Edmonton vs Montreal U-20 Attendance

[camilos]

ok, this has been bothering me for a while now. Anyone know why the semi-final match is being played in Edmonton instead of Montreal?

Why not give that game to Canada's 2nd biggest city?

Montreal fans are doing their best to fill out the hideous Big Owe, and seeing all those empty seats today at the Austria vs Congo game really got to me. Sure, its not a high caliber match like Brasil VS Argentina, but you'd figure Edmonton fans would do their best to show up for a tournament such as this.

Am I missing something?

[Blizzard]

ok, this has been bothering me for a while now. Anyone know why the semi-final match is being played in Edmonton instead of Montreal?

Why not give that game to Canada's 2nd biggest city?

Montreal fans are doing their best to fill out the hideous Big Owe, and seeing all those empty seats today at the Austria vs Congo game really got to me. Sure, its not a high caliber match like Brasil VS Argentina, but you'd figure Edmonton fans would do their best to show up for a tournament such as this.

Am I missing something?

Honestly, it's probably an east-west thing.

B

[Wangy]

I thought that one of the semi final should have been held in Montreal instead of Toronto, since Toronto is hosting the final anyways.

[Gordon]

Austria -Congo was a single game, neither are countries with large immigrant populations in Canada and neither is a particularly sexy team. Would Montreal have drawn any better for this game under theses circumstances? 19,000+ struck me as a pretty good turnout. I'd judge more based on Thursday and Sunday's games.

[lerxst]

I'm just curious as to why that failure of a city Edmonton was given two group matches for Canada? Why not Victoria or Montreal? Unbelievably generous to a real undeserving lot.

[bytown]

I'm just curious as to why that failure of a city Edmonton was given two group matches for Canada? Why not Victoria or Montreal? Unbelievably generous to a real undeserving lot.

There have been some who have said ottawa should have got atleast one of canada's games.

[camilos]

I'm just curious as to why that failure of a city Edmonton was given two group matches for Canada? Why not Victoria or Montreal? Unbelievably generous to a real undeserving lot.

Exactly. I don't want to put down any Canadian cities. After all, we're all Canadian and should support our cities.

BUT Montreal deserves 2 round of 16 matches instead of Edmonton. And WE deserve a semi-final match instead of Edmonton. I'm not sure who made the decision to give Edmonton more matches than Montreal. But it was a wrong decision. I think even Victoria would have been a better choice.

If Montreal would have received the semi-final and the extra round of 16 match. It would have been a sell out like the inaugural match.

[simon99]

Exactly. I don't want to put down any Canadian cities. After all, we're all Canadian and should support our cities.

BUT Montreal deserves 2 round of 16 matches instead of Edmonton. And WE deserve a semi-final match instead of Edmonton. I'm not sure who made the decision to give Edmonton more matches than Montreal. But it was a wrong decision. I think even Victoria would have been a better choice.

If Montreal would have received the semi-final and the extra round of 16 match. It would have been a sell out like the inaugural match.

The problem is that initally the MTL games were supposed to be played in the new Saputo stadium (13 000 or 17 000 seats) and the choice for the Big O was made late by the MTL OC.

Also, Edmonton did get those games because of the excellent crowds they had in 2002 for the U-19 women's WC.

I don't have a problem with Edmonton getting those games but I'm fearing a 20 000-30 000 crowd for the semi. Hope I'm wrong.

[metroflip73]

Stade Olympique was PACKED for the 2 1st rd games I saw. Good job by all the MTL residents, and all the fans of the teams that took part.

Ottawa should have had a Canada game there. Great venue, real great venue, even with out stands behind the goals. Fun, rocking time for both ARG-NRK and USA-BRA.

[keane10]

I think they're going off past experiences, mainly the women's u-19 world cup in 2002. It's kind of difficult to predict how things are going to turn out over a year in advance when everything is being scheduled.

I think they made a grave mistake in scattering the seats like they did. They should sell out the lower bowl first then start on the upper one. It makes the stadium look a lot more empty than it really is.

Also, they were such idiots when they scheduled the times for the games. 5:45 on a weekday?? I work until 5:30, by the time I get there the game is already half over.

[camilos]

Also, they were such idiots when they scheduled the times for the games. 5:45 on a weekday?? I work until 5:30, by the time I get there the game is already half over.

But it was the same issue here in Montreal. We all had to leave work early to make it to the games.

I'm glad you're one of fans that was at the game, I don't mean to sound annoyed with the fans that came out. I'm just angry with the ones that DIDN'T come out.

[Daniel from Montréal]

Edmonton got it on account of its 2002 performance while Montreal has had an essentially blank dossier hosting international competition in the past 30 years, plus the stadium issue (last-minute choice).

If we're talking after the fact, then Ottawa should have received the other semi.

[Rivaldinho]

Your opening post revealed the answer:

Commonwealth Stadium

vs.
the hideous Big Owe

[camilos]

Your opening post revealed the answer:

Commonwealth Stadium

vs.

So you think they picked Edmonton because of the stadium? So screw the fact that Montreal has 2 million more people than Edmonton, and forget the fact that we have a much larger and diverse immigrant population. What matters is the quality of the stadium?

That doesn't make much sense.

[Blizzard]

So you think they picked Edmonton because of the stadium? So screw the fact that Montreal has 2 million more people than Edmonton, and forget the fact that we have a much larger and diverse immigrant population. What matters is the quality of the stadium?

That doesn't make much sense.

Guys, IMO, I firmly believe that it was a matter of giving western Canada one of the semi-finals.

It was a decision make long before the tournament began and you really don't want to mess with locations/scheduling if you can avoid it. Sure, the Portugal game was bumped out of Toronto because of the Steelback Grand Prix of Toronto but there was no choice!

Montreal has been amazing and Edmonton has been disappointing but you can't just go and change the location in the middle of the tournament.

B

[truwarier90]

im surprised you aint closing this forum down, enough of the politically correct nonsense, and lets keep the real talk baby, if you cant handle the heat then dont come in the kitchen.

Moderator's Note: "truwarier90" has had his account permanently suspended due to "sock puppet" activities. He was previously known as "iceman309" and "soccerbeast".

[aerez]

It should have been Burnaby, Montreal/Ottawa, Toronto for all the Canadian games. Edmontonians not only shamed themselves, but embarrassed this country for poorly attenting Canadian matches. Tough words, so what.

Edmonton should have just been given group stage smaller countries.

When the UAE hosted back a few years ago, I overheard the attendance being 15,000 in of the games. Small crowds would have satisfied in Edmonton in that large stadium.

[Blizzard]

im surprised you aint closing this forum down, enough of the politically correct nonsense, and lets keep the real talk baby, if you cant handle the heat then dont come in the kitchen.

Bigotry is not acceptable content! Leave that type of thing at home!

B

[nutbar]

It should have been Burnaby, Montreal/Ottawa, Toronto for all the Canadian games. Edmontonians not only shamed themselves, but embarrassed this country for poorly attenting Canadian matches. Tough words, so what.



Sadly, it's nothing new for Edmonton. Remember the world track and field championships there in 2001? Or the Canada-Honduras WC qualifier in 2004...

[Looogie]

Looks like 200 people showed up for Gambia/Austria heh