Jump to content

Prep for Canada-Honduras, Sep. 4 (Edmonton)


beachesl

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 146
  • Created
  • Last Reply
quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Same at CCR. In this case it usually has to do with the "professionality" of the venue. Searches and "banned" objects are commonplace in "major" sports facilities (NHL rinks, MLB, CFL, MLS, etc.) but not at lesser stadia.

It's different at Swangard for A-League games, there is actually a lot more checking of people entering the stadium at Whitecaps games. Not as much for the WCQ, which is odd. I guess the volunteers the CSA hired are not as good as what the Whitecaps have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Edmonton Media Watch:

Generally, you have to almost bang your head against the brick wall to notice whether the match is happening here.

After no articles on the MNT in either paper since the day after Guatemala (!), the Edmonton Journal mentioned the match in a very small article on the back page of the sports section, leading off with the sentence, "It's now time to put up or shut up". There was a larger article on page 5 about the prospects of professional soccer in Edmonton. The Sun continued its silence, only mentioning "soccer" in an article on ManU and only mentioning "World Cup" in the hockey articles.

In terms of advertisements, nothing in the Sun. In the Edmonton Journal, the 1/8 page ad on the bottom of page 4 over the past few weeks has know been expanded to a 1/4 page ad with a coupon for 4 free tickets (presumably to endzone) if picked up tomorrow at the Journal building (4,000 tickets available, first come, first serve). I intend to pick up four for some neighbours tomorrow at noon on my way to the nearby CIBC main building where the media conference will be. This appears a part of an effort to give away lots of free endzone tickets through various organizations and companies, as I learned at the ASA, to try to increase the attendence by any means, which I agree with now that their lamentable marketing efforts have fallen short. It appears that they have decided the soccer association sales have dried up.

I watched the local CFRN TV supper news hour in an effort to see if there was anything about the beginning of training camp, but nothing mentioned at all about the match. Don't know about the other local tv stations or radio. Hopefully we'll see some video about at least the media conference tomorrow on tv.

I don't like excuses, but after the Olympics, the World Cup of Hockey, the Eskimos, and all the stories about the last week of the Trapppers (last match Thursday night), there appears to be little space or energy to devote to the Honduras match. Also, soccer seems to almost be a dirty word now amongst most of the local media.

Hopefully, things will start to wake up from tomorrow on, and with at least dry skies on the horizon, we should be able to get a better crowd than present sales indicate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by beachesl

Generally, you have to almost bang your head against the brick wall to notice whether the match is happening here.

In terms of advertisements, nothing in the Sun. In the Edmonton Journal, the 1/8 page ad on the bottom of page 4 over the past few weeks has know been expanded to a 1/4 page ad with a coupon for 4 free tickets (presumably to endzone) if picked up tomorrow at the Journal building (1,000 tickets available, first come, first serve). I intend to pick up four for some neighbours tomorrow at noon on my way to the nearby CIBC main building where the media conference will be. This appears a part of an effort to give away lots of free endzone tickets through various organizations and companies, as I learned at the ASA, to try to increase the attendence by any means. It appears that they have decided the soccer association sales have dried up.

I watched the local CFRN TV supper news hour in an effort to see if there was anything about the beginning of training camp, but nothing mentioned at all about the match. Don't know about the other local tv stations or radio. Hopefully we'll see some video about at least the media conference tomorrow on tv.

One positive for Vancouver is it does have a better Soccer-supporting community. Too bad Commonwealth wasn't in Vancouver and swangard in edmonton.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by Bertuzzi44

One positive for Vancouver is it does have a better Soccer-supporting community. Too bad Commonwealth wasn't in Vancouver and swangard in edmonton.

I would argue against this...Edmonton used to have the best media coverage of the MNT in the years between 1996 and 2000 andeven through 2002...this has been a bad year for soccer here I think with the demise of Aviators and all...Edmonton Journal and sun used to give the MNT games tonnes of coverage prior to games with people like Jones taking high profile roles.

As for overall team support, Vancouver might be better, but only by a slight margin and considering that v-town and surrounding has a little more than twice the population of Edmonton, it's not saying much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by beachesl

Reza's right. Edmionton has had phenomenal Canadian soccer coverage compared to the rest of Canada over the past decade or so.

How do you know? Do you guys keep track of Canadian soccer coverage city by city? Huge crowds for certain games and press coverage due to the large crowds maybe. However if Vancouver had a huge outdoor stadium with a grass pitch they could also give away thousands of tickets and start a stir. Same for Toronto, Montreal etc, and the press coverage to follow would be just as great.

quote:As for overall team support, Vancouver might be better, but only by a slight margin and considering that v-town and surrounding has a little more than twice the population of Edmonton, it's not saying much.

Twice the population yet averaging more than 3 times what Edmonton averaged per game this season in club soccer.

Can't make a comparison for national team soccer, but I'd bet if we had a facility like commonwealth instead of Swangard we'd outdraw you there as well.

Sorry to make this a battle of cities. You guys started it!:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by Bertuzzi44

One positive for Vancouver is it does have a better Soccer-supporting community. Too bad Commonwealth wasn't in Vancouver and swangard in edmonton.

HEY!!!

One White Elephant per city please. Fill BC Place before you pine about taking away our stadium.;)

quote:Originally posted by Reza

As for overall team support, Vancouver might be better, but only by a slight margin

HOLY COW![:0]

Claim victory, Krammerhead because it is incredibly unusual to hear an Edmonton sports fan concede anything!!!

And why aren't you making the trip??? It's only 15 hours on the bus!

For me Commonwealth is the real deal, like Mecca. I've never been to Quebec, but it is my favorite sports stadium even though I've hated the Esks since I was 3.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll be coming to Edmonton, but havn't bought tickets yet.. but from the sounds of it I can get section U then?

Do I specifically have to ask for it? And will it be a pain to get the tickets?

I suppose I could always buy some el cheapo seats and move.. since there will be lots of space.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, Natesta, you could phone Sean (see beginning of this thread) and buy the tickets from him and ask for a 5:30 pickup at the ASA office on the south side of the Stadium just before the match, as Current Champ has done. Identify yourself as a Voyageur and ask for a seat in that section.

Leaving it until the last minute, good chance you might get a seat in Section U at the wickets if you ask for it(as there WILL be lots of vacancy there), just before the match. If the seats are blocked out for us and not forthcoming, just get another reserved seat further up U or elsewhere in the east stand, and there will be seats further down you could move to. However, NO GUARANTEES the rational will occur, as I have witnessed scenes of chaos and carnage at the Commonwealth wickets that I have not seen outside of 4th world countries.

"The horror, the horror...."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:And why aren't you making the trip??? It's only 15 hours on the bus!

I will be going out of town for a couple of weeks the next day after the game. Doesn't really leave me enough time to head to Edmonton and back. I would have loved to go though. Hell I tried convincing southsiders to go to Calgary and Edmonton for A-League games to no avail.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the Southsiders can stay at my place if Calgary is still in the A-League next year.[^]

quote:Originally posted by beachesl

Well, Natesta, you could phone Sean (see beginning of this thread) and buy the tickets from him and ask for a 5:30 pickup at the ASA office on the south side of the Stadium just before the match, as Current Champ has done. Identify yourself as a Voyageur and ask for a seat in that section.

I believe that when I called the ASA they mentioned that Voyageur Tickets will be available in their office (Southside of the Stad) on game day (Open 5:30).

But Dave's plan is good too. For Soccer, at least, seat migration seems common.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe the next two games will tell us if we're good enough to progress to the next round. With deVos, Radzinski, Hume, et al back in the squad we will be able to field a much stronger team than the one that played Guatemala. Wish I was there to see it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, we'll start posting the articles for the match here. Here is the first one, coming from yesterday's media conference. Not a very well informed article, but they are saying that as many as 20000 will show up to the game.

Edmonton Sun

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/Sports/2004/09/02/612774.html

Edmonton Journal (You gotta pay for these ones ever since Global/Southam or whatever they are called nowadays, decided to charge for their online services)

http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/news/sports/story.html?id=1a64e17c-da48-41c4-9058-828fa83359e1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ticket Update

I was told that the $8.00 Endzone seats will NOT be available at the wickets on matchday, nor will they be available at the ASA office on matchday (only until tommorrow). After tomorrow, the only $8.00 tickets sold will be available at the "Soccer Festival" (Provincial Senior Championships) at Ellerslie Field, Victoria Club and the Edmonton Soccer Complex, all far far from the stadium.

Only reserved seating ($19-39, before tax) for the East and West Stands will be available at the stadium on matchday. If you want to buy tickets that well allow you to drift into the Voyageurs section (U, Rows 1 to 15 or so), then make sure you buy reserved tickets to the Sections in the East Stand (Sections Q to Y) so you can gain access to the East Stand. You will not be able to access the Voyaguer's section from the west stand reserved seats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

quote:Originally posted by matthew

What is everyone doing Friday night?

cheers,

matthew

How about the Rose and Crown on friday night, which is at the hotel you are at (the Sutton), at 10235 - 101 Street. I have a P/A rehearsal at the stadium until about 7:30, you guys want to meet there about 8:00.

Also, on Saturday night there will be a Trinindadian band at he Rose and Crown (10.00 entrance buffet), that a number of both the Canadian (staying at the Delta hotel) and Honduran team (staying at the Westin Hotel) will be going to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our plans are in flux. I have no idea how early we're going to get there. There's a stolen car and a dead RV that are throwing our plans into disarray. Not that they were in much array to begin with. I think the hotel bar sounds good, but I'm not going to commit to anything. The room is in my name you can either call first or I'll try to call you since I've got your number. Mimglow, you into this?

That Carribeam band sounds tight though.

Edmontonians> any idea if someone will be showing the England game. Personally I don't really care, but some of our party does.

cheers,

matthew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...