York9 - Season Thread 2020

[yellowsweatygorilla]

2 minutes ago, Ansem said:

They should

-upgrade York Lions Stadium 

-Drop the "9" and just call themselves "York"

-Go after York Region, North York & York

I'd be really curious where most season seat holders live. Most of those I know are North York and downtown.

[Ansem]

Just now, Mikmacdo said:

Exactly, imagine trying to sell 12-15k seats in a place like Markham? 

They are right on the subway which is accessible on all 3 "York(s)". Best location they'll ever get in my opinion.

The cost of building a brand new SSS in Vaughan, they could upgrade Lions Stadium significantly in return and put some roofing over the main stand to begin with.

Hope they see the light 

[Ansem]

2 minutes ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

I'd be really curious where most season seat holders live. Most of those I know are North York and downtown.

Most of North York aren't aware the team exist due to bad/inexistant marketing. York & North York alone could make this team a massive success.

For some reason the Ben guy isn't acting on multiple calls to let go of Vaughan Mills and promote the team at the following locations

-Eglinton West, Yorkdale Mall, Sheppard-Yonge, North York Station, Yonge & Eglinton, Fairview Mall, North York and York TTC subway stations

Living in North York, people here goes to events happening in the area, we just have no advertisement going on AT ALL. F'N unacceptable 

[yellowsweatygorilla]

3 minutes ago, Ansem said:

Most of North York aren't aware the team exist due to bad/inexistant marketing. York & North York alone could make this team a massive success.

For some reason the Ben guy isn't acting on multiple calls to let go of Vaughan Mills and promote the team at the following locations

-Eglinton West, Yorkdale Mall, Sheppard-Yonge, North York Station, Yonge & Eglinton, Fairview Mall, North York and York TTC subway stations

Living in North York, people here goes to events happening in the area, we just have no advertisement going on AT ALL. F'N unacceptable 

Yep. I also live in North York. Travesty that this isn't the focus. We just have so much more density here than the suburbs too.

[Big_M]

Zayandehroudi was awful for them last year..got the ticket pricing completely wrong..hes probably on some heavy contract otherwise would be gone

[yellowsweatygorilla]

2 minutes ago, Big_M said:

Zayandehroudi was awful for them last year..got the ticket pricing completely wrong..hes probably on some heavy contract otherwise would be gone

Tbf to Ben, I don't think he is in charge of pricing (thouhg I might be wrong), and he was very responsive to feedback and questions. I've heard the issue is simply resources/funding for the marketing side. I mean it's flabberghasting that they needed fan volunteers to distribute ssh scarves at the game for example. When they did try a concerted attempt at bringing people out - albeit with free tickets - it was a huge success (I am talking about the Voy Cup game against Montreal). That game showed the potential, and it truly was a top 10 all time live soccer experience for me - in terms of drama and atmosphere

[Ansem]

3 minutes ago, Big_M said:

Zayandehroudi was awful for them last year..got the ticket pricing completely wrong..hes probably on some heavy contract otherwise would be gone

Yes, he's terrible and obviously have no idea what he's doing. He told me and my friend that there were budget reasons for not going to the locations I gave him...

Am I'm like B---- Please.... Go to Mel Lastman Square when it's pack during the week, get yourself a table, sit down and promote 

So infuriating 

[Ansem]

8 minutes ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

Yep. I also live in North York. Travesty that this isn't the focus. We just have so much more density here than the suburbs too.

I live at next to Fairview mall and York Lion is such an easier trip than BMO for me. Lots of young professionals settling into the new condos on that stretch of Sheppard East. If they knew, lost of them would go to the stadium on weekends to check out the games.

F it, I'll promote part time for a fee.

Edited January 20, 2020 by Ansem

[yellowsweatygorilla]

5 minutes ago, Ansem said:

Yes, he's terrible and obviously have no idea what he's doing. He told me and my friend that there were budget reasons for not going to the locations I gave him...

Am I'm like B---- Please.... Go to Mel Lastman Square when it's pack during the week, get yourself a table, sit down and promote 

So infuriating 

ya Mel Lastman is a no brainer, there's packed events there all through the week.

 

I just started day dreaming about having a stadium where the Square itself is. That would be amazing lol. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by yellowsweatygorilla

[Kent]

For me it is more convenient for the team to be where it is now (although I only got out to the stadium one time last year). But here is why I think they should build a stadium.

1. They said that was their plan. If they aren’t going to, they better at least tell the fans.

2. They are currently playing outside of the region they are named after.

3. New stadiums tend to draw fans out in significantly bigger numbers. Of course location is very important, but a new stadium has the potential to draw significantly more fans than a championship season. 

I wont put down another number, but can someone refresh my memory on if it is natural grass or artificial turf? Someone above mentioned plans for the track being removed, is that confirmed? Will the field be made bigger then?

[yellowsweatygorilla]

3 minutes ago, Kent said:

For me it is more convenient for the team to be where it is now (although I only got out to the stadium one time last year). But here is why I think they should build a stadium.

1. They said that was their plan. If they aren’t going to, they better at least tell the fans.

2. They are currently playing outside of the region they are named after.

3. New stadiums tend to draw fans out in significantly bigger numbers. Of course location is very important, but a new stadium has the potential to draw significantly more fans than a championship season. 

I wont put down another number, but can someone refresh my memory on if it is natural grass or artificial turf? Someone above mentioned plans for the track being removed, is that confirmed? Will the field be made bigger then?

Right now it's natural grass, but they are switching it out for artificial turf.

The track removal isn't 'official', but it's what club officials have told some of us sshers. 

[Ams1984]

1 hour ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

Running track should be gone by 2021

That would be great. Add a roof, and I’ll keep it!

[Ams1984]

1 hour ago, Mikmacdo said:

And couldn't you out a roof on the stadium?

It's such a nice location I'd hate to see them build something too soon. 

No track, add a roof, works for me!

[Ams1984]

1 hour ago, Ansem said:

They should

-upgrade York Lions Stadium 

-Drop the "9" and just call themselves "York"

-Go after York Region, North York & York

I like the whole “York9” thing.

[Ams1984]

1 hour ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

I'd be really curious where most season seat holders live. Most of those I know are North York and downtown.

I live in Aurora. Not sure about where the majority are though. 

[CANMNT_SUPERFAN]

I'm up to promoting the Team too for a Fee!😉

[Ansem]

12 minutes ago, CANMNT_SUPERFAN said:

I'm up to promoting the Team too for a Fee!😉

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

 

[ironcub14]

10 hours ago, yellowsweatygorilla said:

Tbf to Ben, I don't think he is in charge of pricing (thouhg I might be wrong), and he was very responsive to feedback and questions. I've heard the issue is simply resources/funding for the marketing side. I mean it's flabberghasting that they needed fan volunteers to distribute ssh scarves at the game for example. When they did try a concerted attempt at bringing people out - albeit with free tickets - it was a huge success (I am talking about the Voy Cup game against Montreal). That game showed the potential, and it truly was a top 10 all time live soccer experience for me - in terms of drama and atmosphere

I do think Ben Z is the guy in charge of season ticket pricing, you'd think that that would be the bread and butter for a VP of ticketing. But him and the team has definitely listened to us and reacted to the low SSH numbers, so we have to chalk that down to Year 1 rookie mistakes, and hope it's going better this winter. 

If anybody here is reading this and lives around the catchment area, consider buying a season ticket in the supporters section for cheap, and then just walking over to any of the midfield seats you like on matchdays. There are no ushers checking tickets whatsoever. You can honestly sit wherever you like, and you are doing the club a massive favour over the year long-term by adding to the SSH numbers.

I'm honestly surprised though that Ganzhorn is the one that's being or been forced out. Still waiting for the official announcement obviously. I honestly prefer Ganzhorn to the Angus McNab guy above. Ganzhorn is a local guy who had local connections, which is what a team like Y9 needs. McNab seems like a global guy, who looks quite accomplished, but off initial glance is not the kind of guy Y9 needs, unless he's willing to get down and gritty in the local settings. I do see from twitter that he's a Dundee supporter, so perhaps he may understand the need for him to immerse himself in the local soccer and business scene. 

[ironcub14]

10 hours ago, Kent said:

For me it is more convenient for the team to be where it is now (although I only got out to the stadium one time last year). But here is why I think they should build a stadium.

1. They said that was their plan. If they aren’t going to, they better at least tell the fans.

2. They are currently playing outside of the region they are named after.

3. New stadiums tend to draw fans out in significantly bigger numbers. Of course location is very important, but a new stadium has the potential to draw significantly more fans than a championship season. 

I wont put down another number, but can someone refresh my memory on if it is natural grass or artificial turf? Someone above mentioned plans for the track being removed, is that confirmed? Will the field be made bigger then?

I think after seeing Year 1 in person it's pretty obvious to most Y9 fans that a new stadium is honestly not going to happen for the foreseeable future. Just being a success at York University is the priority for the next 3-5 years at minimum. 

And with York Lions Stadium being on the TTC subway line, and with the proposed stadium being in the middle of nowhere with a politically shady GO train station at best, I think the majority would easily take York Lions Stadium in a heartbeat. You can go on Google Maps, look up York Lions Stadium, then look up Kirby GO Station (it's proposed, doesn't exist yet), and see which one you think will be easier for fans to get to.

As for fans itself, I would guess that the corporate SSHs that paid to get in good books with Greenpark are going to be vastly concentrated in Vaughan, and the youth club SSHs scattered throughout the York Region, but if you consider the Voyageurs and the CanMNT types and the soccer types, you'll see they'll likely be concentrated around Vaughan and North York, and maybe Richmond Hill. I'd think about half of the regulars in this thread are from North York, for instance.

Like we said, North York has the density that the burbs do not. So yep, Y9 marketing absolutely has to come into North York in 2020. 

Edited January 20, 2020 by ironcub14

[Mikmacdo]

I live downtown, actually close to BMO but I would probably have supported y9 more than going to two games last year if they didn't say they planned on moving to the suburbs in a couple of seasons. Why would i invest in a team that wouldn't be accessible to me in the near future? 

 

[Ansem]

3 hours ago, ironcub14 said:

I think after seeing Year 1 in person it's pretty obvious to most Y9 fans that a new stadium is honestly not going to happen for the foreseeable future. Just being a success at York University is the priority for the next 3-5 years at minimum. 

And with York Lions Stadium being on the TTC subway line, and with the proposed stadium being in the middle of nowhere with a politically shady GO train station at best, I think the majority would easily take York Lions Stadium in a heartbeat. You can go on Google Maps, look up York Lions Stadium, then look up Kirby GO Station (it's proposed, doesn't exist yet), and see which one you think will be easier for fans to get to.

As for fans itself, I would guess that the corporate SSHs that paid to get in good books with Greenpark are going to be vastly concentrated in Vaughan, and the youth club SSHs scattered throughout the York Region, but if you consider the Voyageurs and the CanMNT types and the soccer types, you'll see they'll likely be concentrated around Vaughan and North York, and maybe Richmond Hill. I'd think about half of the regulars in this thread are from North York, for instance.

Like we said, North York has the density that the burbs do not. So yep, Y9 marketing absolutely has to come into North York in 2020. 

And if one day they need a new SSS...Downsview Park is a no brainer.

-401 & Allen Rd.

-Subway & GO Barrie

-Minutes to North York Centre

You're right, this GO Kirby business is BS...

[ironcub14]

2 hours ago, Mikmacdo said:

I live downtown, actually close to BMO but I would probably have supported y9 more than going to two games last year if they didn't say they planned on moving to the suburbs in a couple of seasons. Why would i invest in a team that wouldn't be accessible to me in the near future? 

 

Great point. The one thing is, if they did ever build a stadium I don't know 10-15 years from now near that proposed Kirby GO station, it'd still be quite accessible from downtown. All you'd have to do is take the GO Train Barrie Line from Union to Kirby. It's about 40 minutes one way, and about $8 one way. The funny thing is how the subway from Union to Pioneer Village is about 40 minutes one way as well lol. 

The thing is, I don't think a lot of people are going to take that GO Train option, because people generally associate that with weekday commuting rather than the weekends. And the bigger point would be, whether Y9 wants to continue to market to the York Region specifically, which is vast land area, or acknowledge that part of their fanbase is also coming from downtown TO and North York and etc. Everything about the 1st year suggested their focus was on the former, but they need to focus on the latter as well in their 2nd year. 

[Cblake]

I live at Yonge and Eglington and quite honestly the trip for me to York University compared to BMO Field is pretty close to the same. The Eglington bus to Eglington West Subway, then the train to Pioneer Village or the Subway south and anyone of the various ways to BMO and the surrounding area. As a TFC STH i did go to a few York 9 games last year. I do see the potentially for marketing into the northern part of Toronto and the North York. That would seem like a no brainer for me. 

[ironcub14]

One more thing about the new stadium at the proposed Kirby GO station is just what a political hot show it has been the last couple years, with big names such as Steven Del Luca and Stephen Lecce both supporters of the development, it's got bipartisan support lol. I wonder if the Toronto Star reporters know about Greenpark and Y9's future plans lol, I'd think the York Region Media Group would, since one of their editors is a big Y9 fan. 

I think there's a lot of political and financial motives for making Y9 a success and moving them to Kirby. But it definitely wouldn't help a sizable portion of the fanbase who are coming from North York or downtown TO. And in all honesty, getting rid of the running track at York Lions Stadium and making the team a success there would be far nicer and more important to have. If the team is a success there, then any proposed move to Kirby would be a good problem to have.

And funny enough, Vaughan Soccer Club's headquarters is really close to that Kirby GO station, near Kirby and Keele, wink wink lol. 

 

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/transportation/2017/09/16/what-is-the-kirby-go-station-and-why-did-it-get-approved.html

https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/9072597-province-reviewing-plans-for-vaughan-s-kirby-go-train-station/

Edited January 20, 2020 by ironcub14