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View Full Version : Looks like the TFC Academy has bailed on BMO Field



Red CB Toronto
07-05-2010, 10:23 PM
It looks like the experiment of having the Toronto FC Academy playing some of their games at BMO after the big club had played is over. I was just looking at the TFC website and it appears the four games remaining that were suppose to be at BMO are now being played at Brockton Stadium (Bloor and Dufferin area).

Guess the numbers just did not add up or something, I do not know if this would be an economic reason as I can't really belive they thought going into this it would be a cash boom.

Prior to the season the start of the Canadian Soccer League it was announced that seven of the TFC-A's twelve homes games would be played at BMO, with four others being at Lamport and one in Maple at the home of the Shooters.

James Oliphant
07-05-2010, 10:30 PM
May also be for the protection of the grass.

Shakes McQueen
07-05-2010, 10:54 PM
May also be for the protection of the grass.

That was my first reaction.

- Scott

Broadview
07-06-2010, 06:51 AM
I remember playing pointyball at Brockton Stadium. There were some pretty major poop n'scoop issues at the time. Hope they fixed that.

Sliiiiide tackles.

Yuck.

Brooker
07-06-2010, 07:32 AM
so much for breakfest...

Cashcleaner
07-06-2010, 07:37 AM
May also be for the protection of the grass.


That was my first reaction.

- Scott

Ditto. And I'm pleading ignorance here, but wasn't the intention to play as many games as they could at Lamport? Did the Nationals (Lacrosse) squeeze them out?

Red CB Toronto
07-06-2010, 08:19 AM
Ditto. And I'm pleading ignorance here, but wasn't the intention to play as many games as they could at Lamport? Did the Nationals (Lacrosse) squeeze them out?

No, because they announced prior to the season that 7 of 12 regular season home games for TFC-A were going to be played at BMO, it was the plan right out of the gate.

SmokedPanda
07-06-2010, 08:51 AM
If Brock Stadium is the place right next to Dufferin Mall it's not a bad choice at all. It looks locked up from public use and the grass looks nicely kept in shape from the last time I saw it in June or maybe it's astro turf.

It's also home field to the Portuguese Sporting Club of Toronto

sulfur
07-06-2010, 09:08 AM
Speaking of TFC-A, apparently there's a TFC-A friendly this afternoon at Lamport at ~1pm.

Just FYI.

billyfly
07-06-2010, 09:10 AM
If Brock Stadium is the place right next to Dufferin Mall it's not a bad choice at all. It looks locked up from public use and the grass looks nicely kept in shape from the last time I saw it in June or maybe it's astro turf.

It's also home field to the Portuguese Sporting Club of Toronto


Beat me to it. VIVA Sporting!

J .
07-06-2010, 10:16 AM
too bad, I havent gotten out as much as Id like, but I wanted to watch TFCA after the matches.

Wagner
07-06-2010, 10:28 AM
I agree with James O.
I'd bet it is a case of the turf being too abused.
Lots of divots and stuff from the Big Club.

gtaguy
07-06-2010, 11:17 AM
I agree with James O.
I'd bet it is a case of the turf being too abused.
Lots of divots and stuff from the Big Club.


the Pitch looked horrible the last game with L.A .. Almost seemed like a high school pitch in the condition it was in.

MartinUtd
07-06-2010, 11:25 AM
May also be for the protection of the grass.

I thought they were still renting it our for public use? If that's the case it doesn't jive with any protecting the grass argument.

Juanito
07-06-2010, 11:57 AM
If Brock Stadium is the place right next to Dufferin Mall it's not a bad choice at all. It looks locked up from public use and the grass looks nicely kept in shape from the last time I saw it in June or maybe it's astro turf.

It's also home field to the Portuguese Sporting Club of Toronto

I heard those cats actually don't give a shit about futebol. If you have said the Portuguese F.C. PORTO Club of Toronto, I'd be impressed .... this, not so much!

Trying to wind up Al-Mo, Billy and the rest of Os Leġes ..... :D

UltraSuperMegaMo
07-06-2010, 12:17 PM
Speaking of TFC-A, apparently there's a TFC-A friendly this afternoon at Lamport at ~1pm.

Just FYI.

Do you know who they're playing?

sulfur
07-06-2010, 04:53 PM
No idea. I was just asked if I was available to be an AR for the game this morning. :)

James Oliphant
07-06-2010, 05:23 PM
I thought they were still renting it our for public use? If that's the case it doesn't jive with any protecting the grass argument.

Uhh....how does it not "jive"? The City is renting it, and it has a detrimental effect on TFC, so MLSE decides to have another of their teams play elsewhere so it gets less use.

Phil
07-06-2010, 05:27 PM
I have heard nothing but complaints about the state of the pitch.

It needs to be played on less and hopefully this is the case with the academy moving away.

MartinUtd
07-06-2010, 05:29 PM
Uhh....how does it not "jive"? The City is renting it, and it has a detrimental effect on TFC, so MLSE decides to have another of their teams play elsewhere so it gets less use.

You don't see something wrong with TFC Acdemy being forced to play elsewhere while Joe Blow from the beer league gets access to BMO? There aren't too many dots to connect on this one. Or am I wrong, has public use at BMO been done away with?

Alonso
07-06-2010, 06:06 PM
I thought they were still renting it our for public use? If that's the case it doesn't jive with any protecting the grass argument.


True, but as I understand it they have to rent it out as an obligation to the government funding that the stadium received.
The Academy doesn't fall under this obligation and one less game being played on the grass can only help.

Cashcleaner
07-06-2010, 06:43 PM
No, because they announced prior to the season that 7 of 12 regular season home games for TFC-A were going to be played at BMO, it was the plan right out of the gate.

Gotcha. Thanks.


True, but as I understand it they have to rent it out as an obligation to the government funding that the stadium received.
The Academy doesn't fall under this obligation and one less game being played on the grass can only help.

Very true. The public obligations are exactly that - obligatory. But getting as many non-mandated activities off the pitch would definitely help the state of the playing surface.

James Oliphant
07-06-2010, 07:18 PM
You don't see something wrong with TFC Acdemy being forced to play elsewhere while Joe Blow from the beer league gets access to BMO? There aren't too many dots to connect on this one. Or am I wrong, has public use at BMO been done away with?

Connect the dots to the City of Toronto....MLSE has zero say at the moment in who gets the run of the field during public use hours, nor do they have a say in the existence of those public hours to begin with. They are obligated by their arrangement with the City to allow public use on their very expensive grass field.

Of course there's something wrong with it, but you're acting as if MLSE can do anything about it at the moment.

Shakes McQueen
07-06-2010, 07:27 PM
You don't see something wrong with TFC Acdemy being forced to play elsewhere while Joe Blow from the beer league gets access to BMO? There aren't too many dots to connect on this one. Or am I wrong, has public use at BMO been done away with?

TFC have no control over the community use right now. They do have control over where their Academy plays their games.

Yes, I do see something wrong with the situation, but that still doesn't mean TFC have any control over it.

- Scott

Blizzard
07-06-2010, 08:12 PM
TFC have no control over the community use right now. They do have control over where their Academy plays their games.

Yes, I do see something wrong with the situation, but that still doesn't mean TFC have any control over it.

- Scott

They are making the best out of a less than desirable situation.

AL-MO
07-06-2010, 10:02 PM
If Brock Stadium is the place right next to Dufferin Mall it's not a bad choice at all. It looks locked up from public use and the grass looks nicely kept in shape from the last time I saw it in June or maybe it's astro turf.

It's also home field to the Portuguese Sporting Club of Toronto

Indeed it is.


Beat me to it. VIVA Sporting!


I heard those cats actually don't give a shit about futebol. If you have said the Portuguese F.C. PORTO Club of Toronto, I'd be impressed .... this, not so much!

Trying to wind up Al-Mo, Billy and the rest of Os Leġes ..... :D

Wind me up all you want Juan. The Sporting club of Toronto is a disgrace to the name and the colours. (IMO)

Trust me I have dealt with them. The coaches are just a bunch of Portuguese glory hunters.

SmokedPanda
07-06-2010, 10:08 PM
^does MLSE own them by any chance? :)

MartinUtd
07-07-2010, 07:43 AM
But wasn't MLSE supposed to provide an alternative community use facility to free up BMO? I swear I read something about that in the off season where they were going to revamp an existing public field.

Red CB Toronto
07-07-2010, 08:17 AM
But wasn't MLSE supposed to provide an alternative community use facility to free up BMO? I swear I read something about that in the off season where they were going to revamp an existing public field.

They did, the bubble was moved to Lamport, but that was for the winter season.

billyfly
07-07-2010, 09:41 AM
SCPT are known for being less than focused on futebol.

It's weird but its more of a social club than soccer club.

Having said this, when SCP's president was in town, the speech given by the prez of the Toronto chapter said they would focus on the teams more etc....

Let's see.

AL-MO
07-07-2010, 11:53 AM
SCPT are known for being less than focused on futebol.

It's weird but its more of a social club than soccer club.

Having said this, when SCP's president was in town, the speech given by the prez of the Toronto chapter said they would focus on the teams more etc....

Let's see.

A year or so ago when they had elections there was a plan to gas all the soccer teams.

At the time I wish they did. WAY too much hassle for a handful of teams.

sully
07-07-2010, 12:19 PM
They should play the Academy games before the main game at BMO.

Rocket Robin
07-10-2010, 11:22 PM
I post my CSL stuff in the Canadian forum (CSL 2010--Week 10) but with so much interest in today's game for a change, here is the result.
.................................................. .................................................. ..........

Result of the Saturday July 10th, 2010 CSL game between TFC Academy and North York Astros played at Brockton Stadium in Toronto at 3:00pm.

18 min...TFCA Brennan McNicoll GOAL...McNicoll takes quick 30 yard freekick down the middle while that Astros are setting up their wall and the shot is bent into the left corner of the net just inside the post beyond flying goalie Nelson
Zamora.

37 min...Astros Erick Grigore GOAL...Astros Mahyar Kohbad gets to ball when goalie Garrett Cyprus dives forward to intercept pass to Kohbad at 15 yards. Kohbad recovers the loose ball and passes back for Grigore to shoot low
20 yarder past goalie and defender at 5 yards into center of net.

83 min...TFCA Brennan McNicoll GOAL...TFCA Dino Gardner gives McNicoll a short pass from the right and he blasts a low 35 yard shot to the left corner of the net beyond diving goalie. The shot actually went right through the net as
the webbing wasn't well secured at the bottom.

Final Score:.....TFCA Academy..............2..............North York Astros..........1................

Attendance was about 40 on this very hot day with a bright sun in the west shining into the eyes of the fans. This game had been moved to Brockton Stadium which is about six kilometres away from BMO Field where the MLS game
had just ended one hour earlier. Previous TFCA games had been played at BMO Field but that convenience had not kept fans staying behind to watch and were played before crowds of 50 fans. Two fans in TFC shirts were held up for $10 admission whereas when they played at BMO Field it was part of your MLS ticket. The travelling time was a worry for me because I don't think I would have made it by the start of the game. There were no buses loading at the Dufferin Gates when I walked by and I almost made it 3/4s of the way there before a bus finally passed and I squeezed on.

Allando Matheson played the last 60 minutes of the game wearing the number 21 jersey when referee Richard Oliveira ordered him to change his blood stained #9. Matheson was the big forward down the middle but the Astros kept him
from being too threatening by being able to catch him or knocking him over when he was on a run.

Astros players kept reminding the referee to blow his whistle before any freekick as that really bothered them about the first goal. I can't say that I heard it before McNicoll's first goal. Oliveira gave out a few Yellow cards to keep the players'
discipline in check.

Academy goalie Garrett Cyprus was aggressive in coming off his line for balls. Mostly charging to the edge of the box to dive on through balls or fist them away but also once when he had to head a ball from 30 yards when he was well out of his box. Brennan McNicoll took almost all the TFCA cornerkicks and freekicks.

Astros almost took the lead five minutes into the second half when Victor Gallo rushed along right wing and crossed near the end line that had the TFCA goalie palm the ball over to the left and Astros Eric Grigore head a 5 yarder off the left post.

Although the crowd was small, about ten were from the Astros supporters who brought drums and sang in what I expect was Spanish. They had to compete with the DJ who played music every second that the ball was out of play even
when his discs were caught in a rut and kept repeating the same sound blip.

Brockton Stadium has been used by the CSL league before. Portugal FC was using it a few years ago before settling on Lamport Stadium (which is much closer to BMO Field). Lamport Stadium is often used by TFC Academy when they play on dates when Toronto FC is not scheduled. Brockton doesn't have a scoreboard and washrooms I'm not sure of their existance. The field is natural grass and was in fairly good shape--lots of rain the last two months but enough sun that it dries the surface. The field is also maintained by a local Portuguese community group for their own team that takes much better care than when the City overused it with too many permits.

BMO Field is now ready to have unrushed post game sponsored events like "Take A Shot on Tony The Tiger" without a time limit because of TFC Academy games. Today's Toronto FC program had a story about the Academy tieing the travelling Colo Colo (famous Chilean championship team) in Kitchener within the last two weeks but fans curiosity would be dulled with the effort required to see this game. A page reprinted in the program still had the game being scheduled at BMO Field.

Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca (mhtml:{824209A8-5C70-44C3-B95D-CE838F9336B9}mid://00000204/!x-usc:mailto:robing@eol.ca)