Make-or-break for Edmonton: If Clarke doesn’t sell out, a new stadium is an impossible task By Steven Sandor Posted on January 28, 2013 7 0 618 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Telus Field: One of the sites identified for a new soccer stadium Make no bones about it. This will be the year that will determine the future of FC Edmonton. This summer, the Edmonton soccer community needs to show city council that it supports the club. The underlying message of Monday’s meeting between club brass, city administrators and Edmonton’s executive council was that a site for a new soccer stadium would be considered — but only if Edmonton soccer fans step up. The City of Edmonton’s administration has identified three sites as possible locations for a new stadium that could be the new home of the Eddies. But, after getting out of Monday’s city executive committee meeting, it’s clear administration has prepared for council won’t be worth the paper on which they’re printed unless the club shows a sizeable attendance increase in 2013. A new stadium that could hold 8,000 fans for soccer is a key part of FC Edmonton’s growth strategy. The team spent the 2011 NASL season playing on the tiny pitch at the University of Alberta’s Foote Field and the 2012 campaign at Clarke Stadium, which only seats 1,200-1,300, depending on whose “official” numbers you trust. But, in 2013, Clarke’s new seats will be ready for the season, and should seat close to 5K. And those seats need to be filled or else the reports the city is looking at now will be gathering dust in 2014. “We need to show there’s a demand for this. We need to be selling out our games,” was the message from new FCE general manager Rod Proudfoot. If FCE continues to move along with attendances of less than 2,000, city administrators won’t feel the need to move on a new stadium. So, really, with the plan in front of council, 2013 is really a make-or-break year for the Eddies. This will be the season in which we say that pro soccer really got established in the Alberta capital, or if FCE will join the large number of soccer franchises that came before. On Monday, council heard that a new stadium could be built in three sites: • At the existing Clarke Stadium location. • To remodel Telus Field, once the home of AAA baseball in Edmonton, into a soccer stadium. This would fit into the city’s plan to revitalize the Rossdale area, but isn’t close t a transit link despite its proximity to downtown. And, a remodel of Telus Field would likely spell the end of any hopes to bring pro baseball back to Edmonton, just as the remodel of Jeld-WEN Field in Portland killed baseball in Oregon’s largest city. • To place a stadium on the Northlands grounds. In fact, FCE confirmed that it previously worked with Northlands on a proposal to see if Rexall Place, which will no longer be the home of the Edmonton Oilers once a new arena is built, on the feasibility of placing a full-size soccer pitch in the facility. But, it was found that the dimensions were just too small, even with lower-bowl seats removed. And, really, who wants to see soccer in an indoor facility, when the long twilights of summer make for a fantastic soccer setting, and the chills of October and November would give FCE an outstanding home-field advantage. Council will also look at a plan to tarp the second deck at Commonwealth Stadium — and offering that as an alternative. But there are many issues at the huge stadium. Even half a stadium has a capacity of more than 30,000 — which is far too big for NASL soccer. And rent is still high. The issue of the stadium for Edmonton will go back to administration, and likely won’t resurface at the city level till next winter. Until then, it’s up to the fans. While city permits still need to be signed, the long-awaited stands look to be ready for the April home opener. The drawings, which now meet Alberta code, have been stamped by an Alberta engineer. That means a capacity of nearly 5,000 for FCE games this season. The team struggled with building-code issues in 2012; after announcing a Clarke renovation plan that would see 3,500 seats added to the venue, the project was aborted for the season because of building-code issues. Because of that, it was truly hard to gauge FCE’s popularity. Clarke held just 1,200 — and the Eddies regularly got sellouts and, in fact, were over capacity for most home dates. But, with such a small stadium to fill, it’s impossible to use those crowd numbers to predict what it means for soccer in Edmonton. (Ed. addition: There was a game against Atlanta last season that, with additional benches and standing room, broke the 2,000-person mark) Until the season ends and this debate reignites next winter, FCE and administrators will look for other groups who could benefit from a mid-size stadium; lacrosse teams, rugby clubs, other soccer groups. But, in the end, the most important factor in all of this is the 2013 total attendance figure.
