CCL QF Game at Rogers Centre

[ensco]

Talked to Tom Anselmi at the game yesterday. (Best road game experience ever, by the way.) He said that they incurred a huge bill for burst pipes before the late March game this year. Doesn't think they can get BMO ready and said Rogers Centre is very likely.

Also said they almost certainly wouldn't put grass down for the game if played there. He asked Winter, who said that if we had the opportunity to train on turf for a couple weeks before the game, it might actually be a competitive advantage.

That's great scoop. No point discussing this any further.

[DichioTFC]

It costs $70,000 for most organizations to rent the Skydome, so it already appears more cost effective than taking the risk of bursting pipes at BMO

[ElvistheEvilScotsman]

I think it's definitely going to be Skydome for one reason: the amount of tickets that can be sold. MLSE is aware that Montreal got 55,000 out for their game. That might have been all cheap tickets, but I think TFC can get 40,000 for this game. I don't think MLSE is going to miss out on the chance to sell twice as many tickets.

Another huge factor is that the game would be played March 6-8. The home opener this year was March 26. The cold is definitely going to be an issue. It will affect attendance, and I'm not convinced the on field advantage would be in our favour. It's not like our players are used to playing in freezing temperatures. If it's going to be a very cold night (likely in early March), both teams are going to have a tough time adjusting. It doesn't make any sense when there is a heated dome available.

The Rogers Centre may not even be available. Remember MLSE cant even get Gol TV in HD on Rogers.

[NBS]

Let's be real here:

1) 5000-10000 fans (I may be generous here) for a QF game in a (at the very least) chilly BMO field would suck. While I understand the romanticism of playing in "Our Home" with "True fans" that want to be there. No matter how loud and passionate those fans are, it's not a home advantage. Our players will hate playing in the cold as much as our opponents. There is nothing intimidating about it, especially if there are strong winds killing any sound those people make. Unless there were some way to fill BMO under those conditions, which I just don't see fickle Torontonians doing, it's pointless.

2) If we could even get 35000 people (hopefully more) in an enclosed Rogers Centre, it would at least provide an opportunity for a home advantage. I think it has the potential to be awesome if pulled off properly.

I think playing this game at BMO would end up being a disappointment. If the goal is truly to provide a home field advantage, people need to seriously consider the advantages of Rogers Centre. People need to understand that the casual fan, like it or not, is an important element in making these things a huge success.

[Whoop]

Wait a minute....

Do these guys talk to each other?

Tom Anselmi is talking about burst pipes in March.

Paul Beirne is talking about how they wouldn't be able to get turf to be laid down at SkyDome.

I think Carts is right. I think they're going to have to bite the bullet and winterize the pipes given that a) this is hopefully a more common occurrence and b) that the MLS schedule is likely to stretch longer - earlier start - hopefully deeper in the playoffs for TFC.

I suggest they talk between the two of them.

And Rogers Centre is booked from March 14 to 18th as someone pointed out for Disney on Ice.

So there is that to deal with as well if it comes up.

[mowe]

Talked to Tom Anselmi at the game yesterday. (Best road game experience ever, by the way.) He said that they incurred a huge bill for burst pipes before the late March game this year. Doesn't think they can get BMO ready and said Rogers Centre is very likely.

Also said they almost certainly wouldn't put grass down for the game if played there. He asked Winter, who said that if we had the opportunity to train on turf for a couple weeks before the game, it might actually be a competitive advantage.

Thanks for the info. This pretty much settles it, I think.

I'm hoping this game with 40k+ will help get the buzz back for this team. Of course, it would need to be followed by a playoff season, but that's another topic.

[ManUtd4ever]

Talked to Tom Anselmi at the game yesterday. (Best road game experience ever, by the way.) He said that they incurred a huge bill for burst pipes before the late March game this year. Doesn't think they can get BMO ready and said Rogers Centre is very likely.

Also said they almost certainly wouldn't put grass down for the game if played there. He asked Winter, who said that if we had the opportunity to train on turf for a couple weeks before the game, it might actually be a competitive advantage.

Thanks for the input.

I believe this is a golden opportunity for MLSE to recapture the excitement that surrounded this franchise a few years ago and build on it. I hope they promote the match accordingly.

[Huyton]

Don't MLSE want to stage a "Winter Classic" at BMO?

Will they get so much extra revenue that $100.000 for burst pipes is not an issue?

[ManUtd4ever]

Let's be real here:

1) 5000-10000 fans (I may be generous here) for a QF game in a (at the very least) chilly BMO field would suck. While I understand the romanticism of playing in "Our Home" with "True fans" that want to be there. No matter how loud and passionate those fans are, it's not a home advantage. Our players will hate playing in the cold as much as our opponents. There is nothing intimidating about it, especially if there are strong winds killing any sound those people make. Unless there were some way to fill BMO under those conditions, which I just don't see fickle Torontonians doing, it's pointless.

2) If we could even get 35000 people (hopefully more) in an enclosed Rogers Centre, it would at least provide an opportunity for a home advantage. I think it has the potential to be awesome if pulled off properly.

I think playing this game at BMO would end up being a disappointment. If the goal is truly to provide a home field advantage, people need to seriously consider the advantages of Rogers Centre. People need to understand that the casual fan, like it or not, is an important element in making these things a huge success.

Well said. I couldn't agree more.

[nfitz]

Do these guys talk to each other?

Tom Anselmi is talking about burst pipes in March.

Paul Beirne is talking about how they wouldn't be able to get turf to be laid down at SkyDome.

Paul's also been saying that they are going to have to go to SkyDome and look at the turf, and that a decision will have to be made, and that's weeks away. I don't think we can criticize them about telling us what they are all thinking long before they make a decision. Would you prefer they just kept completely quiet until a decision is made? There's no indication they aren't talking to each other. They both seem quite clear that putting down grass at Rogers isn't an option.

And Rogers Centre is booked from March 14 to 18th as someone pointed out for Disney on Ice.

The game is most likely March 6th to March 8th - unless Tauro pulls off a minor miracle tonight in Mexico City. Even if they do, I'm quite sure that whichever opponent we draw, won't object to Toronto give up home-field advantage and swapping dates - particularly if it means they won't have to play outside in mid-March!

[DichioTFC]

Theres nothing happening at SkyDome from mid-Feb to mid-March. Hell, TFC can run training camp there to get them prepared for the CCL match.

[Shway]

2012 will be such a momentousness year!

The year TFC goes the furthest Canadian team in the CCL

The year TFC draws the most in attendance in the CCL, beating Montreals record in the year they join the league

The year TFC makes the playoff

The year where 2012 brings the feelings of 2007

[Whoop]

Personally I don't care where they are playing it.

[mowe]

2012 will be such a momentousness year!

The year TFC goes the furthest Canadian team in the CCL

The year TFC draws the most in attendance in the CCL, beating Montreals record in the year they join the league

The year TFC makes the playoff

The year where 2012 brings the feelings of 2007

I like the way you think.

[lobo]

football outdoors in winter is too much for players and casual fans to handle ?

i just don't know how they do it in europe every year, must be magic or sorcery

[Canada72]

2012 will be such a momentousness year!

The year TFC goes the furthest Canadian team in the CCL

The year TFC draws the most in attendance in the CCL, beating Montreals record in the year they join the league

The year TFC makes the playoff

The year where 2012 brings the feelings of 2007

The year we see TFC play MTL at the Big O and play the CL QF at Rogers Center, 100,000 combined attendance!! It can happen!

[zeelaw]

2012 will be such a momentousness year!

The year TFC goes the furthest Canadian team in the CCL

The year TFC draws the most in attendance in the CCL, beating Montreals record in the year they join the league

The year TFC makes the playoff

The year where 2012 brings the feelings of 2007

I'll have what he's having.

[ochos]

Glad to see the debate going on - we all know what a poll can do for a thread! 2/3 supporting BMO so far, and we've heard contradictory evidence that either/neither will be possible. Once again the board delivers drama!

One quick comment - funny to see people automatically dismissing players from warmer clients as not being able to handle the cold... doesn't seem to stop the same types of players from prospering in Europe! But certainly one would think we would have an advantage over an entire team.

Again, I want to call on the leaders of the group to mechanize, and ensure wherever the game is played we have our say with ticket allocation/pricing and seating protocol. And if you already have, please let us know the details in the membership section.

[nfitz]

football outdoors in winter is too much for players and casual fans to handle ?

i just don't know how they do it in europe every year, must be magic or sorcery

They don't deal well with the kind of temperatures we can get with in early March - not in England at least.

Remember how many cancelled EPL games there were this year? In London last winter, the coldest it ever got on any day, was only -9°C - and it got up to 0°C every day. There was a day in January that the high was only -1°C - however the lowest it got the entire month was only -2°C. You know how the ground freezes in Toronto in the winter, even if there's no snow - and the grass turns brown - and you can't dig in the garden because it's frozen? That doesn't happen in England - people grow some veggies in their garden through the winter. The grass stays green, and it's very unusual for the ground to freeze. Even on many houses, they don't insulate the pipes; it's not unusual to see the waste-water (sewer) from a second story bathroom going in a pipe on the outside of the house, into the ground.

[denime]

football outdoors in winter is too much for players and casual fans to handle ?

i just don't know how they do it in europe every year, must be magic or sorcery

True,Apparently Europe has tropical temperatures so non of our foreign players would be able to adapt and play in the city where they live-Toronto.


As far the pipes goes,well , they had to be fixed sooner than later,MLS schedule is moving more toward the 1st week of March so Tommy you will have to spend some teachers pension $$$ no matter what you cheap F*$@

[NewCity]

BMO Hands Down - We can play in the freezing weather and snow...can the opponents? I think not. Advantage TFC.

[DichioTFC]

2012 will be such a momentousness year!

The year TFC goes the furthest Canadian team in the CCL

The year TFC draws the most in attendance in the CCL, beating Montreals record in the year they join the league

The year TFC makes the playoff

The year where 2012 brings the feelings of 2007

There is a fine line between tasting the soup and getting drunk on it. You, sir, have clearly crossed the line.

Love the optimism though

[PearceCFC]

BMO.. thread over.

[werewolf]

Let's be real here:

1) 5000-10000 fans (I may be generous here) for a QF game in a (at the very least) chilly BMO field would suck. While I understand the romanticism of playing in "Our Home" with "True fans" that want to be there. No matter how loud and passionate those fans are, it's not a home advantage. Our players will hate playing in the cold as much as our opponents. There is nothing intimidating about it, especially if there are strong winds killing any sound those people make. Unless there were some way to fill BMO under those conditions, which I just don't see fickle Torontonians doing, it's pointless.

2) If we could even get 35000 people (hopefully more) in an enclosed Rogers Centre, it would at least provide an opportunity for a home advantage. I think it has the potential to be awesome if pulled off properly.

I think playing this game at BMO would end up being a disappointment. If the goal is truly to provide a home field advantage, people need to seriously consider the advantages of Rogers Centre. People need to understand that the casual fan, like it or not, is an important element in making these things a huge success.

[rocker]

Skydome for me.. the weather advantage is negligible -- both teams have to play in the same conditions, and I don't think our players will enjoy it either. It'll be ugly football too, particularly if it rains.

People think that the CCL is more important than playoffs -- well, the general public doesn't understand that yet. If you have the game at BMO, the average person won't show up, and we've lost an opportunity to get people hyped up about TFC. We already have the diehards on board. The opportunity to bring more people on board shouldn't be lost. And I'm not going to rag on casual fans here. Get as many in the stadium as possible, and Skydome is the place to do that.

I also think it'll be much louder and imposing (there's a home field advantage in that) under a domed roof than at the roofless, cold, wet BMO. If Montreal can beat Santos Laguna inside a dome 2-0, then we can beat our likely Mexican foes at home as well. We don't need to have a crutch, like the weather.

[lobo]

Let's be real here:

1) 5000-10000 fans (I may be generous here) for a QF game in a (at the very least) chilly BMO field would suck. While I understand the romanticism of playing in "Our Home" with "True fans" that want to be there. No matter how loud and passionate those fans are, it's not a home advantage. Our players will hate playing in the cold as much as our opponents. There is nothing intimidating about it, especially if there are strong winds killing any sound those people make. Unless there were some way to fill BMO under those conditions, which I just don't see fickle Torontonians doing, it's pointless.

2) If we could even get 35000 people (hopefully more) in an enclosed Rogers Centre, it would at least provide an opportunity for a home advantage. I think it has the potential to be awesome if pulled off properly.

I think playing this game at BMO would end up being a disappointment. If the goal is truly to provide a home field advantage, people need to seriously consider the advantages of Rogers Centre. People need to understand that the casual fan, like it or not, is an important element in making these things a huge success.

sir, i think you may have this a little backward ... playing in our home is not romanticism, it is what it is, home - and it will always be to our advantage playing at home .... seems that all those calling for a bland skydome filled with 35-50,000 casual 'supporters' are the ones subscribing to romantic dreams ... the casual fan is not gonna intimidate the opponent, no matter how many cheap or free tickets are given out to make that happen ... bigger is not always better ... we had upwards of 20,000 to BMO on March 26 earlier this year ... the grass is not always greener on the inside (actually its plastic and oddly blueish-green)

wow, seriously, skydome sucks ... ya wanna be warm and comfy to watch TFC in CCL quarter finals, which will be the new next-biggest-game-in-club-history, stay home ... i wanna see football played by warriors on a grass pitch, not on a plastic carpet in a sterile cavern ... this is not romanticism ... and i think you will be very surprised how many would brave whatever march brings weatherwise to see this with me (this poll should be indicative of that ... currently running 66% in favour of our home field)

They don't deal well with the kind of temperatures we can get with in early March - not in England at least.

You know how the ground freezes in Toronto in the winter, even if there's no snow - and the grass turns brown - and you can't dig in the garden because it's frozen? That doesn't happen in England - people grow some veggies in their garden through the winter.

that's england ... how do they do it in russia in march? or germany? poland? ukraine?

mine was really a rhetorical question ... we know football can be played in cold weather, and the grounds at BMO are heated ... this shouldn't be an issue

this is toronto, not edmonton, and we're talking about march not january, aint that big a deal

insulate the pipes, let's move on

[ArmenJBX]

Watch, the game in March is going to be the sunniest Winter day in the history of Toronto

[WestStandGeoff]

i really, really, really, really dont get this advantage talk about how it might be better for our players to play in the cold.....

WHO LIKES PLAYING IN THE COLD?

Not plata - ecuador
Not Johnson - jamaica....
the only people who should/would be "accustomed to the climate" would be Ashtone, and Doneill, and you should ask them what they prefer

Regardless of where people were born/raised, the fact is that TFC players will have spent the majority of January-March in Toronto, with the exception of the pre-season training in Florida. It's not a matter of what people would prefer, but what they are accustomed to and what they can handle.

Since the Mexican league will be at the height of the Aperatura, it's extremely unlikely that any team will be here more than a couple days ahead of the match, and therefore completely unaccustomed to the temperatures. So, with all due respect, ALL of our players will be much more accustomed to the climate than ANY visiting team.

[Auzzy]

Well, if TFC wants success in this competition year in and year out - time to fix these issues...

Insulate the pipes - its not rocket science...

I have been to many full outdoor stadiums (including outdoor washrooms - those being ones with no sealed in rooms & insulation) in -40 degree weather...

If they think this year is a one-off, they do nothing and we'll play at the dome - if they expect this team to be in this situation many times in the future, they eat the relatively small cost of winterizing the pipes...

If they need help, call the guy who runs Ralph Wilson Stadium or Lambeau Field - they do it year in and year out...

Carts...

Insulating the pipes sounds like a good idea. However, I have no idea how easy that is at BMO Field. Of course it's owned by the City/Ex, I'm sure everything has to get approved etc & related complications. Also, were the pipes & washrooms ever designed to be insulated? Are they easily accessible, or in confined/uninsulated spaces which make it more difficult?

[RicoSuave44]

What are attendances like in Russia Lobo? And since when is the SkyDome not our home? I've been going there since i was 3 years old in 1989, and our Ontario tax dollars paid over 600M for it. I've had some of the fondest memories of my life there (not just baseball: CFL, Raptors, Mandela, concerts etc) and I can assure you that when it's packed with enthusiastic fans that the atmosphere is stellar. The Dome is like our Wembly: for big matches we go to the big house.

Are Mexicans going to be shocked that Canada has cold weather? Or that a Canadian soccer club can fill 40+ thousand seats? I for one would rather not freeze my ass off- we have plenty of dates thru the year to do that. I'd rather see my TFC fill the big house. And you can't question my passion... I've been at my seat in 112 since January '07- in freezing snowy weather before the stadium was finished.

This is a special event people, let's treat it as such. Next year they can winterize BMO and we'll go there in 2013 CCL, but at least once let's do it up big.