Sports

Ticat Fans Split on Stadium Location

By Adrian Duyzer
Published June 21, 2010

According to the Spectator today, they polled 50 people at a Ticats game and it was even-steven for the West Harbour location versus some other location near the QEW (21 vs 21).

"I've been coming to games for over 25 years, and we sit right here in Box J," said Chris Nunn, who now lives in Burlington. "This is easily the best place in all of North America to watch a football game."

However, Nunn said that if the west harbour site is chosen, he'd be happy to take the bus in from Burlington to watch his Tiger-Cats.

Other fans, such as Philip Thompson, are decidedly more passionate about the west harbour location.

"I think they've done a great job fixing up the bay area, and I think it would be a really positive thing for Hamilton," said Thompson, who lives in the city. "If we do want a hockey team one day, that's a good start. We have to put ourselves on the map."

So I'm not so sure the often-touted "overwhelming" vote for a highway-accessible location is really so overwhelming. Of course, this is not a statistical survey, but interesting that it was conducted at a Ticats game, eliminating anyone who doesn't go to Ticats games.

Adrian Duyzer is an entrepreneur, business owner, and Associate Editor of Raise the Hammer. He lives in downtown Hamilton with his family. On Twitter: adriandz

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By Kiely (registered) | Posted June 22, 2010 at 12:05:35

Take the "I fear losing my beloved Ti-Cats, so I wil side with them no matter what" bias out of that and it is no longer "even-steven".

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By frank (registered) | Posted June 22, 2010 at 12:06:36

The other way to put the results of that survey is that more people want a west harbour stadium than one in any other place....

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By geoff's two cents (registered) | Posted June 22, 2010 at 15:58:37

Have any surveys targeted would-be Ticats fans who shunned the games because of the inferior transit access and neighborhood attractions? What they're doing now smacks of what I believe Ryan called the "confirmation bias," or something to that effect. With declining revenues and an aging demographic fanbase, I'm surprised (or maybe I shouldn't be - this is Hamilton, after all) that the Ticats aren't giving this due consideration.

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By Fatball (anonymous) | Posted June 22, 2010 at 17:47:22

"only looking at Ticats fans who have 'survived' the current viewing arrangements."

Or survived watching a team who can't win a game if their own survival depended on it.

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By Jason (registered) | Posted June 22, 2010 at 22:41:29

True enough fatball. Anyone still paying season tickets to watch these guys should be given leather recliner chairs at field level for life as a thank-you for still showing up. I'm sure they'd get lots of use out of the recliner too. Lol

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By Kiely (registered) | Posted June 23, 2010 at 12:10:33

Have any surveys targeted would-be Ticats fans who shunned the games because of the inferior transit access and neighborhood attractions? - geoff's two cents

I'm not sure about that, but I do know a fan who took the time to write an email to the Ti-cats with his concerns about their choice of site and how he would not be attending any games at a Confederation park stadium. He received a response from the team that basically accused him of not being a "real" fan. Nice huh??? So if they don't care about current fans (which given their response, I don't believe they do). Why would they care about "would-be fans"?

Comment edited by Kiely on 2010-06-23 11:12:02

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By highwater (registered) | Posted June 23, 2010 at 12:24:16

I sent a similar email and got no response. I wonder how many emails along those lines they've received. I didn't think they were in a position to be alienating anyone right now. Someone should tell Bob Young that he is running a business, not a political party. Catering to your base might help you win elections (or minority governments at least), but you should cast your net a little wider if you're trying to, you know, make money.

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By Yeabut (anonymous) | Posted June 23, 2010 at 16:05:52

Jeeze, kick Bob Young when he's down eh? The team is NOT a success in its present location, but the city wants to relocate the stadium to a place that has many of the limitations of the current one: poor transit access chief among them. If I owned the team I'd rather risk a move to the 'burbs too, but that would only be if there were no suitable locations where the ring expressways came close to the city centre, and there ARE such locations at King & Main Streets, and Aberdeen too.

Gripe about the Ti-Cats all you like. I lost interest decades ago, though it would be nice if the city had a decent stadium to house soccer because that is a game for the future (remember all those immigrants who come to Hamilton and move on?) but Tiffany St. is simply NOT a good commercial location unless you want to plough through a public transit line and/or a highway with parking. There's no incentive for ownership to build the customer base from this location. Better to drive everyone away and stop leaking money now.

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By Railpast (anonymous) | Posted June 23, 2010 at 17:27:42

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By Kiely (registered) | Posted June 24, 2010 at 10:20:42

the city wants to relocate the stadium to a place that has many of the limitations of the current one: poor transit access chief among them. - yeabut

Try taking a bus to Confederation park.

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