Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Brizzy82

You do this every few months, I have no idea why. Cher’s Winnipeg concert was cancelled due to illness.

Saskatoon and Winnipeg largely get the same arena tours.

Winnipeg brings in a few huge acts like Jay Z, Beyoncé, Kanye, The Weeknd, etc that never play Saskatoon though. No one cares.

That statement is untrue.

Cher seemed perfectly fine the date before Winnipeg & the day after. 'Illness' sometimes is called if a venue has lower than expected ticket sales, such as in this particular case.

And, there are many more concert tours that bypass Winnipeg rather than Saskatoon.

originally posted by Dalreg

Funny how all the out of towners are Debbie downers for Saskatoon to go down the path of a new arena, where as the Saskatchewan forumers seem to be all pro for a new arena. Little old Saskatoon might shock you all and actually build a new arena in the downtown core in the 15,000 capacity range in the next decade. I know I am will tosee my tax dollars help push it forward.

Every single time talk of Saskatoon building new arena, a deluge of insecure SSP posters, specifically from Winnipeg, seem to poke their head into the conversation with nothing positive to say. I don't know if it's because Regina's Mosaic Stadium is the better stadium than Winnipeg's IGF & therefore they are also worried Sask is going to build a bigger & better Coliseum than MTS Centre as well, especially considering SaskTel Centre is on par already, with no obstructed sight lines & extra seats shoehorned in like MTS Centre . 'I have no idea why'...

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

^^ London, Ontario's Arena has managed to get high numbers reporting specifically to Pollstar.com showing that unequivocally it does enormously well in the World for the size of arena & market that it includes, better than any venue from Asia!
Bravo

I'm a little worried for the sustainability of MTS Centre in Winnipeg though 7,000 seat Abbotsford Centre in BC gets just as many ticket sales according to Pollstar, as the Winnipeg barn, which must mean MTS Centre needs to down size immediately so that it can get a better return on it's infrastructure investment.

... Otherwise concerts like Cher's Here We Go Again tour in May of this year will continue to skip Winnipeg but use SaskTel Centre as concert venue instead.

Well, here's the thing, there's a little thing called the Winnipeg Jets that fills up the arena 45 -50 times a year so it appears the size of the arena is quite fine. I guess acts like Justin Timberlake and Fleetwood Mac and the former president Obama find the capacity adequate as well in 2019. Not so much in Saskatoon I'm afraid.

Which reminds me...Thomas Rhett sold more tickets for his most recent stop here than in Saskatoon. I'm sure he is kicking himself for not putting Winnipeg on his 2015 tour instead of Sask as he would have made more money.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by wave46

I think most venues outside of the largest in the country and limiting their capacities in order to keep the place selling out. I don't foresee MTS Place needing any expansion - I'd imagine True North will happily just raise ticket prices when demand is high and the Jets are doing well and trim them when they do less well.

I don't think the NHL is too worried about the WHL stealing fans with free parking - I might be concerned that the current high cost of tickets for the Jets may put people off seeing them moreso than $10 for parking.

It's also interesting to note that arenas in the suburbs (at least in the NHL's case) do relatively poorly compared to arenas downtown. This might have something to do with the teams themselves, but I don't think there's been a suburban arena built since the late 1990s.

Edit: Gila River Arena opened in 2003.

Ha, we wish. They will happily raise prices regardless by the looks of things. Season tickets increased by 7% this year.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

That statement is untrue.

Cher seemed perfectly fine the date before Winnipeg & the day after. 'Illness' sometimes is called if a venue has lower than expected ticket sales, such as in this particular case.

And, there are many more concert tours that bypass Winnipeg rather than Saskatoon.uh huh



Every single time talk of Saskatoon building new arena, a deluge of insecure SSP posters, specifically from Winnipeg, seem to poke their head into the conversation with nothing positive to say. I don't know if it's because Regina's Mosaic Stadium is the better stadium than Winnipeg's IGF & therefore they are also worried Sask is going to build a bigger & better Coliseum than MTS Centre as well, especially considering SaskTel Centre is on par already, with no obstructed sight lines & extra seats shoehorned in like MTS Centre why, talk about delusional One arena (Bell MTS) has 3 levels including a separate level for suites. Saskatoon has 2 levels and the suites are shoehorned into the lower bowl. It's also has significantly less square footage inside the building (50,000 - 70,000 less square feet), no ribbon board, much smaller hi-def scoreboard, inferior ice plant, smaller locker rooms fewer concessions, poorer lighting, but sure it is on par with Bell MTS Place . 'I have no idea why'...

Not from Winnipeg by the way. And I'm not sure if the other posters here talking about the arena are either. Maybe you are the insecure one considering how often you come on here and compare every single place in Saskatchewan to other places in country ie)weather, economy. It isn't just good enough to state what is happening in Saskatchewan, you have to compare it in a favourable manner to some other place in the country....even if you have to twist the facts to suit your agenda.

[Acajack]

For the record, Céline Dion is playing both Saskatoon and Winnipeg next spring as part of her new world tour that just began in Quebec City.

Though not sure if SaskScraper considers her a big deal, given where she's from - anything that's from Quebec is always small potatoes!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by thurmas

Bell MTS Place is kinda stuck. It's a bland cookie cutter early 2000's arena. The jets have done a decent job with upgrades to it. However with it's location downtown and tight footprint it would be very expensive to expand and the jets don't need more seats maybe a few more suites and roomier concourses would be nice but the buzz the jets had a few years ago in town has definitely worn off and they will need to get creative if the team has down years to keep filling the place. Concert wise it serves its purpose and the upper deck can be curtained off to make it more intimate for a 8000 seat Brian Adams concert or whichever act is in town. A major turn off to the rink is the cost of parking and parking availability downtown compared to the WHL and new Winnipeg Ice team when they build a new 5000 seat arena on the southwest corner of the city with ample free parking. Winnipeggers are a thrifty bunch and paying $10 bucks for parking in the middle of January to see the Carolina Hurricanes is not that appealing.

It seems to me that there has been a marked decrease in the number of MTS Centre concerts in the last few years which basically coincides with two factors specific to Winnipeg... first, the return of Manitoba Moose which gobbles up a good 40+ arena nights a year, and second, TNSE took over concert programming at the Burton Cummings Theatre which is now much busier and hosts a lot of the smaller shows that would have been at MTS Centre before.

The concert business was never busier in Winnipeg than when we didn't have a NHL team taking up dates and local fan entertainment budgets. But I don't think too many people would necessarily want to go back to those days.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

Every single time talk of Saskatoon building new arena, a deluge of insecure SSP posters, specifically from Winnipeg, seem to poke their head into the conversation with nothing positive to say. I don't know if it's because Regina's Mosaic Stadium is the better stadium than Winnipeg's IGF & therefore they are also worried Sask is going to build a bigger & better Coliseum than MTS Centre as well, especially considering SaskTel Centre is on par already, with no obstructed sight lines & extra seats shoehorned in like MTS Centre . 'I have no idea why'...

Like I said before, seeing as it's not my money, I totally support Saskatoon building the biggest and best arena on earth and I even pledge to come to Saskatoon for a weekend of Blades hockey to see it

[The S'toon Goon]

Originally Posted by thurmas

Bell MTS Place is kinda stuck. It's a bland cookie cutter early 2000's arena. The jets have done a decent job with upgrades to it. However with it's location downtown and tight footprint it would be very expensive to expand and the jets don't need more seats maybe a few more suites and roomier concourses would be nice but the buzz the jets had a few years ago in town has definitely worn off and they will need to get creative if the team has down years to keep filling the place. Concert wise it serves its purpose and the upper deck can be curtained off to make it more intimate for a 8000 seat Brian Adams concert or whichever act is in town. A major turn off to the rink is the cost of parking and parking availability downtown compared to the WHL and new Winnipeg Ice team when they build a new 5000 seat arena on the southwest corner of the city with ample free parking. Winnipeggers are a thrifty bunch and paying $10 bucks for parking in the middle of January to see the Carolina Hurricanes is not that appealing.

I admit it has been quite sometime since I visited Winnipeg and I have never been to the arena but how is the public transportation? The whole reason Saskatoon's arena is where it is today is because of the perception that you can't park close enough or cheap enough downtown.

[The S'toon Goon]

Interesting to hear that Edmonton's concert numbers are down.

I wonder if the new Calgary arena will end up helping Edmonton. Same with a new hypothetical arena is Saskatoon.

If all of Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina (I gotta think the Brandt centre is due for an upgrade or replacement?) and Winnipeg had quality venues it could entice shows to do a prairie loop of some sort.

[MacLac]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

I'm not sure if that many shows are skipping Saskatoon. SaskScraper keeps talking about all the big shows Saskatoon gets and how it is the biggest drawing arena on the Prairies next to Edmonton so it sounds like things are fine.

On a serious note, Edmonton is actually drawing fewer concerts and smaller crowds since they moved to their new arena so it's not as simple as saying the new arena will fix all the challenges that exist here on the Prairies nor does it consider the ever-changing concert landscape. Over the past few years, smaller cities in isolated areas, have seen fewer shows as acts would rather play multiple shows in larger cities for the larger payday and added bonus of fewer expenses. A new arena in Saskatoon may attract a marginal increase in the number of concerts yearly but it can't overcome the city's small size and isolation - 2 strikes against it by the concert industry. Same thing can apply to Winnipeg and to a lesser extent, Edmonton.

A new arena in Saskatoon doesn't necessarily have to seat 15,000 to attract the big concerts it currently does either. The vast majority of concert set-ups have a 180 degree format in which the seats beside and behind the stage are tarped off. Arenas like those in London, Grand Rapids and Sioux Falls seat approximately 10,000 - 11,000 for hockey - the arena consists of a full lower seating bowl but a partial upper deck that only extends two - thirds of the way around the arena. This results in non-balanced seating arrangement for which a minimal number of seats have to be tarped off for concerts. In the end, these arenas may seat the 10,000 minimum necessary to attract those large scale events.

Perhaps building to this format would keep the costs of a new arena in Saskatoon manageable level - the proposed $170 million or so - while maintaining the city's ability to attract large scale events. It sure hasn't hurt Grand Rapids, Sioux Falls and London as the 2018 Poll Star numbers attest - all ahead of Saskatoon in concert tickets sold.

https://www.pollstar.com/Chart/2018/...Venues_702.pdf

Edmonton drawing "fewer concerts and smaller crowds?" Your link only shows current numbers at Rogers.....so where are the stats comparing Rogers to Rexall? Btw, nice little "spin" on downplaying EDM's #'s - compared to YYC's - who practically get ZERO concerts....but don't mention that.....new nick name for you the "SSP SPINMASTER"

[TheGreatestX]

Originally Posted by MacLac

Edmonton drawing "fewer concerts and smaller crowds?" Your link only shows current numbers at Rogers.....so where are the stats comparing Rogers to Rexall? Btw, nice little "spin" on downplaying EDM's #'s - compared to YYC's - who practically get ZERO concerts....but don't mention that.....new nick name for you the "SSP SPINMASTER"

Not a spin at all. In 2015, Rexall Place was the 44th busiest arena in the world (3rd in Canada) with 374,684 tickets sold. Rogers Place is now 78th with 223,742 tickets sold.

https://edmontonjournal.com/entertai...s-and-theatres

Northlands did a great job attracting concerts, Rogers Place has not duplicated that.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by The S'toon Goon

I admit it has been quite sometime since I visited Winnipeg and I have never been to the arena but how is the public transportation? The whole reason Saskatoon's arena is where it is today is because of the perception that you can't park close enough or cheap enough downtown.

That was everyone's concern here in London when the arena was settled to be downtown. Old 5000 seater out on the highway had a couple big parking lots around it. How would 9000 people park downtown? Amazingly, it never was an issue once the place opened.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Not from Winnipeg by the way. And I'm not sure if the other posters here talking about the arena are either. Maybe you are the insecure one considering how often you come on here and compare every single place in Saskatchewan to other places in country ie)weather, economy. It isn't just good enough to state what is happening in Saskatchewan, you have to compare it in a favourable manner to some other place in the country....even if you have to twist the facts to suit your agenda.

If you aren't from within Winnipeg city limits you aren't very far away, it's very obvious you are a Manitoban through & through.

Me talking about my Province! oh for shame! how dare I... nobody ever talks about their own provinces ever. If my casting a new light on Saskatchewan that virtually 100% of out-of-towners never see than, I confess my guilt

One of my very first concerts at SaskTel Centre was Fleetwood Mac, they did two concerts in two consecutive years there a few years ago. Thomas Rhett had two tour dates in Saskatchewan in May of this year, Manitoba had one, which may explain why his first & single Manitoba date may have had more spectators than Saskatoon.

I can tell you haven't been to SaskTel Centre judging from your outdated comments, SaskTel Centre has two LED ribbon strips, one on each end of arena. New indoor LED lighting was added a couple years ago, The locker rooms were expanded & centre ice video scoreboard were updated for World Juniors 9 years ago and as far as inferior ice plant, I have no idea, probably isn't a problem for shows no requiring without ice.

originally posted by The S'toon Goon
I admit it has been quite sometime since I visited Winnipeg and I have never been to the arena but how is the public transportation? The whole reason Saskatoon's arena is where it is today is because of the perception that you can't park close enough or cheap enough downtown.

I've been to MTS arena, and SaskTel Centre, there's not appreciable difference in size or experience between the two once inside attending events, although the MTS concourses seemed narrower, and i've only been to the luxury boxes at SaskTel Centre so I can't make any comparisons. I'm not sure about parking for MTS, since we had a work place spot not far from the arena.

I don't for see any major problems with parking for the next Saskatoon Coliseum downtown since Midtown Plaza, the closest to the most likely site for new arena, has 1,800 parking spaces it's self, & since Bruce Urban, owner of the Rush lacrosse team, initially said he'd commit up to $20,000,000 I doubt Bruce would invest/put money towards an arena that would have less seating capacity that what is available now at SaskTel Centre.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by The S'toon Goon

I admit it has been quite sometime since I visited Winnipeg and I have never been to the arena but how is the public transportation? The whole reason Saskatoon's arena is where it is today is because of the perception that you can't park close enough or cheap enough downtown.

MTS Centre is probably as good as it gets in terms of public transportation-friendly locations in Winnipeg. It was built on the site of old downtown Eaton's which was pretty well the nerve centre of the transit system.

But that said, I don't think there are loads of people coming to Jets games by bus. If I had to guess, I'd probably say 90% of fans drive and maybe 10% take the bus or walk.

Parking is not an issue whatsoever because downtown is set up for thousands of weekday commuters... the many parkades empty out by 6 pm which leaves room for arenagoers.

This is pretty well the case just about anywhere in smaller to mid-sized cities... once you get further up the population ladder to the Tor/Mtl/Van sized cities I'd imagine the proportion of people taking public transit gets much higher.

Originally Posted by Djeffery

That was everyone's concern here in London when the arena was settled to be downtown. Old 5000 seater out on the highway had a couple big parking lots around it. How would 9000 people park downtown? Amazingly, it never was an issue once the place opened.

Exactly how it shook out here in Winnipeg. In my experience downtowns are ideal locations for big sports venues because there tend to be a ton of ways in and out, lots of streets to circulate traffic, lots of places to park, lots of transit routes, etc. As compared to suburban/highway locations which tend to have just a few ways to get in and out and a fair bit of congestion as a result. This type of arrangement is less common in Canada than it is in the US, but for certain places like IG Field, SaskTel Centre and Canadian Tire Centre it is a shortcoming for sure.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

Every single time talk of Saskatoon building new arena, a deluge of insecure SSP posters, specifically from Winnipeg, seem to poke their head into the conversation with nothing positive to say. I don't know if it's because Regina's Mosaic Stadium is the better stadium than Winnipeg's IGF & therefore they are also worried Sask is going to build a bigger & better Coliseum than MTS Centre as well, especially considering SaskTel Centre is on par already, with no obstructed sight lines & extra seats shoehorned in like MTS Centre . 'I have no idea why'...

Are you ever entertaining. Forumers are questioning the need for a new arena when, by your own words, Sasktel Centre is already on par with MTS Centre. Stop being a homer and look at things rationally. You have an arena. It's not downtown but, is spending $100 million to duplicate one downtown really worthwhile? We may obsess about sports facilities and celebrity athletes but, for $100 million, you can add a lot of cultural value currently unavailable anywhere in Saskatoon.

[esquire]

On another note, what is happening at Rogers Centre these days besides baseball? Has the transition to baseball-only facility effectively been completed, or are they still booking a lot of non-baseball events in there?

[WhipperSnapper]

I have no idea. Brookfield Asset Management is now the owner and that has people speculating and/or worried over baseball continuing to be played here in the long term.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

I have no idea. Brookfield Asset Management is now the owner and that has people speculating and/or worried over baseball continuing to be played here in the long term.

Rogers no longer owns it? One would think that the facility's days are numbered if a real estate developer like Brookfield owns it. (But do they own the land it sits on too?)

That location is so perfect that moving just about anywhere would be a downgrade for the Blue Jays. But I guess there is a lot of money to be made from redeveloping that site...

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by esquire

Rogers no longer owns it? One would think that the facility's days are numbered if a real estate developer like Brookfield owns it. (But do they own the land it sits on too?)

That location is so perfect that moving just about anywhere would be a downgrade for the Blue Jays. But I guess there is a lot of money to be made from redeveloping that site...

That's exactly it. The government owns the land and the lease terms are for stadium use only. The government has proven to be supportive of anything that makes a ton more money but, would Brookfield be as warm to such an arrangement?

Anyways, it's hard to separate proposed from speculation.

[king10]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

I have no idea. Brookfield Asset Management is now the owner and that has people speculating and/or worried over baseball continuing to be played here in the long term.

Brookfield doesn't own Rogers Centre, Rogers still does with the Feds owning the land. Brookfield is just a partner in redeveloping the stadium area.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/201...ium-owner.html

Councillor Joe Cressy said he accepted an invitation last month to meet with officials from the Blue Jays, team and site owner Rogers Communications, and real estate giant Brookfield Asset Management to chat “in broad terms” about their plans for the 30-year-old domed stadium.

Brookfield, a Toronto-based investor in some of the world’s biggest real estate developments, did not respond to a request for information about its role in plans for the Rogers Centres plans that are believed to rely on private financing.