FC Edmonton Stadium Options

Discussion in 'FC Edmonton' started by Prosoccercdn, Aug 11, 2011.

  1. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I said "good stadiums for soccer." Having actually been to Portland pre-renovations, I can tell you it was quirky and cool, but not a situation you would call "good for soccer."

    When Kansas City was in Community America ballpark, no, that was not conducive to soccer, either.

    Never went to Puerto Rico, but it never looked good. The renovation plans look sweet, though.

    And they're working on making Al Lang better, but you can't honestly tell me it's a good situation.

    No they don't. Portland does. Kansas City built a brand new soccer-specific stadium.

    It'll still be on the wrong side of the Bay. But enjoy.

    And I didn't realize Telus was near downtown and that their baseball team wasn't going to play this year. Given how bad their other options are, if they can sod Telus and it's in a good location, this could be better for Edmonton than Foote or Clarke.
     
  2. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Baseball stadiums for MLS may be back, except for Portland, which worked out well so far.

    But for D2, a baseball field (if they fix the astro turf in the infield) will be better than Footyfield by far. Not perfect, but in D2 and below, things are not perfect.
     
  3. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What? "May be back?" What?

    Portland is no longer a baseball stadium. It's got very little of its former baseball-ness left.

    Agreed. If they get one surface consistent, it'll be no worse than a lot of other places and a hell of a lot better than where they've been playing.
     
  4. Kevin McMillan

    Oct 17, 2006
    Edmonton
    Location wise Telus Field isn't bad. It's just off downtown, down in the river valley and quite scenic. The LRT doesn't run there, but there is tons of parking and with their game times traffic wouldn't be an issue.

    Not really sure it would convert real well for soccer, with the FieldTurf infield and with the setup fans would be a fair ways from the field (though they would be nicely elevated). Wouldn't be ideal by any measure, but in the end it would probably be better than Foote Field, and with the exception of a couple ball tournaments they'd have run of the place all summer.

    Would be an interesting experiment to move there. Could even be the impetus to tear out the FieldTurf... since affiliated ball has left and won't be returning any time soon, the independent leagues don't typically start as early in the spring, making an all-grass field much more feasible for baseball.
     
  5. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    What would it cost, who would pay for it and, forgive me, but how well can a grass field grow and be maintained in Alberta?
     
  6. Kevin McMillan

    Oct 17, 2006
    Edmonton
    Not sure what it would cost, they just converted Commonwealth Stadium to FieldTurf a few years ago and it cost about 2.6M... that's a larger scale job and probably more tricky, so for Telus Field I'd guess anywhere from 500K-1M. If it was to happen I'd think the team would have to agree to a long-term lease with the city, and the two would probably be splitting the costs, and do some other upgrading to the facility (not saying this is a likelihood, just a possibility, and a small one at that).

    Before Telus Field, the AAA team played on the same site in John Ducey Park, it had grass. The big issue with the grass is spring thaw, and that's dependant on the weather. By May grass fields are usually fine, but if you have to play in April it can be a bit hit and miss if there is a late thaw... on the other hand this winter has been incredibly mild, and grass fields will probably be good-to-go by late March.... whereas most years they'd still be under snow, and even after the snow is gone it still takes a couple weeks to firm up.
     
  7. KLR650

    KLR650 Member

    Feb 21, 2008
    Halifax, NS
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Grass is just fine in Edmonton from May through October. April and November are problem months. It is usually too cold/wet/snowy to have a playable grass field.

    Telus Field got a turf infield because the AAA Trappers started their season in April. Commonwealth got turf because for late season CFL games and playoff games in November the grass was in really bad shape.
     
  8. ceezmad

    ceezmad Member+

    Mar 4, 2010
    Chicago
    Club:
    Chicago Red Stars
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    may be bad.
     
  9. DoyleG

    DoyleG Member+

    CanPL
    Canada
    Jan 11, 2002
    YEG-->YYJ-->YWG-->YYB
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Telus will be hosting baseball tournaments in August (Canadian LL CHampionships & Women's Baseball World Cup) which conflict with home games FCE has at the same time.
     
  10. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Hmmmmmmmmm. How many games?
     
  11. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    all I have to say is a converted baseball stadium is way better than Foote field or any stadium with football lines on the pitch.
     
  12. Prosoccercdn

    Prosoccercdn Member+

    Aug 6, 2011
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Seems like FC Edmonton is heading to Clarke according to Ilja Van Leerddam's blog. Apparently the contracts are signed and bleachers ordered.

    I think this is the best option for them and can be a nice setup, like the Vancouver Whitecaps Empire Field was, if done right which I think they will do.

    Telus field excited me at first as an option but is just too big at 9000 seats and the atmosphere will be much better at Clarke with its projected 5000 seats that they will probably have. Hopefully it morphs into a SSS for 2015's FIFA tournament.
     
  13. WhiteStar Warriors

    Mar 25, 2007
    St.Pete/Krakow
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Didn't Vancouver play in a 5000 capacity stadium before jump to MLS?
     
  14. Prosoccercdn

    Prosoccercdn Member+

    Aug 6, 2011
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Yeah, Swangard Stadium which had a great atmosphere considering it was either sold out or close to capacity much of the time in the 90's until 2010 before the move.
     
  15. ranul

    ranul Member

    fc edmonton
    Canada
    Aug 24, 2000
    alberta
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I liked it with the football lines. I like seeing how far the goalie kicks go.
     
  16. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As did Seattle.
     
  17. KLR650

    KLR650 Member

    Feb 21, 2008
    Halifax, NS
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I have a field turf question...

    At BC Place, Commonwealth and CenturyLink, they have green artificial turf and paint the football lines for football games, then wash the lines off and paint soccer lines.

    Clarke has the football lines are part of the turf. The white lines are actually white fake grass embedded in the turf. Can the permanent white football lines be painted green for FC Edmonton matches? Then wash off the green paint to reveal the football lines for the Huskies/Wildcats?

    I guess it is possible, but does anybody actually do this?
     
  18. kenntomasch

    kenntomasch Member+

    Sep 2, 1999
    Out West
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Very few people I know of have ever been able to successfully pull off the "obscure the lines with paint" trick.

    I think the Chicago Fire tried in their first couple of games at what was then Cardinal Stadium in Naperville back in 2002, but found it to be problematic.

    I figure it could be done. How cost-effectively, I don't know. How well it would work, I don't know.
     
  19. MLSinSTL

    MLSinSTL Member+

    Columbus Crew
    United States
    Mar 20, 2009
    Ohio - near a city
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So, it's 19 days until the season kicks off & 34 until the first home game for the Eddies.

    Where are they playing the home games - any idea of the official announcment for Clarke?
     
  20. Prosoccercdn

    Prosoccercdn Member+

    Aug 6, 2011
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    I think the announcement will be this week. Someone who went in to the FC Edmonton office to pick up there season tickets on Thursday said the guy in the office said they will definately be playing at Clarke Stadium.

    I can hardly wait to hear the announcement and the specifics of the stadium setup!
     
  21. Prosoccercdn

    Prosoccercdn Member+

    Aug 6, 2011
    Club:
    FC Edmonton
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
  22. MLSinSTL

    MLSinSTL Member+

    Columbus Crew
    United States
    Mar 20, 2009
    Ohio - near a city
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I really hope the stadium change will help improve the attendance for the team!

    Also, glad they are finally ready to announce it. They were making me nervous!
     
  23. kodiakTFC

    kodiakTFC Member

    Jul 6, 2009
    Club:
    Liverpool FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    Its Clarke stadium with some additional seating and it will have football lines. looking forward to seeing the kits though.
     
  24. MrVillan

    MrVillan Member

    Dec 10, 2010
    Club:
    Aston Villa FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Canada
    There's a cell phone pic of a couple players in the new kits doing promotional shots on the ESG boards.

    They're Black/Black/Black with a bit of Blue trim.
     
  25. carnifex2005

    carnifex2005 Member+

    Jul 1, 2008
    Club:
    Vancouver Whitecaps
    Thank god. Montreal and Vancouver already did blue so a third blue team in Canada seemed rather silly. Hopefully the full black will be FCE's default kit now.
     

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