Attending November Window in Edmonton

[RS]

11 hours ago, The Beaver 2.0 said:

Wouldn't BMO in November be plenty enough cold?

It's a moot point as the Argos have home games on Nov. 12 and 16. The CSA even "traded" one of those dates with the CFL to get Commonwealth as the second game was originally an Elks home game.

[JasonDias]

22 minutes ago, frmr said:

Yeah I think it's pretty obvious that the Edmonton decision has as much to do with Phonzie's homecoming as it does weather, travel and an overwhelmingly pro-Canada crowd. The only downside is obviously the turf, but both teams play on on the same surface, so I don't see that as a huge factor. By the time the Mexico game comes around, our players should be pretty accustomed to the bounce of the ball, etc.

I can't recall where it was noted, but I believe Edmonton was selected as part of a destination for Infantino's CONCACAF tour ahead of finalizing 2026 details. 

[gator]

1 hour ago, RS said:

It's a moot point as the Argos have home games on Nov. 12 and 16. The CSA even "traded" one of those dates with the CFL to get Commonwealth as the second game was originally an Elks home game.

I know I am repeating myself but I just can't let go of the total bullshit move of the Argos to BMO, imagine the CSA having to work around CFL games of a team that twice bailed on partnering with the CSA to get a stadium built! Now we have to put up with a shitty pitch with gridiron lines and have to schedule home matches elsewhere because our "National Soccer Stadium" is unavailable! I am however looking forward to the trip to Edmonton and I feel we will have a better chance vs Mexico at this venue!

[RS]

7 minutes ago, gator said:

I know I am repeating myself but I just can't let go of the total bullshit move of the Argos to BMO, imagine the CSA having to work around CFL games of a team that twice bailed on partnering with the CSA to get a stadium built! Now we have to put up with a shitty pitch with gridiron lines and have to schedule home matches elsewhere because our "National Soccer Stadium" is unavailable! I am however looking forward to the trip to Edmonton and I feel we will have a better chance vs Mexico at this venue!

Not going to argue your overall point, but in this particular case BMO was available for November 16 but it seems as though the CSA wanted to keep the MNT in one city and/or freeze Mexico out as they had a hold on BMO but traded it with the CFL in order to allow the Elks-Argos game to be played.

[ted]

11 hours ago, Obinna said:

Do you want to play Mexico in Toronto or even Vancouver? 

I was in BC Place for the last CAN - MEX game and yes, yes we do want to play them in Vancouver.

[Obinna]

5 minutes ago, ted said:

I was in BC Place for the last CAN - MEX game and yes, yes we do want to play them in Vancouver.

I recall 40% or more green in the crowd, but yes I am sure you'd appreciate the relatively short trip to BC place

[gator]

23 minutes ago, RS said:

Not going to argue your overall point, but in this particular case BMO was available for November 16 but it seems as though the CSA wanted to keep the MNT in one city and/or freeze Mexico out as they had a hold on BMO but traded it with the CFL in order to allow the Elks-Argos game to be played.

I think it is good strategy by the CSA playing both matches in Edmonton, we should be well acclimatized for the Mexico match, I will never change my opinion on what happened to our National Soccer Stadium, we were lied to and conned by ML$E!

[MtlMario]

9 minutes ago, gator said:

I think it is good strategy by the CSA playing both matches in Edmonton, we should be well acclimatized for the Mexico match, I will never change my opinion on what happened to our National Soccer Stadium, we were lied to and conned by ML$E!

AS a CFL fan I'm curious to know what happened with MLSE and the proposed stadium?

[Norton]

Going all in on these Edmonton matches --- just booked flights on the 11th and 17th with a stay at the downtown Holiday Inn Express to take in both games. Not much difference in pricing between Expedia/Hotwire/Hotels.com, et cetera, and just booking directly through WestJet and IHG. From eastern Ontario, so these'll be my first CMNT matches NOT in either Montreal or Toronto.

[gator]

6 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

AS a CFL fan I'm curious to know what happened with MLSE and the proposed stadium?

ML$E wasn't involved with the two original proposed stadiums, one was at York U IIRC, the CSA was partnering with the owners of the argos to build a stadium to be shared obviously, twice the argos pulled out at the last minute jeopardizing the stadium and the 2007 U20 World Cup, the CSA, and taxpayers went ahead on their own and got the National Soccer Stadium built!

[gator]

13 minutes ago, MtlMario said:

AS a CFL fan I'm curious to know what happened with MLSE and the proposed stadium?

Rudi,  @RS would probably know more details but at the end of the day the local taxpayer  involvement probably had a lot to do with the surrender of the soccer specific stadium! 

[Redpunkfiddle]

I am pretty sure by this point that we know that very cold weather isn't as debilitating as very hot weather. (up to a point of course). And, as people have pointed out, our players aren't exactly cold weather warriors.

I used to be on the freeze the hot weather country player wagon (woo! open up that roof at BC Place and show them Hondurans that 10C!) but having paid more attention to cold weather games with teams in our region, I don't think playing in that environment is an advantage with the type of athletes and physical play (running) that are competing on the field.

Sorry, competing on that artificial turf 

[rob.notenboom]

1 hour ago, Obinna said:

I recall 40% or more green in the crowd, but yes I am sure you'd appreciate the relatively short trip to BC place

It wasn’t. It was 30% or less … fewer than 15,000 Mexican fans. 
 

I did the same thing at this game as I did at the recent Canada v El Salvador game … took photos of sections, discussed relative numbers of Mexico fans with fellow Vs, and reviewed the pvr of the broadcast. No case from any of that that there were more than 15,000. 
 

They were loud, sure.

[RS]

15 minutes ago, gator said:

Rudi,  @RS would probably know more details but at the end of the day the local taxpayer  involvement probably had a lot to do with the surrender of the soccer specific stadium! 

@MtlMario Some Toronto city councillors managed to put in a clause in the original BMO Field contract with MLSE that allowed the Argos to move in if they needed to. This is after the Argos left the CSA on the lurch for a proposed stadium at York University (which was already announced in a ceremony by York, the CSA and the Argos).

Fast forward to the mid-2010s and the Jays wanted the Argos out of SkyDome, forcing BMO Field to accept them as per the aforementioned clause. With the Argos legally allowed to move in, MLSE then bought the team and put them under their umbrella.

While I don't think MLSE lied about their intentions for BMO Field (it was a different ownership group that vowed to keep the Argos out at all costs, and made it very expensive for the stadium to be converted to CFL regulations), they certainly could've done more to keep them out.

I personally believe MLSE (under Bell & Rogers) saw an opportunity to expand the stadium for TFC, the Leafs and a potential World Cup and used the Argos move as a catalyst for that. With the Argos set to move in whether they wanted it or not, MLSE seemed to decide it was best to just bring them into the fold and avoid the same headaches that the Jays had.

Having the Argos under MLSE ownership ostensibly meant that MLSE would be able to better make the scheduling at BMO work (and keep the pitch quality high). To their credit, it was fine in 2019 but the COVID-induced schedule congestion has meant the quality have nose-dived in the last month or two (at least from an optics perspective, I haven't really heard that the field plays any worse than it did previously).

I suspect 2022 will be better, as long as it's a "normal" year. We'll see.

[Vancouver Fan]

On 10/3/2021 at 9:10 AM, VinceA said:

I'm considering this although some people have said accomodations in Edmonton are expensive and would cancel out what is pretty cheap airfare.

I think Rollins pointed out it was cheaper for him to take two trips to Edmonton for each match than to take one trip and stay in Edmonton for the week.

I'm considering doing two single flights for each match, from Vancouver.  

[umpiredice]

12 hours ago, umpiredice said:

I'm seriously considering driving up from Vancouver for the Costa Rica game, if I can get Friday the 12th off work.  It's only an 11.5 hour drive and I don't need a $275 negative Covid test to get into my car.  The Holiday Inn downtown can be had for $170 for two nights, and it's close to transit out to the stadium and there's a bar right across the street.  Would there be anything planned for the night of the 11th?

And that's the end of that dream.  Too many other people at work already with November 12 off, so I can't go.  SMEG!

[umpiredice]

Just now, Vancouver Fan said:

I'm considering doing two single flights for each match, from Vancouver.  

I used Trivago to look at accommodations for the Cost Rica match and there are multiple downtown hotels (Holiday Inn and similar) that are under $100 per night for November 11 and 12.  Perhaps the prices will be the same for the dates between the two matches.

[Vancouver Fan]

"Think I'll go out to Alberta, weather's good there in the fall." 

Is this true in Edmonton as well?  😄

[Bison44]

The only trick is fall is over in October. HEHEHE.  

[Cblake]

42 minutes ago, Vancouver Fan said:

I'm considering doing two single flights for each match, from Vancouver.  

Looking at flying out on the Tuesday for the match Mexico that evening. Flying back to Toronto from NYC the day before after hitting up the Bills at Jets on the Sunday. 

[Joe MacCarthy]

2 hours ago, gator said:

I think it is good strategy by the CSA playing both matches in Edmonton, we should be well acclimatized for the Mexico match, I will never change my opinion on what happened to our National Soccer Stadium, we were lied to and conned by ML$E!

Actually the stadium basically ended up where it was originally planned to be, a share between the CSA and the Argos.  Yes, the Argos made some bonehead moves but I also see how UofT has been left out of this tale and had they not pulled the pin we would have arrived more or less at the present situation a long time ago

Edited October 5, 2021 by Joe MacCarthy

[narduch]

2 hours ago, gator said:

ML$E wasn't involved with the two original proposed stadiums, one was at York U IIRC, the CSA was partnering with the owners of the argos to build a stadium to be shared obviously, twice the argos pulled out at the last minute jeopardizing the stadium and the 2007 U20 World Cup, the CSA, and taxpayers went ahead on their own and got the National Soccer Stadium built!

The bottom line is the Tim Leiwicke/MLSE lied to soccer fans when they said we would never even notice the Argos were playing at BMO Field. 

 And now TFC and Canada's soccer teams suffer for that stupid decision.

No real Canadian soccer fan should be happy with the current arrangement.

Edited October 5, 2021 by narduch

[Joe MacCarthy]

I'm curious, how do you notice the Argos and how are soccer fans aside from yourself "suffering"?  Remember we've been all through this before and where the evidence lays.

[narduch]

5 minutes ago, Joe MacCarthy said:

I'm curious, how do you notice the Argos and how are soccer fans aside from yourself "suffering"?  Remember we've been all through this before and where the evidence lays.

 

[Joe MacCarthy]

So is that the same David Miller under whose watch the stadium design was fast tracked to not be ready for CFL when minutes of city meetings clearly stated the opposite. 

If there is "damage" it is because of poor scheduling, because we have the proof (as I have posted about a million times) that soccer is (contrary to popular myth) more destructive to turf (especially reinforced turf) than football.