"Soccer" Stadiums in Canada

[canadianfoot]

Here is something I found on Wiki, as always there are probably some innacuracies but hey it's still good. Now obviously as you will see some of the listed below aren't really Fotty Specific(well really how many in the country there are...lol).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_soccer_stadia_by_capacity

There is also a list of all stadiums:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stadiums_in_Canada

Now Curious to know which do you think would have the potential for a USL 1/2 team in real terms after a little makeover? Keep in mind the City's potential to actually have a USL team.

[nazzer]

So many of the capacities there are way off. For example, the Apple Bowl in Kelowna. I changed the capacity on the Apple Bowl page but couldn't be bothered to find every spot that has it in an article. The Apple Bowl seats 2,314 (this is from the City of Kelowna's website, and I've been there and thats accurate). for awhile people were persistant in reverting the capacity on the wiki page to 5,700 just because there has been one or two instances where there has been tonnes of temporary seating added.

That was a long winded way to say... I bet most of the capacity numbers in that list are inaccurate for similar reasons.

Having said that. Soccer fans in Kelowna have shown that they will come out to watch a good game. Canadian national team under 23 matches as well as Whitecaps regular season matches have sold out in the past. The facilities meet the standard required for Concacaf Champions League so the facility is good enough (barely). Kelowna could be a good site for the Whitecaps to put their USL1 team if they are allowed to do so once they are in MLS. And if that doesn't happen... some rich person could put a team there and I'm sure a Kelowna USL1 team would outdraw Cleveland and Austin.

[michaeltfc91]

Wikipedia states:

St. John's: King George V Park (10,000 Turf)

Victoria: Royal Athletic Park (9,247 Grass)

London: TD Waterhouse Stadium (8,000 Turf) .. promote the PDL team

Hamilton: Brian Timmis Stadium (5,000 Grass)

Saskatoon: Griffiths Stadium (5,000 Turf)

Thunder Bay: Chapples Park (3,500 Grass).. promote the PDL team

I haven't seen any of these stadiums first hand, but some of these sound pretty suitable for USL 1.

[Tuscan]

Attendance is only a small part of the picture. For instance, Griffiths stadium is unfortunately too narrow for a soccer pitch. While the women's Huskies play there, they only do so to benefit from the narrow pitch, which is what they train in the hopes of gaining a better home field advantage. Other stadiums in the list will most likely not be fully suitable for soccer for reasons similar to those of Griffiths (especially if they're primarily a football stadium).

I really pains me to say that Griffiths is not suitable, because if it was, the building blocks of a USL-1 team would already be well under way here.

[Gordon]

quote:Originally posted by Tuscan

I really pains me to say that Griffiths is not suitable, because if it was, the building blocks of a USL-1 team would already be well under way here.

The USL 1 answer for Saskatoon is Gordie Howe. It would need FT installed, as the Grass pitch is badly chewed up by the Hilltops and the High School Football played there. As well, stands would have to be improved and expanded. BUt there is plenty of parking available, already holds 2500 or so comfortable and is a FIFA sized pitch. Although, I do not think USL holds the same attraction here as would a Canadian League unless there were a western canadian division. Winnipeg would sell tickets, Atlanta, Charelston, Rochester et. al. will be a struggle.

[Mr.Impact]

USL 1 should stay away from any potential franchise that wants to play in stadiums such as the ones used by both Cleveland and Austin. The Football lines and the cheap atifical turf take away from the credibility of the game.

[Jason]

quote:Originally posted by Mr.Impact

USL 1 should stay away from any potential franchise that wants to play in stadiums such as the ones used by both Cleveland and Austin. The Football lines and the cheap atifical turf take away from the credibility of the game.

I'd really like every soccer game to to be played on a pristine natural grass field. But I'd take a USL Div 1 team in Calgary on the football field at McMahon, or in a dirt field for that matter. I miss watching matches even though they were on Astroturf and with gridiron lines.

Jason

[Mr.Impact]

quote:Originally posted by Jason

I'd really like every soccer game to to be played on a pristine natural grass field. But I'd take a USL Div 1 team in Calgary on the football field at McMahon, or in a dirt field for that matter. I miss watching matches even though they were on Astroturf and with gridiron lines.

Jason

Well, Then the potential Calgary Franchise would be doomed from the get go, just as they were the first time around. It's no difference in Austin or Cleveland. There is a minium of profesionalisim that has to be respected, if the team is to last beyond one season. The stadium and the field they play on do matter.

[tmcmurph]

quote:Originally posted by Jason

I'd really like every soccer game to to be played on a pristine natural grass field. But I'd take a USL Div 1 team in Calgary on the football field at McMahon, or in a dirt field for that matter. I miss watching matches even though they were on Astroturf and with gridiron lines.

Jason

While I too would love to see a pro team in Calgary I don't want it at McMahon. 35,000 seats, and field that slopes dramatically (check it out from ground level sometime) and artificial turf with pointy ball lines on it to boot. No thanks.

Here is an idea. The Stampede grounds have a 12,000 seat stadium, near downtown, on the Ctrain route. The stadium is smartly aligned to shelter the fans when the wind comes from the north/northwest like 80% of it does here in Calgary.

You couldn't use it for late June or early July (Stampede) but get in the big turf machine and pull up the grass, take it somewhere shady and water it for 3 weeks and when the horses are done level and put it back. Now that the horse races are not there it could fill a void for 15 dates a year.

[Obinna]

King George V is more like 6,500. And like Gorden pointed out regarding Saskatoon, a CSL team would be a better sell than USL. King George V has parking for 200 cars(estimate) and the bleachers are steel and cover 3 sides of the field. King George also has a proper scorebored, dressing rooms, office space(occupied by NLSA), floodlights, canteen, etc...

I think St. John's would be a good market for CSL should it expand into quebec and atlantic canada.

[piltdownman]

Royal Athletic Park doesn't have 9,247 either. The built a temp stand for the u-20s to get that number. The wiki says 4,247 (Permanent), 25,453 (Temporary) which sounds exactly half right.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Athletic_Park

[Sébastien]

In Moncton NB, they're going to have a new stadium open in 2010 that will have 10 000 permanent seats and can be easily upgraded temporarily to 20 000.

However, there is a running track around the field (it is being put in the World Junior Athletics Championship).

There will apparently be a regular season CFL game being played there next year.

However, I think it's grass that will be put in! Although they might changed it to turf later, I don't know...