Stuart Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Don't know which section this goes in but this one looks as good as any: This just opened recently at S.A.I.T. and I thought it was a cool new stadium: The cool thing is, it's on top of a parking garage. Hopefully they can add more stands and make it suitable for an N.A.S.L. team here in Calgary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shermanator Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 Damn, I clicked on this thread expecting an announcement of a new stadium! Unfortunately I can't see that the SAIT stadium will be suitable for an NASL team. You might be able to put some temp bleachers behind the south goal and some more permanent bleachers on the west end, but considering the field is on top of a 5 story parkade, it would be hard to engineer anything over a few thousand. A shame, cause I think it's the perfect spot for a stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soccerpro Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 It will be tough to add stands to that facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juby Posted May 19, 2012 Share Posted May 19, 2012 I agree that it might not be quite right for an NASL team but it's honestly a pretty ingenius stadium idea for levels below that if they could expand the seating a bit (probably I'd guess, theirs a few spots there, bigger parking lots maybe? maybe unsafe?). They'd probably have to do a few safety inspections before anyone repeated this idea but I generally really like this idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted May 19, 2012 Author Share Posted May 19, 2012 I know the Callies are playing FC Edmonton reserves at SAIT this coming Friday and I'm hoping this is the pitch they're playing on. Either way I'll be heading over there to check the stadium out and maybe see for myself the potential it has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThiKu Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Stands behind both goals ala England Premier League, and additional stands on the side where the small stand already is....could be very nice and cozy. Barring some sort of "stilted" structure I can't see them putting stands on the one side at all. Beautiful looking facility though. If they could somehow get seating up to 2000 that would be NASL quality with the right infrastructure (ie, a TV tower or some such thing). Certainly a good enough facility for a nationwide Canadian league if seating up to 2000! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 It will be interesting to see how the field plays. The only other stadium I know of that is built over a carpark is A.S. Monaco, which has a reputation for an uneven bounce. However that been said, not too shabby boys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foreverthursday Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 How the hell do you retrieve the ball when it is kicked over the goal? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redcoatsforever Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 How the hell do you retrieve the ball when it is kicked over the goal? strategically placed trampolines around the stadium will allow the ball boys to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 How the hell do you retrieve the ball when it is kicked over the goal? The balls on one of those training tethers attached to the centrespot. Strangley the cable only streatches over the visitors goalline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 Here's a pitch level view: With a great view of downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmonte Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 It would be great to get an NASL franchise...but I don't see it happening any time soon lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 The SAIT pitch is quite impressive, and the location would be pretty good for a NASL team, but I can't imagine that there is either the ability or willingness to increase the seating capacity. Have you seen the field at Mount Royal? It is much more amenable to expansion. I don't like the location quite as much but this seems like a site where you could go in with 750K like FCE did and build something that could work. It's also natural grass and there are no gridiron lines. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 My son played there (SAIT) last year on a call up. The field is crumb rubber fake turf, players hate it when it gets in their cleats which happens too frequently. One third of the team had their cleats off at the half. Field slopes along the side a lot just like McMahon. Seating is limited to about 300 max I'd guess (SWAG). Not what I'd want for an amatuer team much less a semi/pro one. PS. They left lots of room behind the south goal so shots over it don't go onto the area behind it (part of the park around SAIT). The north end is not a problem. Unless you are a Zimmerman or Carlos you won't put it out of the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yawassanay Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Trust Cowtown to build a pitch on a parkade..what is next..rebuilding McMahon on the deerfoot?? A city with 1 mill+ in population and that is what they come up with...Calgary could support a NASL club but needs a decent facility Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Trust Cowtown to build a pitch on a parkade..what is next..rebuilding McMahon on the deerfoot?? A city with 1 mill+ in population and that is what they come up with...Calgary could support a NASL club but needs a decent facility Umm.. this isn't something to blame the city for. I too am disappointed with the lack of outdoor sports venues in Calgary, but that really has nothing to do with SAIT. SAIT has been and is still continuing to grow over the last ten years. They've built several new buildings and two new residences, and with all that expansion they needed more parking (also, they've now demolished the old parkade where the new trades and technology complex is being built) so they built one on the only open flat land they had. It just so happened to be their soccer field. I think it's great that they ended up putting the pitch on top of the parkade, as they could have easily just built a normal parking garage and no one would have stopped them. The pitch was built with the only the school team in mind, and there is not really a lot of room to build stands around it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yawassanay Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 If SAIT is that hard up for space it must be time to look to building a second campus aka U of A....McMahon is not exactly a jewel either but could be used for NASL in a pinch...but until they build a SSS NASL will not come calling soon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scottie Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 If SAIT is that hard up for space it must be time to look to building a second campus aka U of A... Not that this is relevant to the thread, but they have a second and a third campus in different parts of the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Having just watched the Callies v. FC Edmonton Res. from here I have to say the sight-lines from the stands they do have are horrible!! There's a chain-link fence, light poles and a plexi-glass booth that gets in the way of any decent views. Luckily there were two small benches on the other side of the chain-link fence and the views from there were fantastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmcmurph Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Having just watched the Callies v. FC Edmonton Res. from here I have to say the sight-lines from the stands they do have are horrible!! There's a chain-link fence, light poles and a plexi-glass booth that gets in the way of any decent views. Luckily there were two small benches on the other side of the chain-link fence and the views from there were fantastic. Yea we just sat along the sidelines 5 feet from the out of bounds line last year for the kids games. I'd forgot about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I was there. Not the best field. I think that Foothills stadium will have to do it for pro team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul-collins Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 The balls on one of those training tethers attached to the centrespot. Strangley the cable only streatches over the visitors goalline. Win! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ed Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 I know the Callies are playing FC Edmonton reserves at SAIT this coming Friday and I'm hoping this is the pitch they're playing on. Either way I'll be heading over there to check the stadium out and maybe see for myself the potential it has.I coach there regularly with my U16 team and the pitch is quite nice, crowned, real professional look and feel about it. A fantastic location but not much of a stand for spectators and not much room for expansion. No issue with parking . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberta white Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 All that fencing between the stands and the field? Are soccer MOMs in Calgary really THAT bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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