago and we're up to 9 Toronto teams now. I'd like to do both football and swimming, but 1 sport takes up enough time already.

Good luck with getting your rugby team off the ground. Maybe you guys can come down for Pride next summer? I march with the football league.... tons of fun. 2014 Toronto is hosting World Pride so it would be a good year to come.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Almost perfect. I may as well post the answer as you almost nailed it:


Attendance by Canadians in Sports Leagues

1. CHL ~7.5 million (52 teams)
2. NHL ~5.0 million (7 teams)
3. MLB 2,099,663 (1 team)
4. CFL 2,029,875 (8 teams)
5. MLS 1,026,835 (3 teams)
6. AHL ~ 800,000 (4 teams)
7. CIS Football ~ 600,000 (27 teams)
8. NBA 555,584 (1 team)
9. NBL ~ 350,000 (8 teams)
10. AAIPB 307,472 (1 team)
11. NLL 212,200 (3 teams)

When you make an empirical claim, could you kindly post a link to its source?

[esquire]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Almost perfect. I may as well post the answer as you almost nailed it:


Attendance by Canadians in Sports Leagues

1. CHL ~7.5 million (52 teams)
2. NHL ~5.0 million (7 teams)
3. MLB 2,099,663 (1 team)
4. CFL 2,029,875 (8 teams)
5. MLS 1,026,835 (3 teams)
6. AHL ~ 800,000 (4 teams)
7. CIS Football ~ 600,000 (27 teams)
8. NBA 555,584 (1 team)
9. NBL ~ 350,000 (8 teams)
10. AAIPB 307,472 (1 team)
11. NLL 212,200 (3 teams)

These numbers are pretty interesting when you consider how they relate to sports coverage in the Canadian media.

Generally speaking (and knowing that individual markets differ), the focus tends to be on the big 4 US team sports leagues, CFL and MLS, and then the non-team sports leagues like PGA, WTA, etc.

It's interesting to see how many leagues get pretty substantial fan support in the form of attendance (CHL, AHL, CIS, etc.) but very little media coverage on a national scale, apart perhaps from the championships.

[elly63]

Part of the coverage is who owns the property. TSN has the CFL rights and gives them their due, Sportsnet does not. Sportsnet has MLB and they cover that to death. I used to listen to Prime Time Sports radio until I got sick of the same guests (American media pundits) and the same topics: baseball and hockey. You won't hear much about CFL or MLS on that broadcast.

[Coldrsx]

Edmonton is now only $30mil away from a downtown arena... Capital Region Board (ie.municipalities) are working on a $25mil grant.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by esquire

It's interesting to see how many leagues get pretty substantial fan support in the form of attendance (CHL, AHL, CIS, etc.) but very little media coverage on a national scale, apart perhaps from the championships.

But the kind of attendance a league generates is crucial in the television business. The above figures are about total attendance (i.e., the total number of people who attend per season), not average attendance (i.e., the average amount of people who attend per game).

Average attendance is much more predictive of television ratings than total attendance.

A league like the CHL generates a high total attendance simply because of the sheer number of games played over the course of an entire season (approximately 1,750; the CFL, by contrast, plays only 72). But the average amount of people who attend a single CHL game is very low, relative to the NHL or the CFL (which has the highest average attendance of any sports league in Canada and the third highest average attendance of any sports league in North America).

[GernB]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Edmonton is now only $30mil away from a downtown arena... Capital Region Board (ie.municipalities) are working on a $25mil grant.

And how long before this becomes a 50-60-70m+$ "grant"? Then of course Calgary will have to have the same thing. It just never ends with these sports franchises. I used to be a fan, but FFS, these team are just beggars with their hands as far into the public purse as they can get.

Not trying to be rude to anyone, but JHFC... these people need to start paying their own way. Or get out of town, if they think they can make money elsewhere.

[elly63]

City of Ottawa
May 10, 2013

- Next week the new north stands roof will start to be assembled and installed.
- The roof will be built in sections on the stadium field and lifted into place by a special crane.
- Work to build a new storage area at the west end of the stands, and a new loading dock at the east end continues.
- Vertical columns to support the third level are going up at the south stands.
- Another section of the second floor at the south stands will be poured next week.
- Support structures for the main seating bowl of the south stands are being installed.


Pouring more concrete to form the next phase of the south stands.


The north stands viewed through rebar that will give strength to a retaining wall at the east end of the south stands.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

When you make an empirical claim, could you kindly post a link to its source?

Quite right. Sorry I took so long to reply, but I didn't have time to get it together for you. It's hard getting data for some of these teams and leagues, but this was my starting point:

http://ballparkdigest.com/201210055671/attendance/news/2012-major-league-baseball-attendance
http://www.worldfootball.net/zuschauer/usa-major-league-soccer-2012/1/
http://www.ilindoor.com/2012/05/03/nll-2...numbers-dip-again-under-9500-on-average/
http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance/_/year/2012/sort/homePct
http://www.winnipegsun.com/2012/09/26/goldeyes-again-one-of-baseballs-biggest-draws

WHL: 3,519,007 (4,673/game) 753 games in total
OHL: 2,670,267 (3,933/game) 679 games in total
QMJHL: 2,268,508 (3,601/game) 630 games in total

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


The 5 million figure for the NHL was an estimate. 40 games x 18,000/game = 720,000. I then multiplied that by 7 teams to reach ~ 5 million. The CFL number is based on an Excel spreadsheet I do every season while the AHL figure is based on an estimate: I took the 6,426,934 attendance figure for the 30 AHL clubs listed in the link above. 4 of the 30 clubs are in Canada so: 4/30 x 6,426,934 =856,925. I rounded it down ~ 800,000 to be conservative, but it didn't effect it's ranking in 6th place overall.

CIS football? I used to be a contributor to their web site and compiled attendance figures for a few seasons. Attendance was always in the 450,000 to 500,000 range not including playoffs. The 600,000 figure for the whole season is an estimate, but might be a tad high. Getting exact numbers is next to impossible because some schools post attendance at zero to make it look like they didn't count it, but it's really just to avoid embarrassment.

The NBL doesn't post comprehensive attendance figures for similar reasons, but I do know that average attendance is in the 2000-2500 range. 2000 x 18 games = 36,000. 36,000 x 10 teams = 360,000. I rounded that down to 350,000. The NBA figure was for a reduced season. Since I posted the list, the 2012-2013 data was posted so the Canadian NBA attendance should be listed at 743,936. This figure is from the link below:

http://espn.go.com/nba/attendance


Here is the revised list. I revised CIS football down a tad and adjusted the list in light of the new NBA data:

Attendance by Canadians in Sports Leagues
1. CHL ~7.5 million (52 teams)
2. NHL ~5.0 million (7 teams)
3. MLB 2,099,663 (Toronto Blue Jays)
4. CFL 2,029,875 (8 teams)
5. MLS 1,026,835 (3 teams)
6. AHL ~ 800,000 (4 teams)
7. NBA 743,936 (Toronto Raptors)
8. CIS Football ~ 500,000 (27 teams)
9. NBL ~ 350,000 (10 teams)
10. AAIPB 307,472 (Winnipeg Goldeyes)
11. NLL 212,200 (3 teams)

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by esquire

These numbers are pretty interesting when you consider how they relate to sports coverage in the Canadian media.

Generally speaking (and knowing that individual markets differ), the focus tends to be on the big 4 US team sports leagues, CFL and MLS, and then the non-team sports leagues like PGA, WTA, etc.

It's interesting to see how many leagues get pretty substantial fan support in the form of attendance (CHL, AHL, CIS, etc.) but very little media coverage on a national scale, apart perhaps from the championships.

'Prometheus' is right that average attendance and number of games played in a season should be taken into account. That said, the media does tend to completely ignore CIS basketball, CIS football, AHL, and the CHL. Based on the number of Canadians that actually attend these leagues, they should garner far more media attention than they do.

The AHL and CHL get ignored because the NHL hogs the spotlight and the national media has a vested interest in promoting the NHL. I really think that the CHL has the potential to become the Canadian equivalent of NCAA basketball if it were marketed properly.

Lots of Canadians attend CIS sports, but very few games attract enough spectators to make it an attractive television property. Only a few college football games attract more than 5000 fans while even fewer college basketball games draw more than 2000 fans. CIS basketball/football will only get more media attention once game day attendance gets much much bigger. It's a shame really, because it exists in almost complete anonymity. 37,000 fans at the recent Vanier Cup (College Bowl) helps a great deal though.

If only all college football games in Canada were as well supported as this one:

Laval vs. McMaster @ Skydome

Courtesy of Robin Leworthy Wilson

[isaidso]

Courtesy of the Ottawa Sun

[SteelTown]

New updated rendering released today


Emma Reilly
https://twitter.com/EmmaatTheSpec/status/334317255275991041/photo/1

stadium design has been tweaked - underside of the stands has been screened, colours have been lightened


Emma Reilly
https://twitter.com/EmmaatTheSpec/status/334317255275991041/photo/1