Expanding the stadium to 30,000 just makes sense. Yes, I said it makes sense. And here's why:
TFC will never be only team that plays there.
While it's hard to picture 30,000 people showing up consistantly to watch TFC play MLS regular season matches at BMO Field, it's not a stretch to see a crowd of that size show up for a match between, I dunno, let's say... Barcelona and Liverpool, or Man United and Real Madrid. You get the picture. While those seats may sit empty for much of the season, there is a good chance they'll be filled if any big-name clubs come to town.
And let's not forget that the Maple Leafs really REALLY want to play a Winter Classic somewhere in the city. Yes, it may be a game they'll play once every five years or so, but in the long run, it might end up being cheaper to use permanent seating rather that constantly putting up and taking down temporary bleachers.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
Btw, are you familiar with the salary cap? Yes? No? Just checking.
Doesn't matter that gate sales go up if you're capped at $3 mln every year. You still need a squad, and that means your squad will be mostly guys worth in the $40K-$100K range.
This is bad idea because it'll kill the atmosphere. There's a reason most of the waiting list is red rather than gold. They're casuals, more of the "maybe I will, maybe I won't crowd."
"Our house" will start feeling really cavernous on matchday when it looks like there are 13,000 people missing. Just imagine a mid-week Voyageurs Cup game. It would feel like TFC have no fans at all.
Did the USA , of all countries, just fix soccer? - C. Ronaldo, May 27th commenting on the FBI-led investigations into fraud and corruption throughout FIFA.
The Argos aren't coming. You would need to tear down both the south and north stands to make it happen.
here's a news story confirming the expansion plans:
http://www.onenewspage.com/news/Spor...-BMO-Field.htm
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
How long will it take them to do this? Aren't there tons of approval that must go through council first?
DISCLAIMER OFF TOPIC
....but
The more and more I hear talk about the Argos, the more and more i think, that as the MLS grows, to a future 20 team league. It really doesnt even come to my mind that it would be possible for the Argos to play at BMO. If you have a future outlook to what Torontos schedule would consist of it would be 19 home games, and more if in the playoffs, plus (at the moment) 3 nutrilte home games, (if qualified) 5 champions league home games, and more if advancing. That brings a total number to 27+ possible home games a season.
Most of the additonal competitions take place in the May-August time frame.
*also noting that Toronto always has a couple away games to start the season.
CFL starts in July, and has about 9 home games.
I honestly DONT see this possible, because lets say toronto plays a champions league game on wednesday, Argos play on Friday, the gridiron lines get painted on, field gets molested, the field will not be healed in time for a Toronto league match on the Sunday.
So end the argos talk because ....
IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE!
That article doesn't confirm anything. It's just a re-quote of an article already posted.
Peddie's speech was just a "rah-rah, here's how great MLSE is and how much we're helping the people of Toronto, blah blah blah".
He said they "need" to expand based on a waiting list number. There's no way that anyone in MLSE believes that the "waiting list" is really a list of people clamoring to get season's tickets. It's just a mailing list of people who have, at some time, expressed interest in tickets.
MLSE can see the empty seats just as clearly as we can, and they're not stupid with their money. There's no way that they build an extra 8,000 seats with the demand as soft as it is now.
I really don't know what to think here...Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
I'm gonna choose to look only on the bright side here - let's assume that the expansion plans are part of a broader strategy that would include a "Henry-like" signing and maybe the development of the Academy facility we have seen plans for. Del-Piero, for example would add 10k in season's tickets without much trouble.
We know MLSE has the cash to do it, and despite what many say they actually do want to put winners on the ice/court/pitch (their ability to do so is another topic altogether).
Liverpool vs Porto brought 42,000 people out in 2004. Little did we know it at the time, but that game pitted the 2004 Champions League winners against the 2005 Champions League winners.
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If this club continues on it's slide they'll need to reduce the capacity......
“MLSE believes in Toronto and if the initiatives we are looking at are good for our fans, Torontonians, and fiscally responsible, you will see many more city builder investments from us.”
Does Toronto believe in MLSEL though?
We need a roof or two.
Rather than encourage the Argos to come, expansion will just make it that much more difficult for them to play at BMO. The playing field is already far too short by CFL standards. If additional seats are added on, specifically in the south end, they will provide even more infrastructure that has to be moved aside in order for the Argos to squeeze in. The Argos had a slim chance of moving in before the north stand was built; now they've got next to none.
found these online.
Also bear in mind BMO Field is also supposed to be the national football stadium of Canada.
Perhaps an expansion might allow for more high profile teams to come in and play matches v Canada, although that is probably wishful thinking that there is this kind of foresight with our national football association; the reality is Canadian supporters would probably be even more outnumbered in our own stadium.
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Does anyone else think the timing of this is ludicrous? As more and more of the stadium is showing through with empty seats why would they take a risk in making us look like the rest of the league with empty seats?
I guess I shouldn't complain. 30k is still not that much but I hope enough casuals come out.
I don't think we have to worry about capacity for Canada games until the WCQ's. Sad but a fact.
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I think 30 000 is a stretch for the current state of the club.
However, it could coincide with getting two "top-level DPs" to help put butts on the seats. The Red Bull have done this, not sure if it has worked, but most North American teams do this to entice fans to coming to the stadium/arena.
If a 30 000 stadium with a roof means we can get top-quality DPs .... then so be it. This may be part of the business plan from MLSE to justify getting some top quality players. It may even be necessary to attract players to Toronto. Food for thought.
¡Vamos Celta!
I have to laugh at ML$E - expand the stadium? This is going to lead to great cheap seats for us all, here is why:
- they couldn't even sell the extra seats they put in this year
- most games were 1/2 - 3/4 full this year
- the wait list is a joke, most won't pony up when they see the price
- tickets go for about 1/2 price on ebay... (bough and sold a few myself
this year...)
- many, many 4 year ST owners, like me will not renew this year
The result - I will have great tickets on ebay, to the games I can go to next year for less cost, no pre-payment 6-11 months in advance, no fuckin stupid scarf with black stripes (WTF?), no dorky white shoe bag, dumb TFC sticker with no logo, no mo, no bigoted anti Canadian Preki, no filling ML$E pockets unneccessarily, no mid-week non-MLS games that I have bought but can't use, no Real Madrid we should have got in our season package, no waiting 4 years for grass, no 2010 MLS Cup tickets given to 2011 ST holders (what!!! 2010 holders deserve those F'ing tickets!) - esentially no mo guff from ML$E - I am driving the bus from now on!
Whew - I feel so much better!!
A roof would be cool, but I wouldn't want them to break the bank. My suspision is that increasing the capacity to 30,000 and the possibility of increasing revenue may be what puts the plans on building a roof and getting expensive DPs possible.
Toronto FC is still a business, not a charity.
Some people have also mentioned that this may be part of the plans of the CSA to attract higher-profile teams. If we had a stadium like this, wouldn't you want to see Spain, Italy, England, Brazil, Argentina, or Germany for some friendlies? It would be possible.
If the CSA, MLSE, and the city of Toronto can agree to share the cost, it's a win-win-win for everyone. Canada can attract higher-profile squads, TFC can go and get the best players available and they may be able to show-off TFC better, we can attract better players. BMO would generate more money and that bodes well for the City of Toronto. It's hard to say, but I can make an argument for this move.
¡Vamos Celta!