CANADA - Stadium and Arena Development News

[isaidso]

There are some great shots of newly renovated BC Place in here, so I'll make an exception and post this video:

2011 Grey Cup, BC Place Stadium


I love love love this league...nice stadium too!

[Lord David]

Originally Posted by Walbanger

the CFL grew very differently to how the AFL did. You won't find a CFL in the future with 9 teams in one metro let alone 3.

No of course not, but by adding more teams in Provincial cities, you could create local derby's and such, as well as rightfully expanding the game.

[Calvin W]

Originally Posted by Lord David

No of course not, but by adding more teams in Provincial cities, you could create local derby's and such, as well as rightfully expanding the game.

Well true be told, the CFL will never be the Canadian equal to the NFL, and that is the way it should be. The CFL as is with a few more teams, 12 max for the forseeable future will be just about right. Expanding to "provincial cities" is not a viable future for the league.

AFL going to expand to provincial cities? Other tha Tasmania and Canberra, what other cities could successfully run a team? Darwin? Bendigo? Ballarat? Townsville?

[Walbanger]

True. The AFL will have a 3rd team in Perth before one in Newcastle, Darwin, Townsville etc. North Melbourne think they are going to do something in Ballarat but they will pushed to extinction or Tasmania after the next TV rights contract is up.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Calvin W

Well true be told, the CFL will never be the Canadian equal to the NFL, and that is the way it should be.

And why is that? It used to be every bit the equivalent; there's no reason why it couldn't get back there. With the exception of Toronto, the CFL is still hugely popular in this country.

[Lord David]

Originally Posted by Calvin W

Well true be told, the CFL will never be the Canadian equal to the NFL, and that is the way it should be. The CFL as is with a few more teams, 12 max for the forseeable future will be just about right. Expanding to "provincial cities" is not a viable future for the league.

AFL going to expand to interstate cities? Other tha Tasmania and Canberra, what other cities could successfully run a team? Darwin? Bendigo? Ballarat? Townsville?

Darwin could host a team since Aussie Rules is popular there, but the small population couldn't possibly invest in a major stadium or support it.

Bendigo and Ballarat could support teams, but the question of a stadium (proper AFL standard) is always the key. They do have teams in the Victorian Football League though.

[koolio]

Canada has the population to support a 20 team CFL but unfortunately the most populous part of the country (Southern Ontario) has little to no interest in the league anymore. Given that, I think 12 teams is the goal that the league should really aim for if they are even remotely ambitious. Ottawa and an Atlantic Canada team should be a given, taking the league to 10 teams. Apart from that, Quebec City, for all intents and purposes, should have a team. Football has grown a lot in popularity in the province and the city in particular. Unfortunately I think Laval University holds quite a bit of sway within the city and I don't think they want a professional football team to compete with their football program. In addition to QC, I would say that Victoria should be granted a team. It may not be financially viable right away but it can be a solid fixture in the future. It will increase the interest in the sport within the province by providing the Lions with a natural rival.

Unfortunately apart from those two cities, I really do not see any cities that will be even close to being viable within the next 20 or so years. Until/Unless the league becomes popular in Southern Ontario, 12 teams seems to be the potential maximum.

[Calvin W]

Originally Posted by Lord David

Darwin could host a team since Aussie Rules is popular there, but the small population couldn't possibly invest in a major stadium or support it.

Bendigo and Ballarat could support teams, but the question of a stadium (proper AFL standard) is always the key. They do have teams in the Victorian Football League though.

VFL is great as a junior/minor league....Canada has a couple of junior/college leagues in Football as well. Many popular teams.

No way Darwin will have a teamin your or my life time. 10,000 people turning up weekly won't cut it. A few Victorian teams struggle at the gate to survive. Luckily the league has good tv revenue which helps support a number of teams.

[Lord David]

But Aussie Rules is HUGELY popular in the Northern Territory.

Assuming someone helps in funding their stadium, the crowds will come, eventually.

Say 10,000 home fans, and a couple of 1,000 away fans.

[Neda Say]

I'd be more than glad to just have Ottawa Back alongside a team in either Halifax or Moncton! Then if Quebec City could join it would be fun for Quebec fans and a rivalry Victoria/Vancouver would be cherry on top!

[Calvin W]

Originally Posted by Lord David

But Aussie Rules is HUGELY popular in the Northern Territory.

Assuming someone helps in funding their stadium, the crowds will come, eventually.

Say 10,000 home fans, and a couple of 1,000 away fans.

There is the problem and difference between AFL and CFL. The CFL is still largely a gate driven league. No team could survive on such low numbers. 10-12 thousand at a game? No chance in hell. For a team to survive in the CFL, 25,000 should be the minimum target for game attendance.

Only a handful of cities in Canada can hope to achieve that.

The CFL is hugely popular in many cities and towns in Canada, From PRince Rupert to St John's. But no chance at having their own team.

[Cjones2451]

Does anyone know anything about what is happening with Lansdowne Park and Frank Clair Stadium?? Have all the court challenges been overcome and are they ready to start on this project?
I know that they have started tearing down the old stands so that they can start on the new ones when they are ready
Hopefully it can start this spring and we can have the CFL back in Ottawa in 2014

[isaidso]

Commissioner Mark Cohen stated that Ottawa will be back in the league for 2014 so it looks like it's happening, all be it at a snail's pace. This is Ottawa after all.

[Neda Say]

Better late than never! Now can the CFL deal with the Quebec City, Halifax and Vancouver Island markets!!!

[Cjones2451]

Originally Posted by Neda Say

Better late than never! Now can the CFL deal with the Quebec City, Halifax and Vancouver Island markets!!!

I know many people think Victoria is a good market, but I think the demographic of that market is not there.
Maybe if you market to the entire island (Naniamo, Comox, Campbell River etc)

[mattec]

Originally Posted by isaidso

And why is that? It used to be every bit the equivalent; there's no reason why it couldn't get back there. With the exception of Toronto, the CFL is still hugely popular in this country.

Take off the maple leaf glasses. The NFL is the richest, most powerful league on the planet with a TV contract worth $20.4 billion for 7 years. The CFL's contract is only worth a paltry $80 million over five years. The NFL can draw from 300+ million Americans and even pull in people from Canada, Mexico, and Europe. The CFL can only draw from 34 million Canadians and has little to no reach beyond its borders. The NFL and CFL's budgets are no where close to being the same the salary cap for a CFL team is $4.25 million, where as the NFL team's is $127 million.

Its a numbers game and the CFL's numbers just don't match up.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by mattec

Take off the maple leaf glasses.

I'm aware of all that. He said it's the way it should be, when he should have said that's the way things are. The insinuation is completely different.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Cjones2451

I know many people think Victoria is a good market, but I think the demographic of that market is not there.
Maybe if you market to the entire island (Naniamo, Comox, Campbell River etc)

Do you mean they don't have a large enough population base or that the population is culturally not interested in football? The second part may be true, but there's certainly a large enough population. It's also a population that's growing at a good clip.

[Cjones2451]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Do you mean they don't have a large enough population base or that the population is culturally not interested in football? The second part may be true, but there's certainly a large enough population. It's also a population that's growing at a good clip.

Its been 20 years since I lived there, but I always remembered it was "nearly weds and almost deads" that lived there, in other words UVic students and retirees.

Does anyone know what tyoe of attendance numbers the WHL team is getting since they moved back to Victoria?

[elly63]

Bombers' home finds its Investors
Winnipeg-based financial firm etches its name on new stadium
Adam Wazny Winnipeg Free Press 12/15/2011



It was announced Wednesday Investors Group has acquired the naming rights of the new stadium under construction on the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus. It will be called Investors Group Field.

The Winnipeg Football Club has extended a long-standing partnership with financial services giant Investors Group to include the naming rights of the new football stadium at the University of Manitoba, it was announced Wednesday. A stadium logo was also revealed, featuring the corporate IG logo, a black serif font with the name Investors Group Field and two white arches -- which will become the signature impression of the facility.

"This is a team that Winnipeggers take pride in... to be able to have some pride in the types of companies that are built, rooted and started here in Winnipeg, we feel that's a good thing," said Murray Taylor, president and CEO of Investors Group.

"We wanted to be a part of that."

Both the Bombers and Investors Group say the move was simply the right fit. Investors is a nationally recognized company based out of Winnipeg and has been a corporate partner with the Bombers for over 35 years -- two major factors in what the football operation was looking for when they put out the call for the naming rights earlier this year.

Jeff Thompson, the chief transition officer in charge is moving the Bombers into the new facility, said the club approached about 100 national and provincial companies during the process -- looking for the right fit both economically and publically -- before drafting a 12-year naming-rights commitment with Investors Group.

"We're very fortunate that we not only met all of our commercial requirements and needs, but we are also so fortunate to have this national company that is 80-plus years old, as we are, and totally aligned with our core values and principles," Thompson said.

The duration of the arrangement between the not-for-profit football club (with its new taxpayer-funded stadium) and the financial group runs until the 2024 season but the monetary details of the deal were not disclosed.

In 2001, the football club sold the naming rights to Winnipeg Stadium to Canad Inns, a Manitoba-based hotel chain, for $1.5 million over 10 years ($150,000 annually).

The deal wasn't great for the Bombers, as they had little leverage with a crumbling stadium and a product that didn't enjoy the rabid fanbase it does today.

Sources in the business community indicate the club was looking for at least $500,000 per year for the rights this time around, but Thompson wouldn't confirm that figure or expand on what Investors Group is on the hook for.

"We're very proud of having a 12-year deal that (meets) all of our financial requirements," he said.

The football stadium is the second sporting venue at the U of M campus that carries the Investors Group brand. The Investors Group Athletic Centre houses both the Bisons men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams, along with the Canadian national women's volleyball program.

The new 33,500-seat bowl stadium (which can be expanded to seat 40,000 for major events) is under construction. Blue Bombers interim CEO Ossama AbouZeid said the building is on schedule and doesn't anticipate any delays in the immediate future.

The $190-million facility is scheduled to open for the start of the 2012 CFL season.

Investors Group Field is just one of three CFL stadiums that have corporate names attached to them (Rogers Centre in Toronto and Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field are the others). Percival Molson Stadium, home of the Montreal Alouettes, is named after the former McGill University athletics star, not the beer company.