Match Thread: July 2, 2023 - Vancouver FC v York United

[narduch]

Game is at 1:30 pm PT (4:30 pm ET) on One Soccer and Fubo 

[Big_M]

[Big_M]

afework makes the bench for york and cantave goes straight into the eleven for vancouver

[Big_M]

six minutes in and already one goal on each side...should be a fun one

[Watchmen]

Empty stadium today. Not just the camera side.

[Big_M]

so many chances for hundal and bitar...dont score youll concede....york takes it 2-1

ghotbi is hilarious...subs in st louis in the second half then pulls him out...this is the same player he subbed out in the first half vs hfx...if you dislike him so much why play him??

de rosario got the winner thanks to kwak but made terrible decisions near the goal...you can see why hes a sub

[CDNFootballer]

2 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Empty stadium today. Not just the camera side.

Not quite, but not one of the better crowds at 2482 announced. I didn't like the move up in time for this one to 1:30 from the original 3pm, smoking hot in the sun on the metal stands. Prefer the game times later in the afternoon or eve, 5pm-7pm. More in the GA section than last game.

 

 

[Watchmen]

1 hour ago, CDNFootballer said:

Not quite, but not one of the better crowds at 2482 announced. I didn't like the move up in time for this one to 1:30 from the original 3pm, smoking hot in the sun on the metal stands. Prefer the game times later in the afternoon or eve, 5pm-7pm. More in the GA section than last game.

 

 

I'm going to stand by my empty stands comment. I won't disagree that the shift in time, and being on a long weekend, could be a factor. Though I know a few people who made it speak because of those reasons.

[Stanley]

It's getting embarrassing.

[yothat2]

why doesn't Marcus Simmons play ... played game in and game out under koch last year 

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

8 hours ago, CDNFootballer said:

Not quite, but not one of the better crowds at 2482 announced. I didn't like the move up in time for this one to 1:30 from the original 3pm, smoking hot in the sun on the metal stands. Prefer the game times later in the afternoon or eve, 5pm-7pm. More in the GA section than last game.

 

 

Your pictures plus what's visible on the Onesoccer stream show the actual crowd was probably only around half the announced number. The two other CanPL clubs with actual crowds settling consistently into a sub-1500 sort of pattern once the novelty wore off have had their ownership bail out, so this has the potential to turn into a major problem at a time when the league also needs to sort out what to do with the visiting club.

[Unnamed Trialist]

Who did the One Soccer commentary? It was Jenkins and someone else.

I was going to go but I literally got to Vancouver 24 hours later than scheduled, very late Saturday, with no luggage in sight. Next time.

[Ivan]

2 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Who did the One Soccer commentary? It was Jenkins and someone else.

 

TSS Rovers coach.  He was pretty good.

[nolando]

59 minutes ago, Ivan said:

TSS Rovers coach.  He was pretty good.

Will Cormack?

[Ivan]

2 hours ago, nolando said:

Will Cormack?

Yup, couldn't think of his name, thanks.

[SpursFlu]

Langley is not Edmonton and it's not Vancouver. I think considering the team is not very good, first long weekend of the summer, the crowd was fine. It's such a growth market and the whole thing was slapped together so quickly that it's just going to grow from here. I think they're probably realizing that nobody is driving out from Vancouver or Burnaby on mass. I think they should focus on Surrey because if I look at a market that they can reasonably pull from that I don't think they've tapped in to is Surrey. But overall anyone who think that's a disastrous crowd all things considered is completely unfamiliar with the market. There's people drinking, eating, wearing the merch etc.. there is money floating around everyone can step away from the panic button 

Edited July 3, 2023 by SpursFlu

[masster]

2 hours ago, SpursFlu said:

Langley is not Edmonton and it's not Vancouver. I think considering the team is not very good, first long weekend of the summer, the crowd was fine. It's such a growth market and the whole thing was slapped together so quickly that it's just going to grow from here. I think they're probably realizing that nobody is driving out from Vancouver or Burnaby on mass. I think they should focus on Surrey because if I look at a market that they can reasonably pull from that I don't think they've tapped in to is Surrey. But overall anyone who think that's a disastrous crowd all things considered is completely unfamiliar with the market. There's people drinking, eating, wearing the merch etc.. there is money floating around everyone can step away from the panic button 

This has been the real disappointing thing for me. This is home match #6, and you are just getting around to handing out your season ticket packages now? I can understand that some things (like the change of city council in Langley) are outside your control and played an impact on the stadium, etc...but the organization has been lacking.

It was still a fun day at the park, but I feel like things could be much better.

[Unnamed Trialist]

8 hours ago, nolando said:

Will Cormack?

I think I heard Will too, but then could not figure it out. 

Great when we get new commentators into the mix, like the new refs, it is all about broadening and deepening the national football landscape.

[Unnamed Trialist]

22 minutes ago, masster said:

This has been the real disappointing thing for me. This is home match #6, and you are just getting around to handing out your season ticket packages now? I can understand that some things (like the change of city council in Langley) are outside your control and played an impact on the stadium, etc...but the organization has been lacking.

It was still a fun day at the park, but I feel like things could be much better.

You have to feel they were either unready or, with other things like the stadium to worry about and rush through, plus spend on, they neglected marketing efforts. Even deliberately. In Langley and Surrey, properly done, you would have to work the local soccer clubs one by one. You'd need to send players into high schools to do short clinics. You literally set up tables at shopping malls. You have to work the potential publics bit by bit, in 10s and 20s. I personally think the demographic invites them to go after teens and work on teen game-day experiences.

Since it seems they are well below the salary cap, it is fair to think this is year just to ready themselves for next. 

Finally, look at the CEBL basketball team playing just next door. Last year, 2022, they averaged 2750 a game. And had a single-game record at 4,404 for a late-season match in July. Those numbers are very close to what we are seeing with VFC, it is in line with a low level pro team in Langley at the same venue.

https://www.tsn.ca/vancouver-bandits-cebl-canadian-elite-basketball-league-1.1848374#:~:text=After permanently relocating from nearby,the Shooting Stars in June.

Edited July 3, 2023 by Unnamed Trialist

[CDNFootballer]

14 hours ago, Ozzie_the_parrot said:

Your pictures plus what's visible on the Onesoccer stream show the actual crowd was probably only around half the announced number. The two other CanPL clubs with actual crowds settling consistently into a sub-1500 sort of pattern once the novelty wore off have had their ownership bail out, so this has the potential to turn into a major problem at a time when the league also needs to sort out what to do with the visiting club.

Your eyeballing is not accurate to judge that, but come to the stadium and count everyone if you want to attempt a turnstile count. Was there more no shows for a hot long weekend game that was moved up in time? Likely.

To equate this teams attendance performance with York would be ignorant.

1 hour ago, masster said:

This has been the real disappointing thing for me. This is home match #6, and you are just getting around to handing out your season ticket packages now? I can understand that some things (like the change of city council in Langley) are outside your control and played an impact on the stadium, etc...but the organization has been lacking.

It was still a fun day at the park, but I feel like things could be much better.

Even with 2500 the atmosphere was still fine imo. There's always a good vibe coming into the stadium with the DJ pumping toons and the fans milling about.

55 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

You have to feel they were either unready or, with other things like the stadium to worry about and rush through, plus spend on, they neglected marketing efforts. Even deliberately. In Langley and Surrey, properly done, you would have to work the local soccer clubs one by one. You'd need to send players into high schools to do short clinics. You literally set up tables at shopping malls. You have to work the potential publics bit by bit, in 10s and 20s. I personally think the demographic invites them to go after teens and work on teen game-day experiences.

Since it seems they are well below the salary cap, it is fair to think this is year just to ready themselves for next. 

Finally, look at the CEBL basketball team playing just next door. Last year, 2022, they averaged 2750 a game. And had a single-game record at 4,404 for a late-season match in July. Those numbers are very close to what we are seeing with VFC, it is in line with a low level pro team in Langley at the same venue.

https://www.tsn.ca/vancouver-bandits-cebl-canadian-elite-basketball-league-1.1848374#:~:text=After permanently relocating from nearby,the Shooting Stars in June.

As a founding season ticket holder and someone who's gone to all the team functions and talking to staff and players whenever I can, I'd say they have left quite a few things till the last minute and too late in some circumstances. They have been reactive instead of proactive to the fan support, seemingly waiting to see the support level baseline and then trying to react to it. They should have been much more proactive.  That said, I still feel confident the team is a good addition to the league and will be successful given time.

[nolando]

7 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

You have to feel they were either unready or, with other things like the stadium to worry about and rush through, plus spend on, they neglected marketing efforts. Even deliberately. In Langley and Surrey, properly done, you would have to work the local soccer clubs one by one. You'd need to send players into high schools to do short clinics. You literally set up tables at shopping malls. You have to work the potential publics bit by bit, in 10s and 20s. I personally think the demographic invites them to go after teens and work on teen game-day experiences.

Since it seems they are well below the salary cap, it is fair to think this is year just to ready themselves for next. 

Finally, look at the CEBL basketball team playing just next door. Last year, 2022, they averaged 2750 a game. And had a single-game record at 4,404 for a late-season match in July. Those numbers are very close to what we are seeing with VFC, it is in line with a low level pro team in Langley at the same venue.

https://www.tsn.ca/vancouver-bandits-cebl-canadian-elite-basketball-league-1.1848374#:~:text=After permanently relocating from nearby,the Shooting Stars in June.

To their credit three of the players were out playing at my son's club's year-end event. They had a handful of other staff there with merch, freebies, facilitating pics with players, sponsored activities, etc.

But, like you said, marketing to Richmond and Vancouver families won't yield much in terms of ticket sales, I'm afraid.

Following their socials, they have being doing the same all throughout the lower mainland.

Edited July 4, 2023 by nolando

[BearcatSA]

On 7/2/2023 at 5:06 PM, CDNFootballer said:

I didn't like the move up in time for this one to 1:30 from the original 3pm, smoking hot in the sun on the metal stands. Prefer the game times later in the afternoon or eve, 5pm-7pm.

Can you imagine what a similar structure and July start time in Kelowna would be like for a CPL team there?

[Watchmen]

19 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

Finally, look at the CEBL basketball team playing just next door. Last year, 2022, they averaged 2750 a game. And had a single-game record at 4,404 for a late-season match in July. Those numbers are very close to what we are seeing with VFC, it is in line with a low level pro team in Langley at the same venue.

But 1) CEBL has no competition for basketball in the market. They can market themselves as the only pro-basketball team in the area, and there's actually a better chance of attracting people from elsewhere. 2) These numbers are still below what the CPL needs. Fewer players on a CEBL team with a different salary structure. 3) It's very common in sports for new teams to take a step back in attendance after year 1. The novelty starts to wear off, especially if the team isn't good. And VFC flooded the market in year 1 with cheap ($100) and free (200 at least) season tickets, which I'm not sure they'll do in year 2.

[BearcatSA]

8 hours ago, Watchmen said:

But 1) CEBL has no competition for basketball in the market. They can market themselves as the only pro-basketball team in the area, and there's actually a better chance of attracting people from elsewhere. 

I have never been in the LEC but I am sure it has decent air conditioning compared to having to watch while sitting in metal bleachers in the early afternoon heat and sun.  And I am guessing that they play most of their games in the evening, as well.

I agree with your other points, as well.