That would be great for soccer in Canada and the CSA should be getting themselves involved in helping to bring these NASL sides to Canada. I think the NASL would not have any problem with a Canadian division provided that they could get to at least 5-6 clubs. Right now Ottawa is in with a stadium and Hamilton also has the stadium to make it work. EDM has been hanging on but there are no more teams that are closer and in Canada. Minn, Indy, and Ottawa Other cities that have stadiums but may not be the best for an NASL team and can come with some political problems. Calgary has McMahon but with permanent football lines and a huge 30Kplus seating. Possible owner though would be the Flames LP Quebec City. Tleus stadium on University of Laval also with football lines but better size capacity but will need to jump through some political sports hoops to get the stadium. Winnipeg is another city with a new stadium but no signs of much soccer interest on the NASL level yet. Doing a little reserach Winnipeg does have a PSL side and plays at the Winnipeg Soccer complex with 2 K capacity expandable to 10K. So a PDL club moving to the MLS at that location could be a better situation. Anyway I can see the realistic potential of 6 total cities-metros Ottawa, Edmonton and the four I mentioned but some real organization would need to be done The current NASL two season format etc. should eventually be changed and see the possibility of four divisons one being a Canadian divison play a semi final round with each of the first place teams the winners go onto the soccer bowl. Having one Canadian team in the semis each year earned from a divison of Canadian teams will maximize the interest in Canada each season JMO of course
I'm using this from StatsCan: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/tables-tableaux/sum-som/l01/cst01/demo05a-eng.htm A Canadian division in the NASL won't work (at least not an 8 -10 team division). USSF rules require US-based D2 leagues to have no more than 25% non-American teams. Eight Canadian teams would therefore require a 32 team NASL which seems unlikely.
I guess we were using the same source but different pages and getting different results: http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-r...ype=Begins&SearchPR=35&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=1 lol
I was unaware of that rule but having 20 NASL franchises with 5 in Canada is very realistic situation and appears to be where they just could be headed. Hamilton almost seems to be something that will happen once the CFL team is comfrtably in and after the 2015 WWC. Calgary seems like a perfect fit but an ownership group may depend on the Flames LP taking on the side. 5th would be Quebec City but telus stade on Laval Campus only facility and is a perfect size but will they allow this? Would the Laval Corp and Tanguay and the Remparts be interested in a pro NASL franchise. They could with the possibility of having an academy program that would have the same basis as the Rouge et Or Mission as a top academy for French Quebec Young athletes who they can funnel U 18 and U21 academy teams funneling Cegep players into Laval as well as a PDL side of a 23U program with the NASL program as a place where young players from the acadey can turn pro, still attend classes and tie them into the Rouge et or and QMJHL. Also for players who may have sought pro elswhere and could have a place to come back to and help get them to the next leavel
Tim Hortons Field Construction Update - January 17 Ticats TV checks in on the construction of Tim Hortons Field
On the surface this may not seem soccer related but Hamilton just got a new employer in town as Bimbo has purchased Canada Breads from Maple Leaf Foods. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamil...bo-buys-canada-bread-hamilton-plant-1.2533733 If I were thinking of starting a pro soccer team in town I would take this as very good news...Bimbo have a history of putting their names on the shirts of soccer teams and may be a bit eager to show their community support/spirit early in their days as being the new foreigners in town.
That would be very good news. A hamilton Tiger cat prtner team already has a big local sponor in Tim Hortons adding a second majr for soccer like Bimbo fairs very well for an NASL club in Hamilton.
Tks to SteelTown at skyscraperpage for headsup Ticats open Tim Hortons Field on July 26 Drew Edwards thespec.com February 12/2014 The Ticats will open Tim Hortons Field on July 26, the Spectator has learned. The Labour Day Classic will return after one-year absence. The game, which traditionally pits the Ticats against the archrival Argonauts, is a focal point of the season for many Ticat fans. With the team playing their home games in Guelph during 2013 and Argos limited by the availability of Rogers Centre, there was no Classic last season. This year's game will be played on Sept. 1.
Tim Hortons Field Construction Update - February 26 Site Supervisor Garreth Barkey updates the construction progress and shows off the player warm-up tunnel and individual suite section.
The stadium now has a tenant http://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/ticats-reach-20-year-lease-at-tim-hortons-field/
That puts Hamilton one step closer to having an NASL team playing at the stadium. If I have followed this correctly long time TiCats partner Tim Hortons will be paying that fee in return for the naming rights to the new stadium. I am not sure if that is for the duration of the entire 20 years though Also I think that includes an option for TiCats Owner to also place an NASL club at the venue for X amount of dollars as well. I cant remeber what the numbers for the use of a soccer team but it was not as much as for the CFL club. I think it was in the range of about half of what the CFL club pays and Tim Horton's may also be involved with that option as well. Tiger Cats have also added Buffalo Wild Wings as one of their sponsors/partners. Also mentioned in this thread somewhere is where big soccer sponsor Bimbo Bread has bought out the Bread company that serves the Hamilton and Golden Horseshoe region.
Councillors not happy with proposed Ticat stadium deal Lease must be signed by first home game in July Samantha Craggs, CBC News Feb 19, 2014 ... The two parties have until the first home game in July to sign an agreement to use the stadium. The Ticats are the primary lease holders and hold the naming rights, which they sold to Tim Horton’s last year. Here are some highlights of the proposed agreement: The agreement gives the Tiger-Cats exclusive rights to field a professional soccer team at the stadium. The club has until May 31, 2015 to get sanctioned from the Canadian Soccer Association. They can extend the exclusive rights to Sept. 30, 2015 for a fee of $150,000. CFL games are fourth on the priority list for usage of the new $145-million stadium. The first priority is the Pan Am Games, followed by major international events, followed by “priority city owner events.” The city will get half of the net revenue from food and drinks sold at the concession stand during city events, and the Ticats get all of the food and drink revenue at Ticats games. The press box will be called the Ivor Wynne Press Centre. The Ticats have purchased the naming rights of the stadium. The city will receive $750,000 per year of those proceeds. The city can also turn down any name it considers to be “morally objectionable.” The city will get half of any official off-site parking revenue generated during home games. This includes possible parking revenue from the Tiger-Cats using the public school board’s new parking lot at the Scott Park site.
Not trying to be difficult but it really feels like you are posting the same pic every few weeks #progressisslow
Perhaps your prescription needs to be checked. Progress is definitely not slow. They placed the majority of the concrete seating slabs in the upper west deck in less than two weeks. Perhaps you've been confused by my editing my posts. Instead of having an updated photo every few days, I replaced the older photo with a newer one. Tim Hortons Field Hamilton February 24/2014 Tim Hortons Field Hamilton March 7/2014
Maybe it is just me but that does not seem a lot of progress in that 3 1/2 months between those two pics. I would also strongly doubt that the upper deck is concrete. As nice as it is, THF is, like BMO Field, a "mechano set" stadium....those metal struts an girders will be covered with aluminum decking not concrete.
Have no idea what you are talking about. Those are pre-cast cement seating slabs that have been placed over steel, installed one at a time. That's not metal those cranes are lifting. I've changed the photos above and you can see (or not) what has been done in roughly two weeks to the upper deck. People also seem to forget there is also activity going on inside. One of the last pre-cast cement seating slabs to go on the east grandstand (mostly complete) (February 4/2014) Doesn't look like metal to me.
you are closer to this than me....very surprised that a mechano stadium is using concrete on its upper deck...very surprising. Well that does look like progress....I guess it was just the 3 months prior that was a bit slow. Sure, but what we see is what we can comment on
Tks to Waldorfian at ticats.ca Big red crane lifting precast slabs. workers adding safety rails all over both sides. lots of stuff going on underneath that you can hear but not see due to the tarps everywhere. Taken from Cannon as they lift a precast slab. Looks like they attached chains and winches to slab once close to position then slide the slabs back under the pressbox and into place. They have a huge cherrypicker rig on the Melrose side as well.
Tim Hortons Field Construction Update - March 28/2014 Site Supervisor Garreth Barkey provides another update on construction progress at Tim Hortons Field
New stadium will be ready for Ticats home opener: builder Drew Edwards The Scratching Post April 29/2014 The new Hamilton stadium will be ready in time for the Ticats home owner, the builder announced on Tuesday Garreth Barkey, site supervisor for Ontario Sports Solutions, the consortium building the $145-million stadium, said he expects to have the facility prepared for the July 26 game versus the Ottawa Redblacks. "I'm confident that we're going to make the date," Barkey said. The stadium is about three weeks behind schedule, Barkey said, and while it was originally slated to be delivered by June 30, Barkey acknowledged they won't hit that target. Instead, they are aiming for "substantial completion" in late July with the finishing touches added over the ensuing two to eight weeks. "Substantial completion means you're watching a game in the stadium," Barkey said "There could some areas that need a final coat of paint, some of the exterior landscaping may not be planted but as a fan, you'll come and see the Ticats and enjoy a good fan experience." Ticat team president Glenn Gibson said he doesn't think fans will mind if the stadium is still in need of a little spit and polish. "I think 80 per cent of fan enjoyment comes from seeing our team win - that's a strong pull towards customer satisfaction," Gibson said. "I think the other 20 per cent is amenities, food and beverage and things like that. "I think fans are just going to be so happy to be in a stadium, they'll be forgiving on the little things."