OT: Is Canada hosting the World Cup more bitter or sweet to British Columbians?

[VanJack]

Montreal, TO and Edmonton are going to have to spend a ton of money on their stadiums, since FIFA won't play World Cup games on anything other than natural grass and BMO Field doesn't have nearly enough seats. Canada is getting 10 games, but I'd wager based on stadium issues alone, that most of those will be Group Stage games. Would you pay big bucks to watch a Group game between Morocco and Croatia at B.C. Place Stadium? Thought not.

Besides I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over it. There's eight years before 2026, and FIFA has been known to change its mind (sic). Some B.C. Government will stars in its eyes will cough up millions to renovate B.C. Place and re-open the discussion. What FIFA wants, FIFA gets.

 

[Verviticus]

its a huge deal to me that we told them to f*** off. its extremely good and fifa can eat shit

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

I would have liked to have a World Cup game at BC place..Vancouver is a world class city with a world class facility..It also has a history with soccer...Its not the end of the world,but it still would have been cool.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Montreal, TO and Edmonton are going to have to spend a ton of money on their stadiums, since FIFA won't play World Cup games on anything other than natural grass and BMO Field doesn't have nearly enough seats. Canada is getting 10 games, but I'd wager based on stadium issues alone, that most of those will be Group Stage games. Would you pay big bucks to watch a Group game between Morocco and Croatia at B.C. Place Stadium? Thought not.

Besides I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over it. There's eight years before 2026, and FIFA has been known to change its mind (sic). Some B.C. Government will stars in its eyes will cough up millions to renovate B.C. Place and re-open the discussion. What FIFA wants, FIFA gets.

Truth, I could never envision FIFA passing up the opportunity to showcase top European teams in the East to allow for proper timezone coverage.

Southern States will probably get the Latin American teams and Canada would have gotten Canadian games and addition to OFC/Asia games.

They are expanding the format and opening the doors to many new teams. There will be a lot of crappy international teams in 2026.

 

[krutovsdonut]

there was a window for a downtown grass soccer stadium a couple years back that would have gotten us in the game. since that did not happen, i am good to travel elsewhere rather than watch a match at bc place.

 

[MS]

there was a window for a downtown grass soccer stadium a couple years back that would have gotten us in the game. since that did not happen, i am good to travel elsewhere rather than watch a match at bc place.

Agreed. Such a shame that stadium didn't happen at the time.

I'm a bit sad a game won't happen here but the cost simply wasn't worth it.

 

[Captain Bowie]

Kinda sucks but I wouldn't have gone to a game anyways, so I can't say I care too much.

 

[Hit the post]

there was a window for a downtown grass soccer stadium a couple years back that would have gotten us in the game. since that did not happen, i am good to travel elsewhere rather than watch a match at bc place.

I'm not that huge a soccer follower (though I was there at Empire to see the Whitecaps in the playoff run in that Soccer Bowl winning season as well as the parade downtown); but was the main reasoning why that downtown arena didn't go through?

 

[EpochLink]

FIFA will have Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton spruce up their soccer stadiums for the games at a cost of who knows what.

As much as I would have liked it to come here, it's not worth FIFA's headache and demands, plus you are handing them a blank cheque.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

I'm not that huge a soccer follower (though I was there at Empire to see the Whitecaps in the playoff run in that Soccer Bowl winning season as well as the parade downtown); but was the main reasoning why that downtown arena didn't go through?

Kerfoot originally filed a proposal for a standalone stadium but revised his application several times to include mass condo developments that encroached on the Port of Metro Van and the airspace above the CP railyards. Kerfoot later withdrew the plans but the Port Authority, Federal Government and CP had too many reservations about the Stadium development hence the plans were dropped in 2008.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Yawn. Didn't care about it before, don't care now.

 

[VanJack]

there was a window for a downtown grass soccer stadium a couple years back that would have gotten us in the game. since that did not happen, i am good to travel elsewhere rather than watch a match at bc place.

If you't thinking about the stadium Greg Kerfoot wanted to build on the Vancouver waterfront, then you're mistaken....that stadium wouldn't have seated more than 15,000....FIFA World Cup Games need stadiums with a minimum of 50,000. Even B.C. Place would be on the small side.

 

[Jyrki21]

I am out-of-market and will reasonably have the chance to go to Montreal, but it's still a bit disappointing... Cascadia is a, if not the, soccer hub of North America (at least for homegrown fanship as opposed to imported from abroad) and Vancouver was kinda supposed to establish itself as Canada's soccer hub after the Women's World Cup.

My main beef is that I assume Montreal will get loads of federal cash to build a new stadium, since I can't imagine they'll play in the Big Owe.

 

[Huggy43]

No interest in FIFA coming to BC.

Find it funny how media is acting like it's a crime against humanity that Vancouver isn't included.

 

[Dab]

BC seemingly has huge corruption problems with people laundering cash through casinos which the new government is trying to end- bringing the most corrupt organization in the world in FIFA to Vancouver would be akin to setting the fat diabetic kid loose in the candy shop.

 

[VanJack]

I am out-of-market and will reasonably have the chance to go to Montreal, but it's still a bit disappointing... Cascadia is a, if not the, soccer hub of North America (at least for homegrown fanship as opposed to imported from abroad) and Vancouver was kinda supposed to establish itself as Canada's soccer hub after the Women's World Cup.

My main beef is that I assume Montreal will get loads of federal cash to build a new stadium, since I can't imagine they'll play in the Big Owe.

You know, you might be on to something.....apparently there are plans to spend a half-billion dollars on the Big Owe....then they bring back the Expos?

 

[Peen]

Old people in this thread arguing about what will never be popular in the future like they know something. News flash, it's already more popular than football for the younger demographic.

Like come on lmao, just because you and your buddies don't enjoy it doesn't mean it's a sport on the rise in this nation.

Same goes for the people who say basketball sucks and will never be popular here because it didn't take off in a short lifespan, when in reality everyone my age watched basketball.

 

[jimslob]

Old people in this thread arguing about what will never be popular in the future like they know something. News flash, it's already more popular than football for the younger demographic.

Like come on lmao, just because you and your buddies don't enjoy it doesn't mean it's a sport on the rise in this nation.

Same goes for the people who say basketball sucks and will never be popular here because it didn't take off in a short lifespan, when in reality everyone my age watched basketball.

And everyone my age don't even consider basketball a sport.

 

[me2]

its a huge deal to me that we told them to **** off. its extremely good and fifa can eat ****

Amen. Just saw some of the recent scandals regarding Russia 2018 and bent referees. Last year the anti-corruption committee members were caught taking million dollar bribes. Their referees committee boss was busted for corruption a few years back. None of the EPL refs were good enough for Russia this year, but room was found for ones who can take "direction" for cash.

 

[canuck89]

I'm thankful we didn't waste all that money on FIFA's demands.

And if I really wanted to go see a game, I would just drive to Edmonton (I'm in PG, and Edmonton is only about 7 hours or so away via Highway 16).

 

[Hollywood Burrows]

No interest in FIFA coming to BC.

Find it funny how media is acting like it's a crime against humanity that Vancouver isn't included.

Corporate media in BC will use any excuse to bash an NDP government. Obviously if a Liberal gov turned down FIFA the same schmucks would be lauding their sense of "fiscal responsibility."

 

[bobbyb2009]

So much saltiness and wrong in here, but also a lot of challenges with FIFA:

1) Locally, soccer is far far bigger than any other sport here. That is not to run down other sports... that is to defend the wrong listed here! Soccers participation numbers have actually taken a hit in the most recent few years, but they still dwarf everything else. The professional game in Canada/NA is growing, and viewership in Canada for professional or International competitions have gone up significantly.

2) FIFA is working on changing the corrupt actions of its leaders, but the world is corrupt, and FIFA is precisely a mirror of the world. There have been more FIFA nations members than members in the United Nations They are a terribly corrupt and self interested organization who's culture is difficult for a Canadian like me to understand.

3) It is too bad that a partnership with FIFA is required, because heaven even low level group matches in Vancouver in a World Cup would be welcomed by more fans here than for any single sporting event in history.

4) The FIFA world cup is by far the largest sporting event in the World. Relative than what happened at the Olympics in 2010, it is not even in the same spectrum. I have been to games in at least 7 World Cups. Some have been interesting, and some have been boring, but all have been watched and viewed by more people around the world than all of the stanley cup finals combined. It isn't even close.

5) The BC government probably did the right thing by rejecting such a one sided and ridiculous contract with FIFA. That does not mean that the event does not have value to the people or to the economy. Why run something done you don't have any idea about?

6) Far far more people in Canada will watch the FIFA world cup this year than in any Stanley Cup playoffs run in history, AINEC

 

[Hit the post]

So much saltiness and wrong in here, but also a lot of challenges with FIFA:

1) Locally, soccer is far far bigger than any other sport here. That is not to run down other sports... that is to defend the wrong listed here! Soccers participation numbers have actually taken a hit in the most recent few years, but they still dwarf everything else. The professional game in Canada/NA is growing, and viewership in Canada for professional or International competitions have gone up significantly.

That more likely has to do with how "cheap" it is to get into the sport vs say a far, far, far, more expensive sport to get into like ice hockey. You can play a game virtually anywhere without any equipment needed other than a ball.

 

[bobbyb2009]

That more likely has to do with how "cheap" it is to get into the sport vs say a far, far, far, more expensive sport to get into like ice hockey. You can play a game virtually anywhere without any equipment needed other than a ball.

Okay....?? I am not sure what the point is here? I suspect this affordability issue has a lot to do with why people get started in the sport. And yes, around the world, you can roll something up into a ball shape and kick it. This certainly has a lot to with why it is by far the most popular sport in the world, but why is that push back on all the wrong statements made in this thread?

Regardless of the why, people on here saying people don't care about soccer are relatively absolutely wrong??? There are significantly more families and adults who schedule their week around soccer practice, games, and events than there are any other sport. Does this not suggest that there are a whole whack of people that care about the sport? Specifically around the World Cup, have a look at the numbers at the end of the tourney and see how many people cared....

Anyways, not a big deal. I just think it is funny looking at these posts that are so offside with reality. No need for me to argue about it further. Cheers

 

[Seattle Totems]

I think there is a massive difference between people that are involved recreationally with soccer and those that actually attend pro soccer matches. They are two different demographics. There really is not a hardcore FIFA following in BC so its not a big deal that we're missing out on 1-3 World Cup games in BC. The BC Govt probably saved $100 million by not hosting and the hardcore fans should have no trouble getting tickets and driving down to Seattle and Portland.