Halifax Stadium Discussion

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

It looks like they had a good turnout, from the source given by q12; I wonder if there were any skyscraperpage members in attendance? Hopefully most were there to support it. (the people in attendance look so intense!)

LOL, intense is right! Anyways, I bet the people with the FC scarves are supporters!

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

LOL, intense is right! Anyways, I bet the people with the FC scarves are supporters!

where was this? all public development meetings need beer.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

where was this? all public development meetings need beer.

What Ziobrop said.

[q12]

S|E|A‏ @ProducedBySEA Apr 30

It's begun...



Source:https://twitter.com/ProducedBySEA/status/858739798886027264

https://www.hfxfootballclub.ca/

[fenwick16]

^^^ Fantastic news. It is happening in my lifetime , I had doubts that I would ever see a stadium in Halifax.

Getting off topic, I checked the @ProducedBySEA twitter page referenced by q12 and found this proposal for a stadium expansion for the MLS team in Portland, Oregon (Providence Park) - no, it isn't for Halifax, unfortunately. I like this idea of having several tiers that are covered by a roof.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Soo happy that this is happening!

Step by step. This will make a case for a more permanent stadium, which is badly needed now that all the other necessary infrastructure is almost in place (trade centre, library, etc.)

[c-way-dude]

I don't see the point in spending money to erect a temporary stadium. Why not partner with St. Mary's? Put down field turf at Husky Stadium that would be acceptable for both soccer and football, and build a 5-7k stadium. A dome could be placed over the field allowing for public use during the winter. Involving the university might even open up some public funding.

[q12]

CPL unanimously approved to join Soccer Canada, starting with Hamilton and Winnipeg



Hamilton Spectator

The new Canadian Premier League of soccer passed a major hurdle in Whistler, Alberta when it received unanimous approval to join Soccer Canada.

Hamilton and Winnipeg were the only teams formally confirmed when Soccer Canada members voted to approve the CPL's membership in the sport's national body Saturday. But Halifax, Calgary, Ottawa and Edmonton are also expected to be among the first members of the league.

Read more here:
http://www.thespec.com/sports-story/7291...ada-starting-with-hamilton-and-winnipeg/

Original Source Image

Another local story on it from Chris Cochrane at Localxpress.ca

https://www.localxpress.ca/local-sports/...ifax-pro-soccer-plan-gets-a-boost-608280

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by q12

Original Source Image

Another local story on it from Chris Cochrane at Localxpress.ca

https://www.localxpress.ca/local-sports/...ifax-pro-soccer-plan-gets-a-boost-608280

Thanks for the update q12.

This sounds like it could be a good league for Canadian soccer development based on the Chris Cochrane story and excerpt below. Hopefully Halifax will support its new team.

Saturday’s official announcement from Canada Soccer is a huge boost to the effort in cities like Halifax to convince team supporters, potential private investors and local government that these are genuine projects and not fly-by-night sport dreams.

By making the Canadian Premier League a part of the Canada Soccer family, as a Tier 1 FIFA-sanctioned league, the national body gives the league an immediate legitimacy boost.

The Canadian Premier League can also expect considerable ongoing help from Canada’s national soccer body, since a successful Premier League helps Canada Soccer achieve a national goal of creating a high-calibre pro league providing opportunities for top Canadian players.

It no doubt all helps the Canadian Premier League cause that such a pro league could provide the potential to fill the top rung on the national soccer development ladder.

Canada Soccer continued that theme in a news release following Saturday’s announcement.

“The leadership of the Canadian Soccer Association has shown an outstanding commitment to its vision for the future of soccer in Canada with today’s decision to ratify the Canadian Premier League,” said Hamilton Tiger-Cats CEO Scott Mitchell, whom the release described as heading efforts to bring in the new teams.

“The CPL will fill the existing void in Canada’s national soccer development platform by operating a world-class professional league, both on and off the field.”

[Colin May]

So how does the CPL fit in with NASL and does CPL expect to attract the same old retreads that play in the NASL ?
How will CPL be better than NASL ?
A number of good Canadian players ended up in Britain and played at the top level.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Colin May

So how does the CPL fit in with NASL and does CPL expect to attract the same old retreads that play in the NASL ?
How will CPL be better than NASL ?
A number of good Canadian players ended up in Britain and played at the top level.

Nobody knows the answer to these questions, only time will tell. It is possible that soccer will never have a big following in Canada and the CPL won't work, however it is also possible that over a long period it will develop a relatively strong Canadian-specific following like the CFL currently has.

Pessimism will indicate that it shouldn't even be tried, but on the optimistic side it will have some success and develop Canadian players who can represent Canada internationally.

[q12]

15,000 seat Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu just opened this year in Japan (cost approx. $120 Million CAD).

I thought it might look good on our waterfront.

[teddifax]

WOW, if this is to scale it would be amazing!!!

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Nobody knows the answer to these questions, only time will tell. It is possible that soccer will never have a big following in Canada and the CPL won't work, however it is also possible that over a long period it will develop a relatively strong Canadian-specific following like the CFL currently has.

Pessimism will indicate that it shouldn't even be tried, but on the optimistic side it will have some success and develop Canadian players who can represent Canada internationally.

I think it is better to concentrate on NASL, the CPL promoters need to be asked serious questions as to the marketability of such a league in isolation from NASL. I don't think CPL will be able to compete with NASL. I watched the Schooners once and it was a pale imitation of what I was used to. If we are to develop a better national team we need to send young players to Europe and invest a lot of money in attracting top class coaches who are now moving to China for mega money.
Top class young hockey players in Europe want to play in the NHL and every other league is the fall back.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Colin May

I think it is better to concentrate on NASL, the CPL promoters need to be asked serious questions as to the marketability of such a league in isolation from NASL. I don't think CPL will be able to compete with NASL. I watched the Schooners once and it was a pale imitation of what I was used to. If we are to develop a better national team we need to send young players to Europe and invest a lot of money in attracting top class coaches who are now moving to China for mega money.
Top class young hockey players in Europe want to play in the NHL and every other league is the fall back.

The same thing Canada is doing in curling. In fact, even Scotland's womens team has a Canadian coach, among many other teams who do as well. Sweden and Switzerland (among others) are always sending their teams to Canada to compete in Canadian events.

On the other hand, in baseball their are many Dominican, Venezuelan, Mexican, Japanese, etc. players playing in the MLB who cut their teeth in their local country's leagues, but play in the MLB because of the money involved. This is because their own countries have great baseball programs that are capable of turning out quality players - so therefore Canada could compete on an international level in 'football' without European help, but we'd have to develop a world-class soccer program first.

[worldlyhaligonian]

The old dynamics are out the window. Not only is the sport becoming more popular in Canada, its also becoming better funded and is immigrant supported.

The fan reaction to the mere idea of a team signals how big this going to be.

Whatever team we get should try to build a strategic relationship with an MLS side or possibly EPL side.

We can all dream of a Leicester City story.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

The old dynamics are out the window. Not only is the sport becoming more popular in Canada, its also becoming better funded and is immigrant supported.

The fan reaction to the mere idea of a team signals how big this going to be.

Whatever team we get should try to build a strategic relationship with an MLS side or possibly EPL side.

We can all dream of a Leicester City story.

The Leicester story came after more than 2 decades of dominance by 6 clubs. Don't hold your breath waiting for another Leicester to come along.
'Fan reaction' to CPL .....where, how many thousands ?
If Leicester wanted a strategic relationship aka feeder club they would link with another European team, or African or S American team.
We can't even get our mens team out of our zone. I watch NASL games and there are a few decent players mixed in with the 'has beens'. We'd be better off with a NASL franchise but that means bigger money than a CPL franchise and that means less quality.
I spent years watching English league games well before the EPL came along and the unpredictability of who would win the title made the season more interesting. Now it is the same 6-8 teams at the top and plastic fans from around the world.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Colin May

The Leicester story came after more than 2 decades of dominance by 6 clubs. Don't hold your breath waiting for another Leicester to come along.
'Fan reaction' to CPL .....where, how many thousands ?
If Leicester wanted a strategic relationship aka feeder club they would link with another European team, or African or S American team.
We can't even get our mens team out of our zone. I watch NASL games and there are a few decent players mixed in with the 'has beens'. We'd be better off with a NASL franchise but that means bigger money than a CPL franchise and that means less quality.
I spent years watching English league games well before the EPL came along and the unpredictability of who would win the title made the season more interesting. Now it is the same 6-8 teams at the top and plastic fans from around the world.

We need to walk before we can run. Just getting a venue will be huge and I would hope the end goal would be an MLS team with lower leagues continuing to play.

Or we can just be negative. Why do you even post on here if you ostensibly don't want to see development of any kind? At least Keith is funny.

People on here make me realize that its the mentality that holds Halifax back... and you aren't even from Halifax. Why do you bother commenting?

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

you aren't even from Halifax. Why do you bother commenting?

Huh? Colin is very much local. If you're saying he can't have a voice because he's a "come from away", than I'd have to say THAT is very much the kind of opinion that is holding Nova Scotia back.

Nothing wrong with different opinions on here. If we didn't have them the forum would be a pretty boring echo chamber.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Have to agree with Ian on this. FWIW, I don't believe there are any requirements that a person has to be "from" here or even currently living here to comment on this forum... right?

In terms of people holding Halifax back, I don't believe it is actually being 'held back' - there's more development in Halifax now than I can ever remember in my half-century of citizenship - so I'm not sure from where that information/opinion is coming...