Stadiums & Arenas of Canada, Part 3

[NewIreland]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

I remember when the Goldeyes use to sell out our DT ballpark regularly with 6,000+ people in attendance per game, but now that number has dwindled down to about 3,500 a game.

It makes sense though because baseball is a declining sport, the AA league (no affiliation with MLB) has had a noticeable dip in quality of play, and the owner is basically nonexistent these days.

But I wish Canada would have at least 1 AA or AAA team in the country. It would help so much to spark some interest in baseball again. Winnipeg’s ballpark is at least AA caliber and location is AAA tier, but the only teams that would be semi-realistic to set up shop would be the Twins and maybe Brewers.

Shaw Park is arguably the best baseball stadium in the country. Winnipeg could easily handle a AAA team.

[thurmas]

Delete

[Ozabald]

Originally Posted by NewIreland

Shaw Park is arguably the best baseball stadium in the country. Winnipeg could easily handle a AAA team.

Considering larger cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa lost AAA franchises, don't think Winnipeg would be an ideal location for AAA baseball. Plus, which MLB team would be the affiliate? Shaw Park is likely too small for AAA. Of the current 30 AAA teams, only 8 have stadiums with less than 10K seating capacity. Single A or double AA would be better options.

[NewIreland]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

Considering larger cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa lost AAA franchises, don't think Winnipeg would be an ideal location for AAA baseball. Plus, which MLB team would be the affiliate? Shaw Park is likely too small for AAA. Of the current 30 AAA teams, only 8 have stadiums with less than 10K seating capacity. Single A or double AA would be better options.

Average attendance is 4,500. Shaw Park at 7,500 is just fine. Plenty of room for expansion as well.

[Coldrsx]

Originally Posted by Ozabald

Considering larger cities such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa lost AAA franchises, don't think Winnipeg would be an ideal location for AAA baseball. Plus, which MLB team would be the affiliate? Shaw Park is likely too small for AAA. Of the current 30 AAA teams, only 8 have stadiums with less than 10K seating capacity. Single A or double AA would be better options.

When one started to fall, they all did and then travel made little sense for anything that far north with far longer seasons to the south.

A shame given how amazing going to the Trappers was back in the day.

[Djeffery]

I think the early 90s were the heyday of minor league affiliated ball in Canada. AAA and A/Rookie teams all over the place and a AA team in London. Having a short season team in Canada, especially in the west, is an entirely different proposition compared to where these teams moved to. AAA starts within days of MLB and I remember all too well heading downtown to watch the London Tigers in early April with 100 of my closest friends freezing our asses off. I'm sure it wasn't a whole lot different in Edmonton or Calgary in April either.

But if baseball is talking a couple new teams, that means the minors need to grow as well. And if the A's move to Vegas, maybe the current Vegas AAA moves, even though they are currently the A's AAA team. Nashville also has a AAA team that no doubt would move if Nashville got an MLB team. So you could potentially have the need for up to 4 new AAA cities. The High A Northwest League only has 6 teams, they would be ripe to add a couple cities. Not sure if Calgary and Edmonton really fit with where the other teams are, but hell it's the minors, you are supposed to make excruciating bus rides. And if a team is already across the border to play Vancouver, might as well add a couple more cities.

But there were a lot of cities that lost teams in the post Covid contraction who will be lining up I think for expansion and relocation as well.

[Coldrsx]

Nolan Ryan made a dirty deal and moved the Edmonton Trappers south.

[Denscity]

Vancouver could handle a triple A team no problem. Big city big existing attendance and already the Blue Jay's affiliate.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Denscity

Vancouver could handle a triple A team no problem. Big city big existing attendance and already the Blue Jay's affiliate.

But would they support a AAA team if it wasn't the Blue Jays affiliate, because 100% that team wouldn't be. The only other team that would make sense for Vancouver is Seattle's, and that team is in Tacoma, so good luck luring them away. I can't see any other team deciding Vancouver is a better option than what they have now. They are too far. Only a couple teams have their AAA team more than a couple hours drive, the Dodgers being the farthest at about 1100 miles from OKC.

[Denscity]

It’s not the Toronto affiliation that brings them in. In fact Toronto is a real turn off for most of us and that affiliation is a more recent thing. It’s more the stadium that’s the draw than the Jays. The Canadians have a rich history in Vancouver and Nat Bailey Stadium.
And California is way closer to Vancouver than Toronto.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by Denscity

It’s not the Toronto affiliation that brings them in. In fact Toronto is a real turn off for most of us and that affiliation is a more recent thing. It’s more the stadium that’s the draw than the Jays. The Canadians have a rich history in Vancouver and Nat Bailey Stadium.
And California is way closer to Vancouver than Toronto.

Not sure what the distances between Vancouver and California or Toronto has to do with this. The only MLB team in California that Vancouver is closer than their AAA team are the Dodgers and that's so close as to be the same distance. I doubt Vancouver is luring the Dodgers AAA team away. It's possible that once the A's move to Vegas and if they decide to relocate their AAA team, Vancouver could make a pitch. Not sure if Nat Bailey will meet AAA standards for a new entrant. It would still be the smallest in the league, tied with a stadium that has been a continuous AAA stadium for 60 years. But you never know.

Yes, we can see the hate BC baseball fans have for Toronto every year when the Jays go to Seattle lol. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that the Canadians attendance rose markedly and continuously every year under Toronto affiliation.

[xzmattzx]

The A's have said that their AAA team will remain in Las Vegas when they move to Las Vegas themselves.

DJeffrey is right. Most AAA teams are a couple hours away, and that's by design. Teams that need to call someone up to the majors on short notice due to an injury or trade want those players a couple hours away as much as possible. So having a AAA team on the other side of a country is inconvenient for the Blue Jays. Having their AAA affiliate in Buffalo lets them call someone up quickly and have them drive up the QEW, but then they kill two birds with one stone by also getting people just across the border on the American side interested in the Blue Jays more, since New York State is mainly Yankees territory, from the Atlantic to Lake Erie.

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Not sure what the distances between Vancouver and California or Toronto has to do with this. The only MLB team in California that Vancouver is closer than their AAA team are the Dodgers and that's so close as to be the same distance. I doubt Vancouver is luring the Dodgers AAA team away. It's possible that once the A's move to Vegas and if they decide to relocate their AAA team, Vancouver could make a pitch. Not sure if Nat Bailey will meet AAA standards for a new entrant. It would still be the smallest in the league, tied with a stadium that has been a continuous AAA stadium for 60 years. But you never know.

Yes, we can see the hate BC baseball fans have for Toronto every year when the Jays go to Seattle lol. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that the Canadians attendance rose markedly and continuously every year under Toronto affiliation.

There’s tens of thousands of Ontarios living in B.C. and they keep their teams despite leaving. You should see how many Leaf fans show up at the Canucks game when Toronto is in town.

[Coldrsx]

I have this in the skyline thread, but figured it had its place here as well.

RE/MAX Field - home of the Edmonton Riverhawks

https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/2...view=imagelist

[Dalreg]

I think Shaw Park in Winnipeg beats Remax any day of the week.

[Coldrsx]

A different league for sure, but RE/MAX is a nice mid-sized field for Canada.

[WhipperSnapper]

The minor league system has been completely restructured. The independent AAA teams were dropped and 3 leagues became two. Affiliates were purchased by MLB teams and moved closer to home cities allowing for same day call ups. Canada is just a bad location for a AAA team

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by Denscity

It’s not the Toronto affiliation that brings them in. In fact Toronto is a real turn off for most of us and that affiliation is a more recent thing. It’s more the stadium that’s the draw than the Jays. The Canadians have a rich history in Vancouver and Nat Bailey Stadium.
And California is way closer to Vancouver than Toronto.

The affiliation is not a more recent thing. The team has been affiliated with Toronto as long as they had with Oakland.

Ex Ontario pats living in BC and going down to see the Blue Jays in Seattle with the rest of Western Canada are still BCers . A home and home series between the Mariners and Blue Jays in Seattle and Vancouver would be a huge success.

[SteelTown]

The name Ivor Wynne will return to Hamilton’s football stadium on Tuesday when the press box is named after him.



https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...ce=hot-stories

[Hackslack]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

The minor league system has been completely restructured. The independent AAA teams were dropped and 3 leagues became two. Affiliates were purchased by MLB teams and moved closer to home cities allowing for same day call ups. Canada is just a bad location for a AAA team

Wish there was a baseball league Canada could call their own, like the CFL