Ottawa Team in NASL

[elvis]

Thought this might be of interest...

http://communities.canada.com/ottawacitizen/blogs/bulldog/archive/2009/12/01/neil-malhotra-wants-to-put-pro-soccer-in-ottawa-stadium.aspx

[Red Baron]

A team in Ottawa would be great. I never liked that stadium or location though.

[Blazer]

Not sure how much of Ottawa’s true multi-cultural dynamic resides on/near Coventry road. And, while it might make sense with the current baseball facility there vacant and looking for a buyer/refurbisher, I personally like the idea of a downtown stadium that’s easily accessible off the canal and Bank Street where richies (Glebe) and immigrants live. This is your target audience. Native Ottawaians aren’t the least bit interested in this game otherwise.

Good thread.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

sure, one more club is also a great idea, wonder if they will be a farm team for TFC or Montreal

[Cashcleaner]

Take note kids! This is what a white elephant looks like:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Lynxstadium1.jpg

It's a real shame too. It's a nice stadium, but the city spent far too much on it (17 million at the time). The thing is, it really doesn't look all that conducive to soccer. The outfield is fairly broad which creates a big disadvantage.

If Ottawa wants to have a successful soccer club, they will have to play as close to the city's core as possible, and in a proper venue.

[Blazer]

If a franchise in Ottawa is to be taken seriously it must have a Montreal Limpact and TFC rivalry to look forward to. Otherwise, it’d be a senseless venture.

[Blazer]

Take note kids! This is what a white elephant looks like:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Lynxstadium1.jpg

It's a real shame too. It's a nice stadium, but the city spent far too much on it (17 million at the time). The thing is, it really doesn't look all that conducive to soccer. The outfield is fairly broad which creates a big disadvantage.

If Ottawa wants to have a successful soccer club, they will have to play as close to the city's core as possible, and in a proper venue.

Played a lot of ball in that stadium! :frown2:

[Ossington Mental Youth]

If a franchise in Ottawa is to be taken seriously it must have a Montreal Limpact and TFC rivalry to look forward to. Otherwise, it’d be a senseless venture.

i dont disagree with this for the record.
just wondering seeing as edmonton is supposed to be a whitecaps farm team

[Cashcleaner]

Played a lot of ball in that stadium! :frown2:

Outfield a bit too broad maybe?

[Yeoman]

city council has already turned down his offers.
saw it on the news last night

[Mark in Ottawa]

Currently two different groups are looking at the ball park as just that...
a baseball facility.

They would probably get first crack at it given the venue is designed for baseball.

White Elephant? Yes... and it was the cities own doing.
They placed the stadium where, as usual, no good traffic infrastructure existed for anything but car traffic. Then they sold off the parking lots surrounding the park!

[Fort York Redcoat]

I hope these farm team ideas go away. As mentioned above these cities will need to be considered an equal to neighboring teams or new fans won't be as interested.

[Mark in Ottawa]

I hope these farm team ideas go away. As mentioned above these cities will need to be considered an equal to neighboring teams or new fans won't be as interested.
It depends on how it is marketed and managed.
The addition of the Senators did not kill off the 67's hockey team because everyone understood their relative places in the universe.

Place a competitive, affordable, accessible and enjoyable franchise in the community and market it properly (see your players today who may be the major league professionals of tommorrow) and people will give it a try.

If the atmosphere is a good one the fans will get hooked and return for more. Never promise but always have the hope that a well supported team may graduate to a higher league and the rabid fan will hope right along with the organization.

[Oldtimer]

Since Ottawa was supposed to be in USL-1, and is now in the new NASL, this certainly spells the death of USL-1.

[Blazer]

i dont disagree with this for the record.
just wondering seeing as edmonton is supposed to be a whitecaps farm team


Anything non-professional won’t work in Ottawa. The fan base isn’t deep enough. Hockey works for obvious reasons, but the city has shown that minor league teams, (Lynx AAA baseball and a minor-pro soccer team that played out Kanata as just two examples) just doesn’t work. Edmonton is perhaps a more viable city because; 1. There ain’t much better to do in Edmonton, 2. Government workers are not your typical “sports nuts”, and 3. Ottawa lacks serious sporting infrastructure – although they are trying to improve that.

[Blazer]

I hope these farm team ideas go away. As mentioned above these cities will need to be considered an equal to neighboring teams or new fans won't be as interested.

Bingo.

[Blazer]

Outfield a bit too broad maybe?

Broad isn’t an issue – that can be fixed with tailored seating (add seats to fill in gaps). My guess is that the position of the soccer field may not be conducive to the current structure towards the diamond area where it would be far more difficult to remove concrete structures.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

I hope these farm team ideas go away. As mentioned above these cities will need to be considered an equal to neighboring teams or new fans won't be as interested.

doesnt bother me especially as it means greater development for TFC, i know, i know, very selfish BUT if TFC can have a second team in the NASL then im totally into it and im into Ottawa nad Edmonton and whoever having their own teams

[JamboAl]

It's kind of sad that there is talk about mothballing the baseball stadium having been one of the very few season ticket holders for the Lynx before they left town for Allentown, PA. It may be the last time Ottawa ever sees a baseball team of any significance in this town.

BUT if it is going to turn into a SSS, I'd want some assurances that it wouldn't be more cost-effective to just build a new one or to use Lansdowne. As Blazer said above, I have severe doubts about the dimensions and seating. Would think it would be similar to, or harder than, moving the seats around at BMO for the Argos.

[TorCanSoc]

If a franchise in Ottawa is to be taken seriously it must have a Montreal Limpact and TFC rivalry to look forward to. Otherwise, it’d be a senseless venture.

Bang on.

[Lucky Strike]

Not sure how much of Ottawa’s true multi-cultural dynamic resides on/near Coventry road. And, while it might make sense with the current baseball facility there vacant and looking for a buyer/refurbisher, I personally like the idea of a downtown stadium that’s easily accessible off the canal and Bank Street where richies (Glebe) and immigrants live. This is your target audience. Native Ottawaians aren’t the least bit interested in this game otherwise.

Good thread.

A little off-topic, but I don't know where people are told that. But that aside, the Landsdowne area really is the best place for a sports event. You really have the feeling of being "in" something special. Difficult to explain exactly what I mean, but it's better than Coventry, though that too is a decent second choice. Both options would far outrank something out in the boonies like Kanata or something.

[drewski]

given Landsdowne reno has been approved, I don't see a point in converting the baseball stadium to include soccer. Sure it would be nice to have a more SSS but its hard to justify unless its a top-draw league like the MLS. I'm sure there are larger revenue generating ways to deal with the baseball stadium

[Lucky Strike]

Take note kids! This is what a white elephant looks like:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Lynxstadium1.jpg

It's a real shame too. It's a nice stadium, but the city spent far too much on it (17 million at the time). The thing is, it really doesn't look all that conducive to soccer. The outfield is fairly broad which creates a big disadvantage.

If Ottawa wants to have a successful soccer club, they will have to play as close to the city's core as possible, and in a proper venue.

I've been to the place many times to watch the Lynx (as a side note, I used to get free parking at that glass building on the left in the picture since my dad worked there for a few years) and it could fit a 115 yard long pitch but just barely. From home plate to the shortest porches in right and left is 325 feet (108 yards). If you use the space in foul territory, you could have adequate length when placing one end near the 3rd base dugout and the other down in right field.

Most of the current seating would be pretty decent aside from those down near left field which could be tarped off. Might not be perfect but if no other options are availabe, it'd be doable. Seating capacity is just over 10300 which could create a decent atmosphere.

That being said, I don't know if the Ottawa public will appreciate the non-standard seating that this would entail. I think it would be pretty decent but I can see some people being put off by it.

[Shway]

so 3 different groups want to bring pro soccer to ottawa....

Melynk - MLS
Lansdowne Live Group - USL
Neil Malhorta - NASL

its good to have interested owners......
but what happened to pooling together like what was doine in seattle.

I believe in order for ottawa to have success, it has to be done RIGHT

[Redcoe15]

so 3 different groups want to bring pro soccer to ottawa....

Melynk - MLS
Lansdowne Live Group - USL
Neil Malhorta - NASL

its good to have interested owners......
but what happened to pooling together like what was doine in seattle.

I believe in order for ottawa to have success, it has to be done RIGHT
I can envision Malhorta and Landsdowne Live getting together and form an alliance, seeing as they are on the same wavelength. Melnyk has his own entirely different agenda, so I can't see him playing nice with the others.

[Mark in Ottawa]

I can envision Malhorta and Landsdowne Live getting together and form an alliance, seeing as they are on the same wavelength. Melnyk has his own entirely different agenda, so I can't see him playing nice with the others.
Agreed.

[james]

i dont think Ottawa would draw big crowds at the baseball stadium unless they renovate it to look more like a soccer stadium by adding a 3rd stand where the outfield is now and that would probably cost a few million. I just think the atmosphere wouldnt be there at a baseball stadium and the many fans would be put off by it. And a few lossing seasons and the team would probably end up moving else where.

[Shway]

very interesting.....http://www.24thminute.com/2009/12/ottawas-stadium-another-look.htmlhttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ObmhpXd-SNU/Sx0d3SdA7HI/AAAAAAAAAME/Duh3L-BohWo/s400/two+baseball+stadiums.png

[Brooker]

oh great... another Kansas City Wizards....

hey, does anybody know where this picture comes from?

http://www.bringtheworldtoottawa.ca/images/stadium/stadium-1-lg.jpg

[Ossington Mental Youth]

their attempted bid for the mls

[Cashcleaner]

^ The real kicker is that it's a REALLY nice stadium concept.

[jloome]

Anything non-professional won’t work in Ottawa. The fan base isn’t deep enough. Hockey works for obvious reasons, but the city has shown that minor league teams, (Lynx AAA baseball and a minor-pro soccer team that played out Kanata as just two examples) just doesn’t work. Edmonton is perhaps a more viable city because; 1. There ain’t much better to do in Edmonton, 2. Government workers are not your typical “sports nuts”, and 3. Ottawa lacks serious sporting infrastructure – although they are trying to improve that.


What on Earth are you babbling about? As someone who spends a lot of time in both cities (most of my family, including my parents are in Ottawa, I live in Edmonton) 1. There's a hell of a lot more to do in Edmonton than Ottawa, mostly because of oil wealth. 2. Edmonton is the provincial capital. Half the employees here are government as well. 3. So do we. No soccer stadium.

[Blazer]

You’re entitled to your opinion.

But you’re also entitled to the truth. (Ie., my opinion)

[james]

i was readding this thread and looking at the old Ottawa Roughriders and later became Ottawa Renegades stadium and just learned that the Ottawa 67's (OHL team) half of there stadium is actually underneath the old Football stadium.....that is the coolest shit ive ever seen. All these years i never knew the stadium was like that.

[james]

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/Ottawa67s.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/Ottawa67s2.jpg

http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/dd189/James_David_Champken/Ottawa67s3.jpg

serious renovate that stadium to fit soccer, add a 3,000 seat stand behind one net, add a 1,500 seat stand behind the other net and demolish the old double tier stand and build a new smaller stand like our East end stand...keep the stand above the hockey arena and you got a nice stadium, perfect for soccer and most unique in the world!!!

[Blazer]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Ottawa_Civic_Centre_exterior_2003.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Ottawa_Civic_Centre_exterior_2003.jpg)

It is a pretty neat building when you consider the architecture of its time.

In this picture, you can see the North side stands only (Landsdown) and the entire Civic Centre (67’s hockey) beneath.

[james]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Ottawa_Civic_Centre_exterior_2003.jpg (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/71/Ottawa_Civic_Centre_exterior_2003.jpg)

It is a pretty neat building when you consider the architecture of its time.

In this picture, you can see the North side stands only (Landsdown) and the entire Civic Centre (67’s hockey) beneath.

ya for sure. I saw games on TV played at both stadiums, just never been there my self or saw how it actually looked from outside the stadium.

They deffenitly should keep both stadiums, just renovate at best, its one of a kind...tho knowing North America we dont keep unique architecture around, we demolish everything that gets close to old. Anything over 100 years is knocked down!

[Cashcleaner]

I thought you guys all knew about the crazy layout at Lansdowne! Yeah, it totally is a really cool concept and uses the space so efficiently. I was there for the first time back in 92 and immediately wondered why that sort of deisgn hadn't been implemented elsewhere. When Melnyk's plan for the MLS team in Kanata was getting drawn up, I seriously couldn't believe he was turning his back on what could be an incredible venue in the heart of Ottawa. Frank Clair Stadium doesn't need all that much work, at least not as much as the new stadium would have required. It really is a unique site.

[Blazer]

It’s a great location on Bank Street (charming addition to the adjacent canal as well) but I’m not sure the stadium needs just the upgrades or renovations being suggested. I think the place is still falling apart (more specifically Lansdowne not necessarily the Civic Centre), moreover I think the city yearns for something new.

[james]

It’s a great location on Bank Street (charming addition to the adjacent canal as well) but I’m not sure the stadium needs just the upgrades or renovations being suggested. I think the place is still falling apart (more specifically Lansdowne not necessarily the Civic Centre), moreover I think the city yearns for something new.

maybe Lansdowne is falling apart, but really all thats left now is 1 single stand (the double stand is demolished now i believe).Montreal Impact renovated there old 1 stand stadium few years ago, which was much worse then the Lansdowne stand...that Montreal stand was just a slab of concrete with like maybe 15 rows, or steps of concrete. However they managed to renovate that stand by adding seats plus a roof and build 2 more new stands for what ive herd $15-$20 million dollars. And that stadium pretty good looking from the stands (bit crappy from behind the stands tho and the facilities are crappy, but that can be inproved for MLS, would deffinitly be good enough for NASL tho) . But Ottawa is in better condition then old Montreal Impact stadium was. If Ottawa could get $20-$30-$40 million i think lownsdowne would be looking really sharp.

A bran new stadium would be at least $65 million just to look like BMO field. Plus would be in bum fuck no where and in my opinion fail. Lansdowne has the perfect location.

As far as if fans yern for something new then going to a new stadium is a bad idea, most MLS stadiums, like the one drawn up for Ottawa are rather borring, its just the atmosphere that keeps these stadiums going. They really are borring since so open, all look the same, and on the cheap (besides New York now). If they want somethin new then stick with there old stadium lansdowne and renovate cause whats old is still new.

[Cashcleaner]

^ The single stand over the arena at Lansdowne is really all you need to start with, in my opinion. Upgrade that big sheltered stand and put stands like we have on the East and South sides of BMO Field running on along the adjacent side and along the top and bottom.

[Lucky Strike]

I thought you guys all knew about the crazy layout at Lansdowne! Yeah, it totally is a really cool concept and uses the space so efficiently. I was there for the first time back in 92 and immediately wondered why that sort of deisgn hadn't been implemented elsewhere. When Melnyk's plan for the MLS team in Kanata was getting drawn up, I seriously couldn't believe he was turning his back on what could be an incredible venue in the heart of Ottawa. Frank Clair Stadium doesn't need all that much work, at least not as much as the new stadium would have required. It really is a unique site.

Absolutely, I love the place. Excellent location, good atmosphere, efficient design. You can actually see the football stands from inside the arena.

http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/ottawaarena1.jpg

And below, from the other side.

http://www.ohlarenaguide.com/02.jpg

It's old but it's a really great place.