Travel for January 30 Canada match

[narduch]

4 hours ago, BrennanFan said:

Maybe I missed it, but is there a particular reason why you think so?  They still have concerts and other events there.  Why not soccer?

I personally think the costs are too high (and they may have left it too late to even get it ready) to convert SkyDome into soccer.

When Rogers kicked the Argos out of the SkyDome they made it a lot harder to convert the stadium to a soccer/football configuration (among things they added a permanent mound + infield).

Remember the Rollins rumour said the game would be played in a stadium named after a bank.

Now maybe TFC beats Montreal on Sunday to win the Voyageurs Cup and the plan is to also play TFC's 1st Champions League game + their MLS home opener plus the CanMNT WCQ at SkyDome and the costs could be spread over multiple events. I just don't see it happening.

 

 

[narduch]

6 minutes ago, N1ckbr0wn said:

So you’re trying to tell me that every single player on that roster went to somebody at the CSA and told them they don’t want to play in Vancouver? Get real 

He tweeted that it’s the players pushing for it to be changed. I’m sure that’s putting some words in a few peoples mouths, no?

I'm fairly certain I've hear Nef and Galindo repeat this on their podcast too.

I know it may be difficult for some on this board to take because they badly want games played in their city/region, but having a good playing surface really does matter.

Honestly its a shame they never let Kerfoot build that soccer specific stadium in Vancouver.

[Yoginess]

The pitch was really bad for breaking down opponents. Yes maybe Davies was trying to do too much but he's done that before and we all know how effortlessly he beats people. The ball kept getting stuck in his feet (same with others). Also the bounces were wildly unpredictable and you could see it clear as day on TV. 

BC Place in its current state is no where near as awful as the Edmonton turf. The old turf at BC Place was like this. (no judgement, these stadiums were setup for CFL and if the WC does go to Edmonton they will have much better conditions I'm sure)

[N1ckbr0wn]

5 minutes ago, narduch said:

I'm fairly certain I've hear Nef and Galindo repeat this on their podcast too.

I know it may be difficult for some on this board to take because they badly want games played in their city/region, but having a good playing surface really does matter.

Honestly its a shame they never let Kerfoot build that soccer specific stadium in Vancouver.

The pitch in Vancouver is MUCH different then the ones in Edmonton or the CPL markets, it’s really not even close.

Duane was the first to tweet it in terms of players not wanting to go there, Nef/Galindo followed afterwards.

[Free kick]

1 hour ago, Yoginess said:

The pitch was really bad for breaking down opponents. Yes maybe Davies was trying to do too much but he's done that before and we all know how effortlessly he beats people. The ball kept getting stuck in his feet (same with others). Also the bounces were wildly unpredictable and you could see it clear as day on TV. 

BC Place in its current state is no where near as awful as the Edmonton turf. The old turf at BC Place was like this. (no judgement, these stadiums were setup for CFL and if the WC does go to Edmonton they will have much better conditions I'm sure)

absolutely.  there is no way that pitch in BC place could be like this or they wouldnt even play MLS games there.  Personally, i am hoping that the January game is played there because i would like to make another trip like in 2016.  

[Cblake]

Would they even consider playing in the baseball setup at Rogers Centre? I hope not, that would make for some weird angles , wonder if the field would go straight out or across the infield/outfield ? 

[SoccMan]

10 hours ago, Shway said:

Place was rocking that day! 

I can't lie I would love to have that experience again. 

Yup one of the best soccer atmospheres that day  in Toronto only surpassed by TFC’’s 2017 MLS Cup final win and pretty close was that second leg at BMO Field of the 2016 MLS playoff game between Montreal and Toronto.  But yes I have no doubt if done right that atmosphere can be duplicated if somehow that Jan. 30th. game could be played at the Rogers Center.

[Ruud]

6 hours ago, Free kick said:

absolutely.  there is no way that pitch in BC place could be like this or they wouldnt even play MLS games there.  Personally, i am hoping that the January game is played there because i would like to make another trip like in 2016.  

Sacrifice pitch quality for travel time between matches?  I get it. .  

[BearcatSA]

Any confirmation this evening of the location for the January 30 match?

[Club Linesman]

Edmonton 

[Markoaleks]

Tim Horton’s field in hammer

travel no impact

pitch too

temp seats may be in place for winter classic hockey so more capacity 

[Gian-Luca]

 

[BearcatSA]

9 minutes ago, Gian-Luca said:

 

I guess I will have to cancel my hotel room in Vancouver?

[SoccMan]

If Edmonton can have a game in that kind of weather then Toronto can easily host in January, with the under ground heating for the grass they should be ok . Whatever makes it easier for the players , in the end they are the ones playing and traveling we just have to watch .

[kungfucious]

so from scrolling the 8pgs so far, VCR was the venue for the next H matches but as far as im concerned, its the CSA so im actually quite confused.  how do these 6pts change anything?  if the V's have any influence, i should be prepping for WPG, T.O., the hammer, BC Place, Icetèca 2.0, Whitehorse Senior High School,  St.John's/Saint Johns 2.0 (confused again where '85 happened)...

 

[kungfucious]

On 11/15/2021 at 1:32 PM, Free kick said:

... Personally, i am hoping that the January game is played there because i would like to make another trip like in 2016.  

... except that part about the results in 2016 right?

[Varsity Tyler]

42 minutes ago, kungfucious said:

so from scrolling the 8pgs so far, VCR was the venue for the next H matches but as far as im concerned, its the CSA so im actually quite confused.  how do these 6pts change anything?  if the V's have any influence, i should be prepping for WPG, T.O., the hammer, BC Place, Icetèca 2.0, Whitehorse Senior High School,  St.John's/Saint Johns 2.0 (confused again where '85 happened)...

 

Ironically, Whitehorse was the same temp as Edmonton today. And FH Collins Secondary got a new field turf pitch, track and bleachers this past summer ; )

[nfitz]

On 11/15/2021 at 3:17 PM, N1ckbr0wn said:

Duane was the first to tweet it in terms of players not wanting to go there, Nef/Galindo followed afterwards.

I'd think the most significant tweet that day was the one from Steven Goff, whose source was with the US team, saying that they were still waiting to find out if the game would be in Vancouver or Toronto.

I was thinking Rogers was an option for January - but after tonight, maybe they should be playing at BMO. Or maybe at Molson - I assume it's winterized.

(I still think it will be at BC Place).

 

[JamboAl]

1 hour ago, kungfucious said:

so from scrolling the 8pgs so far, VCR was the venue for the next H matches but as far as im concerned, its the CSA so im actually quite confused.  how do these 6pts change anything?  if the V's have any influence, i should be prepping for WPG, T.O., the hammer, BC Place, Icetèca 2.0, Whitehorse Senior High School,  St.John's/Saint Johns 2.0 (confused again where '85 happened)...

 

The Voyageurs have no influence, nor should we have any.  We go wherever games are played and support our national teams.

[nfitz]

28 minutes ago, JamboAl said:

The Voyageurs have no influence, nor should we have any.  We go wherever games are played and support our national teams.

Though I wonder if we should as a group push for a better distribution of other games - friendlies, Nations League, and Gold Cup matches. Is it really fair that Atlantic Canada hasn't seen a match since ... since ... gosh, has there been anything since 1985?

Ultimately I think it builds the sport. Even if it's not as good for me.

Edited November 17, 2021 by nfitz

[Ozzie_the_parrot]

3 hours ago, Gian-Luca said:

 

...that's sounding very like BMO Field.

https://www.thestar.com/sports/tfc/2019/02/26/bmo-field-has-new-grass-but-playing-in-february-still-a-groundskeeping-challenge.html

Toronto FC players and coaches like to have the grass field at BMO Field watered, so they can fizz the ball over a slick surface.

Watering the field in February in Toronto presents a problem, however.

“That’s still a conversation,” Robert Heggie, Toronto FC’s head groundskeeper, said Monday. “We’ll see. It’s up to the team as always, but if it’s minus-19 (Celsius) I’m not sure how effective that water’s going to be at making the surface slick ... Because it’s not going to remain water, it’s going to turn to ice.”

Coach Greg Vanney has already accepted that watering the field will not be possible, making for slow conditions...

[TGAA_Star]

I say for the January 30th match they should play at BC Place in Vancouver but if not then definitely Toronto but not at BMO but at Rogers Centre. Rogers Centre being a closed doom stadium. They can easily convert it into a soccer stadium and people would still go.

[Unnamed Trialist]

In Herdman's postgame he clearly says this is not about touring the team around to let fans see it. It is about doing what is best to get us to Qatar. And that he'd sit down with his staff and they'd sort it out. He also mentions the terrible travel in January. That all suggests they are leaning to Toronto. Unlikely it would be colder than Edmonton, the US would not be terribly hurt by it, but you'd avoid longer travel and a new field turf that could be a bit unproven still. 

Could the grass be in condition at BMO in January? And how would that work? Do they put lamps on it, or treat it over a week or two? Isn't that costly, even if it could be done? I appreciate that if you can swing it, if you have a decent pitch, the fans would fill the place, we'd be majority Canadian supporters, and the travel would be a few hours less and a few time zones too. Another option: Hamilton. 

If what he says is true, depending on how close we are after the next window, they may not even consider BC Place for the final home match vs. Jamaica. Now, it would help avoid that massive Jamaican support that we don't want to see, and which would be inevitable at BMO. That IS a factor in a result, but again: if we only need a few points perhaps they'd take that match to Vancouver. 

Herdman said that there'd be plenty of time to tour the team around all over the country if we qualify for Qatar. As we'll have 3 home Nations League matches in the spring and into September, that is what we should then expect. I'd love to see us in Moncton, in Ottawa, for example. BTW, I think Southgate came out saying there'd be no chance for friendlies before Qatar, or one of the European managers. I think they are in the same boat, with Nations League obliging and not allowing them to prep for Qatar with friendlies vs. rivals they want to try (ideally you play a S American team, and you play a Euro team, and preferably away to get the experience; or you play Qatar, or Saudi Arabia, Iran). I am not sure if they cut out the international window in October with Qatar just after.

[TGAA_Star]

6 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

In Herdman's postgame he clearly says this is not about touring the team around to let fans see it. It is about doing what is best to get us to Qatar. And that he'd sit down with his staff and they'd sort it out. He also mentions the terrible travel in January. That all suggests they are leaning to Toronto. Unlikely it would be colder than Edmonton, the US would not be terribly hurt by it, but you'd avoid longer travel and a new field turf that could be a bit unproven still. 

Could the grass be in condition at BMO in January? And how would that work? Do they put lamps on it, or treat it over a week or two? Isn't that costly, even if it could be done? I appreciate that if you can swing it, if you have a decent pitch, the fans would fill the place, we'd be majority Canadian supporters, and the travel would be a few hours less and a few time zones too. Another option: Hamilton. 

If what he says is true, depending on how close we are after the next window, they may not even consider BC Place for the final home match vs. Jamaica. Now, it would help avoid that massive Jamaican support that we don't want to see, and which would be inevitable at BMO. That IS a factor in a result, but again: if we only need a few points perhaps they'd take that match to Vancouver. 

Herdman said that there'd be plenty of time to tour the team around all over the country if we qualify for Qatar. As we'll have 3 home Nations League matches in the spring and into September, that is what we should then expect. I'd love to see us in Moncton, in Ottawa, for example. BTW, I think Southgate came out saying there'd be no chance for friendlies before Qatar, or one of the European managers. I think they are in the same boat, with Nations League obliging and not allowing them to prep for Qatar with friendlies vs. rivals they want to try (ideally you play a S American team, and you play a Euro team, and preferably away to get the experience; or you play Qatar, or Saudi Arabia, Iran). I am not sure if they cut out the international window in October with Qatar just after.

I wouldn't mind Hamilton (Tim Hortons Field) in January to be honest

[canuckgbp]