If there's a conflict between Leafs/Raptors games, the Leafs should obviously get the square.
People that went, how was your experience? Would there be a good spot at around 6:30? I want to go this year.
People that went, how was your experience? Would there be a good spot at around 6:30? I want to go this year.
Why obviously?
Home games or the earlier starting game should take precedence. Culture war between one team fans in this city is so lame.
Because there's a reason it's Maple Leaf Square owned Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. The importance of each club to the city is just not comparable.
I am of course talking about the scenario where it can be only one fanbase adequately serviced in the square. If you can do both well simultaneously of course you do both
In case you missed the last 10-15 years, basketball popularity is up, and hockey is down. Among younger sports fans, basketball is #1 for a multitude of reasons. Leafs are my #1, but if you think that just because you don't care about the Raptors, nobody else does, you're very mistaken.
Either way, there is precedent already, and home games get first crack.
- If both teams are on the road, first game starts with the Square, followed by the other's game right after (usually ends up empty because nobody wants to wait in line while the game is going on - I'd suggest watching the Leafs at a bar and then popping over during intermission after the Raptors game ends, in that situation).
- If they're both on at the same time, it's a split screen with extra screens throughout the crowd.
I know the first year they did it back in 2013 it was a complete mess. I don't think they were selling food or drinks or alcohol and there were no toilets or portapotties. A friend of mine went and people were pissing in bottles they brought in. I remember walking along the side of Bremner to get into the ACC and there was a girl passed out on the sidewalk covered in puke, with paramedics coming to help her. Just a mess.People that went, how was your experience? Would there be a good spot at around 6:30? I want to go this year.
Raptors popularity is up but it's still well behind the Leafs. Add in the history of the Leafs franchise and importance to the city isn't close. I'm sorry if you don't like my stating the fact.
Whether I like basketball, which I never said I didn't, is immaterial in the discussion. I never said anything close to that it should go to the Leafs because I like them better and furthermore I even stated the best case scenario would be to find a way to do both simultaneously if it can be done well.
They learned from Vancouver 2011. Police were told to not be "visible", but keep an eye on the crowd. Clearly that philosophy didn't work. I think the whole European football model was adopted, whereby security and police are off to the side and very clearly visible. I think it's needed...otherwise, this happens to the screen. LOL.
Complete morons. My biggest fear is that as the Leafs start making deeper playoff runs, more and more bandwagon/fairweather fans that really don't follow the team or care that much will come out of the woodwork and something like this will happen.
Makes sense, thanks for the added context.Well, there is a slight difference. The outdoor viewing parties were organized by the city, not the Canucks. So there was no private security present, only the police. The police didn't have a say in who could enter and watch and who couldn't. That resulted in massive crowds without proper partitions and that resulted in large sections of people being unmonitored and this is where the trouble began. It actually began between 2nd intermission...people climbing traffic signals and street signs and trees...then they started shooting fireworks into other sections of the crowds. Police couldn't get to them because the crowds weren't properly partitioned. It was just a big mess.
In the case of Maple Leaf Square, it's being organized by ACC (MLSE), so they have private security present alongside Toronto Police. They also partition off sections so security can easily walk through and monitor everyone. So I don't think much will happen...and if it does, they'll pounce pretty quickly. Technically it's not public property, it's MLSE property.
They learned from Vancouver 2011. Police were told to not be "visible", but keep an eye on the crowd. Clearly that philosophy didn't work. I think the whole European football model was adopted, whereby security and police are off to the side and very clearly visible. I think it's needed...otherwise, this happens to the screen. LOL.