Stadiums and Arenas of Canada

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by esquire

The home opener sold out and this Sunday's game vs. Saskatchewan is already sold out.

This article makes it sound like the stadium's design is the reason people are staying away... that couldn't be any further from the truth and is really just some wishful Hamilton thinking. In reality, the team's 1-8 record is the reason there haven't been more sellouts. If the Bombers were even a .500 team, most, if not all the games would have been sold out.

And even the non-sellouts are well above Hamilton's planned capacity.

[blueandgoldguy]

Drew Edwards trying to spin a Texas high school stadium as superior to Investors Group Field in everyway. Haha! I kid I kid Hamiltonians....kinda.

[Nathan]

Also, I posted it in the CFL 2013 thread, but I think it fits here too... The Labour Day Classic was the first game this year where all of the expanded Grey Cup capacity was available for use (and it was completely used):

scroll>>>

Capacity = 44, 910

This will be the capacity for the rest of the year. The Riders are currently at an average game attendance of 39,554 (the last two were sellouts at 40,637 and 44,910) and have a chance of cracking 40k, which would be sweeeeet.

For those that don't know, the Grey Cup expansion capacity is the second tiers of the endzones. Next year, those come off and capacity goes back to 33, 427 (until 2017, when the new stadium should be ready).

[trebor204]

I heard that there are no more temporary seats left in Regina and they can't increase capacity to 55k during the last Grey Cup.

[GORDBO]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

HD is blackout free. I don't know about other teams, but the Lions blacked out 5 SD games this year.

Bombers [TSN] havn't blacked out a game here in the Peg for some years now.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by trebor204

I heard that there are no more temporary seats left in Regina and they can't increase capacity to 55k during the last Grey Cup.

They didn't bother trying. They are saying the demand wouldn't be/isn't there (which is of course bullshit). I think we are seeing a bit of the Montreal theory at play though, i.e. artificially limiting capacity in the hopes that a shortage makes demand/perception bigger (which I still think has a limited return and backfires in the end).

They also put in corporate boxes, which you can see ringing the stadium between the first and second decks. This has limited how much they could add in terms of expansion seating. There was a blocked off a street in '95 as well, something they didn't want to do this year.

A photo from '95 off of the city of Regina Website (55k capacity):

Location of Photo

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by esquire

The home opener sold out and this Sunday's game vs. Saskatchewan is already sold out.

This article makes it sound like the stadium's design is the reason people are staying away... that couldn't be any further from the truth and is really just some wishful Hamilton thinking. In reality, the team's 1-8 record is the reason there haven't been more sellouts. If the Bombers were even a .500 team, most, if not all the games would have been sold out.

Agree. Not to rehash pages and pages of criticism of Tim Hortons Field, but comparing it to IGF is a stretch. IGF looks like a big league stadium and a template for what pro football stadia should look like nationally. I have confidence that the Bombers will sell out consistently over the next 10 years. I wouldn't even be surprised to see this stadium re-configured at 40,000 permanently at one point.

Bombers Home Attendance
Game 1: 33,500 (SOLD OUT)
Game 2: 31,257
Game 3: 31,567
Game 4: 32,409
Game 5: 33,500 (SOLD OUT)

[Dalreg]

Originally Posted by Nathan

They didn't bother trying. They are saying the demand wouldn't be/isn't there (which is of course bullshit). I think we are seeing a bit of the Montreal theory at play though, i.e. artificially limiting capacity in the hopes that a shortage makes demand/perception bigger (which I still think has a limited return and backfires in the end).

They also put in corporate boxes, which you can see ringing the stadium between the first and second decks. This has limited how much they could add in terms of expansion seating. There was a blocked off a street in '95 as well, something they didn't want to do this year.

A photo from '95 off of the city of Regina Website (55k capacity):

Location of Photo

I sat in those temporary endzone stands and dam was it a scary walk up to the top! Scarier coming down after a few beer

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Nathan

They didn't bother trying. They are saying the demand wouldn't be/isn't there (which is of course bullshit). I think we are seeing a bit of the Montreal theory at play though, i.e. artificially limiting capacity in the hopes that a shortage makes demand/perception bigger (which I still think has a limited return and backfires in the end).

I think the reduced capacity is simply a matter of dollars and cents... the endzone skybox seats sell for $500 a pop (!), so it probably makes the club far more money to put those in as opposed to adding more costly endzone bleachers to be sold for $150-$240 a seat. It's about maximizing profit as compared to maximizing attendance.

That said, the massive wall of fans in the south endzone at Taylor Field swaying in the breeze was a sight for the ages!

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by Dalreg

I sat in those temporary endzone stands and dam was it a scary walk up to the top! Scarier coming down after a few beer

Yea, I was sitting there too. I could not believe how friggin cold it was up there with no protection from the howling wind!

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by Nathan

Also, I posted it in the CFL 2013 thread, but I think it fits here too... The Labour Day Classic was the first game this year where all of the expanded Grey Cup capacity was available for use (and it was completely used):

scroll>>>

Capacity = 44, 910

This will be the capacity for the rest of the year. The Riders are currently at an average game attendance of 39,554 (the last two were sellouts at 40,637 and 44,910) and have a chance of cracking 40k, which would be sweeeeet.

For those that don't know, the Grey Cup expansion capacity is the second tiers of the endzones. Next year, those come off and capacity goes back to 33, 427 (until 2017, when the new stadium should be ready).

Riders have pretty much wrapped up the title as the CFL team with highest home attendance for 2013. They should average well over 37,000 for their remaining 4 or 5 games and I wouldn't be surprised if they get a couple crowds over 40,000 (including a probable home playoff game). Edmonton will probably finish a distant second (low 30s).

[isaidso]

Note that average attendance is over 30,000 for all teams in the prairie provinces. The list below does not include the Argonauts home game currently in progress. I'm watching it right now and the crowd looks to be below 20,000.

Average Attendance by City so far this season

1. Regina 39,554
2. Edmonton 35,013 (1 - 8 and still great support)
3. Winnipeg 32,183 (1 - 8 and still great support)
4. Calgary 30,464

5. Vancouver 27,700
6. Montreal 22,574
7. Toronto 21,788 (1st place and Grey Cup champs?)
8. Hamilton 12,959 (playing in Guelph this year)

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think the reduced capacity is simply a matter of dollars and cents... the endzone skybox seats sell for $500 a pop (!), so it probably makes the club far more money to put those in as opposed to adding more costly endzone bleachers to be sold for $150-$240 a seat. It's about maximizing profit as compared to maximizing attendance.

That said, the massive wall of fans in the south endzone at Taylor Field swaying in the breeze was a sight for the ages!

Even if they wanted to I don't think there would be enough room to expand to 55,000 seats at Mosaic. As mentioned by another poster those new suites take up quite a bit of space and the new giant screen in the corner of the stadium takes up a lot of room as well. Wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't expand past 49,000 - 50,000 is they wanted to.

And as you suggest, it's a matter of dollars and cents. Added an extra 10 rows of seats 50 feet up in the air will require a lot more steel or aluminum to support it than the first ten rows at ground level..ultimately means higher rental costs and labour costs - those ten rows 50 feet high will require considerably more structural support underneath and subsequently, higher labour costs per seat.

I attended the Grey Cup in Winnipeg in 2006 and witnessed the construction of the temporary endzone seats during the latter half of the season. It was massive! About 70 rows and 60 - 70 feet high. There were 14-15000 seats, all selling for $130 a pop. However, the rental and labour costs to build those temporary stands were rumoured to be in the neighbourhood of $1.5 million so the additional revenue gained from those seats was minimal.

While Regina's temporary seats are more expensive (approx. $200) rental and labour costs have also increased so I wouldn't be suprised if those additional seats they brought in for the Grey Cup (11,000 - 12,000) are bringing little additional profit. Add another 10 rows to each endzone and I bet the profit would be even smaller.

The big thinkers in Regina know what they're doing. They picked an optimal number of seats. Might even argue they should have constructed a few thousand less seats.

[isaidso]

Sorry, but squabbling over the cost of structural steel for a bleacher 50 feet high is pocket change .... even for the CFL. It's the national championship game; you build what's needed. You don't nickel and dime on something like that unless you want to be perceived as some 2nd rate organization on the brink.

[kev_427]

Originally Posted by isaidso

1. Regina 39,554
2. Edmonton 35,013 (1 - 8 and still great support)
3. Winnipeg 32,183 (1 - 8 and still great support)
4. Calgary 30,464

5. Vancouver 27,700
6. Montreal 22,574
7. Toronto 21,788 (1st place and Grey Cup champs?)
8. Hamilton 12,959 (playing in Guelph this year)

So basically ranked by population but in reverse.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Note that average attendance is over 30,000 for all teams in the prairie provinces. The list below does not include the Argonauts home game currently in progress. I'm watching it right now and the crowd looks to be below 20,000.

Average Attendance by City so far this season

1. Regina 39,554
2. Edmonton 35,013 (1 - 8 and still great support)
3. Winnipeg 32,183 (1 - 8 and still great support)
4. Calgary 30,464

5. Vancouver 27,700
6. Montreal 22,574
7. Toronto 21,788 (1st place and Grey Cup champs?)
8. Hamilton 12,959 (playing in Guelph this year)

So basically in locations with a lot of options to spend their entertainment dollar, people are choosing to spend it elsewhere instead of on CFL games. Sounds right.

If I lived in Regina, even I would probably attend a few games.

2 more days until NFL Week 1!
Are you ready for some footbaaaaaaall ?!!!

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by Berklon

So basically in locations with a lot of options to spend their entertainment dollar, people are choosing to spend it elsewhere instead of on CFL games. Sounds right.

If I lived in Regina, even I would probably attend a few games.

2 more days until NFL Week 1!
Are you ready for some footbaaaaaaall ?!!!

So on a per capita basis you have 20% of Regina at the game... are 1.2 million Torontonians taking in other entertainment options at that time? What options does Toronto have that Regina doesn't that would hold 1.2 million people? How many times per year do Torontonians go to the CN Tower exactly? It's a bullshit excuse. Yes, Toronto has more options for entertainment, but it also has nearly 30 times the population.

And yes, if you lived in Regina, you would probably go to a few games... Because it is one of the major topics of conversation, maybe even more than the Leafs are in Toronto. It's one of the social conventions, not for a lack of other things to do, but because it is deemed important.

As for the rest of your comment.. you mean ameeeerrriiican football.

[P Unit]

Toronto has 81 Major League Baseball games every spring and summer, with a huge number of tickets going for under 20 dollars. I think that plays a huge role in attracting the casual sports fan away from the CFL.

[Steveston]

Ironic, then, that the city with the highest attendance figures in the league will be hosting the Grey Cup with the lowest attendance since 2006.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by P Unit

Toronto has 81 Major League Baseball games every spring and summer, with a huge number of tickets going for under 20 dollars. I think that plays a huge role in attracting the casual sports fan away from the CFL.

Yup, and somehow Denver, with half the population can overall support 5 professional teams a fair bit better than Toronto can theirs.

Yes, I'm sure it does take away some of the casual sports fans but it's still a poor excuse.