Edmonton Sports Talk

[Coldrsx]

A common theme...

12 minutes in and the shots are 11-2 for the opposition.

[Xelebes]

Edmonton FC has been ordered to disband by the CPL.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by Xelebes

Edmonton FC has been ordered to disband by the CPL.

Hopefully they'll be back in 2024 with a new owner and allowed to play at Clarke Stadium until a new facility is located/built or Clarke is upgraded further.

[Coldrsx]

Disappointing to see/hear, but it was almost inevitable.

We need to be back and better support our local.

I find Edmonton incredibly odd when it comes to professional soccer support and events in general.

[TimB09]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Disappointing to see/hear, but it was almost inevitable.

We need to be back and better support our local.

I find Edmonton incredibly odd when it comes to professional soccer support and events in general.

We are good at one off events but anything long term here never seems to succeed.

[Coldrsx]

How, in a 'soccer market' such as ours, we cannot find a consistent 4500-5,000 fans/game is very, very odd.

What's missing?

[YegFan]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

How, in a 'soccer market' such as ours, we cannot find a consistent 4500-5,000 fans/game is very, very odd.

What's missing?

Fan experience. Our facilities suck!

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Marketing and promotion. I don't think many people even knew there was an FC Edmonton soccer team. Contrast this with the NHL where the sky is falling every time the Oilers lose a game.

[Coldrsx]

I don't buy the awareness piece... experience perhaps, but it is perplexing about the fanbase.

[Base]

Originally Posted by YegFan

Fan experience. Our facilities suck!

Need to take a page out of what the Riverhawks have done. I would be interviewing them if I was the owner of a new Edmonton Franchise down the road.

Couple things of note:

• Family oriented - fan interactions all throughout game
• Nice upgrades to the facility
• Engaging with community - i.e. little league day
• Gimmicks at Schticks - Beer bats (incredibly popular)

The Eddies might have had some of this but I feel like the Riverhawks and Stingers have been doing a much better job anecdotally. The Riverhawks pick up the casual fan and it's about having a good entertaining day down at the ballpark.

[Coldrsx]

Oilers... oh the Oilers.

We looked disjointed again and very Oct hockey.

[Coldrsx]

What a great fit for the role.

https://www.nhl.com/oilers/news/release-...-new-eocf-executive-director/c-338269566

[Coldrsx]

20th Anniversary of the Heritage Classic - Edmonton?
https://oilersnation.com/news/edmonton-oilers-to-host-heritage-classic-in-2023

[Coldrsx]

Time to demolish Northlands Coliseum?

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/digging-a-de...s-cost-balloons-to-roughly-35m-1.6183733

[CaptainBL]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Time to demolish Northlands Coliseum?

https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca/digging-a-de...s-cost-balloons-to-roughly-35m-1.6183733

Beyond time to sell the coliseum and exhibition lands because:

1. The cost of maintenance and demolishing are too high
2. The opportunity cost of tax revenue from developed lands
3. The city is not a developer
4. We've seen the city as a developer on Botchford and the city is not a developer - don't make the same mistake twice
4A. Let the market and development companies dictate the process
5. The city has a revenue (and cost) problem, monetize non-core assets
6. Let someone with an idea like Mandel or others utilize the coliseum and land for something useful

[Rocket252]

^ Personally I would like to see it redeveloped and not demolished. The 45 million to demolish can be used to refurbish it.

It would make sense to set it up as extra convention space to compliment Expo center and the Edmonton Convention Center but I do not see the vision or drive in this city to do that or any other redevelopment.

[Hallsy's Toupee]

Why they can't just turn the Coliseum into a bigass homeless shelter is beyond me.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by CaptainBL

Beyond time to sell the coliseum and exhibition lands because:

1. The cost of maintenance and demolishing are too high
2. The opportunity cost of tax revenue from developed lands
3. The city is not a developer
4. We've seen the city as a developer on Botchford and the city is not a developer - don't make the same mistake twice
4A. Let the market and development companies dictate the process
5. The city has a revenue (and cost) problem, monetize non-core assets
6. Let someone with an idea like Mandel or others utilize the coliseum and land for something useful

The City is not planning on developing Exhibition Lands like Blatchford - the idea is to sell off chunks of the land to developers.

[Harrison]

Originally Posted by Hallsy's Toupee

Why they can't just turn the Coliseum into a bigass homeless shelter is beyond me.

Because the City doesn't have the money to pay for operating costs - it would be in the millions to maintain something like that.

If the Province stepped in and said 'hey, we will pay for the operating costs of a shelter in the Coliseum if you do not demolish it' then it would make sense. However, there would need to be renovations done first to make the washroom facilities and life safety systems usable again.

[Coldrsx]