Northern Super League to launch in April 2025

[Big_M]

pretty much confirms its york lions stadium

 

[narduch]

I'm probably in the minority but if you put stands all around it and improve the amenities it actually isn't a bad stadium.

[red card]

9 hours ago, Kent said:

Maybe a long shot, but could this be a stadium possibility for AFC Toronto's announcement tomorrow?

https://www.thestar.com/sports/amateur/fletchers-fields-the-heart-of-ontario-rugby-for-58-years-is-closing-heres-why-it/article_9afe981a-5fe0-11ef-a307-631bff995145.html

I had never heard of this place, but another article mentioned the fields include a 3000 seat stadium (that hasn't been renovated in a long time). Does anybody know about this place? Would it be simple enough to expand the stadium to suit what AFC Toronto would be targeting for attendance?

It was the home of Canada Rugby internationals pre BMO Field, Starlight and Wanderers Ground.

Pitch would need work. Facilities for players would need to be upgraded for 21st century. Camera angles were worse than the pre-Hydro Pole Starlight. Stands are only on 1 side. A bit too far out, not easy to get to and nothing around for pre/post match activities means you have already eliminated a chunk of the fan base. 

Edited August 27 by red card

[Kent]

6 hours ago, narduch said:

I'm probably in the minority but if you put stands all around it and improve the amenities it actually isn't a bad stadium.

I just spent an hour getting home from BMO Field on TTC and I live pretty central. It probably would have been faster to get home from York Lions stadium tonight (even if the stadium somehow had however many people showed up at BMO field tonight, if it was big enough). But yeah, pregaming is an issue. Last time I went to a game I went to like the only bar near the stadium, they were out of all their beer except for 2 taps, and by the time I ordered my second beer they were down to 1 tap. Half the menu wasn't available either.

[Mihairokov]

16 hours ago, narduch said:

I'm probably in the minority but if you put stands all around it and improve the amenities it actually isn't a bad stadium.

If you built an entire community around it it would be a good stadium is a rough argument to make, especially for a stadium on a university campus.

Best of luck to the women's side but after their opening few matches i'm not convinced things will be all that different than when York play there. All the best to them. The question is whether this is short-term or medium-term, since as I posted before Lamport needs a lot of work.

 

10 hours ago, Kent said:

I just spent an hour getting home from BMO Field on TTC and I live pretty central.

This will hopefully be alleviated in the future when Ontario Line is completed and Exhibition Station is expanded.

Edited August 28 by Mihairokov

[narduch]

1 minute ago, Mihairokov said:

If you built an entire community around it it would be a good stadium is a rough argument to make, especially for a stadium on a university campus.

 

This will hopefully be alleviated in the future when Ontario Line is completed and Exhibition Station is expanded.

When I say amenities I mean actually inside the stadium. Ie. More concession stands and washrooms.

I wasn't talking about the greater community. 

Kent's point about nowhere to do pre game is valid. I didn't consider that because I don't really do that anymore 

[Mihairokov]

5 minutes ago, narduch said:

When I say amenities I mean actually inside the stadium. Ie. More concession stands and washrooms.

Current ownership has been trying their best with the pop-up and food truck vendors at the matches. I can only assume getting the university to properly build anything new would be akin to pulling teeth, not that the team has the demand to require it anyway.

6 minutes ago, narduch said:

Kent's point about nowhere to do pre game is valid. I didn't consider that because I don't really do that anymore 

Yes, there's a big difference between a suburban stadium with nothing to do and an urban stadium built into a community. It's why this league needs to be focusing on urban stadiums and ingraining themselves into a community so that people don't need to subway 45 minutes away and can walk to the stadium from a nearby bar. Difficult to think of places that do this better than Ottawa and Hamilton, and it's a big reason why their crowds are the way they are and why York and Winnipeg are the way they are.

[shermanator]

After watching York United struggle at YLS for years I don't know why AFC Toronto would play there as well. Maybe there's really good rent....

[RS]

Rumour has it that Lamport is still in play for future seasons, but it needs upgrades.

The stadium is decrepit but the location and sightlines made for a great atmosphere for the Toronto Wolfpack a few years back.

[Kent]

4 hours ago, shermanator said:

After watching York United struggle at YLS for years I don't know why AFC Toronto would play there as well. Maybe there's really good rent....

It remains to be seen how AFC Toronto does there, but I think there is a possibility of AFC Toronto doing better than York United. The 2 things it has going for it that York doesn't are,

1. CBC+TSN coverage. That might help get the word out better, depending on how much coverage the team/league actually gets.
2. It's a women's team, which is a differentiator from TFC. For the people that want to support women's sports in the summer, this is the team. I think York United is basically viewed as a cheaper version of TFC.

[Kent]

So it's official. Only a tweet to announce it, no accompanying article with information about if this is considered a permanent home or a temporary spot while they work on something else.

 

[narduch]

Is Sinclair signing?

 

 

[Unnamed Trialist]

1 hour ago, narduch said:

Is Sinclair signing?

 

 

Could just be the Burnaby angle if they're playing at Swangard.

[SthMelbRed]

I saw an interview with her earlier this week where she all but admitted that she's coming home in 2025 after finishing up in Portland this season.

[Big_M]

she has to play...she still has it+can be one of the first ever signings of the league+league needs every little boost it can get 

[Kent]

When she retired from the national team but stayed on at Portland, I thought there was a decent chance it was to stay in shape for playing in the Project 8 league. It makes a lot of sense. She could really bring a lot of attention to the league, even if she isn't the same player she once was.

[narduch]

Announcement today.

 

 

[shermanator]

 

 

[Mihairokov]

I was going to say that McMahon really looks like a hodge podge in that screencap before realizing that saying is a strictly Maritime thing. Anyway, it looks like a scrambled mess of a stand. Best of luck to NSL there.