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View Full Version : TFC to start the season at the skydome....



CommradePolski
11-28-2012, 04:47 PM
On less Payne related notes it was confirmed in the followup to the presser that the club will open the season at the Rogers Centre due to the early March start in 2013

http://www.wakingthered.com/2012/11/28/3702820/toronto-fc-unveil-kevin-payne-as-president-and-general-manager

There you have it!

I wonder what they are going to do about the season tickets for this one.

Ninja edit: i didnt see a thread about this, but if there is one, mods please merge or delete or whatever is necessary.

Ultra & Proud
11-28-2012, 04:52 PM
Seeing as Payne is a pro-SGs type of guy it wouldn't surprise me if the SSHs of the South End get midfield, ground level seating like the DC supporters get for us and also for the TV and atmosphere. This is the one time they could do it and get away with it.

TFC07
11-28-2012, 05:00 PM
I wonder if they're planning to limit capacity like they do in Vancouver or try to sell 50,000 tickets. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if we are playing against Montreal in Rogers Centre. Also, price of these tickets should be interesting to see. lol

Yagbod
11-28-2012, 05:07 PM
If for nothing else, this is good news because we likely won't have to watch the team play their first 3-4 games on the road. It would be awesome if we had a home game on 'First Kick'/opening night.

Greatest Ripoff
11-28-2012, 05:30 PM
Not a big fan. Skydome isn't good for football.

Alonso
11-28-2012, 06:33 PM
If for nothing else, this is good news because we likely won't have to watch the team play their first 3-4 games on the road. It would be awesome if we had a home game on 'First Kick'/opening night.


I'm pretty sure first kick/opening night has already been decided to be in Montreal vs TFC....

__wowza
11-28-2012, 07:23 PM
Seeing as Payne is a pro-SGs type of guy it wouldn't surprise me if the SSHs of the South End get midfield, ground level seating like the DC supporters get for us and also for the TV and atmosphere. This is the one time they could do it and get away with it.

i would love this, whenever i see their games on TV it looks like the entire place is rocking.

London
11-28-2012, 07:32 PM
I have a 175 foot banner in my house that wants to return

London
11-28-2012, 08:01 PM
here is a thought, TFC is sending 15000 seat to tfc fans for olympic stadium, this could be the reverse of that, every impact SSH gets a free ticket to toronto

Redcoe15
11-28-2012, 08:11 PM
So what does this mean exactly for us going back to Olympic Stadium in Montreal?

Detroit_TFC
11-28-2012, 08:15 PM
I know the Dome game is probably due to the early date but I'm concerned how a 19K turnout would look in there.

daner90
11-28-2012, 09:10 PM
I do not believe this will effect our trip back to La Belle Province. Looks like we will have ourselves a good ol' fashion dome and dome series though.

Yohan
11-28-2012, 09:18 PM
To fill the Skydome, the tickets would have to be like 5 bucks :p

ouderwien
11-28-2012, 10:11 PM
Seeing as Payne is a pro-SGs type of guy it wouldn't surprise me if the SSHs of the South End get midfield, ground level seating like the DC supporters get for us and also for the TV and atmosphere. This is the one time they could do it and get away with it.

I wonder if this would help with the horrible acoustics of the Skydome. As loud as everyone was last March, it spread thin around the stadium.

Also, issues of selling enough tickets would be a concern.

Dave67
11-28-2012, 10:57 PM
I like it. Should be a good day out, open the floodgates!

Joe Kool
11-28-2012, 11:05 PM
Skydome sucks for soccer in my opinion. I never wanted to go back there for a game and watch them play on plastic again. I was hoping it was just a slip up when Tom was speaking. When he said hopefully another 50,000 in Rogers Centre again I thought he was thinking we were playing a CCL game again and made a mistake which wouldn't have surprised me. Please let this not be true.

Belfast_Boy
11-28-2012, 11:40 PM
I'm pretty sure first kick/opening night has already been decided to be in Montreal vs TFC....

can't be anything else. if they are giving us 15k seats in Montreal we have to be doing the same here.

Belfast_Boy
11-28-2012, 11:41 PM
I have a 175 foot banner in my house that wants to return

right on Pat, that bitch is huge. awesome work by all. can't wait to see it again!

Jpexxx
11-29-2012, 01:03 AM
I'll be pumped if this is true.

Those early games at BMO are killer. I had a fun time at the LA game, although there will be no way to get a number anywhere close to what Becks brought in..

zamperina
11-29-2012, 07:50 AM
I think it would work quite honestly. If the lockout continues the only sports in town will be those amazing Raptors. They close off the 500 level gives you 30k to fill. So you take 15k SSH, 5-10k walk up crowd and 5k L'Impact fans giving you 30k. Maybe I'm being too optomistic.

ensco
11-29-2012, 08:03 AM
We had this discussion ad nauseam last year. They can't play in March at BMO because the services aren't winterized (ie the toilet pipes will freeze if you turn them on). There was significant damage to the pipes at BMO in late March 2011 at the home opener (I think $100K or more).

So there'll either be no home games in March, or no games at BMO in March, until somebody decides to winterize BMO, which iirc is big money.

bigredone
11-29-2012, 12:15 PM
I think it would work quite honestly. If the lockout continues the only sports in town will be those amazing Raptors. They close off the 500 level gives you 30k to fill. So you take 15k SSH, 5-10k walk up crowd and 5k L'Impact fans giving you 30k. Maybe I'm being too optomistic.

The equation should also contain a subtraction for no Beckham, a subtraction for no champions league, a subtraction for the last shit season and the poor name our club now has.

I am torn at this move. Is this arrogance by our FO?

Yohan
11-29-2012, 12:24 PM
I am torn at this move. Is this arrogance by our FO?
Pure speculation, but I don't think this is arrogance by TFC FO. I suspect there is also a nudge from MLS FO who think, hey, you guys have indoor facility to use to hide from winter. Use it. (Same with Mtl) So that the season can start early (esp with Gold Cup and international dates)

Plus wishful thinking of somehow recreate that magical night vs LA...

bigredone
11-29-2012, 12:35 PM
^^^^^^Very true and thanks for that. Seems a little nicer than my negative thoughts (who I blame on others!)

The night can and will be recreated, but I just see it taking a little longer. Outside of this circle no one knows who Payne is (Hassli too). The recent changes are not enough to bring in anyone new IMO.

T-boy
11-29-2012, 12:39 PM
If this means that TFC get to play a home game within the first 2 games of the season, I'm all for it. It's been far too long that TFC have had to play their first home game after 2, 3, or even 4 away games, giving TFC an almost guaranteed losing start to the season. The sooner TFC are at home, the better for the whole season.

bigredone
11-29-2012, 12:47 PM
If this means that TFC get to play a home game within the first 2 games of the season, I'm all for it. It's been far too long that TFC have had to play their first home game after 2, 3, or even 4 away games, giving TFC an almost guaranteed losing start to the season. The sooner TFC are at home, the better for the whole season.

Home field...decisive, as TO has recently enjoyed. For the sake of rivalry building (with MTL) and with your point I know see this as a good move, but am worried it will bomb and more will laugh at us. My family of "all sports, but soccer" have made this year worse for me than the FO had already.

mdc 77
11-29-2012, 01:05 PM
Do people forget we can't play at BMO early in the year because, as already pointed out...its not winterized.

This has nothing to do about arrogance or trying to recreate the champs league match.

brad
11-29-2012, 01:27 PM
I wonder if they're planning to limit capacity like they do in Vancouver or try to sell 50,000 tickets. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if we are playing against Montreal in Rogers Centre. Also, price of these tickets should be interesting to see. lol

I think the price will be cheap. They saw what cheap tickets did for the LAG game at the dome. I think this will be an attempt to replicate that - create a big "event" to try and kick start some interest.

T-boy
11-29-2012, 01:43 PM
Home field...decisive, as TO has recently enjoyed. For the sake of rivalry building (with MTL) and with your point I know see this as a good move, but am worried it will bomb and more will laugh at us. My family of "all sports, but soccer" have made this year worse for me than the FO had already.

It's only a bomb if its typed up to be the "LA repeat" game, which I doubt the FO will market this game as. If it gets 20k people in ("the usual BMO crowd") then its not a bomb, its just an early season game played at another (home) venue.

Phil
11-29-2012, 01:55 PM
Do people forget we can't play at BMO early in the year because, as already pointed out...its not winterized.

This has nothing to do about arrogance or trying to recreate the champs league match.

It baffles me that everything is couched into the tinfoil hat theory. BMO can't be used in sub zero weather. At all. Not until its winterized and as ensco pointed out, that costs money. Its a difficult expenditure because TFC are a tennent, not the owner of said facility.

Now given the MLS is moving its schedule outward to accomodate more FIFA dates and lifting some congestion out of the schedule for CCL games and qualifiers that means earlier and later games. The MLS wants there to be home games early because grouping games with all the unique challenges each team faces with their stadium (LA has 2 teams sharing, Seattle and NE have NFL teams playing there, we have racing, the X and other things that interfere with access - god knows what other teams deal with there). Bunching home games means extended road trips and that can have a big impact on things.

It leaves us with few options, I know they only want to play at BMO, the skydome games are not cheap and present challenges - turf, seating, having to use that facilities staff (who did a pretty good job last time). With all that being said, its probably something we will have to get used to for early March games if we want the home games.

Phil
11-29-2012, 01:56 PM
I think the price will be cheap. They saw what cheap tickets did for the LAG game at the dome. I think this will be an attempt to replicate that - create a big "event" to try and kick start some interest.

If its a regular season games and you have seasons then the ticket is already paid for right?

brad
11-29-2012, 04:02 PM
If its a regular season games and you have seasons then the ticket is already paid for right?

It would have to be - venue shouldn't affect that.

When I wrote the comment, I was thinking of single game tickets, not seasons. But now that I think about it, the price of singles has to be more than what SSH holder pay - that's what they told folks - that SSH would never pay more that single game tickets.

Actually raises kind of an interesting question in that regard. How do you map BMO pricing via location to dome pricing and still hold to that? If they price the prime dome seats the same as the prime BMO seats, then that is a lot of very expensive tickets they need to sell. Those also happen to be the ones that will be on TV.

Wull
11-29-2012, 04:48 PM
If they can swing this as GA for the sections again, I think we can pull at least 30k again

ensco
11-29-2012, 05:08 PM
How do you map BMO pricing via location to dome pricing and still hold to that? If they price the prime dome seats the same as the prime BMO seats, then that is a lot of very expensive tickets they need to sell. Those also happen to be the ones that will be on TV.

They should give the best seats in the house to SSHs, and just charge $10-15 for the rest. I said this last year when I was an SSH, so I'm not just talking my own position as a non-SSH!

nfitz
11-29-2012, 09:58 PM
It's a lousy place to play soccer.

But if it means we get to watch soccer in early March instead of waiting to early April, bonus!

ag futbol
11-29-2012, 10:20 PM
It's a lousy place to play soccer.

But if it means we get to watch soccer in early March instead of waiting to early April, bonus!
Surprisingly decent place to watch though. Sight lines aren't half bad for a non-sss

I'll take it over the march home opener where we get socked by weather. Still remember Seattle back in 2009, it was pretty f'n cold out there.

Brooker
11-30-2012, 02:30 AM
It baffles me that everything is couched into the tinfoil hat theory.
http://reinep.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/alex-jones.jpg

scooter
11-30-2012, 07:36 AM
skydome sounds great
just hope they pay top dollar for the turf which may be practical if its going to be a yearly thing
my concern is for the players because last years la game was a tuff start for a few of the lads due to early season knocks on the turf
i am pretty sure plata was one of the victims

nfitz
11-30-2012, 11:31 AM
i am pretty sure plata was one of the victims
I doubt it, given he scored his only 2 goals since August 2011 the week later in Mexico.

cmonyoureds
11-30-2012, 12:01 PM
Attendance will be announced at 40k + no matter how many seats are visibly empty.........

Shway
11-30-2012, 12:06 PM
I wonder if they're planning to limit capacity like they do in Vancouver or try to sell 50,000 tickets. Plus, I wouldn't be surprised if we are playing against Montreal in Rogers Centre. Also, price of these tickets should be interesting to see. lol


I'm pretty sure first kick/opening night has already been decided to be in Montreal vs TFC....


here is a thought, TFC is sending 15000 seat to tfc fans for olympic stadium, this could be the reverse of that, every impact SSH gets a free ticket to toronto


So what does this mean exactly for us going back to Olympic Stadium in Montreal?


I do not believe this will effect our trip back to La Belle Province. Looks like we will have ourselves a good ol' fashion dome and dome series though.


I know nothing is confirmed.

However, if the season opener is in MTL, and then the home opener at the Dome is against MTL.

Would that essentially mean that it would be back to back against them?

I don't see that as an issue considering we play the Limpact 3x in league play, 2x in Voygeurs play, and possibly 1x in the Mickey Mouse.

I would love to see them do academy game before both games.

Ultra & Proud
11-30-2012, 01:41 PM
Not sure how many seats are in the Dome's 100 level but if I was doing this I would put all the SSHs down in the 100 level, with the SGs at midfield and stretch some into the 200s if need be. Then open the doors to everyone else at like $15 for level 200 and $5 for the upper deck. Just to fill it up and pass it off as an event.

khso11
11-30-2012, 06:12 PM
How to get 50000 again?
-$5, general admission (except fan zone)
-offseason big signings (doesn't have to be DPs)
-smart marketing (for example, dont put Jersey Shore actors as fake TFC fans)
-more help from the media to hype things up
-last but no least, fire mariner (despite Panye already denies this, i still believe anything could happen, maybe "promote" PM as the "technical director")

Shway
12-02-2012, 03:44 AM
-smart marketing

Toronto v Montreal (everyone loves the Toronto montreal rivalry (get the hockey fans! Even through in some marlies tickets:rolleyes:

Canada72
12-02-2012, 10:54 AM
here is a thought, TFC is sending 15000 seat to tfc fans for olympic stadium, this could be the reverse of that, every impact SSH gets a free ticket to toronto

This was my thought in Oct in the "Going to Montreal in 2013?" thread.

Bantamfan
12-02-2012, 07:08 PM
How many ssh's actually think this is good idea? The dome is shit for football on that god awful turf.

PopePouri
12-02-2012, 07:38 PM
I enjoyed it last March. Again, marketing (and possibly future signings) will decide it will be a success or not, but I'll be there in the 500's if it's 10 bucks.

ElvistheEvilScotsman
12-02-2012, 10:13 PM
This just looks like a disaster in the making on many fronts. I dont see the crowds showing up for 2012's worst football team in the world. I also see the ghost of Danny Koevs coming back to haunt us where a major injury occurs on field turf and it could have been easily avoided.

khso11
12-03-2012, 12:32 AM
How to get 50000 again?
-$5, general admission (except fan zone)
-offseason big signings (doesn't have to be DPs)
-smart marketing (for example, dont put Jersey Shore actors as fake TFC fans)
-more help from the media to hype things up
-last but no least, fire mariner (despite Panye already denies this, i still believe anything could happen, maybe "promote" PM as the "technical director")

-ohhh and one more thing, tell those skydome security that we're the reason why they are here, they are not paying us to go there, so stop actting like a prison guard and stfu

nfitz
12-03-2012, 09:41 AM
I dont see the crowds showing up for 2012's worst football team in the world.Presumably, they'd do what they do at BMO for Canada games, and hold back the upper deck until the lower deck is near sold out. Skydome should feel full enough if the lower deck is full.

How big is the Skydome lower deck compared to the upper? I'd think they could near fill it with just the TFC seasons ticket holders.

Should be fine, even if it's only 20,000.

ElvistheEvilScotsman
12-03-2012, 05:10 PM
If its only 20,000 wouldn't we be better to play at home?

sulfur
12-03-2012, 05:30 PM
BMO isn't winterized, so if temperatures have not been above freezing for enough days in a row... the facility cannot be opened.

Detroit_TFC
12-03-2012, 09:11 PM
If it is done right (use lower bowl only and open lower bowl sections as needed), probably won't look too bad.

FluSH
12-03-2012, 10:24 PM
Not a big fan. Skydome isn't good for football.

I thought it was great for the acoustics and banner real estate...

Alonso
12-03-2012, 10:51 PM
I thought it was great for the acoustics and banner real estate...


Acoustics were actually really poor.

If you didn't sit in the supporters section you couldn't really hear them... well from my experience anyway.

jaahuuu
12-05-2012, 02:03 PM
The company that owns the dome owns about a third of MLSE. Did nobody see this coming? It wouldn't surprise me if they also played multiple non-MLS TFC games there every year.

daner90
12-05-2012, 02:16 PM
Acoustics were actually really poor.

If you didn't sit in the supporters section you couldn't really hear them... well from my experience anyway.

I was in a supporter's section and couldn't hear the chants lol

Joe Kool
12-05-2012, 03:03 PM
Acoustics were actually really poor.

If you didn't sit in the supporters section you couldn't really hear them... well from my experience anyway.

Same here. I was at midfield in the 500 deck row 1 for the LA CCL game and I couldn't hear any chants or anything whatsoever up there. It was like a sound vacuum. I was surprised about all the news saying atmosphere was loud and crazy because I couldn't feel it up top. I missed BMO badly that day.

Yagbod
12-05-2012, 03:06 PM
They should leave the Tribal Rhythm Nation in the south end and move us anywhere else. Or vice versa.

brad
12-05-2012, 03:10 PM
Acoustics were actually really poor.

If you didn't sit in the supporters section you couldn't really hear them... well from my experience anyway.

BMO is the same though, there are multiple places in BMO that you can't here the supporters.

Where I was in the dome it was loud, really loud, but an echoy din of noise. You couldn't make anything out.

I loved that game at the Dome - had a real big game feel to it. Reminded me of going to a big stadium in Europe.

Ultra & Proud
12-05-2012, 04:02 PM
Well it seems pretty simple;

League sets the table and calendar and the league wants every team to play at home early and not have our old days traditional 4 match road trip to start things off. We will have to play earlier than BMO can handle so let's get on with it and not complain about every single thing. It is what it is.

For chant volume, I was in the supporters end for that LA match and it was damn loud. Across the stadium maybe not but I think dropping the SGs at midfield would help that out. It for sure would look a lot better on TV.

Alonso
12-06-2012, 11:38 PM
BMO is the same though, there are multiple places in BMO that you can't here the supporters.

Where I was in the dome it was loud, really loud, but an echoy din of noise. You couldn't make anything out.

I loved that game at the Dome - had a real big game feel to it. Reminded me of going to a big stadium in Europe.


I definitely agree with this.

We need a Dome at BMO with 40,000+ seats!
















................. Then I woke up.

Gilberto9
12-09-2012, 01:21 PM
Cheap tickets = good atmosphere

Petor
12-09-2012, 07:27 PM
Well it seems pretty simple;

League sets the table and calendar and the league wants every team to play at home early and not have our old days traditional 4 match road trip to start things off. We will have to play earlier than BMO can handle so let's get on with it and not complain about every single thing. It is what it is.

For chant volume, I was in the supporters end for that LA match and it was damn loud. Across the stadium maybe not but I think dropping the SGs at midfield would help that out. It for sure would look a lot better on TV.

This past week during the relocation event I managed to talk to the person in charge of the noon Saturday relocation.
I got there early so I had time to gab, I asked him about the rumour about playing the first game in the Skydome and he said, that the league dictates the schedule, and BMO can't handle the cold, plumbing not insulated etc. so, no washrooms, no go, so off to the Skydome.
Then I asked if there might be some upgrading soon because of the PanAm games.
Answer was that for the Pan Am games the only thing that they are using BMO Field for is Rugby, so no upgrades needed.
Then I asked if they were thinking of doing it themselves(MLSE) because of the seasons length(I forgot to ask what would happen if we made the playoffs), the answer was that MLSE dosen't own BMO Field outright, the City of Toronto are partners with them.
The session then started and I was more focused on getting my seat and stopped the conversation there.

I can't see why MLSE can't upgrade the washrooms, they upgraded the pitch, twice now.
I can't see the City objecting to MLSE improving the stadium at no cost to the citizens of Toronto.
If they have plans on making the playoffs either upgrade BMO to be able to play in it in cold weather or put real grass in Skydome.

Rene Kingsriver
12-09-2012, 07:33 PM
This past week during the relocation event I managed to talk to the person in charge of the noon Saturday relocation.
I got there early so I had time to gab, I asked him about the rumour about playing the first game in the Skydome and he said, that the league dictates the schedule, and BMO can't handle the cold, plumbing not insulated etc. so, no washrooms, no go, so off to the Skydome.
Then I asked if there might be some upgrading soon because of the PanAm games.
Answer was that for the Pan Am games the only thing that they are using BMO Field for is Rugby, so no upgrades needed.
Then I asked if they were thinking of doing it themselves(MLSE) because of the seasons length(I forgot to ask what would happen if we made the playoffs), the answer was that MLSE dosen't own BMO Field outright, the City of Toronto are partners with them.
The session then started and I was more focused on getting my seat and stopped the conversation there.

I can't see why MLSE can't upgrade the washrooms, they upgraded the pitch, twice now.
I can't see the City objecting to MLSE improving the stadium at no cost to the citizens of Toronto.
If they have plans on making the playoffs either upgrade BMO to be able to play in it in cold weather or put real grass in Skydome.

I'm no plumber but I think it would be more of an issue in early Spring than in late Fall, its not that the pipes would necessarily be frozen more that they'd need maintenance after the winter

Petor
12-09-2012, 07:43 PM
I'm no plumber but I think it would be more of an issue in early Spring than in late Fall, its not that the pipes would necessarily be frozen more that they'd need maintenance after the winter

The BMO pitch is already heated, Toronto's winters are bearable most years, might be a week or two that you can't play a year due to stuff like freezing rain or a big snowfall.
If the plumbing in the stadiun if properly insulated, heating coils etc, they can run it year round.
Green Bay is north of us, I wonder how the Packers do it? Or even Chicago and da Bears?

***Edit*** Just recalled something closer to home, how about the Argos at Exhibition stadium?

SamK
12-09-2012, 08:05 PM
Didn't we have this whole discussion about whether BMO is winterized or not last year before the CCL match?
I thought it came down to the fact that the pipes and all the plumbing just cant be used early March because its not winterized.

Petor
12-09-2012, 08:41 PM
Didn't we have this whole discussion about whether BMO is winterized or not last year before the CCL match?
I thought it came down to the fact that the pipes and all the plumbing just cant be used early March because its not winterized.

We know it's not winterized, the question is why don't they winterize it?

SamK
12-09-2012, 11:08 PM
We know it's not winterized, the question is why don't they winterize it?

Haha a lot of the posters in the thread other than you were asking is it rather than why/why not.
But my guess would be there's more to it in a sense that we don't know what they need to do with piping etc. for all we know what they need to winterize is underground or inaccessible or anything like that.

If it weren't for that problem id much rather start at bmo than the skydome.

Richard
12-09-2012, 11:39 PM
I think it would be amazing if BMO was winterized, it certainly would open up the possibility of an EU type season like the Scandanavian countries. A break in the middle of Winter would be ideal, the lake would be an issue for the spectators though, a roof could enclose some of the areas however. I wonder if the league would sponsor this if they are thinking of going to such a season.

maxpower
12-10-2012, 12:53 AM
Really, Really hate playing games at the Rodgers center. I know last year was great but I think playing outside in the cold would have completely fucked the Galaxy and their passing ( probably would have screwed with plata too, but lets face it, the only player actually making passes that day from TFC was Frings). We should be using whatever we can to our advantage. And cold games often get the fans more into it.

I remember Watching a qualifier of some sort, Canada VS. Mexico at Varsity stadium in around february at least a decade ago. It completed screwed the mexicans and their technique and passing game and it ended 0-0.

Brooker
12-10-2012, 03:05 AM
Really, Really hate playing games at the Rodgers center. I know last year was great but I think playing outside in the cold would have completely fucked the Galaxy and their passing ( probably would have screwed with plata too, but lets face it, the only player actually making passes that day from TFC was Frings). We should be using whatever we can to our advantage. And cold games often get the fans more into it.

They couldn't play at BMO even if they wanted to. Not sure how many times people need to be told this.

maxpower
12-10-2012, 03:25 AM
They couldn't play at BMO even if they wanted to. Not sure how many times people need to be told this.

I know that. My bad on not making that entirely clear( or at all). I'm just saying I would actually view playing at BMO in early march as an advantage and something I personally would look forward to.

Brooker
12-10-2012, 03:28 AM
Like you said, the atmosphere would be better. Love bad weather games at BMO. The level of rowdyness goes through the roof as all the plastics run for cover. :D

__wowza
12-10-2012, 03:46 AM
Didn't we have this whole discussion about whether BMO is winterized or not last year before the CCL match?
I thought it came down to the fact that the pipes and all the plumbing just cant be used early March because its not winterized.

shhhhhhhh.. we're trying to re-hash a conversation here! :smilewinkgrin:

had a big turnout for last seasons CCL match. even without becks, you put a team like montreal against us, hooo boy!!

ensco
12-10-2012, 07:58 AM
We know it's not winterized, the question is why don't they winterize it?

They didn't do a lot of things.

BMO is a meccano set. Done on the cheap. Basically a high school football stadium.

As a taxpayer, I'm glad. A lot of the SSSs in the US were hose jobs on the states/municipalities that paid for them.

I can live with no football at BMO in March.

Phil
12-10-2012, 09:09 AM
We know it's not winterized, the question is why don't they winterize it?

When they upgrade the pitch, it benefits the product. To spend the money that it would take on winterrizing BMO the return on that investment is a bit more difficult to realize. It will take a while to recoup that money.

That being said, I know they are talking about doing a winterization on it. The preference is to not play at skydome and keep all games at BMO. Its a long term plan though and one that seems to change a lot.

jabbronies
12-10-2012, 09:52 AM
shhhhhhhh.. we're trying to re-hash a conversation here! :smilewinkgrin:

had a big turnout for last seasons CCL match. even without becks, you put a team like montreal against us, hooo boy!!

You can't fill the Dome with just MLS branding, you have to have that big name(s) to draw people in. The only draw for this game will be Nesta. He will be plastered all over the advertising on this one.

T-boy
12-10-2012, 12:28 PM
When they upgrade the pitch, it benefits the product. To spend the money that it would take on winterrizing BMO the return on that investment is a bit more difficult to realize. It will take a while to recoup that money.

That being said, I know they are talking about doing a winterization on it. The preference is to not play at skydome and keep all games at BMO. Its a long term plan though and one that seems to change a lot.

Plus its not just about winterising the field. They could put under soil heating in, get the pitch playable always, but the issue is going to be fan safety in the stands. Those metal terraces are going to be brutal to stand on in the winter. Make it below breezing and a few inches of snow, people will be falling all over the place! You're going to need a roof over every stand, and make people sit down (esp in the south end). I can't see them doing all that work for 1 or 2 games a season. I also can't see the average fan coming out to freezing cold winter games either. Only the hardcore will come out for those games. It isn't Euope where fans come out whatever the weather - it seems that a couple of degrees temp difference or a rain shower decreases the crowd a huge amount.

Petor
12-10-2012, 12:38 PM
Plus its not just about winterising the field. They could put under soil heating in, get the pitch playable always, but the issue is going to be fan safety in the stands. Those metal terraces are going to be brutal to stand on in the winter. Make it below breezing and a few inches of snow, people will be falling all over the place! You're going to need a roof over every stand, and make people sit down (esp in the south end). I can't see them doing all that work for 1 or 2 games a season. I also can't see the average fan coming out to freezing cold winter games either. Only the hardcore will come out for those games. It isn't Euope where fans come out whatever the weather - it seems that a couple of degrees temp difference or a rain shower decreases the crowd a huge amount.

BMO field IS winterized.

For the stands, de-icers, salt, chemicals, shovels, brooms etc.

Payne's goal is to make the playoffs this coming season.
And if we make the playoffs that means games in November, so then we will play in the Skydome in March and November?

BMO field is not the first outdoor stadium in Toronto but probably is the first one that is not compatable with our winters.
I guess MLSE is paying the price for their frugality now.

Beach_Red
12-10-2012, 12:52 PM
They didn't do a lot of things.

BMO is a meccano set. Done on the cheap. Basically a high school football stadium.

As a taxpayer, I'm glad. A lot of the SSSs in the US were hose jobs on the states/municipalities that paid for them.

I can live with no football at BMO in March.


I agree, as a taxpaer I'm glad. I'm also not surprised that MLSE didn't go too big with an investment in MLS. Most of the new stadiums seat about 25,000 so that tells us where the investors think MLS will be for the next twenty years. Everyone seems to agree that MLS has made the step from 1.0 to 2.0. Now we'll see if there's a 3.0.

If it's like baseball Toronto will stay in the previous stage until every other city moves to the next stage. SkyDome was the last of its kind before all the new "ballparks" were built and maybe BMO will be the last of the soccer specific Meccano sets if/when new stadiums are built. But it's still a big question if MLS is going to get any bigger than it is now.

__wowza
12-10-2012, 04:46 PM
You can't fill the Dome with just MLS branding, you have to have that big name(s) to draw people in. The only draw for this game will be Nesta. He will be plastered all over the advertising on this one.

you really don't think we'd be able to put 40k at the dome with proper planning and a solid rivalry? hell, if you have it at the dome im sure you'd get at least 5k sold to limpact supporters and another 7-8k sold to youth soccer clubs in the top bowl. pop in at least 18k for the people who'd go out to support the reds anyways, add 3-4k for the people who'd come just because it's the first game of the season and you'd have at least 34-35 thousand.

Yagbod
12-10-2012, 05:23 PM
Plus, they can have PSY play at half-time.


Your argument is invalid.
http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/505c9080eab8ea323300000a-2176-3000/psy-gangnam-style.jpg?maxX=400

Blizzard
12-11-2012, 01:17 PM
I believe it was November but it was cold as hell so felt like February. We hit two damned goalposts on the same damned play. We deserved to win that one.


Really, Really hate playing games at the Rodgers center. I know last year was great but I think playing outside in the cold would have completely fucked the Galaxy and their passing ( probably would have screwed with plata too, but lets face it, the only player actually making passes that day from TFC was Frings). We should be using whatever we can to our advantage. And cold games often get the fans more into it.

I remember Watching a qualifier of some sort, Canada VS. Mexico at Varsity stadium in around february at least a decade ago. It completed screwed the mexicans and their technique and passing game and it ended 0-0.

Blizzard
12-11-2012, 01:29 PM
Just keep in mind that every single foot of exposed water and drains would have to be insulated and remember that most of the piping is exposed to the elements. Also, it's not only a matter of the average weather, it is the freak freezes like what occurred in and around the Portland home opener two years ago. As I recall, BMO had a five or six figure repair bill on that occasion due to a freak freeze hitting and freezing the water in the pipes with the subsequent expansion of the ice blowing apart a multitude of joints. It wouldn't surprise me at all if the cost of winterizing BMO would be in seven figures.





BMO field IS winterized.

For the stands, de-icers, salt, chemicals, shovels, brooms etc.

Payne's goal is to make the playoffs this coming season.
And if we make the playoffs that means games in November, so then we will play in the Skydome in March and November?

BMO field is not the first outdoor stadium in Toronto but probably is the first one that is not compatable with our winters.
I guess MLSE is paying the price for their frugality now.

maxpower
12-11-2012, 04:29 PM
I believe it was November but it was cold as hell so felt like February. We hit two damned goalposts on the same damned play. We deserved to win that one.

Well i'm glad someone else remembers that game. Yeah November sounds right now that I think about it.

We should play all of our national team games in Winnipeg, especially in winter.That would reaaally screw with the Central americans.

glaze
12-12-2012, 01:40 PM
We know the club is handcuffed, due to playing in a facility that is basically a temporary structure. The Dome has poor sightlines, uncomfortable seating (not a factor I guess for supporters), and feels dead unless there is a crowd of 45,000+. I'll be shocked if this works out. The LA game was huge because it had Beckham, and the game meant something. I don't think they can possibly come close to replicating that. But until they put some money into BMO we'll have to put up with it.

Dave67
12-12-2012, 07:24 PM
This will work out and it will be great. The supporters can all be seated together, there will be plenty of room for banners. If it's priced right and advertised right people will see it as an event (just like a Jays home opener) and they will buy tickets. I'd be shocked if this sold under 40,000 if it's done right. Oh yeah, I'd rather see Columbus or New York as our first home opponent.

BeachTory
12-13-2012, 09:35 PM
Remember the grass at bmo is dead in march. Just because you can warm it up to take the ice out of it and make it softer, you get soup, not grass.
this is the difference to playing in late november - the under heating can keep the bmo grass alive longer than your lawn. Nothing can be done to start growing until the sun starts to make an appearance.

also, march at rogers is no grass possible either because there is no grass to be bought in canada. Imported live agriculture products from the US being the only source of sod in march is next to impossible due to federal and provincial legislation.

So get used to plastic in march if you want home tfc games.

Bantamfan
12-14-2012, 06:51 AM
Well, quite frankly, a four game road trip to start is better than playing on that shit surface in that
hole of a place!

Greatest Ripoff
12-14-2012, 09:03 AM
So get used to plastic in march if you want home tfc games.

I could care less about home matches in March. I just don't want to have to go to the skydome.

Dave67
12-14-2012, 12:43 PM
This place is crazy. It would be all bitching about fixture congestion in June or July and not honoring international dates if season did not start in March. Then it would be bitching about some rotten 0 - 4 start and how it was so unfair that TFC had to play its first 4 games on the road.

So instead there is a plan to play in Toronto indoors in March and people are bitching about plastic pitches (which we had at BMO for several years) and how they don't like the dome (despite the fact that the greatest atmosphere created at a TFC game last year was in the dome).

I say this is a great idea and it's going to be an amazing day.

flatpicker
12-14-2012, 01:17 PM
This place is crazy. It would be all bitching about fixture congestion in June or July and not honoring international dates if season did not start in March. Then it would be bitching about some rotten 0 - 4 start and how it was so unfair that TFC had to play its first 4 games on the road.

So instead there is a plan to play in Toronto indoors in March and people are bitching about plastic pitches (which we had at BMO for several years) and how they don't like the dome (despite the fact that the greatest atmosphere created at a TFC game last year was in the dome).

I say this is a great idea and it's going to be an amazing day.

I'm with you on this one.
I loved the LA game at the Dome.
The banners and streamers were awesome.
Great fun, great atmosphere, great energy.

The challenge will be for TFC to market this game to draw the same numbers.

Red CB Toronto
12-14-2012, 01:26 PM
At the end of the day I really do not care where the Reds play to start the early part of their home schedule, what matters to me is the 11 lads on the pitch. Having gone to the LA game, which was amazing and the Reds two trips to the Big O I can see why people would not think a big indoor stadium is not ideal, but in the end if you are with a good crew and their is footy on the pitch then that what matters.

JayMolly
12-14-2012, 09:40 PM
This place is crazy. It would be all bitching about fixture congestion in June or July and not honoring international dates if season did not start in March. Then it would be bitching about some rotten 0 - 4 start and how it was so unfair that TFC had to play its first 4 games on the road.

So instead there is a plan to play in Toronto indoors in March and people are bitching about plastic pitches (which we had at BMO for several years) and how they don't like the dome (despite the fact that the greatest atmosphere created at a TFC game last year was in the dome).

I say this is a great idea and it's going to be an amazing day.

I agree with the great atmosphere starting with the parade to the Dome. However, for the LA game they put in turf. Will they do that for a regular season game? Don't forget it was that plastic crap that put Danny K. out for the season!

Will they get another large crowd to watch a club from say Montreal or Columbus for a regular season game? LAG & David B. brought in the crowd. Besides the beer sales will be way down without David to throw a beer can at!

If they put in temporary turf I will not object to going to the dome for an early start to our season.

Go TFC Go!

RPB_RED_NATION_RPB
12-19-2012, 01:14 AM
I'm with you on this one.
I loved the LA game at the Dome.
The banners and streamers were awesome.
Great fun, great atmosphere, great energy.

The challenge will be for TFC to market this game to draw the same numbers.

It's simple...so f'ing simple!

RPB_RED_NATION_RPB
12-19-2012, 01:20 AM
I agree with the great atmosphere starting with the parade to the Dome. However, for the LA game they put in turf. Will they do that for a regular season game? Don't forget it was that plastic crap that put Danny K. out for the season!

Will they get another large crowd to watch a club from say Montreal or Columbus for a regular season game? LAG & David B. brought in the crowd. Besides the beer sales will be way down without David to throw a beer can at!

If they put in temporary turf I will not object to going to the dome for an early start to our season.

Go TFC Go!

Will be playing on PLASTIC 7 days earlier and 7 days later....whats your point again?