B.C.FAN wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2017 9:26 pm
Coast Mountain Lion wrote: ↑Mon Jun 19, 2017 9:04 pm
With all due respect to northeastern and "south of the Fraser" residents, hands up anyone who seriously believes that attendance would increase if they moved to a stadium in, say, Coquitlam, Surrey, North Delta, or even Richmond? Maybe south or central Burnaby or New West, but where would they build a stadium there?
I fully support downtown stadium locations in Vancouver and North American cities in general, as much as it frustrates me to get downtown from the Valley on a weeknight. As other have said, the club needs to do a better job of attracting people who live in the city of Vancouver, especially millennials and young families, if there are any any young families left in the city.
I couldn't help but notice how thousands, if not tens of thousands, of Canadian millennials went to Seattle a couple of weeks ago to cheer for the Blue Jays against the Mariners. The Blue Jays seem to be hot with young adults in Vancouver, as in Toronto. The Seahawks seem to have a passionate following locally in the same demographic, even though most surveys say the CFL/Lions fan base is bigger in the Vancouver area. The CFL's social marketing efforts have improved greatly in recent years and the Lions' team videos are among the best in the league. I don't know what else it would take to make a breakthrough with the under-40 crowd.
2 parts to this post.
1. I think there is a world of difference between a one off game or two between the Blue Jays and the Mariners and trying to get a repetitive attending crowd repleat with young new attendees you hope to be fans of the future. You also have people making a weekend of it (ROAD TRIP!) so they can do a little duty free shopping and of course fill up with cheap gas on the way home. Those are things that the Lions can't offer.
2. I can't say for certainty whether or not a stadium in more outlying regions would help their cause but there is a certain reality to the nature of population growth in this city. It is moving outwards despite the efforts to revitalize the city core by putting in residences. There are basicaly two types of peoples living in the core. The very wealthy and the very young. Culturally, football has always been a bit of 'lunch box', 'average guy and family' kind of game in this country. Those that live in the core don't easily fit into that perspecitve.
Where would you play? Well, I can think of a couple of places. The Scott road area would be a good possibility. Good Skytrain connection, new highway bringing people from Delta or South Surrey. Good connections from the Freeway so Langley and Maple Ridge are in the mix too. You also are not too far from New West, Burnaby and the Tri Cities. NorthShore fans would suffer admittedly as that becomes a bit of jaunt. It isn't even all that far from the Abbotsford Airport so visiting teams could come via that route and it is close to the Lions practise facility. It would sure be a face lift to that area.
The other of course is back at the PNE. I think that one is probably less ideal in someways but a Stadium could become the anchor to a revitalized fair grounds. Something that was desired as far back as the early 80's when the decision to put BC Place downtown essentially killed for 30 years any major improvements to the PNE site. It has the benefit of good access to the freeway and the Northshore but it does lack for a robust business community around the stadium and access to Skytrain. Since the Canucks and Lions left, the hotels that served them in that community have basically dried up as well. It would have to be a very well thought out redevelopment of the PNE grounds to make that fly.
I know this is all pie in the sky ideation. BC Place isn't going anywhere. It and the Lions are there to stay. It is a beautiful stadium afterall but when even a die hard lifer of a fan like me sort of quietly dreads the process of getting to games, it isn't an encouraging sign. Where I'm at in my life now, the downtown just doesn't appeal. I'm not much of a drinker, I'm way to old for clubbing so what is the draw beside the Lions? As many have noted, today, you can stay in your comfy recliner, get a better view of the game on HD and have your own fridge with snacks and beverages just feet away, not to mention a nice clean bathroom. You can even pause the game and come back to it. Hard to compete with that at anytime.
Tell me how long must a fan be strong? Ans. Always.