RS Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 quote:Originally posted by gkhs Are they contractually obligated or contractually entitled? I kind of got the impression it was entitled. Meaning it is there choice to make use of the 6 dates, or not. Obligated. As the operators of the stadium, MLSE had the CSA guarantee at least 6 games per year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River City Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Regardless of where we hold the games there are a few things we need to do. 1) Lobby the CSA to reserve a camera friendly section for us 2) Lobby the CBC or whichever carrier to put a mic on us so that it can at least appear that there is an environment 3) Make our section a fun place to be. If we don't have drums, let's get permission to bring 5gallon buckets or garbage can lids (high school basketball tournaments). They're nice and noisy. 4) Let's get some official chants so that we're more coordinated than the Chileans, Trinis, Mexicans, Portuguese (luckily they're more disorganized), Guatemalans, Honduras. 5) Let's get some publicity so that people are aware of us. 6) I'm not sure how many of us are up for this, but Sam's army has a standing room only policy (unless I read it wrong) where they stand all game and sing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piltdownman Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 This is based on the last cycle and something like this would be a possibility: Preliminary Round: Round One: Late Feb/Early March 2008 - Toronto (if they can play at BMO in Feb as it is durring the euro season) Round Two: Mid/Late June 2008 - Vancouver (as it is not durring the Euro Season) Semifinal Round Three Home games from Mid Aug 2008 -> Mid Nov. Assume ever other game Canada at home Home Game One: Mid Aug. - Toronto (Euro Season) Home Game Two: Early Sept - Montreal (Euro Season) Home game Three: Mid oct - Toronto (Euro Season) Final Round 5 Home games from Feb to Oct 2009 Again Assume Canada gets every second game at home It should also be noted that Toronto is already getting Canada's group for the Gold cup this summer Home Game 1: Late March - Halifax (Euro Season) Home Game 2: Early June - Edmonton (Non Euro Season) Gold Cup here Home Game 3: Early Aug - Victoria (Non Euro Season) Home Game 4: Early Sept - Montreal (Euro Season) Home game 5: Early Oct - Toronto (Euro Season) Which i think is somewhat realistic: Toronto would get 4 games Montreal would get 2 Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton and Halifax would all get 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Standing room is the only way to go. Yesterday was the first time I had ever sat and watched a match at BMO Field. It felt weird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gkhs Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 quote:Originally posted by piltdownman This is based on the last cycle and something like this would be a possibility: Preliminary Round: Round One: Late Feb/Early March 2008 - Toronto (if they can play at BMO in Feb as it is durring the euro season) Hopefully, we'll be passed through preliminary round 1, as we were last time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipeg Fury Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 quote:Originally posted by redhat It would be nice if they could have a game in St. John's. Why the hell not? Our best success was made there. Personally I would prefer Montreal over Toronto, but really the CSA will pick the National Soccer Stadium. I would definetly go to any World Cup Qiualifier in the Maritimes. As for individuals attacking Edmonton based on how it looked on TV, I think you really need to revisit what you are saying. 31,000 for an U-20 match is a very good crowd, and I can't think of too many occasions that anything close to that has happened in any of our big 3 cities. Well done fans in Edmonoton (as well as my brother and nephew that made the trip from Winnipeg). Secondly, having been to approximately a dozen matches at Commonwealth, and I can tell you that it is a very pro-Canadian crowd. Whether that comes across on TV is one thing, but being at the stadium is another. I think Edmonton and BMO Field both are viable optinos for World Cup Qualfiyng matches. I would also love to see Canada return to the Maritimes. Give them a game ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SF Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Agreed on the Maritimes. St Johns or Halifax would be great. I also think that playing outside the west in, say, October or April would be just fine. In fact, it is a good idea. We need to take advantage of the cold weather when we can. Our players won't love it, but I am pretty sure Costa Rica would hate it more. The point about CSA organization is the key. We can get a 90% Canada crowd at BMO. The CSA just needs to be smart with distribution. Reminds me of a few years ago when the Leafs played the Hurricanes in the semi-final. Game 5 was a 70% Leaf crown in Carolina. So, for game 7 (which never happend...), the Canes took extreme measures to make sure Ontario residents couldn't buy tickets. This isn't totally the same, but there are ways to get this done. The CSA just needs to want to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
River City Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 The CSA won't do it. WE need to push for it to happen. We need to spoonfeed them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Rollins1555362254 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Rudi Toronto fans are already working to alleviate that problem. Will we be successful? That all depends on the CSA's willingness to listen to us. This could be crazy talk, but… Have you ever thought about trying to approach some of the players and have them advocate for a supporter’s section? I know…crazy talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 What might help Saputo Stadium (which will be completed by the time WCQ rolls around) is that it will be a grass pitch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Rollins1555362254 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 *ducking* I think every game should be played at BMO. Why? 1) With familiarity attachment will grow. Simply put, there really are more people inclined to cheer for Canada. If they get used to having the team play out of the same place every game more of those folks will show up. 2) Toronto is the easiest city in Canada to travel to and from Europe. 3) If we play all of our games on the FieldTurf it will give us a true home pitch advantage 4) For better or worse the national sports media are all based out of Toronto. Having the games there will mean better coverage (I'm not saying that's right, I'm just saying it's true). 5) TFC provides an infrastructure that will allow for a supporter's section to be "managed" (which may be one of the CSA's issues--worry that a supporter's section could cause problems.) TFC already deals with one and has already been convinced of its value. As I've indicated, I think it should be in Toronto. But, I wouldn’t care where it was as long as it was in one location. WCQ shouldn't be about petty regional "fairness. It should be about qualifying for the damn World Cup. We can have a nice, fair cross-country tour of prep games if we make it.... Edited to fix a couple typos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbailey62 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 quote:Originally posted by MediaGuy *ducking* I think every game should be played at BMO. Why? 1) With familiarity attachment will grow. Simply put, there really are more people inclined to cheer for Canada If they get used to having the team play out of the same place every game more of those folks will show up. 2) Toronto is the easiest city in Canada to travel to and from Europe to 3) If we play all of our games on the FieldTurf it will give us a true home pitch advantage 4) For better or worse the national sports media are all based out of Toronto. Having the games there will mean better coverage (I'm not saying that's right, I'm just saying it's true). 5) TFC provides an infrastructure that will allow for a supporter's section to be "managed" (which may be one of the CSA's issues--worry that a supporter's section could cause problems.) TFC already deals with one and has already been convinced of its value. As I've indicated, I think it should be in Toronto. But, I wouldn’t care where it was as long as it was in one location. WCQ shouldn't be about petty regional "fairness. It should be about qualifying for the damn World Cup. We can have a nice, fair cross-country tour of prep games if we make it.... Good points all. db Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red card Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 tfc infrastructure is now what provides toronto the clear advantage against all other cities - a professional organization that knows how to oversee games and the best football supporters culture in Canada. as shown in the argentina game, if tfc supporters are given first crack or tix are part of their season tix package, BMO should have best support for Canada. Yes, there will be supporters of other nations, but I have faith in tfc supporters having the upper hand and leading the neophytes if they can be together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macksam Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 There were more Canadian fans at both the Argentina friendly and the opener against Chile. When David Edgar scored the tying penelty against Argentina, the loudest cheers came from the Canadian supporters. BMO Field is the only option for World Cup qualifiers, and we'll get a pro Canadian crowd against any opponenet gaurenteed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagum Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Why not in the Olympic Stadium of Montreal? the people there seem to enjoy soccer games... The atendance in the U-20 World cup in Montreal has been decent. more than 30.000 people in every game. for example , today in the match Czech Rep.-Panama the atendance was 34.912 spectators according to the fifa site. Do not forget the final games in the Olympics : more than 70.000 people Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJB Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Isn't this discussion all moot? Did the CSA not guarantee a number of games to MLSE? And with the way our friendlies are going, those games will have to be WCQ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piltdownman Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Maybe I'm being selfish but I don't think more than half the games should played in Toronto. And who is to think the CSA wants Canadian fans? They seem to want to help ethnic groups more than Canadians. Look how they turn the games into <canada's opponent> cultural night by getting entertainment for these ethinc groups at all the games and then crack down on Canadian fans. Look how in this U-20 tournament they placed Portugal in Toronto in make the Portuguese Immigrants happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasonm Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 The goal is to qualify. With the international match schedule, travel is the key. Games will possible be on Wednesday and Saturday. I think we should look for fields and weather for our advantage, not our opponents. If we are playing Bermuda, have the game in Victoria. Smaller venue but I am sure a sell out. I think a game againest USA should be in Edmonton. Montreal play host for Mexico. Toronto is tough because of the ethnic diversity, but if something can be worked out with TFC and have a pro canadian crowd then have Honduras and Costa Rica. The game in September againest Costa Rica would be a good indication. Vancouver could have a game againest a central american country. Just spread the games around to promote it. I have no problem with Toronto having more games but the rest of the country needs games to. Toronto is hosting the womens olympic qualifying next year. But the real key is $$$$. If Edmonton promised 30,000 paid customers for each game, CSA would take the money and run. Even if 15,000 showed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
striker Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 As much as it's going to piss off the west, I think our wcq have to be played in the eastern time zone. So that means Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal or even better, the Martimes. We need to makes things as easy as possible for our players, not fly them across an extra two time zones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valenciafc Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Give the other Cdn friendlies ... but Toronto & BMO Field should house the WCQ's. With the proper marketing through TFC management you could get a presale for season ticket holders first where they could retain their existing seats (key to keeping the right atmosphere) ... next a presale to Voyageurs to help fill in the remaining seats in the south-end supporters section in particular .... then finally open to public. Granted you would have the TFC season ticket holders who are scalpers selling some of their seats but these would be very isolated pockets of support for opposition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macksam Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 If we play teams like Honduras, El Salvador and Guatamala, I think we'll be able to get pro Canadian crowds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstackho Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 quote:Originally posted by nolando The thing is that Hondurans in Toronto will grab up tickets long before most Canadians will even figure out there is a game to be played. It's not something that would be solved by offering them to TFC fans first, IMHO, as only a small percentage would be sold in this manner before they go out to the general public. It's not like Canada's games sell out on the first day like some hot music concert. Canada's fans just can't be bothered to be first in line (on the phones or online either), although they may start to get interested much closer to the game dates, when it's too late to stop the stadium being half (or more than half) full with opposition supporters. I also don't think for a second that the strong TFC crowds will translate into 20,000 showing up to cheer on Canada vs El Salvador. Not for a second. I hope to hell I am made to eat my words, though. Nolando makes some good points. Toronto is still a risk because of the huge immigrant population that is first in line to buy tickets. It should be noted that U-20 packages actually were made available first to people who had paid a deposit for TFC season tickets, but I suspect not too many packages were sold to non-Voyageurs. Yes, Toronto can help by having the supporters congregate in the south stands, but that doesn't necessarily mean we would be able to out-support the rest of the stadium if they are full of Mexicans, etc. But we'll try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunjabiOil Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 For the men's WCQ, Edmonton had a pretty good showing for the Trindad and Tobago game for WCQ 2002, and the WC U20 Women's was incredible atmopshere, flags everywhere. Back in 1993, Canada sold out CW for a friendly against Brazil I'm not sure what happened yesterday, but wow, people are dumping a proven city just like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 quote:Originally posted by sstackho It should be noted that U-20 packages actually were made available first to people who had paid a deposit for TFC season tickets, but I suspect not too many packages were sold to non-Voyageurs. Remember that the pre-sale window (a year ago now) was offered to TFC club members (the season tickets hadn't even had gone on sale yet) when there were only about 3,000 of us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 quote:Originally posted by PunjabiOil Back in 1993, Canada sold out CW for a friendly against Brazil For the love of Pete, can we stop using this game to determine how well a city would support soccer? Firstly, the game was in 1994 not 93, two weeks before the World Cup in the USA. Secondly, there were 52,000 there, so technically not a sell-out. A fantastic crowd size, yes. A sell-out, no. Thirdly, that game would have gotten the same sized crowd at SkyDome, the Big O or BC Place. Commonwealth was (and remains) the only natural grass facility of that size. Put Canada vs any world power in each of these cities, and you'd see a sellout or damn near it every single time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.