Stadiums and Arenas of Canada part 2

[WhipperSnapper]

A North American World Cup (including Mexico) sounds absurd.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

A North American World Cup (including Mexico) sounds absurd.

• Two of the three hosting teams will be WC-quality (unlike hosts similar to South Africa or Qatar);
• Three-way hosting, especially with the US, cuts costs on hosts;
• FIFA desperately needs a host that isn't corrupt, abusing basic human rights, and funneling money into pockets in backdoors or in public. For that reason a return to a host similar to the US was key - looping Mexico and Canada in is what confuses me

[caltrane74]

I can't wait to see what they have planned for BMO Field, even if only for a few Round Robins. They will have to take it to 40-45k.

[Mister F]

I haven't read the whole discussion but in a World Cup scenario where it's shared between two countries, what incentive is there for the Americans? What do they gain from sharing the spotlight? They can host it easily on their own, as they have before.

[mistercorporate]

IMHO, Canada was the frontrunner. It is CONCACAF's turn and Canada is the only country among the major bids which hasn't hosted before. Also, 48 teams this year would be a major undertaking. The confederation president this year is a Canadian so he lobbied for a deal that's in Canada's best interest. The Americans weren't even fully commited to a bid, this blunts our biggest competitor for a bid and shares some of the burden. This guarantees the USA also hosts after their humiliating and bitter loss to Qatar's corrupt bid last time. Mexico is what confuses me but it's a win-win for all involved so who cares.

[Mister F]

Well Mexico has the top soccer league of the three countries and they have better stadiums than us. I guess it makes sense if the Americans don't want to do their own bid. The costs for Canada would be reduced dramatically compared to hosting on our own. A BMO expansion could even be temporary, or partially temporary, for example. Plus it avoids the thorny issue of the host nation not having its own soccer league.

And since the final would almost certainly be held outside Canada, it saves this forum from the inevitable bickering over which city should host it.

[EpicPonyTime]

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

IMHO, Canada was the frontrunner. It is CONCACAF's turn and Canada is the only country among the major bids which hasn't hosted before. Also, 48 teams this year would be a major undertaking. The confederation president this year is a Canadian so he lobbied for a deal that's in Canada's best interest. The Americans weren't even fully commited to a bid, this blunts our biggest competitor for a bid and shares some of the burden. This guarantees the USA also hosts after their humiliating and bitter loss to Qatar's corrupt bid last time. Mexico is what confuses me but it's a win-win for all involved so who cares.

I think Canada had a good chance prior to the number of teams being expanded. But there's no way we could host 48 teams on our own. I'm sure that this joint bid is Montagliani's work. He wants Canada to have the Cup but and likely lobbied the Americans hard to consider a joint bid instead of going alone. Less costs for everyone involved, and working together makes for good optics.

Originally Posted by Mister F

And since the final would almost certainly be held outside Canada, it saves this forum from the inevitable bickering over which city should host it.

Now we get to argue over which cities get games and which one should get the QF/SF/whichever the most important game we get is.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Mister F

Well Mexico has the top soccer league of the three countries

Quality of domestic league is not a qualifier for hosting World Cups (see: South Korea, Japan, South Africa, Russia, Qatar...)

Originally Posted by Mister F

and they have better stadiums than us.

Uh, they do? Which ones? Azteca is the only one that jumps out as being especially respectable. Maybe Guadalajara.

[FrankieFlowerpot]

As you've already mentioned the Azteca and Guadalajara

Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Estadio Cuauhtémoc and Estadio Chivas

[Acajack]

*Any* country has better stadiums than us.

OK, maybe not any country... but a lot of countries.

[Hackslack]

Already so sick of seeing all, and almost only, news about the Maple Leafs and playoffs. Sickening the amount of attention that city gets, it's truly obvious why the rest of the country are so frustrated. What about Edmonton, Calgary Montreal and Ottawa... I'll be happy to see the Leafs get swept by the Caps first round. ( mind you, they'll probably still cover them more than the other teams just to talk about how they will be better next year, and how Matthews is a their godsend...)

Edit: I realized it is actually mostly TSN, probably because they hold the regional rights... they are(were) my go to source for sports... not any more!

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Acajack

*Any* country has better stadiums than us.

OK, maybe not any country... but a lot of countries.

Most countries have one large national stadium and that's it. Canada outranks them based on width and breadth of stadiums. There's only a handful of countries that can open up tomorrow and host an emergency World Cup: Germany, England, US, and potentially France/Italy/Japan. I'd probably rank Canada somewhere above Netherlands but below Spain in terms of number of quality, decent-sized stadiums per-capita.

Originally Posted by FrankieFlowerpot

As you've already mentioned the Azteca and Guadalajara

Estadio BBVA Bancomer, Estadio Cuauhtémoc and Estadio Chivas

Fair enough, but for a country steeped in football history and having hosted two World Cups previously they don't really have a beavy of great stadiums to pick from.

I would add Tijuana's stadium but apparently real grass is impossible because of hot springs located under the stadium.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Already so sick of seeing all, and almost only, news about the Maple Leafs and playoffs. Sickening the amount of attention that city gets, it's truly obvious why the rest of the country are so frustrated. What about Edmonton, Calgary Montreal and Ottawa... I'll be happy to see the Leafs get swept by the Caps first round. ( mind you, they'll probably still cover them more than the other teams just to talk about how they will be better next year, and how Matthews is a their godsend...)

Edit: I realized it is actually mostly TSN, probably because they hold the regional rights... they are(were) my go to source for sports... not any more!

Interesting, I notice it more from Sportsnet. I don't get too mad about it anymore cause it just is what it is, but it is pretty funny. Finish watching a Canucks game and immediately after it is a discussion on how the Leafs will do. As if I give a fuck lol.

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Most countries have one large national stadium and that's it. Canada outranks them based on width and breadth of stadiums. There's only a handful of countries that can open up tomorrow and host an emergency World Cup: Germany, England, US, and potentially France/Italy/Japan. I'd probably rank Canada somewhere above Netherlands but below Spain in terms of number of quality, decent-sized stadiums per-capita.



Fair enough, but for a country steeped in football history and having hosted two World Cups previously they don't really have a beavy of great stadiums to pick from.

I would add Tijuana's stadium but apparently real grass is impossible because of hot springs located under the stadium.

Canada for pure soccer stadiums ready next month ranks maybe in the top 50. How many actually have "turf" ready to go?

South Korea have a better stadium list ready right now.
Argentina, have 14 stadiums right now with 40k + capacity.
Indonesia can have 8 or 9 35k+ stadiums ready right now.
Japan can easily have a dozen ready instantly.
Even Portugal have 8 30k+ stadiums available.

As for Netherlands, compare 8th best stadium in each country.

Noordlease Stadium, vs Ottawa?

[Bandage]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

As for Netherlands, compare 8th best stadium in each country.

Noordlease Stadium, vs Ottawa?

Calling td place the 8th best stadium in Canada is embarrassingly generous

[FFX-ME]

Originally Posted by caltrane74

I can't wait to see what they have planned for BMO Field, even if only for a few Round Robins. They will have to take it to 40-45k.

Why would any world cup games be held in that... thing... why not skydome?

[HomeInMyShoes]

I agree with Dalreg's sentiment. Canada is way behind the world with respect to soccer-ready stadiums. Seriouisly we are. But FIFA has evolved themselves into only having a very few countries that could support a World Cup. Increasing stadium sizes was one problem, but the new 48 teams instead of 32 will absolutely kill many bids. No one has that many sites.

The new format of 3-team groups will solve the multiple matches having to be played simultaneously, so it is possible to do the 16 groups in eight sites. Alternating days of play for the round robin so maybe it is not so hard with the existing 8-site minimum.

I'm actually really interested to see how the group portion plays out. The current four-team system has a lot of strategy and interest in the final games. In the new way, countries don't get to play as many games and it is really win or go home. Might make the first match day way more exciting as sometimes teams seemed tepid to go for it.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I agree with Dalreg's sentiment. Canada is way behind the world with respect to soccer-ready stadiums. Seriouisly we are. But FIFA has evolved themselves into only having a very few countries that could support a World Cup. Increasing stadium sizes was one problem, but the new 48 teams instead of 32 will absolutely kill many bids. No one has that many sites.

Alternately, the rest of the world is way behind Canada in Olympic/NHL-caliber hockey arenas.

Clearly, a massive federal program is needed to close the 'soccer stadium gap' that Canada has with the rest of the world. Only then will Canada be taken seriously on the world stage.

[wave46]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Interesting, I notice it more from Sportsnet. I don't get too mad about it anymore cause it just is what it is, but it is pretty funny. Finish watching a Canucks game and immediately after it is a discussion on how the Leafs will do. As if I give a fuck lol.

Hey, it's like the Olympics in the sense that it only happens once every 4 years or so. So, this is a novelty.

[FFX-ME]

Originally Posted by wave46

Alternately, the rest of the world is way behind Canada in Olympic/NHL-caliber hockey arenas.

Clearly, a massive federal program is needed to close the 'soccer stadium gap' that Canada has with the rest of the world. Only then will Canada be taken seriously on the world stage.

The thing is, why would you build a bunch of stadiums that will only be used for a few games. Those other countries have big soccer stadiums since soccer is a popular spectator sport there. It is not here. Here it's hockey country so we build arenas. And my God do we have a crap ton of arenas per capita. The only market we have for actual stadiums is the CFL, which is more of a 30k-range stadium department.