Love that you gave credit to McGill University as being one of the founders of football in North America. You've done a really good job with the video and it is refreshing to have a non-Canadian view on CFL stadiums. Keep up the great work!
Having grown up in Edmonton, I can confirm that Commonwealth Stadium is miserably cold in November. However, it was not the original home of the Eskimos/Elks. They used to play in a stadium called Clarke Stadium, which more or less still exists, and is located next to Commonwealth. In Montreal they will still use the Olympic Stadium if they are hosting a playoff game and expect a large crowd, or of course if they are hosting the Grey Cup. Montreal used to play all their home games in Olympic Stadium, but in 1997 they were set to host a playoff game, but a scheduling conflict with a U2 concert forced them to play the game at Molson Stadium. The stadium was in horrible disrepair, with trees growing out of the stands one side of the field. They managed to get the stadium ready in time for the game. Well in Olympic Stadium they would get "crowds" of about 15,000 people in a 69,000 seat stadium. That same 15,000 came out to the game at Molson Stadium, and it was a sell out. The fans loved it, and the atmosphere was great, so the Alouettes decided to make Molson their permanent home the next year. The stadium has undergone an upgrade, with an upper deck being added to one side, bringing capacity to about 25,000.
Not since 2011 though. The last few home playoff games were hosted at Molson Stadium. It still dont think there have been many (if at all) home sellouts since the seating expansion renovations. However, some little birds have told me season ticket sales, single games & ticket packages are selling fast for the upcoming 2024 season, following the championship year. So there might be more sellouts at Molson Stadium this season. And i was there for some of the games in 2019 when the Als made their unexpected run to the playoffs. Even 3/4 full, Als fans make a ton of noise and the stadium does a good job keeping the noise in.
@@tehDanielRuiz Péladeau is getting Molson a new scoreboard this year (was supposed to be last year but got delayed in shipping) and if the Als want to create a special event they give a call to Péladeau's Entertainment division and they can book a big name act. Couldn't do that before.
@@jethro1963it’s pretty horrible once you factor in the price and how bad layout inside is From outside it’s a beautiful stadium but they overpaid for it and it was poorly designed
For me, McMahon can be blinking cold in the winter 🥶. I volunteered there 2010-2014, verifying tickets to the home games. The coldest time was during my first year (2010 CFL Western Final).
It's not retractable but the new Big O roof is a cool design and should be successful. The old Big O roof worked, it did open and close 88 times but for a myriad of reasons wasn't practical. Vancouver does not face the same weather conditions which were a factor.
@@jethro1963 There were also design flaws in the Big O that caused multiple roof failures over the years, and safety issues too. That and the absurd price tag pretty much killed the stadium's popularity with the people of Montreal, who just don't like going there. That's a big part of why the original Montreal Allouettes failed and folded, why the Montreal Expos failed and moved to DC, and why the Baltimore Stallions turned Monteal Allouettes 2.0 nearly failed, until they moved to then McGill Stadium, only pulling out the Big O for big draw games that needed the extra seating capacity. As for BC Place, I have some fond memories in that building, the fondest being watching the BC Lions win the Grey Cup over the Baltimore Colts/Stallions on a typical last play Lui Passaglia field goal from the end zone behind where Lui kicked the Cup winner. That was the first and only time I've seen a team I cheer for win it all while I'm there in the stadium getting to be a part of it.
@@Seriously_Unserious The people of Montreal have a fondness for the Big O, it is one of their most popular landmarks and attractions. I think much of the old animus is gone and the new roof will be a success and will get some goodwill back to the stadium. The problem is it's just too big for what either the Als or CFM need. If there was a way to downsize and get the fans closer to the action it could go back in service. There apparently were plans that a few have seen that apparently makes the interior almost unrecognizable so we'll see what happens down the road.
I live in Saskatchewan and the Roughriders are really popular here. Close to college football enthusiasm in this province. Outside the Prairies CFL is not too popular but is popular in this province. Those truncated endzones with the track around them are common especially at High School and University level. The Molson stadium in Montreal is small but produces a good atmosphere! Mosaic Stadium (Saskatchewan) is the best stadium by far.
Excuse you? We live & die with our Ticats in the hammer! It’s the only pro team we have where we can beat Toronto & we don’t take that lightly (Labour Day Classic)…
@@takemeasicam I stand corrected, I grew up near the Hammer and have lived there too. Watched some games at Ivor Wynn when I was a child. Yes Hamilton is unique for Ontario and CFL is popular there too.
@@neilwhitaker6284 haha I agree that the three big cities (MTL, TOR & VAN) are indifferent to the league & the other teams have NHL teams crowding their market but Hamilton & Saskatchewan are the only teams that have no other pro competition…cheers to a good year & hope to see you in the Grey Cup!🍻🏈
The reason the other set of seats on the north side of TD place look the way it does is because there's also an arena under the stands. Originally the Ottawa Civic Centre, it was where the Ottawa Senators played their first few seasons, but due to small capacity, they built the bigger arena out in Kanata. Currently the TD Place arena is for the junior hockey team in the OHL, the Ottawa 67s (because Canada as a country was created in 1867). They do have plans for the redesign of the north end stands. You should give the proposed redesign of TD Place a look too (if absolutely bored).
If all goes well the North stands and arena will be torn down starting in 2026 and replaced with a smaller (around 11k ) stand. There is no planned roof for the stand but there is a provision to discuss it later so the possibility still exists.
I’d love to eventually see us get a new stadium on the stampede grounds, once the dome is gone there’ll be a lot more open space. That being said, I have no confidence our ownership will get it done lol
It will eventually happen. Despite some people hating the idea I can see a combined indoor facility with the fieldhouse that Calgary has been needing for so long. Also CFL stadiums are trending smaller as new sources of revenue enter the scene. 25k is about the sweet spot now
I recall the Stamps in the 90's, in someways that (and perhaps into the mid 00's) The Stampeders and CFL in general was at it's peak. It's been in decline since and that trend will only continue. Spending what it would cost to replace McMahon for a game that's played 9 times a year for a league in decline would never be acceptable. I hope that there is a solution, but I can't offer one.
@@patrickc9670 How is the league in decline when the three largest markets have had attendance increases in the past two years after all the naysayers were saying those markets were dead. The ownership situation has never been better or more stable in the history of the league. If people actually knew what was going on instead of posting negative shat they heard from someone else we might be better off.
The current version of the Alouettes relocated from Baltimore to Montreal in 1996 and initially played in Olympic Stadium. They were bleeding red ink playing their home games there, but were saved by, of all things, a U2 concert. U2 had Olympic Stadium booked for a 1997 date where the Als were to host a home playoff game, so they needed to find an alternate venue, so they played the game at Percival Molson - and the Als found the smaller stadium suited their circumstances (and budget) much better than the Big Owe.
Fun fact about TD place: it also has a hockey rink in the Northside stands which is where the Senators played for their first two seasons while their current arena was being built. It's still being used for the OHLs Ottawa 67's and the Ottawa PWHL team
Not for much longer, it will be demolished starting in 2026. Then the new arena will be behind the end zone and a new North stand will be built (around 11k)
Im a huge Australian Football fan (AFL) and they have some awesome stadiums. I'm a crows fan and I really like ours. Great video btw i love this channel.
2nd comment at 3:11 under those pillars is TD Place Arena where the Ottawa 67s junior hockey team plays. It holds about 8,000. 3:37 Exhibition Stadium was called "the mistake by the lake" and was probably the worst stadium in all of human history. The Argos had to leave the Skydome (I refuse to call it the Rogers Centre) because it was ridiculous. They get 20,000 out for a game on a good day and the stadium held 58,000 or something.
My dad would always tell me how lucky I was I never had to witness a baseball game at the old Exhibition Stadium…half the seats were looking at the outfield & not home plate LOL
@@takemeasicam yea If I remember correct there were seats in the lower sections between 1st and 3rd base and then after that it was metal bleachers too. He was right, those bleachers faced straight ahead and built for football. If you were just past 1st base you were looking out into the outfield ha.
@@furioussherman7265 I went to the Big O for an Expos game once. Wasn't a bad place, but it was odd. I've never seen so much concrete used. Not just in the stadium, outside the stadium on the walkway from the metro station. It gave me an Eastern Bloc/Soviet architecture vibe for sure.
IIRC the Argos had a sweet rental deal at SkyDome, they were asked to stay there instead of building their own stadium at York. Previously the Argos and the CSA had a deal at UofT which UofT reneged on at the last minute. The Argos then were making a deal with York when the SkyDome offer came. They were basically asked to leave the SkyDome because Rogers wanted a baseball only facility (they were planning on growing grass indoors). Rogers has finally finished the baseball only conversion.
@@jethro1963 knowing the bureaucratic hell that all Ottawa stadium projects go through (and especially at Lansdowne, thanks Glebe NIMBYs) I wouldn’t be surprised if it took until 2030 to start the project.
@@TheMur28 Last month Ottawa council approved the Lansdowne 2.0 procurement model. Work can now move forward on demolishing the old north-side stands and replacing them with a new 11,200-seat grandstand, and building a new 5,500-seat event centre. A final go/no go decision on the Lansdowne 2.0 project is expected in 2025.
Commonwealth Stadium is truly Canada's stadium. It was the former home of the Olympic soccer team and is still used as a home-team advantage stadium during the cold to literally freeze out CONCACAF rivals from warm weather nations... That's how Canada qualified for the last World Cup by turning it into the Icetecha to beat Mexico...
If we have to deal with all of the Central America bullshit (including but not limited to: police assisted all night block parties outside the hotel, needing to be protected by police with riot shields to take a corner kick, crowds chanting slurs, and having to deal with thrown bags of urine, rusty nails and/or vomit-filled beer cans) then the tropical divas can deal with some snow and frostbite. P.S. The U.S. also like to make the Central Americans experience winter when they have the opportunity to do so.
Fun fact about Tim Hortons field: Chris Berman was at the opening game! I was there & got a picture with him (cool dude, can confirm). Toronto moved out of the SkyDome because they were running a deficit barely attracting 10 000+ people…in the largest market LOL
Hamilton is a joke. Ivor Wynne stadium was 80 years old and they finally decided to build a new stadium (only because the Federal Government gave them money as part of the financing for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto). Instead of building a new stadium in a new location (including the waterfront) what do they do?? build Tim Horton's field in the same dumpy area that the old stadium was built in. Tim Horton's field has already had a fire in a transformer and cracks have been found in some of the foundations.
@@bufnyfan1 have you been to the Pier 4 waterfront? It’s one of our poorest neighbourhoods & has even worse air quality than where THF currently is. If anything it should have been built on the Stoney Creek/Binbrook mountain where there is easy access to the highways & ample room for parking lots to tailgate like in Orchard Park. Realistically the Tapleytown neighbourhood heavily depends on the Ticats for their micro economy. In an already economically depressed area, it would have had detrimental ripple effects to move the stadium to the prosperous suburbs…
@@bufnyfan1 You seem to neglect the fact that THF has been very successful attracting fans and making money for the CFL team rather than losing money as was happening at IW
@takemeasicam I live a 20-minute walk from THF. The stadium is bordered by 3 schools and a rec centre in the midst of a residential neighbourhood. Other than the KFC on Barton Street, the only micro economy is locals charging people $20 to park on their front lawn on game day. The stadium needed to be moved where it could have been part of an entertainment and restaurant district.
@@jamesj6597 ya those poor people need those 20$ from every TiCats game and from the other events like Forge games…that’s a lot for people living off welfare dude
If you ever come to Regina to watch the riders I’d recommend going to the Labour Day game against Winnipeg. The Labour Day game by far has the best atmosphere
Any rider game has a great atmosphere but yeah the crowd turns it up a notch when the bombers roll into town in Labour Day weekend. (Any other games against Winnipeg don’t matter much)
@@RumHutProductions I’d like to see how many games the bombers sell out when they go 6-12 with the inability to move the ball 10 yards. Y’all didn’t even sell out the banjo bowl 🤣🤣🤣
@@creedencebakken2686 are you stupid? Of course the Bombers sold out the Banjo Bowl, I even counted about 17 banjo picking inbreds there in their green. Not to mention they likely made more revenue than the rest of the league combined.
Wrong. CFL started in 1958. Governing body for Canadian Football was formed in 1956 (Canadian Football Council), Grey Cup was first played in 1909. There was no Grey Cup games in 1916-1919 period (World War I and dispute with Canadian Rugby Union were the reasons) and also there was no CFL season in 2020 because of COVID-19 Pandemic. (2021 CFL Season was shortened because of pandemic, but at least it happened.)
As a proud Calgary Stampeder season ticket holder, McMahon is solidly built and has great sightlines. They could add a roof (Toronto style) to both grandstands with better AV, upgrade the seating to get rid of the bleachers, and expand the concourse, and it would be a solid stadium for another 30 years.
With Princess Auto Stadium (formerly Investors Group/IG Field before this year), they actually played their first season in 2013, not 2014, though it is true there was a year delay in getting started on that field and yes, costs were overrun with a lot of the money being from public funds from the province. Also a fun fact: the stadium's design was inspired heavily by the Seahawk's stadium. (As a Winnipegger and diehard Bomber fan, had to mention that even if the facts are a bit pedantic)
I would love to see a video critiquing all MLS stadiums, as there has been a lot of change in recent years! Love this new channel as a fellow stadium nerd.
Princess Auto Stadium was formally known as Investers Group Field. My dad was lead installer and supervisor for the tile crew i was on there with a big local flooring company we worked for. It was a big project. A mess in some areas with construction and organization. But it was still a fun job as a beginner tile setter, but a headache for the higher-ups.
Solid, and thanks for recognizing that McGill is the oldest football program in North America. No university teams play at BMO Field, though. Having lived in all 3 Ontario cities with CFL teams, I would flip Ottawa and Hamilton. Ottawa's stadium is in a better location. Hamilton's stadium is in a residential neighborhood with nothing around it.
First, it's in Hamilton, then there's nothing exciting around it. I went for the Grey Cup last year, and was pretty much shocked to be walking through a neighborhood. Not much activity going on. Ottawa has a Craft, and that's pretty much all you need, and BMO, well at least Liberty Village is on the other side of the tracks. And as un-Canadian as me to say; Rutgers and Princeton had programs since 1869 - not going to debate rules differences, because that'll just open up the door to some Harvard sympathisers.
@@mikesweeney2872 While Rutgers has the oldest program for sure in north america, the first game (Rutgers-Princeton in 1869) had... very goofy rules, *very* far from modern football. Thats why FivePoints mentionned that McGill practically invented football; In basically introduced concepts such as running the ball and downs.
Fun facts about some of the stadiums...Mosaic Stadium (Regina) is partially in the ground (the 1st level) to protect from the freezing winds up there during fall football games (a big issue with the old stadium where you might be watching the game in COLD WEATHER)...Montreal used to play in Olympic Stadium but the roof failed which is why they moved to the McGill field (which fans seem to like better). Skydome (aka Rogers Centre) in Toronto was built because the premier loved football and hated watching the Grey Cup in snow (which happened in 1982 at Exhibition Stadium)...so Skydome was built for baseball and football...like all shared stadiums it sucked for both sports (and so despite in the 1990s the league had 3 indoor stadiums) the Argos left for BMO field, and Rogers Centre became baseball only...which is why you now only have the one indoor CFL stadium in BC...
Somewhat like football??.. It is football! The CFL has been around longer than the NFL. For example, the Ottawa Football Club was formed in 1876. One last thing, how can you rate these stadiums if you never been to one CFL game.
What really special with TD place in Ottawa is underneath one of the stands there's a Hockey arena for the Pwhl women team and Ottawa 67s junior hockey team
I want a CFL weekly episode from you or tree or Brandon so f****** bad. I'm trying to get into the CFL and I just can't find someone that really talks to me. Nothing crazy 15-20 minute episode covering some games every week I want it
Interesting that you mentioned the price tag of SoFi Stadium when talking about Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Coincidentally, they were both designed by the same architecture firm - HKS Inc. and Mark Williams was the principal architect for both projects. When Mosaic opened in 2017, Williams (having also worked on mega expensive stadiums such as AT&T Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium and had started work on SoFi at the time), felt Mosaic was one of the best stadiums he had designed, pound-for-pound, when comparing budgets.
Another fun fact about BMO Field is that for a couple of weeks out of the year the area surrounding the stadium is converted into a race track for IndyCar and other supporting races. You can even see most of the track's layout on the aerial shots at 3:19.
I live in Calgary and what renovations did McMahon Stadium have?!? Other than additional seats (for the Olympics), playing surface changes (grass to AstroTurf to FieldTurf), and the Red and White Club (which replaced the CALGARY hill) nothing has changed. Don't get me started on the washrooms. The four red towers (that once held cables to hold the speakers OVER the field) are now useless. This dump has hosted Grey Cup Games as recently as 2019!! Concerts have been banned from McMahon since the late 1970's due complaints from neighbouring communities. The ownership group are the same people who are close to finally beginning to construct the Flames new arena (a 100+ year old tree was removed from the parking lot for an unofficial sod turning ceremony). The 2015 proposal was shot down by city council who would rather spend money on useless art installation like Blue Rings and Shish Kebab skewers (I like the big giant head downtown though) and could care less about sports venues (most are WAY out of date). Canada hosted Mexico in a World Cup 2022 qualifier at Commonwealth in the snow!! I used to live in Ottawa and still call TD Place 'Lansdowne Park' and the north stands were built in the 1960's and as others have posted, has a hockey arena (home of the Ottawa 67's and was the original home of the Senators from 1992 to 1996) and exhibition space beyond that. The south stands were replaced after the previous stands (also built in the 1960's) were condemned after a FIFA U20 tournament. Luckily the Renegades folded a few months earlier (thank you Glieberman's AGAIN!!). Timmies' Field still looks incomplete in my opinion. Wasn't there supposed to be end zone seats there? Princess Auto Stadium (formerly IG Field) had a disastrous NFL preseason game a few years back when Green Bay and Oakland squared off. There was a field issue with the unsafe footings of the CFL goal posts in the middle of the NFL endzones. Instead of the regulation 120 yard field the NFL used, the end zones were from the goal line to the ten yard lines. There were no kickoffs but the goal posts were still in use adding more confusion. Another issue that lured fans (including myself being a Packers fan) away was the extremely expensive price for tickets. I believe the cheapest tickets were $600 EACH!!! My pet peeve about BC Place is what I see on TV. I rarely see (unless it's the Grey Cup) the upper deck seats open because of the roof configuration and the advertising tarps on the endzones. Maybe someone can back me up on this but I swear a Lions game draws a smaller crowd than a Canucks game across the street. Thank you Five Points for your critique of CFL stadiums.
@@jethro1963 23k?? Is that what constitutes a sell out at BC Place when the upper deck is closed and advertising tarps cover the end zone seats for most Lions games?? I swear what I have seen on TV looks small but not UBC small.
@@higgy04 IIRC the lower deck holds 27k and the criteria for stadiums or arenas is the same. If the numbers of seats that are available are sold out then it's a sellout. Again, you made the statement that you thought there were less people at a Lions game than Canucks and that was proven wrong. And if the trend continues and owner Amar Doman keeps up with the excellent work he has been doing, attendance will increase yet again.
In addition to hosting the BC Lions, BC Place is also used by the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS. Also, the reason the one in Edmonton is named Commonwealth Stadium is because it was originally built for the 1978 Commonwealth Games, which is kind of like the Olympics, except the countries that take part are ones that were former territories of the British Empire
Thanks for giving Mosaic Stadium in Regina top marks. As the smallest CFL city population-wise, we are extremely proud of our Roughriders' rich history stretching back to 1910. While it was sad to see the demise of its venerable predecessor, Taylor Field, the Mosaic facility is truly amazing, and a worthy successor. Filled to capacity, there's no place like it. Come and see!
Good job on the list. I'm from Montreal so I can tell you that Percival Molson Stadium is great place to watch Football. There's hardly a bad seat in the house, and I particularly love sitting on the mountain side where I have an amazing view of downtown Montreal. Sure the Stadium is outdated, but it's better than if the Alouettes played at Olympic stadium. Two more points. First, back in 97 the Alouettes used to play at Olympic stadium and a conflict in dates between a home playoff game and a U2 concert forced the Alouettes to seek a new venue, Molson Stadium was chosen, the place was in bad shape and there were even trees growing through parts of the stadium stands. However the atmosphere and sight lines were so much better than at the big O, so Percival Molson Stadium became the team's new home by popular demand. Second, when McGill University played football against Harvard back in the 1880s McGill used tackles to take dow the American players, and that's how American football took something out our game, but you ruined by creating the Fair catch. Just saying.
Argos games at the dome were always bad to me. It was never a football venue. The best thing they did was go back outside to a smaller stadium. Playoff games in November at BMO are great. Its really cold and really loud like it should be. The reason it looks like football is because it is football. Remember, like you referenced about McGill, the game was invented in Canada.
But I have a question about design of the new Mosaic Stadium. I still can't understand why on the north side there's a small gap between sections. I don't understand that.
Mcgill was one of the first university to have a football program and were kinda part of the ivy league in the 19 century. And mcgill invented hockey too. 💪
Commonwealth stadium is the one ive been to the most, and yes, its freezing. The NHL Heritage Classic was just held here and my dad spent the entire second period getting hot chocolate with how many people also were. Also a few years back when i was in Scouts, we were able to do sleepovers at Rogers Place (Oilers home). And once we almost did one at Commonwealth. But the concourses are open to wind and cold so luckily that idea was scrapped. Now I usually only go to Commonwealth if the Roughriders are the away team. Also my dad claims hes been to nearly EVERY riders vs elks game since like the 90s. Since my pfp is the Riders logo, ill share my opinion on their stadium. I have been to both Mosaic Stadiums, but only once. Regina is too far for me. Old Mosaic Stadium definitely had aging issues but it had an amazing atmosphere and charm. New Mosaic Stadium is just simply amazing. However i wish they could upgrade the area.
One thing to mention about TD place is under the old side of the stadium is a hockey rink of about 9000 seats, it’s for the 67’s who play in the OHL. probably one of the most unique multipurpose stadiums I know of. Big plans to actually tear that side down and build a new rink in the end zone.
@@FischerFanbecause the NFL has 400 million fans to watch it, CFL only has 40 million. NFL makes almost all their money from billion dollar TV contracts, CFL only broadcasts to TSN and they don’t have billions of dollars to drop every year. When covid hit they had to cancel the 2020 season because every team would’ve gone under without ticket sales. Also most of the teams are community owned and several are even technically non-profits.
@@joshharrison9054 The NFL is also the most lucrative sports enterprise on the globe. The CFL doesn't even make the top 50 in revenue generation. The NFL is also the brand that travels. The CFL brand goes nowhere. However, only three of the League's nine teams are community owned. These redundant claims that the CFL is so much better continue to be unfounded.
@@FischerFan the CFL actually hosts drafts for international talent from countries like Germany and Japan and Australia, and host camps and development leagues in those countries as well. Only two teams are owned by a single person, the BC Lions and the Montreal Allouettes, the rest are either publicly owned or owned by actual sports companies, like MLSE or Winnipeg Football Club, whereas in the NFL 31 of 32 teams are owned by billionaires. And yes the NFL is the most lucrative sports league in the world, but so what? That doesn’t discredit any other league. You don’t hear people shit on euro basketball leagues because they don’t make as much money as the NBA, because it’s America, of course it’ll make money, it’s the Mecca of capitalism!
Had an idea, should have done a critique for horse racing tracks with the Kentucky Derby just being ran. Maybe there's enough time for the Belmont Stakes still yet to be ran.
Part of the reason the south side stands were torn down at TD Place in Ottawa was because they were condemned due to structural problems. This was in the late 2000s.
The Red Blacks' stadium doesn't quite anger me, but it makes me feel the urge to piss aggressively, and probably post about it on X a couple hours later.
@@Hogtownboy1 "Rouge et Noir" is officially used by the team on the French version of their website. Agree that the team name in French sounds way better.
Not sure if someone else mentioned this, but it should be noted that the Argos weren't so much lured to BMO as they were booted out of Rogers Centre. Not everyone will agree with me, but I believe they're better off.
@@jethro1963 I legit didn't know that. It's not like you see students who played at Western University getting drafted in the first round, nor does winning the Vanier Cup hold the same clout as a BCS win.
@@furioussherman7265 More and more USports players are scouted for the NFL draft. One was selected this year, UBC's Giovanni Manu and his fellow linemen Theo Benedet was signed as a UFA after the draft. Other former draft picks that come to mind are David Onyemata (Manitoba), Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill), Vaughn Martin (Western) and yes even one drafted in the first round, going way back, Mike Schad (Queens) in 1986. Canadian college players are frequently invited to NFL camps, the Giants seem to be the leaders in that department. Canadian college teams have become much more "professionalized" often led by former CFL personnel although coaches who didn't coach or play at the CFL level have done very well
@@jethro1963 Interesting. Kinda disappointing that I've never heard of any of the Canadian players that get drafted or get invited to training camps. College sports aren't even remotely close to being as big up here as they are down in the States.
@@furioussherman7265 That's because universities up here are meant for educating and not primarily to produce professional athletes, the way it should be.
As a Edmontonian I can tell Commonwealth is extremely cold in the winter for multiple reasons. It was built when we hosted the Commonwealth games in 78 but let me tell you, when you have 50,000 ppl in a Stadium in -10 degree weather going nuts and getting boozed while it’s snowing it’s definitely an experience. Grey Cups here are Wild and you should take one in next time we host it.
Not just Québec has a drinking age of 18; the consumption of alcohol is legal in both Alberta and Manitoba at age 18 (and I don't see that changing anytime soon). However, for whatever reason, only Alberta retained 18 as the legal age for cannabis use/possession, once that was legalized (Manitoba went with 19, which is standard across the rest of the country, while Québec shocked the world and defied all stereotypes by restricting cannabis use to those who are at least TWENTY-ONE years of age).
As long as you bring your Giants 4th string QB back with you, come on down! (Or up?) if you are gonna check out Mosaic, I’d reccommend a game vs the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
I cannot believe this guy (out of all people) actually put Mosaic at number 1 when I saw his other videos and how he criticized my personal favourite stadiums
The Calgary Flames are trying to develop a proposal and plans for a new arena. Once that gets approved and done I wouldn't be surprised if and when the Stampeders submit a proposal for a new Stadium, not just for them but maybe for U of C as well (or the Dinos continue to use McMahon but renovations make the stadium a bit smaller). Commonwealth Stadium (aka The Brick Field) used to have a track around the perimeter of the field, as the Commonwealth Games were often held there (technically still does but the lines have been removed)
McGill is not a college. In Québec, colleges, usually called CÉGEP, is a distinct level between high school and university, which also offers technical programs. McGill is most definitely a university.
As a Stamps Season Ticket Holder I can confirm that McMahon Stadium is out dated (due to parts that need renovation and repairs) but I still love going to the Stadium to watch Football and I like a Stadium with no roof that way it's a clear view to watch the Jets from the Canadian Armed Force fly by. I have been to 3 Grey Cup Finals (so far) (2019 Calgary, 2022 Regina, 2023 Hamilton) and one of my Life Time Goals is to visit every CFL City for the Grey Cup (at least once). I'm not a huge fan of Stadiums with roofs because when I was at the 2022 Grey Cup in Regina, Saskatchewan, I couldn't see all the Snowbirds fly by. If there was no roof like McMahon Stadium and Tim Hortons Field, you can see all the Snowbirds or Jets fly by. Another thing I like about McMahon Stadium is that it's close to a CTrain Station, close to 2 Hospitals (Foothills Hospital & Alberta Children's Hospital) and a nice view of downtown Calgary (it's also in the University of Calgary area) plus McMahon has a lot of History like how many times it Hosted the Grey Cup, 1988 Olympics, & 2011 Heritage Classic (NHL) between the Calgary Flames against the Montreal Canadiens, and "Face-off in the Foothills" where Junior Hockey League Teams played the Family Day Long Weekend and the Calgary Hitmen (WHL) played at McMahon Stadium against the Regina Pats (they had a rematch when Regina Hosted the Heritage Classic in 2019). As I said in the comment, my Goal is to visit every City for the Grey Cup and so far I've made it to 3 out of 9, Next stop: Vancouver, BC, Canada for the 111th Grey Cup (2024) then Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for the 112th Grey Cup (2025). Coming Soon, we will find out who will Host the 113th Grey Cup in 2026 (Right now it's unknown when Montreal will Host the Grey Cup again since the Alouettes lost against the Calgary Stampeders in 2008 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
The field at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton also has a track around it. Combined with the size and layout the sightlines are very far away from the action.
Frankly I want to see Montreal return to the Olympic Stadium. Speaking of which, are you going to do a video where you critique Olympic stadiums since the Paris Olympics is coming soon?
Commonwealth Stadium is actually one of my favourite places to watch football. This Riders fan prefered going to watch them play in Edmonton over Regina because the old stadium sucked. Commonwealth currently needs some overhauls but the view from the upper level can't be beat (RIP upper level seating)
Toronto is weird because it feels like you're in someone else's stadium. They dress it up for the Argos, but has the Toronto FC feel all over it. Also, the drinking age is only 18 in Quebec, Alberta, and Manitoba. 19 in Ontario and BC. Every 19yr old can legally drink here
The only American CFL team to ever win a Grey Cup (Baltimore Stallions) did it in Regina. The game was in 1995 so they played it at Taylor field as Mosaic stadium hadn't been built yet.I remember in 1996 there were some Baltimore fans who were almost disappointed that a championship winning CFL team was leaving to make room for the old Cleveland Browns. Who knew that the Browns curse would stay in the city of Cleveland and not follow the franchise owned by Art Modell?
CFL football is more challenging in the American game. You only have two downs to move the ball instead of three the field is larger you have one more player to deal with on either side of the ball the authors Take Out Canadian football was very misguided
The stade Percival Molson isn't that impressive, but I did get the privilege of seeing ochocinco play there with Antony calvillo from the sideline benches.
You should definitely come up to Regina and watch a game. Win or lose the atmosphere is incredible. Fun fact, every time there's a Rider game the arena becomes the 5th largest city in the province lol.
TD Place in Ottawa has a 10 ,000 seat hockey arena under the renovated to modern standards Northside stands. That why they were not demolished and completely rebuilt like the new Southside stands.
Highly recommended the cfl! 3 downs makes the game more interesting IMO (yeah probably a biased opinion as I grew up on it but I find it higher paced) it's 12 man football, we have 2 50 yard lines, and some interesting rules. Plus no fair catch so that's a bonus. If you want to come up to watch a game I'd highly recommend the labour day classic at mosaic stadium the bombers @ the riders, or the following game in Winnipeg "the banjo bowl" riders at bombers, the LDC rematch.
My high school track and football field must’ve have been surveyed out by a drunk as the field wound up being 90 yards long… on a good day, also the sidelines were about 15 inches higher than the rest of the field... So the team would have to play on another high school’s field for “home” games until someone threw a bunch of money at the school to tear out the track, properly level and grade the ground and put down an actual 100 yard turfice field with proper end zones… that needed a bunch of padding because one end is against the fence, and other a brick wall. Needless to say seating is VERY limited.
I love mosaic stadium the only downside is that there’s literally train tracks right outside the stadium so half the time it’ll take 5-10 extra minutes before you can get in the beauty itself
I love the CFL rules better than the NFL. I wish more Americans would get into it like I did. I read somewhere the first "Canadian football" game happened decades before the first "USA football" game. If true, it leads me to believe the Canadian rules are the true and original way football should be played.
Bro I love the rules of the CFL. It forces big plays. Only 3 downs and you can’t thrown the ball away on a wider field. Love it!
No dead plays. Fair catch? Please!
Exactly jethro … it’s all action, all the time. Like a real sport should be!
Not to mention, 20 second play clock also speeds up the pace of play.
Except for the Rouge rule
Love that you gave credit to McGill University as being one of the founders of football in North America. You've done a really good job with the video and it is refreshing to have a non-Canadian view on CFL stadiums. Keep up the great work!
Having grown up in Edmonton, I can confirm that Commonwealth Stadium is miserably cold in November. However, it was not the original home of the Eskimos/Elks. They used to play in a stadium called Clarke Stadium, which more or less still exists, and is located next to Commonwealth.
In Montreal they will still use the Olympic Stadium if they are hosting a playoff game and expect a large crowd, or of course if they are hosting the Grey Cup. Montreal used to play all their home games in Olympic Stadium, but in 1997 they were set to host a playoff game, but a scheduling conflict with a U2 concert forced them to play the game at Molson Stadium. The stadium was in horrible disrepair, with trees growing out of the stands one side of the field. They managed to get the stadium ready in time for the game. Well in Olympic Stadium they would get "crowds" of about 15,000 people in a 69,000 seat stadium. That same 15,000 came out to the game at Molson Stadium, and it was a sell out. The fans loved it, and the atmosphere was great, so the Alouettes decided to make Molson their permanent home the next year. The stadium has undergone an upgrade, with an upper deck being added to one side, bringing capacity to about 25,000.
And now the Olympic Stadium will be undergoing a four year project to replace the roof. It looks like a great design.
Not since 2011 though. The last few home playoff games were hosted at Molson Stadium. It still dont think there have been many (if at all) home sellouts since the seating expansion renovations. However, some little birds have told me season ticket sales, single games & ticket packages are selling fast for the upcoming 2024 season, following the championship year. So there might be more sellouts at Molson Stadium this season. And i was there for some of the games in 2019 when the Als made their unexpected run to the playoffs. Even 3/4 full, Als fans make a ton of noise and the stadium does a good job keeping the noise in.
@@tehDanielRuiz Péladeau is getting Molson a new scoreboard this year (was supposed to be last year but got delayed in shipping) and if the Als want to create a special event they give a call to Péladeau's Entertainment division and they can book a big name act. Couldn't do that before.
@@jethro1963it’s pretty horrible once you factor in the price and how bad layout inside is
From outside it’s a beautiful stadium but they overpaid for it and it was poorly designed
For me, McMahon can be blinking cold in the winter 🥶. I volunteered there 2010-2014, verifying tickets to the home games. The coldest time was during my first year (2010 CFL Western Final).
BC Place did what The Big Owe couldn't. Have a retractable roof that actually works.
It's not retractable but the new Big O roof is a cool design and should be successful. The old Big O roof worked, it did open and close 88 times but for a myriad of reasons wasn't practical. Vancouver does not face the same weather conditions which were a factor.
@@jethro1963 There were also design flaws in the Big O that caused multiple roof failures over the years, and safety issues too. That and the absurd price tag pretty much killed the stadium's popularity with the people of Montreal, who just don't like going there. That's a big part of why the original Montreal Allouettes failed and folded, why the Montreal Expos failed and moved to DC, and why the Baltimore Stallions turned Monteal Allouettes 2.0 nearly failed, until they moved to then McGill Stadium, only pulling out the Big O for big draw games that needed the extra seating capacity.
As for BC Place, I have some fond memories in that building, the fondest being watching the BC Lions win the Grey Cup over the Baltimore Colts/Stallions on a typical last play Lui Passaglia field goal from the end zone behind where Lui kicked the Cup winner. That was the first and only time I've seen a team I cheer for win it all while I'm there in the stadium getting to be a part of it.
@@Seriously_Unserious The people of Montreal have a fondness for the Big O, it is one of their most popular landmarks and attractions. I think much of the old animus is gone and the new roof will be a success and will get some goodwill back to the stadium. The problem is it's just too big for what either the Als or CFM need. If there was a way to downsize and get the fans closer to the action it could go back in service. There apparently were plans that a few have seen that apparently makes the interior almost unrecognizable so we'll see what happens down the road.
BC Place also doesn't have the same winters.
I live in Saskatchewan and the Roughriders are really popular here. Close to college football enthusiasm in this province. Outside the Prairies CFL is not too popular but is popular in this province. Those truncated endzones with the track around them are common especially at High School and University level. The Molson stadium in Montreal is small but produces a good atmosphere! Mosaic Stadium (Saskatchewan) is the best stadium by far.
Excuse you? We live & die with our Ticats in the hammer! It’s the only pro team we have where we can beat Toronto & we don’t take that lightly (Labour Day Classic)…
@@takemeasicam I stand corrected, I grew up near the Hammer and have lived there too. Watched some games at Ivor Wynn when I was a child. Yes Hamilton is unique for Ontario and CFL is popular there too.
@@neilwhitaker6284 haha I agree that the three big cities (MTL, TOR & VAN) are indifferent to the league & the other teams have NHL teams crowding their market but Hamilton & Saskatchewan are the only teams that have no other pro competition…cheers to a good year & hope to see you in the Grey Cup!🍻🏈
Don't you wish Saskatchewan had an NHL team instead of having to go to nearby Alberta or Manitoba?
Riders Nation is like GreenBay Packers fans. They are everywhere
The reason the other set of seats on the north side of TD place look the way it does is because there's also an arena under the stands. Originally the Ottawa Civic Centre, it was where the Ottawa Senators played their first few seasons, but due to small capacity, they built the bigger arena out in Kanata. Currently the TD Place arena is for the junior hockey team in the OHL, the Ottawa 67s (because Canada as a country was created in 1867). They do have plans for the redesign of the north end stands. You should give the proposed redesign of TD Place a look too (if absolutely bored).
If all goes well the North stands and arena will be torn down starting in 2026 and replaced with a smaller (around 11k ) stand. There is no planned roof for the stand but there is a provision to discuss it later so the possibility still exists.
TD place in Ottawa host 180 events a year, can any NFL team's stadium come close to that?
As a fellow Canadian who has been a Montreal Alouettes for many years, the view on Mount Royal is really worth it. Thanx a lot for this video!
Hey thanks for covering the CFL. Us Canadians appreciate it. Go Lions! (The public transit is awesome for sporting events here)
Your transit system is really impressive. I went there once but it was not CFL season, I did see the Canucks though! That made me a casual fan.
I was in Vancouver earlier this month and didn't take transit to the stadiums... but let me tell you, that train from the airport is *chef's kiss*
You're in the shithole dystopian socialist hellscape known as canada. Nothing is great there
@@PlasmaTwa2 The Canada Line is actually goated I can't lie
@@jrob2430where ya from?
As someone from Calgary MacMahon is a dump. But being on the university of Calgary campus we will probably never get a replacement for it
I’d love to eventually see us get a new stadium on the stampede grounds, once the dome is gone there’ll be a lot more open space. That being said, I have no confidence our ownership will get it done lol
It will eventually happen. Despite some people hating the idea I can see a combined indoor facility with the fieldhouse that Calgary has been needing for so long. Also CFL stadiums are trending smaller as new sources of revenue enter the scene. 25k is about the sweet spot now
They rent it from the UofC for $1 a year. The owners laugh all the way to the bank while the fans sit on 60 year old wooden benches.
I recall the Stamps in the 90's, in someways that (and perhaps into the mid 00's) The Stampeders and CFL in general was at it's peak. It's been in decline since and that trend will only continue. Spending what it would cost to replace McMahon for a game that's played 9 times a year for a league in decline would never be acceptable. I hope that there is a solution, but I can't offer one.
@@patrickc9670 How is the league in decline when the three largest markets have had attendance increases in the past two years after all the naysayers were saying those markets were dead. The ownership situation has never been better or more stable in the history of the league. If people actually knew what was going on instead of posting negative shat they heard from someone else we might be better off.
The current version of the Alouettes relocated from Baltimore to Montreal in 1996 and initially played in Olympic Stadium. They were bleeding red ink playing their home games there, but were saved by, of all things, a U2 concert.
U2 had Olympic Stadium booked for a 1997 date where the Als were to host a home playoff game, so they needed to find an alternate venue, so they played the game at Percival Molson - and the Als found the smaller stadium suited their circumstances (and budget) much better than the Big Owe.
They play Sunday Bloody Sunday every Sunday game in honor of that.
Fun fact about TD place: it also has a hockey rink in the Northside stands which is where the Senators played for their first two seasons while their current arena was being built. It's still being used for the OHLs Ottawa 67's and the Ottawa PWHL team
Not for much longer, it will be demolished starting in 2026. Then the new arena will be behind the end zone and a new North stand will be built (around 11k)
I like the dramatic pause between Calgary and Alberta. Lance Storm is proud.
Im a huge Australian Football fan (AFL) and they have some awesome stadiums. I'm a crows fan and I really like ours. Great video btw i love this channel.
Go Adelaide
2nd comment at 3:11 under those pillars is TD Place Arena where the Ottawa 67s junior hockey team plays. It holds about 8,000. 3:37 Exhibition Stadium was called "the mistake by the lake" and was probably the worst stadium in all of human history. The Argos had to leave the Skydome (I refuse to call it the Rogers Centre) because it was ridiculous. They get 20,000 out for a game on a good day and the stadium held 58,000 or something.
My dad would always tell me how lucky I was I never had to witness a baseball game at the old Exhibition Stadium…half the seats were looking at the outfield & not home plate LOL
@@takemeasicam yea If I remember correct there were seats in the lower sections between 1st and 3rd base and then after that it was metal bleachers too. He was right, those bleachers faced straight ahead and built for football. If you were just past 1st base you were looking out into the outfield ha.
You know you have a bad ballpark when it makes Olympic Stadium look good by comparison.
@@furioussherman7265 I went to the Big O for an Expos game once. Wasn't a bad place, but it was odd. I've never seen so much concrete used. Not just in the stadium, outside the stadium on the walkway from the metro station. It gave me an Eastern Bloc/Soviet architecture vibe for sure.
IIRC the Argos had a sweet rental deal at SkyDome, they were asked to stay there instead of building their own stadium at York. Previously the Argos and the CSA had a deal at UofT which UofT reneged on at the last minute. The Argos then were making a deal with York when the SkyDome offer came. They were basically asked to leave the SkyDome because Rogers wanted a baseball only facility (they were planning on growing grass indoors). Rogers has finally finished the baseball only conversion.
The reason why it looks a bit half finished is because under the north side there’s a hockey rink underneath so they had to improvise
Starting in 2026 all that will be gone
@@jethro1963 knowing the bureaucratic hell that all Ottawa stadium projects go through (and especially at Lansdowne, thanks Glebe NIMBYs) I wouldn’t be surprised if it took until 2030 to start the project.
@@TheMur28 Last month Ottawa council approved the Lansdowne 2.0 procurement model. Work can now move forward on demolishing the old north-side stands and replacing them with a new 11,200-seat grandstand, and building a new 5,500-seat event centre. A final go/no go decision on the Lansdowne 2.0 project is expected in 2025.
Commonwealth Stadium is truly Canada's stadium. It was the former home of the Olympic soccer team and is still used as a home-team advantage stadium during the cold to literally freeze out CONCACAF rivals from warm weather nations... That's how Canada qualified for the last World Cup by turning it into the Icetecha to beat Mexico...
If we have to deal with all of the Central America bullshit (including but not limited to: police assisted all night block parties outside the hotel, needing to be protected by police with riot shields to take a corner kick, crowds chanting slurs, and having to deal with thrown bags of urine, rusty nails and/or vomit-filled beer cans) then the tropical divas can deal with some snow and frostbite.
P.S. The U.S. also like to make the Central Americans experience winter when they have the opportunity to do so.
Fun fact about Tim Hortons field: Chris Berman was at the opening game! I was there & got a picture with him (cool dude, can confirm).
Toronto moved out of the SkyDome because they were running a deficit barely attracting 10 000+ people…in the largest market LOL
Hamilton is a joke. Ivor Wynne stadium was 80 years old and they finally decided to build a new stadium (only because the Federal Government gave them money as part of the financing for the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto). Instead of building a new stadium in a new location (including the waterfront) what do they do?? build Tim Horton's field in the same dumpy area that the old stadium was built in. Tim Horton's field has already had a fire in a transformer and cracks have been found in some of the foundations.
@@bufnyfan1 have you been to the Pier 4 waterfront? It’s one of our poorest neighbourhoods & has even worse air quality than where THF currently is.
If anything it should have been built on the Stoney Creek/Binbrook mountain where there is easy access to the highways & ample room for parking lots to tailgate like in Orchard Park.
Realistically the Tapleytown neighbourhood heavily depends on the Ticats for their micro economy. In an already economically depressed area, it would have had detrimental ripple effects to move the stadium to the prosperous suburbs…
@@bufnyfan1 You seem to neglect the fact that THF has been very successful attracting fans and making money for the CFL team rather than losing money as was happening at IW
@takemeasicam I live a 20-minute walk from THF.
The stadium is bordered by 3 schools and a rec centre in the midst of a residential neighbourhood.
Other than the KFC on Barton Street, the only micro economy is locals charging people $20 to park on their front lawn on game day.
The stadium needed to be moved where it could have been part of an entertainment and restaurant district.
@@jamesj6597 ya those poor people need those 20$ from every TiCats game and from the other events like Forge games…that’s a lot for people living off welfare dude
I can see Mosaic clearly from my balcony. It's an impressive stadium. Hopefully this years version of the Roughriders is just as impressive!
If you ever come to Regina to watch the riders I’d recommend going to the Labour Day game against Winnipeg. The Labour Day game by far has the best atmosphere
Fr
Any rider game has a great atmosphere but yeah the crowd turns it up a notch when the bombers roll into town in Labour Day weekend. (Any other games against Winnipeg don’t matter much)
@@creedencebakken2686 only game you guys can sell out cause it’s 40% Bomber fans
@@RumHutProductions I’d like to see how many games the bombers sell out when they go 6-12 with the inability to move the ball 10 yards. Y’all didn’t even sell out the banjo bowl 🤣🤣🤣
@@creedencebakken2686 are you stupid? Of course the Bombers sold out the Banjo Bowl, I even counted about 17 banjo picking inbreds there in their green. Not to mention they likely made more revenue than the rest of the league combined.
Calf started in 1913 since the grey cup is 111 years old oldest trophy in North America.
Wrong. CFL started in 1958. Governing body for Canadian Football was formed in 1956 (Canadian Football Council), Grey Cup was first played in 1909. There was no Grey Cup games in 1916-1919 period (World War I and dispute with Canadian Rugby Union were the reasons) and also there was no CFL season in 2020 because of COVID-19 Pandemic. (2021 CFL Season was shortened because of pandemic, but at least it happened.)
As a proud Calgary Stampeder season ticket holder, McMahon is solidly built and has great sightlines. They could add a roof (Toronto style) to both grandstands with better AV, upgrade the seating to get rid of the bleachers, and expand the concourse, and it would be a solid stadium for another 30 years.
I would have to disagree. The stadium seating is very flat, you'd have a much better viewing experience if the angle of the bleachers was much steeper
Snuck into Molson field a few weeks ago. It’s actually a pretty cool stadium feels very intimate even while being there and it was completely empty
Yeah. Molson Stadium has that friendly atmosphere other modern stadiums (In Montreal at least) lacks. Especially when the place is crowded with fans
As someone who has played in Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Regina I can safely say that Regina’s facilities are far and away the best in the country
Lies
As a Canadian CFL fan, and also a Giants fan, thanks for paying some attention to this league. Its great football!
New York or San Fran?
With Princess Auto Stadium (formerly Investors Group/IG Field before this year), they actually played their first season in 2013, not 2014, though it is true there was a year delay in getting started on that field and yes, costs were overrun with a lot of the money being from public funds from the province. Also a fun fact: the stadium's design was inspired heavily by the Seahawk's stadium. (As a Winnipegger and diehard Bomber fan, had to mention that even if the facts are a bit pedantic)
I would love to see a video critiquing all MLS stadiums, as there has been a lot of change in recent years! Love this new channel as a fellow stadium nerd.
Princess Auto Stadium was formally known as Investers Group Field. My dad was lead installer and supervisor for the tile crew i was on there with a big local flooring company we worked for. It was a big project. A mess in some areas with construction and organization. But it was still a fun job as a beginner tile setter, but a headache for the higher-ups.
Solid, and thanks for recognizing that McGill is the oldest football program in North America. No university teams play at BMO Field, though.
Having lived in all 3 Ontario cities with CFL teams, I would flip Ottawa and Hamilton. Ottawa's stadium is in a better location. Hamilton's stadium is in a residential neighborhood with nothing around it.
First, it's in Hamilton, then there's nothing exciting around it. I went for the Grey Cup last year, and was pretty much shocked to be walking through a neighborhood. Not much activity going on. Ottawa has a Craft, and that's pretty much all you need, and BMO, well at least Liberty Village is on the other side of the tracks.
And as un-Canadian as me to say; Rutgers and Princeton had programs since 1869 - not going to debate rules differences, because that'll just open up the door to some Harvard sympathisers.
@@mikesweeney2872 While Rutgers has the oldest program for sure in north america, the first game (Rutgers-Princeton in 1869) had... very goofy rules, *very* far from modern football. Thats why FivePoints mentionned that McGill practically invented football; In basically introduced concepts such as running the ball and downs.
Fun facts about some of the stadiums...Mosaic Stadium (Regina) is partially in the ground (the 1st level) to protect from the freezing winds up there during fall football games (a big issue with the old stadium where you might be watching the game in COLD WEATHER)...Montreal used to play in Olympic Stadium but the roof failed which is why they moved to the McGill field (which fans seem to like better). Skydome (aka Rogers Centre) in Toronto was built because the premier loved football and hated watching the Grey Cup in snow (which happened in 1982 at Exhibition Stadium)...so Skydome was built for baseball and football...like all shared stadiums it sucked for both sports (and so despite in the 1990s the league had 3 indoor stadiums) the Argos left for BMO field, and Rogers Centre became baseball only...which is why you now only have the one indoor CFL stadium in BC...
Somewhat like football??.. It is football! The CFL has been around longer than the NFL. For example, the Ottawa Football Club was formed in 1876. One last thing, how can you rate these stadiums if you never been to one CFL game.
because literally nobody knows more about stadiums than me. I look up stadiums all day.
@@FivePointsStadiums Wow!! A stadium savant.
What really special with TD place in Ottawa is underneath one of the stands there's a Hockey arena for the Pwhl women team and Ottawa 67s junior hockey team
Yes, the CFL as a league was formed in 1958 but there have been many leagues since 1909
My favourite thing about these CFL stadiums there good for NHL Outdoor Games . NHL Heritage Classic
I love your new channel, keep it up
A goal is to watch a CFL game in every stadium. BC and Winnipeg I did.....
I want a CFL weekly episode from you or tree or Brandon so f****** bad. I'm trying to get into the CFL and I just can't find someone that really talks to me. Nothing crazy 15-20 minute episode covering some games every week I want it
Try PEAK Football. He’s Canadian and covers NFL, CFL, AFL, and NCAA.
Interesting that you mentioned the price tag of SoFi Stadium when talking about Mosaic Stadium in Regina. Coincidentally, they were both designed by the same architecture firm - HKS Inc. and Mark Williams was the principal architect for both projects. When Mosaic opened in 2017, Williams (having also worked on mega expensive stadiums such as AT&T Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium, U.S. Bank Stadium and had started work on SoFi at the time), felt Mosaic was one of the best stadiums he had designed, pound-for-pound, when comparing budgets.
Another fun fact about BMO Field is that for a couple of weeks out of the year the area surrounding the stadium is converted into a race track for IndyCar and other supporting races. You can even see most of the track's layout on the aerial shots at 3:19.
I live in Calgary and what renovations did McMahon Stadium have?!? Other than additional seats (for the Olympics), playing surface changes (grass to AstroTurf to FieldTurf), and the Red and White Club (which replaced the CALGARY hill) nothing has changed. Don't get me started on the washrooms. The four red towers (that once held cables to hold the speakers OVER the field) are now useless. This dump has hosted Grey Cup Games as recently as 2019!! Concerts have been banned from McMahon since the late 1970's due complaints from neighbouring communities. The ownership group are the same people who are close to finally beginning to construct the Flames new arena (a 100+ year old tree was removed from the parking lot for an unofficial sod turning ceremony). The 2015 proposal was shot down by city council who would rather spend money on useless art installation like Blue Rings and Shish Kebab skewers (I like the big giant head downtown though) and could care less about sports venues (most are WAY out of date).
Canada hosted Mexico in a World Cup 2022 qualifier at Commonwealth in the snow!!
I used to live in Ottawa and still call TD Place 'Lansdowne Park' and the north stands were built in the 1960's and as others have posted, has a hockey arena (home of the Ottawa 67's and was the original home of the Senators from 1992 to 1996) and exhibition space beyond that. The south stands were replaced after the previous stands (also built in the 1960's) were condemned after a FIFA U20 tournament. Luckily the Renegades folded a few months earlier (thank you Glieberman's AGAIN!!).
Timmies' Field still looks incomplete in my opinion. Wasn't there supposed to be end zone seats there?
Princess Auto Stadium (formerly IG Field) had a disastrous NFL preseason game a few years back when Green Bay and Oakland squared off. There was a field issue with the unsafe footings of the CFL goal posts in the middle of the NFL endzones. Instead of the regulation 120 yard field the NFL used, the end zones were from the goal line to the ten yard lines. There were no kickoffs but the goal posts were still in use adding more confusion. Another issue that lured fans (including myself being a Packers fan) away was the extremely expensive price for tickets. I believe the cheapest tickets were $600 EACH!!!
My pet peeve about BC Place is what I see on TV. I rarely see (unless it's the Grey Cup) the upper deck seats open because of the roof configuration and the advertising tarps on the endzones. Maybe someone can back me up on this but I swear a Lions game draws a smaller crowd than a Canucks game across the street.
Thank you Five Points for your critique of CFL stadiums.
Are the Canucks drawing 23k a game, if not you'd be wrong.
@@jethro1963 23k?? Is that what constitutes a sell out at BC Place when the upper deck is closed and advertising tarps cover the end zone seats for most Lions games?? I swear what I have seen on TV looks small but not UBC small.
@@higgy04 IIRC the lower deck holds 27k and the criteria for stadiums or arenas is the same. If the numbers of seats that are available are sold out then it's a sellout. Again, you made the statement that you thought there were less people at a Lions game than Canucks and that was proven wrong. And if the trend continues and owner Amar Doman keeps up with the excellent work he has been doing, attendance will increase yet again.
@@jethro1963 Maybe TSN makes it look worse. My apologies
as a Canadian that loves the nfl and your channel I can't thank you enough for this video!
"...and situated in the South End Zone is the Montreal Neurological Institute, where I guess victims of concussions can watch football!?" - LMAO
Mosaic is definitely the best. Still wish it had a roof
Thank god it’s shaped like a toilet bowl, the only time it’s not filled with shit is during the Labour Day Classic
Surprised he didn't mention that there's a hockey arena under the older stand in Ottawa 😂
Was waiting for that aswell
In addition to hosting the BC Lions, BC Place is also used by the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS.
Also, the reason the one in Edmonton is named Commonwealth Stadium is because it was originally built for the 1978 Commonwealth Games, which is kind of like the Olympics, except the countries that take part are ones that were former territories of the British Empire
Been catching up with the videos and also recently subscribed.
Loving the videos so far.
Thanks for giving Mosaic Stadium in Regina top marks. As the smallest CFL city population-wise, we are extremely proud of our Roughriders' rich history stretching back to 1910. While it was sad to see the demise of its venerable predecessor, Taylor Field, the Mosaic facility is truly amazing, and a worthy successor. Filled to capacity, there's no place like it. Come and see!
Good job on the list. I'm from Montreal so I can tell you that Percival Molson Stadium is great place to watch Football. There's hardly a bad seat in the house, and I particularly love sitting on the mountain side where I have an amazing view of downtown Montreal.
Sure the Stadium is outdated, but it's better than if the Alouettes played at Olympic stadium.
Two more points.
First, back in 97 the Alouettes used to play at Olympic stadium and a conflict in dates between a home playoff game and a U2 concert forced the Alouettes to seek a new venue, Molson Stadium was chosen, the place was in bad shape and there were even trees growing through parts of the stadium stands. However the atmosphere and sight lines were so much better than at the big O, so Percival Molson Stadium became the team's new home by popular demand.
Second, when McGill University played football against Harvard back in the 1880s McGill used tackles to take dow the American players, and that's how American football took something out our game, but you ruined by creating the Fair catch. Just saying.
I live in Ottawa, the cfl is extremely neglected in favour of the nfl in most of Canada. TD place is amazing, but more people go there for the 67’s
Just to let you know the cfl goes on in the summer and playoffs in the fall there no wild weather since you make references to the winter a lot
Well sometimes in playoffs it snows good. Always a fun game. Or in Winnipeg after like October because that’s when winter starts.
Argos games at the dome were always bad to me. It was never a football venue. The best thing they did was go back outside to a smaller stadium. Playoff games in November at BMO are great. Its really cold and really loud like it should be.
The reason it looks like football is because it is football. Remember, like you referenced about McGill, the game was invented in Canada.
But I have a question about design of the new Mosaic Stadium. I still can't understand why on the north side there's a small gap between sections. I don't understand that.
Mcgill was one of the first university to have a football program and were kinda part of the ivy league in the 19 century. And mcgill invented hockey too. 💪
Commonwealth stadium is the one ive been to the most, and yes, its freezing.
The NHL Heritage Classic was just held here and my dad spent the entire second period getting hot chocolate with how many people also were.
Also a few years back when i was in Scouts, we were able to do sleepovers at Rogers Place (Oilers home). And once we almost did one at Commonwealth. But the concourses are open to wind and cold so luckily that idea was scrapped.
Now I usually only go to Commonwealth if the Roughriders are the away team. Also my dad claims hes been to nearly EVERY riders vs elks game since like the 90s.
Since my pfp is the Riders logo, ill share my opinion on their stadium. I have been to both Mosaic Stadiums, but only once. Regina is too far for me.
Old Mosaic Stadium definitely had aging issues but it had an amazing atmosphere and charm. New Mosaic Stadium is just simply amazing. However i wish they could upgrade the area.
I went to the Grey Cup in Edmonton in 2002 and good God that was frigid.
Wearing a watermelon on your head while getting absolutely shitfaced watching the Roughriders is a right of passage for many.
..and looking as idiotic as a Cheesehead in Green Bay.
One thing to mention about TD place is under the old side of the stadium is a hockey rink of about 9000 seats, it’s for the 67’s who play in the OHL. probably one of the most unique multipurpose stadiums I know of. Big plans to actually tear that side down and build a new rink in the end zone.
CFL is the original football. Way older and better than the nfl
Then why is the CFL the welfare league of the two?
@@FischerFan not welfare it’s just the people in the states don’t watch it. Not smart enough to know cfl is a better watch.
@@FischerFanbecause the NFL has 400 million fans to watch it, CFL only has 40 million. NFL makes almost all their money from billion dollar TV contracts, CFL only broadcasts to TSN and they don’t have billions of dollars to drop every year. When covid hit they had to cancel the 2020 season because every team would’ve gone under without ticket sales. Also most of the teams are community owned and several are even technically non-profits.
@@joshharrison9054 The NFL is also the most lucrative sports enterprise on the globe. The CFL doesn't even make the top 50 in revenue generation.
The NFL is also the brand that travels. The CFL brand goes nowhere.
However, only three of the League's nine teams are community owned.
These redundant claims that the CFL is so much better continue to be unfounded.
@@FischerFan the CFL actually hosts drafts for international talent from countries like Germany and Japan and Australia, and host camps and development leagues in those countries as well. Only two teams are owned by a single person, the BC Lions and the Montreal Allouettes, the rest are either publicly owned or owned by actual sports companies, like MLSE or Winnipeg Football Club, whereas in the NFL 31 of 32 teams are owned by billionaires. And yes the NFL is the most lucrative sports league in the world, but so what? That doesn’t discredit any other league. You don’t hear people shit on euro basketball leagues because they don’t make as much money as the NBA, because it’s America, of course it’ll make money, it’s the Mecca of capitalism!
Had an idea, should have done a critique for horse racing tracks with the Kentucky Derby just being ran. Maybe there's enough time for the Belmont Stakes still yet to be ran.
CFL might be a little too fast paced for some Yanks
Part of the reason the south side stands were torn down at TD Place in Ottawa was because they were condemned due to structural problems. This was in the late 2000s.
Quick tip: Canadians don't pronounce BMO sounding out each letter. The correct pronunciation is "BEE-MO" Field.
The Red Blacks' stadium doesn't quite anger me, but it makes me feel the urge to piss aggressively, and probably post about it on X a couple hours later.
The team name is so much better in French, Le Rouge Noir
That was the name that was first introduced before RedBlacks.
@@Hogtownboy1 "Rouge et Noir" is officially used by the team on the French version of their website. Agree that the team name in French sounds way better.
@@OttawaRocks especially with the rolling r at the end
Winnipeg’s stadium is beautiful. I am happy we got a new one.
Not sure if someone else mentioned this, but it should be noted that the Argos weren't so much lured to BMO as they were booted out of Rogers Centre. Not everyone will agree with me, but I believe they're better off.
And here I was thinking that no one outside of Canada even knew of the existence of the CFL.
Seriously, then why are Canadian college players being scouted by NFL?
@@jethro1963 I legit didn't know that. It's not like you see students who played at Western University getting drafted in the first round, nor does winning the Vanier Cup hold the same clout as a BCS win.
@@furioussherman7265 More and more USports players are scouted for the NFL draft. One was selected this year, UBC's Giovanni Manu and his fellow linemen Theo Benedet was signed as a UFA after the draft. Other former draft picks that come to mind are David Onyemata (Manitoba), Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (McGill), Vaughn Martin (Western) and yes even one drafted in the first round, going way back, Mike Schad (Queens) in 1986. Canadian college players are frequently invited to NFL camps, the Giants seem to be the leaders in that department. Canadian college teams have become much more "professionalized" often led by former CFL personnel although coaches who didn't coach or play at the CFL level have done very well
@@jethro1963 Interesting. Kinda disappointing that I've never heard of any of the Canadian players that get drafted or get invited to training camps. College sports aren't even remotely close to being as big up here as they are down in the States.
@@furioussherman7265 That's because universities up here are meant for educating and not primarily to produce professional athletes, the way it should be.
As a Edmontonian I can tell Commonwealth is extremely cold in the winter for multiple reasons. It was built when we hosted the Commonwealth games in 78 but let me tell you, when you have 50,000 ppl in a Stadium in -10 degree weather going nuts and getting boozed while it’s snowing it’s definitely an experience. Grey Cups here are Wild and you should take one in next time we host it.
YOU SON OF A GUN, HE FINALLY GAVE ME WHAT I'VE WANTED FOR MANY YEARS..... Thanks man, you fuggin rule.
Why did you only focus on the roof of BC Stadium and show no video or photo of inside the stadium?
Most of Canada has the drinking age at 19, French Canada had it at 18
Not just Québec has a drinking age of 18; the consumption of alcohol is legal in both Alberta and Manitoba at age 18 (and I don't see that changing anytime soon). However, for whatever reason, only Alberta retained 18 as the legal age for cannabis use/possession, once that was legalized (Manitoba went with 19, which is standard across the rest of the country, while Québec shocked the world and defied all stereotypes by restricting cannabis use to those who are at least TWENTY-ONE years of age).
Alberta, Manitoba, and Quebec are all 18 for alcohol.
When I think of my neighbors up north I think of better women and Survivor Series 1997
Been to the 4 western most stadiums. Mosaic stadium definitely the best, McMahon definitely the worst.
As long as you bring your Giants 4th string QB back with you, come on down! (Or up?) if you are gonna check out Mosaic, I’d reccommend a game vs the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
bro wants DeVito that bad lmao
I cannot believe this guy (out of all people) actually put Mosaic at number 1 when I saw his other videos and how he criticized my personal favourite stadiums
The Calgary Flames are trying to develop a proposal and plans for a new arena. Once that gets approved and done I wouldn't be surprised if and when the Stampeders submit a proposal for a new Stadium, not just for them but maybe for U of C as well (or the Dinos continue to use McMahon but renovations make the stadium a bit smaller).
Commonwealth Stadium (aka The Brick Field) used to have a track around the perimeter of the field, as the Commonwealth Games were often held there (technically still does but the lines have been removed)
Td place is my local barn and I love it. Montreal is iconic too.
McGill is not a college. In Québec, colleges, usually called CÉGEP, is a distinct level between high school and university, which also offers technical programs. McGill is most definitely a university.
As a Stamps Season Ticket Holder I can confirm that McMahon Stadium is out dated (due to parts that need renovation and repairs) but I still love going to the Stadium to watch Football and I like a Stadium with no roof that way it's a clear view to watch the Jets from the Canadian Armed Force fly by.
I have been to 3 Grey Cup Finals (so far) (2019 Calgary, 2022 Regina, 2023 Hamilton) and one of my Life Time Goals is to visit every CFL City for the Grey Cup (at least once).
I'm not a huge fan of Stadiums with roofs because when I was at the 2022 Grey Cup in Regina, Saskatchewan, I couldn't see all the Snowbirds fly by. If there was no roof like McMahon Stadium and Tim Hortons Field, you can see all the Snowbirds or Jets fly by.
Another thing I like about McMahon Stadium is that it's close to a CTrain Station, close to 2 Hospitals (Foothills Hospital & Alberta Children's Hospital) and a nice view of downtown Calgary (it's also in the University of Calgary area) plus McMahon has a lot of History like how many times it Hosted the Grey Cup, 1988 Olympics, & 2011 Heritage Classic (NHL) between the Calgary Flames against the Montreal Canadiens, and "Face-off in the Foothills" where Junior Hockey League Teams played the Family Day Long Weekend and the Calgary Hitmen (WHL) played at McMahon Stadium against the Regina Pats (they had a rematch when Regina Hosted the Heritage Classic in 2019).
As I said in the comment, my Goal is to visit every City for the Grey Cup and so far I've made it to 3 out of 9, Next stop: Vancouver, BC, Canada for the 111th Grey Cup (2024) then Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada for the 112th Grey Cup (2025).
Coming Soon, we will find out who will Host the 113th Grey Cup in 2026 (Right now it's unknown when Montreal will Host the Grey Cup again since the Alouettes lost against the Calgary Stampeders in 2008 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
The field at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton also has a track around it. Combined with the size and layout the sightlines are very far away from the action.
Bro, you needed to say how Lansdowne Park was the home of the Ottawa Rough Riders, who first started playing football in 1876
Ottawa has a sick stadium so unique truly deserves the respect just like my Ottawa Redblacks best fans in the league GO REDBLACKS!!!
Frankly I want to see Montreal return to the Olympic Stadium.
Speaking of which, are you going to do a video where you critique Olympic stadiums since the Paris Olympics is coming soon?
couple of notes. should have point out which ones have turf vs real grass.. also seems like only BC place and BMO are really "world cup" ready..
Commonwealth Stadium is actually one of my favourite places to watch football. This Riders fan prefered going to watch them play in Edmonton over Regina because the old stadium sucked. Commonwealth currently needs some overhauls but the view from the upper level can't be beat (RIP upper level seating)
Toronto is weird because it feels like you're in someone else's stadium. They dress it up for the Argos, but has the Toronto FC feel all over it.
Also, the drinking age is only 18 in Quebec, Alberta, and Manitoba. 19 in Ontario and BC. Every 19yr old can legally drink here
The only American CFL team to ever win a Grey Cup (Baltimore Stallions) did it in Regina. The game was in 1995 so they played it at Taylor field as Mosaic stadium hadn't been built yet.I remember in 1996 there were some Baltimore fans who were almost disappointed that a championship winning CFL team was leaving to make room for the old Cleveland Browns. Who knew that the Browns curse would stay in the city of Cleveland and not follow the franchise owned by Art Modell?
BMO Field is a fantastic MLS venue. Only been to one Argos game there but the TFC games are fantastic. Perfect stadium and great atmosphere
CFL football is more challenging in the American game. You only have two downs to move the ball instead of three the field is larger you have one more player to deal with on either side of the ball the authors Take Out Canadian football was very misguided
The stade Percival Molson isn't that impressive, but I did get the privilege of seeing ochocinco play there with Antony calvillo from the sideline benches.
I like how you say "Rough-RIDERS!"
Princess Auto Stadium FKA IG Field/Investors Group Field opened in 2013, not 2014.
You should definitely come up to Regina and watch a game. Win or lose the atmosphere is incredible. Fun fact, every time there's a Rider game the arena becomes the 5th largest city in the province lol.
Regina- the city that rhymes with fun!
TD Place in Ottawa has a 10 ,000 seat hockey arena under the renovated to modern standards Northside stands. That why they were not demolished and completely rebuilt like the new Southside stands.
It will be demolished and rebuilt starting 2026
Highly recommended the cfl! 3 downs makes the game more interesting IMO (yeah probably a biased opinion as I grew up on it but I find it higher paced) it's 12 man football, we have 2 50 yard lines, and some interesting rules. Plus no fair catch so that's a bonus. If you want to come up to watch a game I'd highly recommend the labour day classic at mosaic stadium the bombers @ the riders, or the following game in Winnipeg "the banjo bowl" riders at bombers, the LDC rematch.
As a Regina boy, I´m proud that we came out on top. Pretty swank for a small city.
My high school track and football field must’ve have been surveyed out by a drunk as the field wound up being 90 yards long… on a good day, also the sidelines were about 15 inches higher than the rest of the field... So the team would have to play on another high school’s field for “home” games until someone threw a bunch of money at the school to tear out the track, properly level and grade the ground and put down an actual 100 yard turfice field with proper end zones… that needed a bunch of padding because one end is against the fence, and other a brick wall. Needless to say seating is VERY limited.
I love mosaic stadium the only downside is that there’s literally train tracks right outside the stadium so half the time it’ll take 5-10 extra minutes before you can get in the beauty itself
Our old stadium in Winnipeg was an absolute dump im so glad we got Princess Autos Stadium! It's also where us Manitoba marathoners finish in!
I love the way he said Roughriders
You new channel is awesome and thank you for doing this!
My pleasure!
@@FivePointsStadiums you, Urinating Tree and Brandon Perna are my fav Sports UA-camrs! You guys keep me entertained because of your passion & humor!
I love the CFL rules better than the NFL. I wish more Americans would get into it like I did.
I read somewhere the first "Canadian football" game happened decades before the first "USA football" game. If true, it leads me to believe the Canadian rules are the true and original way football should be played.
If you do decide to come to a game in Saskatchewan I have an extra ticket you can use, down side being you would have to sit with me.
LOL