Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by esquire

Building a soccer-specific stadium in Sask purely on speculation is a pointlessly costly endeavour when there are already venues that could handle a team and are ready to go. If a CPL team takes up residence at NMS or Huskies Stadium and builds up a fanbase, then maybe in a decade I could see that conversation taking place.

I simply don't see government putting money into it at this stage, and only a wealthy person who really loves soccer and isn't concerned so much with ROI would pay for one.

Exactly, especially when the just opened a brand new stadium in Regina that has soccer lines permanently stitched into the field.

[esquire]

OK, I'm really nerding out here but I had something on my mind.

I know there is a tendency to see NMS and IGF as somewhat smallish stadiums, but I have to wonder... if they had been built in the 70s, what would their seating capacities be? Seems that newer buildings have much wider corridors and spaces generally due to codes, and seats are wider due to our collective fondness for French fries and donuts.

If you were to adjust NMS and IGF's seating capacities to account for those changes to do a straight apples-to-apples comparison vs. older larger stadiums like Commonwealth or BC Place, what would they be? I'm thinking maybe about 15% more seating using the old standards, so let's say 38,500 seats?

For context, Ivor Wynne held just under 30,000 people and there is no question that NMS and IGF are massive compared to that place.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

OK, I'm really nerding out here but I had something on my mind.

I know there is a tendency to see NMS and IGF as somewhat smallish stadiums, .

I'm Canadian. So I don't see NMS and IGF as smallish!

[esquire]

^ Heh

Here's an interesting article that gives some insight into the Montreal Alouettes' operations in light of their new arrangement with Olympic Stadium. It sounds as though all facets of the team's operations will be based in Olympic Stadium except for the games themselves which will continue to be played at Molson Stadium.

http://nationalpost.com/sports/football/...wcm/fb767588-3847-4961-864e-9fdcd8d91297

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Exactly, especially when the just opened a brand new stadium in Regina that has soccer lines permanently stitched into the field.

There may be issues with scheduling/tenancy/size of stadium. CPL execs have said they're aiming for 5-10K crowds in the first season and that would look awfully out of place in a stadium as large as New Mosaic.

Originally Posted by Nathan

But regardless, Halifax has to pursue a pop-up stadium because it doesn't actually have anything close to a 7-10k stadium to begin with. Saskatoon's Griffiths is ~7k and Mosaic in Regina is 33k (lower bowl only is about 17k if they just used that). There's no reason cities Regina's/Saskatoon's size would need a pop-up stadium with a similar (Stoon) or smaller (Regina) capacity than their current facilities. Just feels like it would be a waste of money

If it's not public money being used I don't really see why they couldn't go after their own stadium and not be dependent on Riders/University of Sask. Either way we won't really know anything for another week and a half anyway.

Originally Posted by Esquire

Building a soccer-specific stadium in Sask purely on speculation is a pointlessly costly endeavour when there are already venues that could handle a team and are ready to go. If a CPL team takes up residence at NMS or Huskies Stadium and builds up a fanbase, then maybe in a decade I could see that conversation taking place.

I'd wager that it would be preferable for the team to grow a fanbase in a smaller stadium where the team has complete control over revenues and services within the stadium itself. Again, we'll see how it sorts itself out, but interest in the league is interest in the league regardless of where they play.

Additional info:

A Saskatchewan team would likely need a temporary home to meet a 2018 launch, but the group says their plans for a home field could be built in nine months.

"Our stadium is modular, which is temporary with a permanent look," Belan said.

"It will bring direct economic benefit through direct tax revenue, sales tax from tickets and revenue from other entertainment events."

He said the stadium would likely cost between $15-$20 million.

The location of the soccer team will depend on where Belan, McGlaughlin and Genier decide is most suitable for the construction of a stadium.

http://ckom.com/article/1698571/group-plans-bring-pro-soccer-saskatchewan

[Horus]

A short video showing the progress of the renovations to Belleville's Yardmen Arena, home to the AHL Senators.

• Video Link

The first home game will be Nov 1.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by esquire

OK, I'm really nerding out here but I had something on my mind.

I know there is a tendency to see NMS and IGF as somewhat smallish stadiums, but I have to wonder... if they had been built in the 70s, what would their seating capacities be? Seems that newer buildings have much wider corridors and spaces generally due to codes, and seats are wider due to our collective fondness for French fries and donuts.

If you were to adjust NMS and IGF's seating capacities to account for those changes to do a straight apples-to-apples comparison vs. older larger stadiums like Commonwealth or BC Place, what would they be? I'm thinking maybe about 15% more seating using the old standards, so let's say 38,500 seats?

For context, Ivor Wynne held just under 30,000 people and there is no question that NMS and IGF are massive compared to that place.

This is true. THF is "smaller" in capacity compared to IWS by about 5,000 seats, but its footprint is a lot larger. This is partly because the seating is much more generous (I doubt the old benches allowed more than 16 inches width per seat; today the minimum is 21 plus arm rests between). But there is a lot more square footage devoted to stairways, common areas, restrooms, and food prep and concessions space, as well as offices, meeting rooms, and team facilities (the old locker rooms at IWS were horribly cramped). Some of this was achieved by having more levels, as there were only two in the old north stand of IWS and just the ground level concourse on the larger south plus a cramped pressbox and limited "suites" added in the 1990s tacked on top. But overall the difference is large. And IGF and NMS have even more of the extra space, rooms, and facilities than THF.

I am curious how the actual footprint dimensions compare between the stadiums like Commonwealth, the Big O, and BC Place that were built in the 1970s-80s vs. the likes of THF-TD Place-BMO and NMS-IGF.

[king10]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Heh

Here's an interesting article that gives some insight into the Montreal Alouettes' operations in light of their new arrangement with Olympic Stadium. It sounds as though all facets of the team's operations will be based in Olympic Stadium except for the games themselves which will continue to be played at Molson Stadium.

http://nationalpost.com/sports/football/...wcm/fb767588-3847-4961-864e-9fdcd8d91297

Hasn't that been the case for years now? Edit: NVM. facilities were always at Olympic but they were bussed to practice.

[esquire]

Someone mentioned something about TD Place earlier in this thread that made me curious... so while I had last night's Als/RBs game on, I looked carefully at the sideline seats.

As pointed out, the front row in the south side grandstand gets absurdly low for football... to the point where someone sitting in the first couple rows can probably barely see the game for all the people walking around directly in front of them. I know in multipurpose stadiums the seating typically got that low for baseball purposes, but for a football/soccer venue it seems like an extremely strange choice. Just look at this:



The funny thing is that the north side stands are actually quite nice and high so that even someone sitting in the front row gets a good view. So what did the RBs do? They installed a bunch of seats to fill in the gap between the grandstand and the sideline, and those lousy seats are some of the most expensive ones in the joint:



Are they just counting on fans not being used to buying football tickets? It kind of reminds me of sunbelt hockey teams that charge a steep premium for front row seats on the basis that fans are used to paying handsomely for courtside basketball seats, even though it is generally acknowledged that front row seats for hockey are not all that great.

[VANRIDERFAN]

I was at that game last night, it was a fun night and the RB's won so that monkey is off their back. The first time I went to TD Place last year I bought one of the field level tickets on the new side. Big mistake, you cannot see over the players standing on the sideline and since both teams are on the same side the blockage stretches from goal line to goal line. I don't understand why they don't have the players on the other side where the bottom row of the stands are higher?
But if you are into socializing then all the open areas on the south sides are where people gather. I learned that in that first game because I spent the rest of the game watching from several vantage points around the stadium.

[king10]

No surprise but the painted over football lines for the valencia friendly at new mosaic looks terrible.

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by king10

No surprise but the painted over football lines for the valencia friendly at new mosaic looks terrible.

Oh well. When it is laid out for the primary tenant then compromises have to be made.

[king10]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

Oh well. When it is laid out for the primary tenant then compromises have to be made.

Not the case for winnipeg edmonton hamilton bc ottawa. Too bad. Would look much better with painted instead of stiched lines.

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by king10

Not the case for winnipeg edmonton hamilton bc ottawa. Too bad. Would look much better with painted instead of stiched lines.

Saskatchewan does things their way. Rest of the country seem to be the ones with the issue with it.

[king10]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

Saskatchewan does things their way. Rest of the country seem to be the ones with the issue with it.

This seems to be the case

[Denscity]

I wonder what Valencia really thought.

[SaskScraper]

Valencia would have really enjoyed playing in an ultra new venue such as the majesty of New Mosaic Stadium...
With only 10,000 (upper deck & end zones where empty, less than a third of what Riders get for their games) at yesterday's game, Valencia would have known that they aren't the main show in town, and take a back seat to the Riders, painted over football lines or not.

https://www.google.ca/amp/nationalpost.c...41f01a70-8a12-4e82-8e85-0e60d700172f/amp

[UrbanClimate]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

Valencia would have really enjoyed playing in an ultra new venue such as the majesty of New Mosaic Stadium...
With only 10,000 (upper deck & end zones where empty, less than a third of what Riders get for their games) at yesterday's game, Valencia would have known that they aren't the main show in town, and take a back seat to the Riders, painted over football lines or not.

https://www.google.ca/amp/nationalpost.c...41f01a70-8a12-4e82-8e85-0e60d700172f/amp

This is true. However I was at the Valencia game yesterday, and there were more than 15,000 in attendance -- a very good turnout for Regina. The stadium is a terrific venue for soccer, and hopefully more international friendlies will come to the city. The only disappointment was the "unprofessional" look of the playing surface, with faint football lines beneath yellow soccer lines. Hopefully this can be improved for the next match.

Argentinian national Ezequiel Garay looks impressed:

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

Valencia would have really enjoyed playing in an ultra new venue such as the majesty of New Mosaic Stadium...
With only 10,000 (upper deck & end zones where empty, less than a third of what Riders get for their games) at yesterday's game, Valencia would have known that they aren't the main show in town, and take a back seat to the Riders, painted over football lines or not.

https://www.google.ca/amp/nationalpost.c...41f01a70-8a12-4e82-8e85-0e60d700172f/amp

Good turn out though for the game, with both sides of stadium about half full even though endzones had no people.




Friends of parents that got complimentary tickets to the game with their kids said it looked like about 1/3 full, with a surprisingly large Spanish cheering crowd.
I doubt the next time they hold another pro soccer game they will get as many attending but never know, as long as they can get European or South American teams playing they will get a half decent turn out.
Great job NMS on making all the right decisions on design of stadium and field specifications.

[FrankieFlowerpot]

Hearing the owners of the Toronto Wolfpack are gonna be putting in big money into work at Lamport Stadium for next season.