And yet was on its way to being one before the present changes. Glad you have no problems with that reality.Originally Posted by boozilla
And yet was on its way to being one before the present changes. Glad you have no problems with that reality.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
I agree it isn't going to be a soccer specific shrine. And after a look down around the place today, BMO is going to be something unique that we will call ours. There is something about that roof/canopy/umbrella that just will tell people "This is where Toronto plays" as against what it was before, "This is where we play - yes we know it looks like a high school stadium in Texas."
The place is developing character. I wish it didn't take all the other events to get MLSE to spend the money to make it so. But, its where my team plays and for now, that's good enough.
As ronzilla said, just don't ruin the pitch.
I had and have no issue with hoping the pitch isn't ruined. My hope doesn't go very far but a touch further than my trust that "they got this".
I'm not going to shit on people wanting to imprint on the new stadium. Go for it. Make it feel like home.
My problem is the use of the phrase never gunna be a soccer shrine. Unless one is the ultimate cynic when seeing the opposite actually happening I can't see why one wouldn't have hoped the next step was taken in SSS.
I enjoyed your pronoun usage in your post above: "Toronto" now, "We" before. Can't argue with that, Og.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
I said that it was never built to be a shrine (Brenabeu, Allianz Arena, San Siro, etc.). Not that that is was "never gunna be".
You may confuse my desire for football aesthetics for cynicism.
I just had hoped for an expansion vision that at least, architecturally referenced those arenas over an after-thought Franken-stadium.
At least it's not SkyDome-bad and should be fun and way louder.
Understood and couldn't agree more. If this ownership could've known what the first years returns would be like we may've got a RB Arena or Rio Tinto. Visiting those stadia makes me green with envy.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Red Bulls stadium looks awesome and best in the League by far, Rio Tinto?...I personally haven't been to it in person, looking at it on TV and pictures, it looks decent, one of the better MLS style specific model stadiums that a lot of teams built across MLS (example : Colorado, Chicago, FC Dallas, Philly, Columbus), but Id prefer the look of LA, Kansas City, Portland, Houston, even Montreal maybe and probably Toronto's once I see the roofs all completed!!
Toronto will be a bit funky looking with the odd stands and roofs, but in a way it makes it character like some England grounds that have odd and unique stadiums built at different time periods and phases. Toronto and Portland will have the most unique stadiums in MLS I would say!
I don't dispute any of those stadiums look but Chicago. While it was efficient the aesthetic wasn't all that original to inspire envy. Really I just took the 2 renos that were around our inception. Montreal has done so well with their reno.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Boldly bringing in a professional rugby league operation to Lamport Stadium certainly makes one wonder if it's inevitable we'll see rugby games at BMO Field should the Wolfpack ever earn promotion to Super League.
Or will we see Lamport re-furbished to a sufficient level that the Argos can move there to a more suitable stadium sharing arrangement. MLSE stadium ops veep Bob Hunter is running the show at Lamport.
While I do agree BMO Field will come into play for the Wolf Pack if they move up to the Super League eventually, there is nothing practical about it for an Argos move to Lamport, just not enough space there, with King Street just a few feet away. The footprint that would be required is just not there.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Lamport can't be built up beyond its current footprint.
I actually like RL as a form of entertainment- its genetic what can I say - but I can't see it outgrowing Lamport. Far more likely to fail then flourish, unfortunately.
At the third division level they are starting at I agree, but if they build a team that eventually earns a promotion to the Super League, Lamport would be too limiting, and on the small side compared to other stadiums in the league.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
I can't believe a team that will have so much travel cost will be playing out of Lamport. Hardly identifies with an international league. Whatever, if they stay at Lamport it's better for TFC but I don't see any other outcome but Multisport turf starting next year at BMO opening the door for every team to play there.
But let's wait and see...
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Lamport Stadium can most certainly be expanded and substantially re-furbished. The existing stands would have to come down and replaced with more modern and hospitable seating facilities. The footprint of land it sits on has plenty of room to build upon and there is a large parking area just south of it.
Bob Hunter of MLSE told a group of us at BMO Field last summer that they took on operational control of Lamport because it had 'some interesting possibilities'. There's already plans to expand parking near BMO Field on the south side of the Gardiner/train tracks. It wouldn't be building the Aswan Dam to add some expanded crossing points at the foot of Atlantic Ave., leaving fans with a comfortable stroll over to Lamport and maximizing revenue from the re-built parking areas.
Rugby is growing steadily in popularity in high schools, with it and lacrosse replacing football in many instances as the contact sports of choice. Given the fading fortunes of the CFL in Toronto, it could make great sense someday to put them and rugby in the same stadium and again give soccer priority at BMO, where the sport could plausibly provide more than 35 games each season. For now, we'll wait and see how rugby takes hold.
Nobody plays Rugby League in school.
I like Rugby League - its all about gaining territory slowly but surely. But, its got no base in this city at all.
Rugby has drawn well at BMO in the past, the National team has an upcoming match in June at BMO Field. I have also noticed in the past Canada has played at Lamport, so it should be interesting to see how the sport grows in this city.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Again, this is league style rugby (NRL) .. heal-backs and guys must get 10yds back. doubt it would ever get big enough outside Australia-polynesian countries to have BMO size crowd.
Union style rugby (traditional rugby with scrums and rucks) -- big props and tiny wingers this what has/is been played at BMO at national team level
Last edited by Onyx; 04-27-2016 at 09:48 PM.
League comes from the North. Mostly now its followed along the M62 but it did used to stretch up to God's own country in Furness and still has outposts up there.
Those Aussies borrowed it later.
Rugby was pretty big in highschool when I went 10 years ago...
Rugby league is a VERY VERY different game.
No high school plays that format.
this.
google...difference Rugby League Union
they are different games.
everything around here, is Union rugby.
High schools, universities, the local teams (oakville crusaders, toronto dragons, etc)
What kind of attendance have the national team had for Rugby League at Lamport?
The chief difference I noticed in Toronto between League and Union, is that the national team for Union advertised in the newspaper, and League advertised on hydro poles near Lamport.
The rugby league venture is bizarre in so many ways. The league they are entering have some teams with 5 men and a dog watching (your kids u-10 scrimmage games probably have more people watching). Flying whole teams to another continent where there is no guarantee of anybody watching is very odd. They are going to lose thousands on flying people to Toronto alone, without any other costs being factored in. So this is no more than a marketing ploy to try and expand the popularity of rugby league, there is no way this is a money making venture in any form.
They drawn in the area of 7K for a national team match.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
For Rugby League at Lamport? Paint me skeptical. I've been offered free tickets for that on a number of occasions.
Yep, those games were papered as hell. They would give out free tickets at the Canada Union games at BMO.
Friends that lived in Liberty Village at the time got free tickets from promo people on the streets.
I have seen highlights on Sportsnet for Canada playing rugby league at Lamport against teams such as Jamaica & US. It appears there is a regular summer series against countries in our region. And Lamport has looked about at 80% full.
Rugby league is closer to our Canadian football than rugby union. So, it can gain some following if people can figure out that it isn't the same as rugby union. But there is no grassroots following - everyone plays rugby union in Canada and now sevens since it is Olympics.
Part time div 2 rugby league players getting their airfares paid to come and play a game in Toronto. Good luck The Local bar staff trying to tell them they can't turn on TFC games on tv lol
As a high school student I'm telling you rugby is a popular sport to play once you get outta the city
Checkers vs. Chess, League vs. Union, the difference between the two codes of Rugby.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
And as others have pointed out, they are not playing rugby league.
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