Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2

[osmo]

We had our first event at BMO Field today after a contract issue. It was my fist visit to the new place.

All I can say is BMO Field looks MUCH BETTER in person. I complained about the roof spacing and such but you dont notice it in person due to your vantage point. The scale of the roof works exceptionaly well.

The north end is still awkward but they added some tables and bar stools there so it is improving slowly.

The north end will be awkward for football. CFL fans can remain nervous becaude I dont think that north end will hold up well. There is still not enough spacing to have any sort of meaningful programming aside from maybe some standing only seats and a beer cart.

New TFC Club looks great also. I got to spend some time in there. All of the luxury options are put together very well.

It was much more loud in there as well. Only 22K there today and it was roaring loud with the roof.

The exterior looks good as well. The East side looks good and I think they added on more of that yellow faux brick stone that is all over the stadium and it makes it look very hodgepodge but in a cool European way. BMO Field looks like well aged barn now versus the tin shed it was for many years. The roof made all the difference.

[king10]

I think there was 24k and change there tonight.

I dont think the lack of endzone amenities will be an issue for the argos though. Seats behind the cfl endzones arent really high in demand.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

BMO looks friggin' awesome...

[Coldrsx]

https://mobile.twitter.com/kevinmahertv/status/731874450082283520

[speedog]

Thanks, Coldrsx, for that reprieve however temporary it may be.

[elly63]

Looks like inlaid football and soccer lines at Mosaic stadium. Not good for the NT or proposed CPL

[North_Regina_Boy]

Some pictures from this evening... Credit: Myself

[king10]

Originally Posted by elly63

Looks like inlaid football and soccer lines at Mosaic stadium. Not good for the NT or proposed CPL

Why the heck are they stiching in permanent football lines? Theyre shooting themselves in the foot. They wont get any major soccer matches.

All the new stadiums use washable paint to remove lines for whichever sport. Bc place. thf. Commonwealth. IGF. TD Place. Quest field. Gilette stadium. Rogers Centre

Sask is making a huge mistake which will make it difficult to attract fifa sanctioned events and the canMNT.

The article quotes the director saying that if canada bids on 2026 world cup they can change the turf then. Why arent you doing it now the first time? They approached the CSA to host a wcq but didnt do their homework finding out football marking arent sanctioned. Sounds like someone has dropped the ball.

You dont claim a multisport venue and then install permanent markings for one sport.

[elly63]

^What he said

[HomeInMyShoes]

Agreed. That is quite short-sighted and disappointing.

[esquire]

Surely the NMS operators must have had some insight as to the type of soccer events that they were likely to attract in arriving at their decision? Considering that this venue will be home to what, 3 football teams including 1 pro outfit, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the facility will be optimized for football.

[king10]

Originally Posted by esquire

Surely the NMS operators must have had some insight as to the type of soccer events that they were likely to attract in arriving at their decision? Considering that this venue will be home to what, 3 football teams including 1 pro outfit, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the facility will be optimized for football.

It couldve been optimized for both just like every other new stadium built in North America.

By not optimizing it for both they are closing the door on another revenue stream.

And it looks as if they were mistaken in their insight to the type of events held. They reached out to the CSA to host wcq and the CSA notified them that permanent football marking on the turf were a non starter.

They aren't going to get any soccer matches big enough to make any money with stitched in turf.


FIFA Acceptable



Not FIFA Acceptable

[esquire]

^ Oh well.

[king10]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Oh well.

I sure hope thats not the operators answer to the turf selection.

That isn't going to cut it after a $300 million stadium is built unable to host FIFA sanctioned events.

This really is a shortsighted mistake on their part on what otherwise is a beautiful stadium.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by king10

I sure hope thats not the operators answer to the turf selection.

That isn't going to cut it after a $300 million is built unable to host FIFA sanctioned events.

This really is a shortsighted mistake on their part on what otherwise is a beautiful stadium.

The stadium is host to 3 football teams (pro, university and junior). The surface they've chosen is optimized for the main tenants. It sounds like it will also be adequate for the type of soccer likely to played in there for the foreseeable future (amateur, perhaps low level pro).

I'm sure the NMS operators made an informed decision based on the events they were likely to attract. What's the point of putting in multipurpose turf when it might mean a high level international friendly or qualifier once every ten years or so? If Canada gets the WC and needs to use NMS, or Regina gets a higher level pro team (even NASL), I'm sure the turf issue could be revisited easily enough.

[king10]

Originally Posted by esquire

The stadium is host to 3 football teams (pro, university and junior). The surface they've chosen is optimized for the main tenants. It sounds like it will also be adequate for the type of soccer likely to played in there for the foreseeable future (amateur, perhaps low level pro).

I'm sure the NMS operators made an informed decision based on the events they were likely to attract. What's the point of putting in multipurpose turf when it might mean a high level international friendly or qualifier once every ten years or so? If Canada gets the WC and needs to use NMS, or Regina gets a higher level pro team (even NASL), I'm sure the turf issue could be revisited easily enough.

They clearly didn't make an informed decision when before the turf is even installed yet they reached out to the CSA wanting to host a WCQ not knowing the yet to be installed turf isnt even FIFA sanctioned therefore they can't host the event.

The director seems to be confused in stating it is FIFA approved.... except for the markings. Therefore it isn't FIFA approved.

It wasn't a difficult decision. THF here in Hamilton hosts a pro and semi pro football team as well as amateur soccer. They paint the lines. It is optimized for both. As is EVERY other new stadium built in North America.

And sure the turf issue could be revisited easily, it would just cost an additional $2 million that couldve been saved had the original choice been not so short sighted.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by king10

I think there was 24k and change there tonight.

I dont think the lack of endzone amenities will be an issue for the argos though. Seats behind the cfl endzones arent really high in demand.

I guess I may have been overly optimistic in thinking that TFC could have a near-sellout season at BMO.

[king10]

Devin Masch, executive director of the Regina Soccer Association, said his group has approached the Canadian Soccer Association about its intent to host an international game — possibly a World Cup qualifier if the Canadian men’s national team makes it to the hex.

But Masch said the CSA was clear that, to host a sanctioned event, the turf at the still-under-construction New Mosaic Stadium has to be up to international standards.

“They have to be the kind of lines that can be scrubbed off the field, not stitched in,” he says.

Rod Schmidt, the manager of stadium development for the City of Regina, said the turf that will be laid in New Mosaic Stadium will have the sewn-in line markings. But he said the field will adhere to FIFA’s guidelines.

http://the11.ca/2016/05/16/reginas-socce...tional-team-match-to-new-mosaic-stadium/

Mr Schmidt seems to be confused. He believes the turf will adhere to FIFA guidelines yet the director of Regina soccer was told flat out by the CSA that the turf cannot have permanent football lines.

To me that sounds like the manager of stadium development has not made an informed decision because he doesn't even KNOW what a FIFA sanctioned surface is.

[mistercorporate]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I guess I may have been overly optimistic in thinking that TFC could have a near-sellout season at BMO.

As was stated previously, 9 out of the upcoming 10 games were approaching a sellout, Vancouvers game was the poorly seling game, probably due to the Gardiner shutting down for maintenance this weekend.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by king10

They clearly didn't make an informed decision when before the turf is even installed yet they reached out to the CSA wanting to host a WCQ not knowing the yet to be installed turf isnt even FIFA sanctioned therefore they can't host the event.

The director seems to be confused in stating it is FIFA approved.... except for the markings. Therefore it isn't FIFA approved.

It wasn't a difficult decision. THF here in Hamilton hosts a pro and semi pro football team as well as amateur soccer. They paint the lines. It is optimized for both. As is EVERY other new stadium built in North America.

And sure the turf issue could be revisited easily, it would just cost an additional $2 million that couldve been saved had the original choice been not so short sighted.

For what it's worth, if it were up to me I would have used the turf with painted on lines for that very reason. But perhaps the carrot of a possible WC qualifier was just not enough to make the football tenants want to give up their desired surface. Let's face it, there will be on the order of 20+ football games a year in there and if NMS had the right field, perhaps one important soccer match a decade. At the end of the day it's not a lot they're walking away from. And considering that fieldturf seems to have an inservice life of maybe a little over a decade, they'll easily be able to reconsider their decision when the time comes to replace the rug.

I see NMS as a bit like BMO circa 7 or 8 years ago. Optimized for one sport because there is simply no one else interested in using it on a regular basis for another sport, but which could be easily modified to accommodate the other sport if the need arises.