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Breaking news from Halifax


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49 minutes ago, Rheo said:

CP article on Halifax's stadium/team bid

http://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/soccer-stadium-new-professional-league-team-touted-halifax/

Nothing new but nice for some mainstream coverage.

If regional council gives municipal staff the green light to draw up a rental agreement for the Wanderers Grounds, the four-hectare natural turf sports field on the Halifax Commons would host an event in September with Soccer Nova Scotia.

That appears to make the event in September contingent upon approval of the stadium for CPL, which suggests that it isn't a separate standalone event and may be about testing the waters.

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2 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

That appears to make the event in September contingent upon approval of the stadium for CPL, which suggests that it isn't a separate standalone event and may be about testing the waters.

I think it's more about testing the new stadium itself lol

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If the HRC told SEA that they can't have a pop-up stadium at the Wanderers Grounds, but green lit Soccer NS for a one-off event at the site, what would be the point in having that event? I think the September event would serve as a test event and good dry run for the venue so they can work on logistics for next summer.

There is no scenario in which I see them getting approval to use Wanderers Grounds and then back out if a one-off event doesn't go as well as hoped.

cheers, matthew

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5 minutes ago, Ansem said:

I think it's more about testing the new stadium itself lol

I viewed it as testing the field since I remember seeing somewhere that the stadium for the game in the fall is a one game temporary one and not the full one SEA is proposing.  

I respectfully disagree with BBTB's assertion that SEA isn't fully committed and using this game as a barometer before deciding to proceed.  Everything I've read and heard indicates that if the stadium is approved they're all in for three years for the CPL.

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There is also an ocean of difference between "testing the waters"/learning a few lessons about hosting a footy game in Halifax, and having the whole enterprise hinge on attendance numbers at a single event. 

The former is common sense - of course the folks involved would use a game to assess logistics, gauge success of promotions in terms of getting bums in seats, etc.

But that in no way implies that a poor turnout at one game will torpedo the whole undertaking.  Nothing I have seen to date suggests this latter situation.

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37 minutes ago, Gopherbashi said:

I would say that SEA is well past the "testing the waters" stage at this point.

It's usually a lot easier to get a crowd of curious onlookers out for a one-off event than it is for a full season of games, so I doubt there's much to worry about on this, but if for example they hyped up something like Canada vs Jamaica in a big way and only sold 1000 tickets, are you seriously trying to argue that they would still plough on regardless? People don't invest millions without being reasonably confident it's going to work and something like that would raise a red flag.

 

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2 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

It's usually a lot easier to get a crowd of curious onlookers out for a one-off event than it is for a full season of games, so I doubt there's much to worry about on this, but if for example they hyped up something like Canada vs Jamaica in a big way and only sold 1000 tickets, are you seriously trying to argue that they would still plough on regardless? People don't invest millions without being reasonably confident it's going to work and something like that would raise a red flag.

That reasonable and makes sense but every interview has indicated that SEA are all in if the stadium is approved (which it now is I guess) and the agreement which was passed committed them to the stadium and the grounds for three years with an option for another three.  I get the general cynicism and cautiousness when it comes to the past news bits and rumours but this is different.  This is happening and the prospect of a one off exhibition game that the owners of the team aren't putting on won't stop them in their tracks.

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16 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

It's usually a lot easier to get a crowd of curious onlookers out for a one-off event than it is for a full season of games, so I doubt there's much to worry about on this, but if for example they hyped up something like Canada vs Jamaica in a big way and only sold 1000 tickets, are you seriously trying to argue that they would still plough on regardless? People don't invest millions without being reasonably confident it's going to work and something like that would raise a red flag.

 

IIRC, the test event will be held at the stadium once it is built. You really think they'd spend 3-5 million on the stadium then back out if attendance at an experimental isn't great?

The result of the experiment would already be of questionable generalizability, backing out without playing a single season would be a terrible piece of decision making. 

Far more likely is that it is for

A) building relationships with the soccer community 

And 

B )  Finding what works and what doesn't on match day

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Info I gathered by following the situation these last few hours:

- Pop-up stadium of up to 7,000 seats will be allowed on the Wanderers Grounds on short-term (less than 5 year) renters agreement.

-An annual review of the site will be conducted each year. The city maintains the right to end the agreement at any point should the owners fail to address concerns. This includes limiting the number of "full stadium setup" events to 14 in the first year, after which the Council will reevaluate the agreement.

- Stadium is likely to be closer to 5,000 seats due to amendments which limit seating on two sides of the stadium. The seats on those two sides of the stadium must be removed when the team is out of season.

-Events must end before 11:00pm, and alcohol sales will be "limited". 

-The stadium owners are responsible for sorting out the parking situation.

-The final stadium plans must pass the Council before building can commence. 

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3 minutes ago, Complete Homer said:

IIRC, the test event will be held at the stadium once it is built. You really think they'd spend 3-5 million on the stadium then back out if attendance at an experimental isn't great?

The result of the experiment would already be of questionable generalizability, backing out without playing a single season would be a terrible piece of decision making. 

Thought I read above that the September thing will use temporary seating that will be removed afterwards and won't be in the pop-up?

-"Soccer Nova Scotia is intending to hold a major event on the Wanderers Grounds in September 2017 when the field opens, and will bring in temporary seating for up to 5000 spectators. The seating will be removed following the event." mentioned earlier as a "Canadian Soccer League game"  I know they teased it the pod with Martin from SEA

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21 minutes ago, BringBackTheBlizzard said:

It's usually a lot easier to get a crowd of curious onlookers out for a one-off event than it is for a full season of games, so I doubt there's much to worry about on this, but if for example they hyped up something like Canada vs Jamaica in a big way and only sold 1000 tickets, are you seriously trying to argue that they would still plough on regardless? People don't invest millions without being reasonably confident it's going to work and something like that would raise a red flag.

Who is arguing that they wouldn't be worried by 1000 in attendance at a CanMNT team match?

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8 minutes ago, harrycoyster said:

- Stadium is likely to be closer to 5,000 seats due to amendments which limit seating on two sides of the stadium. The seats on those two sides of the stadium must be removed when the team is out of season.

That's not good as part of the idea behind a pop-up is that you usually don't have do that. Does that mean there would be no seating there at all during the winter months or does it just limit what they can do at the two ends of the pitch with the main seating of around 5,000 left there all year round?

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With the public support from the supporters group and Halifax's historic mishandling of developing a stadium, it would have been politically harmful for Councillors to vote any other way.  Nonetheless, I'm really happy that they did the right thing.

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