Ottawa Stadium Situation Could Have A Solution

[Red CB Toronto]

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Sports/...137/story.html

Interesting read, with the notion of the CFL and Soccer both being in Kanata.

[sully]

so if they share I guess a plastic pitch is a given... I wonder what their plan is to deal with the all those field lines is?

..and from my perspective, a proper stadium should be in the city centre or thereabouts...I wouldn't have bought my season tickets in October '06 if they had put BMO out in Oakville or Mississauga..

[Marc"2L"]

This is insane. I don't know 1 person in Ottawa who thinks this is a good idea. The comments on the article seem to imply the same thing. Yet some how they aren't getting the hint.

MLS supporters need to start a soccer in the city campaign for Ottawa and any other subsequent city that joins MLS.

[rocker]

wait, so the Hunt group is going to sell their conditional CFL franchise to Melnyk?

i guess the Hunt group is happy with having the arena renovated and getting in on that Landsdowne non-sports development.

seems like Melnyk has won.

Downtown would be ideal, I know, but Kanata is closer to downtown than many current MLS stadiums. So it shouldn't hinder the deal, in Garber's eyes.

[Blazer]

so if they share I guess a plastic pitch is a given... I wonder what their plan is to deal with the all those field lines is?

..and from my perspective, a proper stadium should be in the city centre or thereabouts...I wouldn't have bought my season tickets in October '06 if they had put BMO out in Oakville or Mississauga..

Garber has made it clear that he doesn’t want expansion unless the respective bids have plans for a grass only pitch. This will promote SSS and help grow the game in cities independent from a second “tenant”. Of at least that would be part of the hope.

[Super Cereal]

This is insane. I don't know 1 person in Ottawa who thinks this is a good idea.

I think it's a fantastic idea.

[sully]

Garber has made it clear that he doesn’t want expansion unless the respective bids have plans for a grass only pitch. This will promote SSS and help grow the game in cities independent from a second “tenant”. Of at least that would be part of the hope.

well Garber has shown that what he says and what actually happens sometimes are two different things...and anyway, I don't think its feasible to have a grass pitch if you're going to have Canadian football on it on a Sunday and MLS on a Wednesday and so on..

[Blazer]

^ Agree on both points Sully.

[Super Cereal]

well Garber has shown that what he says and what actually happens sometimes are two different things...and anyway, I don't think its feasible to have a grass pitch if you're going to have Canadian football on it on a Sunday and MLS on a Wednesday and so on..

Canadian football is traditionally on Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays isn't it?

[sully]

Canadian football is traditionally on Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays isn't it?

I've no idea...but that's not the point.

[rocker]

when did Garber say expansion teams must have a grass pitch?

cuz Vancouver won't (at least not until they get an SSS) and Seattle never will.

[Kooper]

I've no idea...but that's not the point.

A grass pitch played on alternating weeks by soccer and football would quickly be destroyed.

[Super Cereal]

I've no idea...but that's not the point.

Sure it is. MLS games are often Saturday and Wednesday.

[Kooper]

I wonder what their plan is to deal with the all those field lines is?

BMO had lines for the 3 indoor fields on the turf until 2 weeks ago. They must use a water based paint that washes out or dilutes with a solvent.

[Blazer]

He was on a few weeks ago, maybe more than a month even (Fan590) and said that grass, and more specifically SSS, were something to be desired.

I’ll see if I can find the interview.

[Redcoe15]

Here's a different point of view:

http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Ottawa...16731-sun.html

[rocker]

i don't really care if perfection is achieved with the Ottawa bid.
get em into MLS and we'll worry about the details later.
as long as they have an SSS (wherever) then they'll be secure for some time....

getting in is the hard part (as Saputo has learned)

i just want another Canadian rivalry. to be honest i don't give a crap if they play on fieldturf or have to share with the CFL. it's not my hometeam.
plus, if the CFL team folds (FOR A THIRD TIME!) then there's the solution to the CFL lines problem. heh heh.

[Mark in Ottawa]

And in the end it all comes down to money.

If the Feds, Province and City can agree to pony up without this effecting the infrastructure funds needed for the transit system and failing sewage treatment facilities then maybe... just maybe it has a chance.

Melnyk is not at all interested unless the stadium ends up in Kanata to meld with his other business interests under the Senators Sports and Entertainment banner.

[drewski]

god I hope this happens. Not only do I like having a close Canadian rival in MLS, but if my interview went well yesterday, then it'll be great to have an MLS team in my city, in the area I'd probably be living within pretty easy driving distance too which would be an extra bonus

[Lucky Strike]

I seriously don't know what's wrong with these people: don't put the stadium in Kanata! It won't work. It's not like I want it to fail, but people can't delude themselves. It'd be like walking across the a busy 417 highway blindfolded and hope the cars don't use your innards as spray paint.

I'll be the first on to eat my hat if MLS in Kanata does work, but I genuinely don't see that happening.

[Cashcleaner]

Garber has made it clear that he doesn’t want expansion unless the respective bids have plans for a grass only pitch. This will promote SSS and help grow the game in cities independent from a second “tenant”. Of at least that would be part of the hope.

Got a link?

[ilikemusic]

If either team goes anywhere but a renovated Landsdowne they are doomed to failure.

Got a link?

Ya, Garber says alot of things.

In reality, you should take every statement Garber makes and add 'ideally' to the beginning.

[greatwhitenorf]

This is excellent news!

Soccer will win!

Just get the stadium built on Huge-ene Melnyk's terms. Let the CFL have it's final kick at the can. It will soon die.

Then soccer will be left to prosper on its own.

[Mark in Ottawa]

This is excellent news!

Soccer will win!

Just get the stadium built on Huge-ene Melnyk's terms. Let the CFL have it's final kick at the can. It will soon die.

Then soccer will be left to prosper on its own.

But it won't be like hockey.
Senators Sports and Entertainment are gonna have to work hard to sell the sport and convince people to drive to Kanata.

I for one believe that if anyone can do it... Melnyk and company can!

[Dirk Diggler]

This is excellent news!

Soccer will win!

Just get the stadium built on Huge-ene Melnyk's terms. Let the CFL have it's final kick at the can. It will soon die.

Then soccer will be left to prosper on its own.

LOL yeah. They'd only need to share the field with a football team for 3 years tops. After that it'll become an SSS and they could install natural grass or whatever modification that would be hindered due to a football team.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

never gonna happen, even worse idea to share a stadium with a cfl team.
if they want one try for the usl id put money down that wouldnt be successful either

[JamboAl]

I'm totally with Mark and Lucky Strike on this one. If MLS in Kanata survives past Year #4, I'd walk to the stadium from downtown wearing a sign saying "I was wrong". Also I probably am in Toronto way more than I am in Kanata and feel absolutely no affinity for the place.

Now a downtown location (or even something close to downtown), and I'll support it. Even if it's USL.

[rocker]

If MLS in Kanata survives past Year #4,

i gotta ask you though, what does "survive" mean?

cuz I've seen teams in MLS "survive" with 9000-11000 fans a game. Ottawa can't get 9000-11000 or more than that?

MLS is designed so well financially that teams don't have to be like TFC and Seattle to survive.

I don't think Ottawa would be as successful as TFC.. but could they get 13,000-14,000.. I'm sure they could, and that's more than enough to survive beyond 4 years.

[Redcoe15]

i gotta ask you though, what does "survive" mean?

cuz I've seen teams in MLS "survive" with 9000-11000 fans a game. Ottawa can't get 9000-11000 or more than that?

MLS is designed so well financially that teams don't have to be like TFC and Seattle to survive.

I don't think Ottawa would be as successful as TFC.. but could they get 13,000-14,000.. I'm sure they could.

And yet we complain, rightfully, about places like Columbus, Dallas, Kansas City who can't draw flies if they were covered in shit and ask why are they allowed to exist. If MLS grants them a team, I see Ottawa in that same catagory as well. Especially if their stadium is out in Kanata.

[JamboAl]

^ OK, maybe I went overboard on this one. The team will "survive" into Year 4, maybe even longer than the Ottawa Lynx (AAA baseball) did because it'll be Melnyk's stadium. But I also think the odd 5,000-6,000 attendances wouldn't be unusual especially once the novely wore off.

I hope I'm wrong but I'd rather watch football downtown in a real urban setting.