Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[isaidso]

What soccer team will be playing at that Langford stadium?

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by isaidso

What soccer team will be playing at that Langford stadium?

Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League, playing their first home game against Halifax on April 28.

[Tone]

Le Complexe sportif Desjardins de Rimouski - New 43M$ sports complex opened in february comprising two swimming pools and ''kino river'' located on the left side and two ice rinks on the right; North American size and Olympic size.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by someone123

Another aspect of this that doesn't get mentioned much is that there's a lot of demand in the Halifax area for a larger event space and stadium. The city has lost events like the Uteck Bowl over time because there is no suitable venue. Sport NS estimates that the stadium could be used 300 days a year. It is not just about funding a stadium to get a CFL team.

I think you mean the Vanier Cup, because the Uteck is just hosted by whichever team wins the host conference's championship. A couple years ago, it was hosted at Acadia with about 1300 people there. But your point definitely stands, a stadium there would be widely used by many minor field sports organizations. Look at Hamilton. They have a perfectly fine stadium, Ron Joyce, at the university that could easily hold most of the minor events that go to Tim Hortons Field. But THF is a community owned building and it's a thrill for kids from minor football and soccer and up through high school sports to be able to compete there.

Not sure if Saint Mary's would play football there due to location being quite far from campus, but they don't really have much seating now since they demolished the old grandstand. But I could definitely see them using it for playoffs and to host the Vanier.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Does Canada have any basketball specific arenas or are they all hockey arenas that re-arrange seats/add floor seating to meet the court? Allen Fieldhouse is a good example of an arena built for basketball.

Scotiabank Arena in Toronto was originally a basketball only design until MLSE bought the Raptors and their under-construction arena. Some modifications were made for sightlines, but there are still some upper level seats that aren't great for hockey. I'm sure though that like practically every other NBA arena, the plan originally was going to allow a hockey conversion even if the Leafs hadn't moved in. Heck, even the Skydome had the ability to host hockey, and did host ice events in it's first couple years.

Those other examples that were posted at various Canadian universities are really nice facilities.

[craneSpotter]

Originally Posted by JHikka

eSports teams tend to represent nationalities more than cities. Teams need to be able to communicate quickly and efficiently, so a lot of high-end teams are made up of single nationalities with shared languages. One strong Danish team, one strong Chinese team, one strong Brazilian team, etc. Canadians can play on teams with Americans/Brits/Australians because of shared language. The nature of eSports splits teams more among continents and countries than anything else.

Going way back to eSports teams - you are right.

Let's take the Vancouver Titans (owned by the Aquilini family/Vancouver Canucks) of the Overwatch league - they are unbeaten @ 12-0 BTW:

https://titans.overwatchleague.com/en-us



The teams is made up of Koreans:






This is serious business. The Vancouver team buy-in was 30 million CAD. The players get a minimum 50k USD starting salary - plus bonuses, health benefits, pension and housing allowance. The Titans will switch to playing at Rogers Arena in 2020 - they say.

It is reported the average Overwatch League salary is 80,000 to 120,000 US per year and rising. League of Legends has even higher average salaries! (google) and ESPN has page for eSports - http://www.espn.com/esports/

I admit, I was sceptical at first (when they announced the Titans last year) as I'm not really a gamer, but this is very real and growing very fast! I have trouble using the word athlete with these leagues - but game players for sure.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by craneSpotter

I admit, I was sceptical at first (when they announced the Titans last year) as I'm not really a gamer, but this is very real and growing very fast! I have trouble using the word athlete with these leagues - but game players for sure.

They must be athletes - they're wearing track suits in their picture.

But yea, this is definitely big business. Much bigger than I thought it was.

I know someone at work who spends hours (some of it during the work day) watching streamed videogame competitions. Personally, I really don't get it. I'm only a very casual gamer - but I don't get watching other people play videogames... I'd rather just play it myself. It's not the same as someone watching a real sport, as it takes a lot more effort and organization to get a game of hockey or football going.

[JHikka]

Westhills Stadium in Langford (Victoria)






Photos are screenshots of OneSoccer video, hosted via Flickr.

Setting just screams BC. Looks great.

[craneSpotter]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Westhills Stadium in Langford (Victoria)

Photos are screenshots of OneSoccer video, hosted via Flickr.

Setting just screams BC. Looks great.

Well, having spent A LOT of time at this stadium/arena with my kids playing hockey/soccer over the past 6 years ... I have to say I'm NOT a fan of the big purple wall on the side of Westhills Arena... the fir Grandstands look absolutely great and very west coast.

That said, wait until the large Grandstand (C) at the west end, along with the concourses and plazas are finished in July - I think it will be a great little stadium! The roof is still not finished on Grandstand B!

Game #2 goes tonight vrs. Valour FC! No word on crowd size - mid week.



Some shots courtesy PFC from the first game:

https://twitter.com/Pacificfccpl/sta...67209833058304

[Hackslack]

Love all the FC soccer names FC vs FC. Original

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Berklon

They must be athletes - they're wearing track suits in their picture.

But yea, this is definitely big business. Much bigger than I thought it was.

I know someone at work who spends hours (some of it during the work day) watching streamed videogame competitions. Personally, I really don't get it. I'm only a very casual gamer - but I don't get watching other people play videogames... I'd rather just play it myself. It's not the same as someone watching a real sport, as it takes a lot more effort and organization to get a game of hockey or football going.

As a kid, I would go to an arcade with a pocket full of quarters and end up spending most of my time watching others play. I wasn't alone. There was always a crowd watching really good players play. The scale can now be expanded globally with tens of thousand watching one player play.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

As a kid, I would go to an arcade with a pocket full of quarters and end up spending most of my time watching others play. I wasn't alone. There was always a crowd watching really good players play. The scale can now be expanded globally with tens of thousand watching one player play.

I remember those days too. While I wasn't a big arcade junkie, I would go once in a while. And it's true there was a lot of people watching other people play, but that was mainly for a couple reasons... 1) they had to do something while waiting for their game to be available, and 2) you'd eventually run out of quarters and just watch other kids play to see if you can pick up some knowledge so the next time you played your quarters would last longer.

Compare that to today where kids have the console or PC gaming rig at home and the convenience of playing for free (once the game was purchased of course) but would still use a lot of time just watching others play. I can get watching a little a bit to check out the game or pick up some tips - but these audiences watch for hours a day. I'd rather just pick up the controller and play the game myself.

[WhipperSnapper]

Fair point on having to wait as there were more kids than arcade games available. I never got into home consoles so I wasn't much of a gamer. The app I'm addicted to pretty much plays itself. It takes a lot more than quarters too.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Berklon

I remember those days too. While I wasn't a big arcade junkie, I would go once in a while. And it's true there was a lot of people watching other people play, but that was mainly for a couple reasons... 1) they had to do something while waiting for their game to be available, and 2) you'd eventually run out of quarters and just watch other kids play to see if you can pick up some knowledge so the next time you played your quarters would last longer.

I remember the two arcades downtown in Hamilton being like that (the Casino and the Palace, if I remember right?).

But I spent more time at the one at Eastgate Square, not that I went through that many quarters. I seem to recall it having a younger and less hard-core clientele than the ones downtown.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^^How many people did they squeeze into Westhills stadium?

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I remember the two arcades downtown in Hamilton being like that (the Casino and the Palace, if I remember right?).

Yep, those were the two downtown. Amazingly, I only went to them a few times.

But I spent more time at the one at Eastgate Square, not that I went through that many quarters. I seem to recall it having a younger and less hard-core clientele than the ones downtown.

Yep - Eastgate Square had the arcade I went to - and it was definitely not as hardcore. Eastgate was where I did all my shopping... bought my music (Sam's and Music World), bought clothes and even went to the library (it used to be above the food court). I lived (and still live) in the east end. Although no matter how often they try to revamp Eastgate, it just doesn't attract many people - and as a result the amount of decent stores are limited. It feels really weird now that Sears is empty (formerly Robinsons back in the day).

Oh yea, this is a thread on stadiums... forgot about that.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^^How many people did they squeeze into Westhills stadium?

5,100 was the confirmed attendance. One of the stands is not completed so final capacity will be 6,000 later in the year

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by JHikka

5,100 was the confirmed attendance. One of the stands is not completed so final capacity will be 6,000 later in the year

Dropped to 2360 for last nights game, but mid week and 8pm start is always a tougher draw

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Love all the FC soccer names FC vs FC. Original

It certainly doesn't help when we already have an established (home grown) sport in this country called football. They either have cultural amnesia or they're purposely giving Canada's culture the finger. Thankfully MLS had the fortitude to call it Major League Soccer rather than Major League Football.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by isaidso

It certainly doesn't help when we already have an established (home grown) sport in this country called football. They either have cultural amnesia or they're purposely giving Canada's culture the finger. Thankfully MLS had the fortitude to call it Major League Soccer rather than Major League Football.

This musn't be that big of a deal to most people if the CFL teams involved with the CPL were fine with giving the CPL teams FC in their names.

Like, the CPL isn't some anti-CFL body naming its teams Football Clubs to be pretentious. CPL was partly formed and is partly run with the help of CFL owners. So if Hamilton and Winnipeg are fine with it...