2011 WCQ: Pick the venues

[Scottie]

I haven't been impressed with Edmonton crowds the past few times our teams have played there and now that there is fieldturf I'd definitely steer clear of there. If we are still playing games in 2012 and there is a new Edmonton SSS (or something that resembles it) with 10,000+ and grass then by all means.

Commonwealth drew 15,000 last time around, which is a pretty good attendance compared to many other home games, but the gigantic stadium still feels pretty empty with a crowd like that. But as it's already been mentioned, Commonwealth doesn't have as much appeal without the grass anymore.

[masster]

My votes:

Toronto, Edmonton, Moncton

[redhat]

.

Maybe they did in the past, but the crowds at the last 2 qualifiers against Guatamala and Costa Rica in 2004 were awful!

Agreed. From my last visit there, it was an overwhelmingly pro-Latino crowd ... and I don't expect that to change.

[gator]

Be more diabolical! I think Beaches is right with what he is saying in his post, we're too easy on our opponents, as Canadians we go out of our way to welcome them, that has to change! I think BMO has to be considered the premier venue as it was built as our National Soccer Stadium and as we showed vs Jamaica we can truly create a home field atmosphere! For the early matches against the relative minnows places like Kingston, St. Johns and Moncton could be considered! Too bad about Edmonton not having a grass pitch anymore because I think it was a very good option in the colder weather vs warm climate countries!

[xabuep2]

It will depend on the teams of the group. Suppose this is the draw :

First round: Canada - Surinam - Dominican Rep.- Guatemala

Second round: Canada - St. Vincent - Honduras - Haiti

Last round : Canada - USA - Costa Rica - Trinidad/Tob.

[xabuep2]

It will depend on the teams of the group. Suppose this is the draw :

First round: Canada - Surinam - Dominican Rep.- Guatemala

Second round: Canada - St. Vincent - Honduras - Haiti

Last round : Canada - USA - Costa Rica - Trinidad/Tob.

(First Round)

Canada- Surinam : Vancouver Swangard stadium

Canada - Dominican Rep: Kingston Richard Memorial Stadium

Canada - Guatemala : Montreal Stade Saputo

(Second Round)

Canada - St. Vincent : St. John´s King George V Park

Canada - Honduras : Toronto BMO Field

Canada - Haiti : St. John´s King George V Park

(Last Round)

Canada - USA : Calgary McMahon Stadium ( could be interesting..)

Canada - Trinidad/Tob : Montreal Stade Saputo

Canada - Costa Rica : Vancouver BC Place ( imagine Canada´s last game there in front of 60.000 people needed a victory to qualify to Brazil 2014 ! awesome!!)

[shawn_strat]

Xabuep2:

Trinidad in Montreal is good because there are hardly any Trinidadians here, but there are thousands of Guatemalans. Surinam would be better here.

To everyone else, I went to the two friendlies in September, and the atmosphere was much better for Canada in Montreal. Toronto felt like an away game, but at Saputo it felt like a home game, despite there being lots of Hondurans in Montreal. I don't understand everyone seeming to want to exclude Montreal.

[RS]

Xabuep2:

Trinidad in Montreal is good because there are hardly any Trinidadians here, but there are thousands of Guatemalans. Surinam would be better here.

To everyone else, I went to the two friendlies in September, and the atmosphere was much better for Canada in Montreal. Toronto felt like an away game, but at Saputo it felt like a home game, despite there being lots of Hondurans in Montreal. I don't understand everyone seeming to want to exclude Montreal.

Because we all remember the last time Montreal held a competitive Canada match.

I wouldn't exclude Montreal, but I'd certainly wait until there is a more entrenched (ie. MLS) fanbase to counter the opposition's fans. Obviously, the powder puff competition we'll likely face in 2011 doesn't really matter, but even St. Vincent seemed to have quite a lot of supporters in that match at Saputo in 2008.

Against a bigger CONCACAF opponent (like, say, Honduras), it becomes far more pronounced, and far more crucial that Canada gets as much of a home field advantage as possible.

If it were up to me, I'd put that game (or games of that stature) in Moncton. We'll likely see them in Toronto, though.

[Sam]

(First Round)

Canada- Surinam : Vancouver Swangard stadium

Canada - Dominican Rep: Kingston Richard Memorial Stadium

Canada - Guatemala : Montreal Stade Saputo

I like this

[Cheeta]

Ha! This is fun.

BMO Field has to be in the mix. Say what you want about Toronto's international flavour you just can't NOT take advantage of the TFC supporters groups when it comes to organizing support for the NT.

Plus, for much of Canada is their a cheaper destination to fly to besides Toronto?

I don't buy into the climate advantage much. Most of our WC players won't be playing in Canada so much of the climatic advantage is muted (to say the least). Geography, the great blessing and curse of our grand nation can still very much be an advantage however. Make the latins travel as far as possible and our lads as little as possible and only good things can happen as a result.

If St John's is the closest venue to Europe then King George V it is. And TV demands be-damned, make the kick-offs 10 AM EST. See how much the Hondurans like that.

Keep KGV as the ace-in-the-hole, but use BMO Field to promote and advertise the NT inside and outside of footie circles.

[Lord Bob]

Take three venues with plenty of capacity and where you can get large, hopefully pro-Canadian crowds.

Take Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto.

[Blackdude]

Toronto is clearly the obvious pick. It is the best place to get home field advantage.

I would take Montreal (probably because of I am biaised). It's still close to Europe and has grass.

Vancouver would be the third one, especially if the WCQ is in the summer or in a second of two matches in WCQ. (Usually we play two WCQ matches in a FIFA date window. I wouldn't play the first one in Vancouver, but the second makes sense.

[Cyrus]

That's a shame. In that case I would have voted for one of the Vancouver sites instead. For me, real grass is a must have.

BC Place has fieldturf. So does the temporary facility at Empire. The only grass option in Vancouver isn't a voting selection -- and going back to Swangard would be... unlikely.

Seriously, a natural grass field is a rarity in our country. Nobody in the CFL currently plays on grass, so you're looking mostly at CIS fields, if you want to avoid Toronto and Montreal and if grass is your sole criteria.

[TFC07]

Money, media, location, turf and support wise: National Soccer Stadium (it’s only called BMO field when TFC plays there) is the best option. Montreal turf is awful while west coast stadiums don’t have grass anymore. I am not sure playing in Atlantic Canada would be possible to do. Also, I don’t think players would want to play there.

[Grizzly]

Money, media, location, turf and support wise: National Soccer Stadium (it’s only called BMO field when TFC plays there) is the best option. Montreal turf is awful while west coast stadiums don’t have grass anymore. I am not sure playing in Atlantic Canada would be possible to do. Also, I don’t think players would want to play there.

You don't know what you are talking about. The turf in Montreal is fine. There were some problems in the first year of the stadium when it rained most of the summer but since then the grass has been excellent.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

Would there be any construction conflicts at Saputo? What's the timeline with the stadium expansion?

[Redcoatsforever]

TD WATERHOUSE STADIUM in LONDON!!!!

...no?

....please?

...you guys are dicks. :mad:

[JimmyJames]

I voted for BMO, I was there for the Canada v Jamaica game during our last WCQ and it was a very pro Canadian Crowd...just need to market the game in toronto better.

Moncton I voted for because I am a Maritimer and I know the game would sell out and there would be a very Pro Canadian crowd there.

Empire Stadium because it is an outdoor venue and i am moving to Vancouver.

[gkhs]

The third option, after Toronto and Montreal, depends entirely on the scheduling of the matches. Depending on the circumstances Vancouver could easily be a practical option - though I think Empire Field only has one star turf, I'm not sure if BC Place might be better off.

Moncton is a travel nightmare - no scheduled flights to or from any European city. I honestly think it only works if we draw back-to-back home matches...either before or after another match in Montreal or Toronto. (I guess it would also work if we drew the US in our group.)

St. John's is Moncton without the new stadium (although I think it has occasional flights to/from London).

Edmonton has turf, travel problems no less daunting than Vancouver, and a recent history of mediocre crowds (albeit for largely pointless matches).

Victoria is Vancouver without the stadia, plus a ferry.

Has Canada ever played at McMahon? I know there were club friendlies in the early-80s in Calgary (one against New York Cosmos), where these at McMahon?

[Canuck in Boston]

YYT/LHR is a seasonal route. I think May through Sept, yet daily during that time frame. I have taken it twice and it is a 4 hour flight, very convenient for our European based players. Providing the facilities at KGV are in order and the schedule fits, it could prove very difficult for some of our central American foes. Not just in climate (which is over rated), but in logistics and time zones. It is much more difficult to get to NFLD from C.A. than western Europe. A noon start in NFLD (10h30 CST) would be perfect for our European players and an adjustment for those in the Central time zone.

Outside of the May through Sept window I dont see it that viable due to increased travel time/connections.

Me, I want all games in Montreal, an easy 4.5 hour drive from Boston.

[gkhs]

]YYT/LHR is a seasonal route. I think May through Sept' date=' yet daily during that time frame. I have taken it twice and it is a 4 hour flight, very convenient for our European based players.[/b'] Providing the facilities at KGV are in order and the schedule fits, it could prove very difficult for some of our central American foes. Not just in climate (which is over rated), but in logistics and time zones. It is much more difficult to get to NFLD from C.A. than western Europe. A noon start in NFLD (10h30 CST) would be perfect for our European players and an adjustment for those in the Central time zone.

Outside of the May through Sept window I dont see it that viable due to increased travel time/connections.

Me, I want all games in Montreal, an easy 4.5 hour drive from Boston.

Interesting info. I had no idea the flight was that short.

[Guest Ed]

^ Well I was there at BMO for that Jamaica game and that was a marginally pro-Cdn crowd at best. Don't you remember the f*ing 30 minute Jamaican national anthem??

For WCQ, we have to nail down supporters sections, send the visiting support to the most remote isolated piece of crap in the stands and get the organizers to quit pandering to the f*ing tourists.

[RS]

it’s only called BMO field when TFC plays there

Er, no it's not. It's only not been called BMO Field during the 2007 U20 WC.

And yeah, Montreal's turf was awful in 2008, but since then it's been fine. I'd avoid it in early spring/late fall since it doesn't have undersoil heating (unless, of course, it gives us an advantage).

[Keegan]

^ Well I was there at BMO for that Jamaica game and that was a marginally pro-Cdn crowd at best. Don't you remember the f*ing 30 minute Jamaican national anthem??

For WCQ, we have to nail down supporters sections, send the visiting support to the most remote isolated piece of crap in the stands and get the organizers to quit pandering to the f*ing tourists.

I'd say it was at least 80% Canadian, good support for us that match but I agree it can be better and that needs to be the goal this time around especially elsewhere

[RS]

^ Well I was there at BMO for that Jamaica game and that was a marginally pro-Cdn crowd at best. Don't you remember the f*ing 30 minute Jamaican national anthem??

For WCQ, we have to nail down supporters sections, send the visiting support to the most remote isolated piece of crap in the stands and get the organizers to quit pandering to the f*ing tourists.

Don't let the idiocy of the CSA allowing a Jamaican national to sing their anthem cloud your memory, Ed. It was shockingly pro-Canada that night, much more than I ever thought I'd see in Toronto.