Saskatoon CanPL

[Cblake]

2 hours ago, Aird25 said:

I'm generally curious if this has been your experience, because I would say this describes a very select few of the fans I've met in stadiums in Canada over the years. Committed supporters aside, most just seem to be there to catch a game, but they know next to nothing about the players, teams or league. This holds true for MLS, NASL, USL, PDL, CPL, PCSL Varsity etc. I don't blame the fans. We give our players next to no recognition

I will take this one further, where soccer is sport people in the his actually know about, Rugby League is one that had very little if any presence in this country. The Toronto Wolfpack showed that if you make it a fun afternoon/evening out, people will come regardless of how much or little they actually know about the team and/or sport. They hit the mark and over time the crowds grew to where Lamport at around 10K was bursting at the seems. The beer garden with a great craft section did not hurt either. So the right operator with a good strategy can do well by getting out even the most casual of a spectator. 

[Bison44]

2 hours ago, Aird25 said:

I'm generally curious if this has been your experience, because I would say this describes a very select few of the fans I've met in stadiums in Canada over the years. Committed supporters aside, most just seem to be there to catch a game, but they know next to nothing about the players, teams or league. This holds true for MLS, NASL, USL, PDL, CPL, PCSL Varsity etc. I don't blame the fans. We give our players next to no recognition

Ah ya got me there.  That is mostly what I got at Valour games, but Mrs C and the trench/hardcores were really rocking.  Most people seemed to enjoy themselves, even with a brand new team/players and no Ronaldos on the field.  

[Mikmacdo]

12 hours ago, Cblake said:

I will take this one further, where soccer is sport people in the his actually know about, Rugby League is one that had very little if any presence in this country. The Toronto Wolfpack showed that if you make it a fun afternoon/evening out, people will come regardless of how much or little they actually know about the team and/or sport. They hit the mark and over time the crowds grew to where Lamport at around 10K was bursting at the seems. The beer garden with a great craft section did not hurt either. So the right operator with a good strategy can do well by getting out even the most casual of a spectator. 

The wolfpack had a great location and heavily papered the crowd with free tickets. I went to three games for free. I could have went to every game for free. 

[toontownman]

14 hours ago, Cblake said:

I will take this one further, where soccer is sport people in the his actually know about, Rugby League is one that had very little if any presence in this country. The Toronto Wolfpack showed that if you make it a fun afternoon/evening out, people will come regardless of how much or little they actually know about the team and/or sport. They hit the mark and over time the crowds grew to where Lamport at around 10K was bursting at the seems. The beer garden with a great craft section did not hurt either. So the right operator with a good strategy can do well by getting out even the most casual of a spectator. 

I was legit worried going to a Riders game not knowing the rules when I moved over. Turned out no-one at the game around me knew anything either. They were just there to drink and cheer. 

Prime example is the Saskatoon Rush. They did come here as an existing brand and championship winning team but next to no one can say they were interested in professional Lacrosse before they came here. They average 12-13k a game. I would still wager 90% of that crowd isn't interested in Lacrosse. It is absolutely about the environment you create and standing out from the crowd in terms of the experience from the minute you roll up to the ground to every minute you are in it. Whether we like it or not sport has become a business at the end of the day.

As hardcores at least take some solace in the fact consistent bigger crowds will mean more revenue and a higher quality and standard of players coming into the club and league over time. Maybe we can convert a few neutrals in the mean time!

In terms of the SK stadium being open or enclosed, because damn it i won't stop driving that home. I think use the outside of the stadium and Prairieland grounds, which is large, for the pre/post game partying and events. Honestly to me there is nothing better than the mystique of climbing up stairs and emerging into an enclosed stadium for the first time. It is a fortress and inspiring to me. Preaching to the converted here I know and its obviously not just limited to football either. I felt the same at both roughriders stadiums, hockey arenas and Twickenham when attending games. It is complete escapism and the magic contained within that theatre.

I do also see the appeal for owners wanting a relaxed safe environment for families etc that more open stadiums give. I just think that completely changes the atmosphere and can also effect the team and culture of the club. Keeping focus on the game being played and people attending games having fun, having a great experience aren't mutually exclusive in my opinion. I am very opinionated these days. 

[toontownman]

That is quite a difference already to the first image. Not sure where the existing stand would be in this? Assuming its the end stand but they didn't include what it really looks like. This stadium would look sharp with the current stand at the end in this rendering imo. 

 

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

Looks like they probably realized that the existing grandstand simply doesn't work for soccer.

[Unnamed Trialist]

4 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Looks like they probably realized that the existing grandstand simply doesn't work for soccer.

But it would, surely. You keep that stand on the lower or near end in this render, and you have the first CPL Kop, with apologies to Langford which has an end stand that is quite large too. 

Are they suggesting putting a pond on one end, an artificial one? Why kill off space you could use for parking, or a practice field for youth, or a warm-up area, by doing that?

The only question is that if restoring or redoing an existing older construction means costs of an exceptional nature, such as structural, accesses. And if they have some water problems under the surface they need to solve some way, if that pond were for runoff, for example.

[toontownman]

Not sure on the pond but they did talk about drainage in interviews. There is currently a slough in the middle of the race course so they might be using that.

 They also want to likely create greenspace as part of prairieland park. I really like the pond other than who is retrieving the balls lol.

In regards to parking, there is ample existing. I don't think they will eat into prairieland grounds with training pitches. 

Edited May 1, 2021 by toontownman

[toontownman]

And another...  Like where this is going!

 

[MM3/MM2/MM]

13 minutes ago, toontownman said:

And another...  Like where this is going!

 

I've never been to Saskatoon, now I wanna go.

[MtlMario]

Supports of Marquis Downs are speaking to City Councilors this morning trying to save the track. Anybody in the know keep us informed please.

[toontownman]

5 hours ago, MtlMario said:

Supports of Marquis Downs are speaking to City Councilors this morning trying to save the track. Anybody in the know keep us informed please.

Around 6/7 speakers via pre-recorded videos from the Horse Racing community- a couple there on phone for any follow up questions. 

- First video started by saying this would affect hundreds of people.

- Horse Racing community highlighted and displayed on screen parts of the lease agreement with PL and the City claiming Prairieland has a commitment to the Race Track and cannot make any alterations to the grandstand not to do with Horse racing. They said changing those terms would need an amendment and show favouritism to Prairieland and that they don't support Horse Racing and its culture/traditions.

- One speaker in her video asked all councillors to unmute speak up and confirm intent if they wouldn't support horse racing.  

- One speaker showed emails saying Prairieland had not responded and didn't give the horseracing community a chance. He said Pan-Am wanted to buy it (a claim Mark Regier literally laughed off on CKOM radio and said was absolutely untrue).

- One speaker spoke at length about the youth movement in horse racing thriving, that there was nowhere else in Saskatoon for kids to see horses (yes). Also said that Prairieland provided great facilities/stadium but maybe not other support. Later talked about financial support and said Prairieland maybe, maybe not but 

- One video said this was systematic racism shutting down the Horse Racing.

- One video talked about how they wanted to set up programs with at risk kids, improve women in horse racing and several other initiatives. (They want to now? sorry I started writing this somewhat unbiased I swear).

- They asked City to take the land off PL and lease it to them. 

City Solicitors confirmed the following from questions from councillors after:

- Those words shown are not binding in relationship to the entire document/agreement (assuming they have cherry picked those quotes without reading or understanding the whole document) there is an amendment that allows for changes at Prairieland. 

- There is nothing Prairieland has done that breaks the lease agreement or is wrong. Prairieland has broken no zoning laws or tax laws. If the City was to take some type of measure like the Horse Racing people are asking for they would be in breach of contract and liable in court/arbitration 

- Said to councillors and guests: City council cannot dictate or get involved in business decisions to Prairieland (force to keep racing) but technical aspects/applications of the build will have to be approved by city council. They used the example of the last technical amendment being updating a kitchen onsite. (while this is a grey area this sounds like a basic planning permission application meeting specs). Essentially they can approve that everything meets code but can't make comment on the use. 

- The current lease agreement runs to 2044 (there is an auto renew option for further years after that iirc) The land is tied to that as above, breaking that agreement would leave the city liable. 

- The solicitor stated that it is possible the Soccer Stadium application might need a re-zoning application for that land. This wasn't a confirmation but stated as a possibility, the application hasn't been sent and city not formally approached yet by Living Sky and PL, so the solicitor can't say anything else.

 

[Kent]

6 hours ago, toontownman said:

- One video said this was systematic racism shutting down the Horse Racing.

I love the idea that someone has gone through their whole life thinking racism is about intolerance of different kinds of racing competitions.

[Bison44]

8 minutes ago, Kent said:

I love the idea that someone has gone through their whole life thinking racism is about intolerance of different kinds of racing competitions.

I've always been racist against horses.....there I said it.  And I've got no use for pigeons either....

[SpursFlu]

11 minutes ago, Kent said:

I love the idea that someone has gone through their whole life thinking racism is about intolerance of different kinds of racing competitions.

Im sure its not easy being 5'1" 105lbs with a foreign accent if there is no horse track to race around. Sounds like systemic racism to me

Edited May 11, 2021 by SpursFlu

[toontownman]

https://thestarphoenix.com/news/local-news/sask-horse-industry-presses-case-before-city-committee

Summarization and a few follow up comments from Prairieland at the end.  

Edited May 11, 2021 by toontownman

[Cheeta]

16 hours ago, Bison44 said:

....  And I've got no use for pigeons either....

Rats with wings.  Yuk.

Gawd damit, I just offended rats.

[toontownman]

Latest rendering. Obviously there are some things here that don't add up (the existing barn building where the bar will be) and the water feature looks weird. Still exciting. 

Will add this too, as it is where the rendering popped out from: https://prairielandpark.com/setting-the-record-straight/

Edited May 18, 2021 by toontownman

[Big_M]

and they write see you in 2023 at the end..they are in the optimistic bunch

[Cheeta]

Looks a nice little park.  Lots of open field, lots of water.   Yup, looks a right proper breeding ground for Canada geese.

You know....if they work the schedule right Saskatoon could be one of the best parks for away support.  Guarantee you there would be at least one organised road trip out of Winnipeg, Edmonton & Calgary every season.  Doing an overnight!  Would be great fun for the locals.

[Unnamed Trialist]

14 minutes ago, Cheeta said:

Looks a nice little park.  Lots of open field, lots of water.   Yup, looks a right proper breeding ground for Canada geese.

You know....if they work the schedule right Saskatoon could be one of the best parks for away support.  Guarantee you there would be at least one organised road trip out of Winnipeg, Edmonton & Calgary every season.  Doing an overnight!  Would be great fun for the locals.

I just assumed the moat was to keep away supporters at bay.

[Cheeta]

^ 

Pheff.  I'll take more than a little water to keep Eddies away.  Add a bar of soap.  That should do the trick.

 

 

[toontownman]

This. Is. Huge.

From all legal perspectives it looked like the council couldn't stop Prairieland ceasing to do horse racing and building a CPL stadium. However maybe now, finally we can have some positivity about the project from some overtly negative and biased members of the local press pitting soccer vs horseracing. 

Now Saskatoon Council and the Province... 

 

[vancanman]

On 5/19/2021 at 11:15 PM, Cheeta said:

Looks a nice little park.  Lots of open field, lots of water.   Yup, looks a right proper breeding ground for Canada geese.

 

I was thinking mosquitoes. 

[vancanman]

On 5/19/2021 at 4:10 AM, toontownman said:

Latest rendering. Obviously there are some things here that don't add up (the existing barn building where the bar will be) and the water feature looks weird. Still exciting. 

Will add this too, as it is where the rendering popped out from: https://prairielandpark.com/setting-the-record-straight/

3/4 of that is beautiful.  

Each rendering that comes out seems to have a bit more stadium added to it.  Maybe there'll be a stand on the other end on the blueprints by the time they get around to building the thing.

Edited May 29, 2021 by vancanman