Here is a Empire or Tempire Stadium question for you

BC Lions
1

Well…I really hate to admit this, but I am sure that there are a few out there, who are just lke me.
I have not been to a BC Lions game, since we won the Grey Cup against Baltimore.
I guess the main reason being…that BC Place held very little appeal for me or us…and I never ever had that urge or desire to come out to a game, since that time.
My parents used to have Season Tickets for the Lions when they were in the Old Empire Stadium, and I used to be a permament fixture at all the games, back in the '70s when Nettles, Weathers, Hunsberger and Estay, Bright, Musso, Young, Gerala, Evason, Bradley and Easley were all my heros at that time under Keys, Murphy and Rapp.
I also played a lot of my games with the Meralomas out of the old Stadium as well.
Ya…of course, we all jumped on the Band Wagon in the early '80s with their move to the Novelty of playing in a Warm Domed Stadium at BC Place and saw Fernandez,Holt, Hebler, Goltz,Quick Parker,Crawford,Tyrone Keys win us a Grey Cup with Mathews at the helm.
I guess I was there after our Cup win over the Stallions. for Larry Crawfords night… but…since that time…I have not set foot in the place.

So…here I am under our Tree on Christmas morning…and I got all Teary eyed…as I looked in my Stocking hung on the Fire Place…and I discovered my Two… “Surprise” Season Tickets for the Lions 2010 Season, which is going to be Played “Outdoors”… as all Football games, should be played!
F&%K…I can hardly wait! LOL

I’m actually Excited…to being able to take my own Son, and my Gorgeous Wife to the games this year, to share, with them, what I had experienced as a Kid growing up in Vancouver, and playing Football for my own Team and going to Lions games with my own Mom and Dad, to the Old Empire Stadium.

I can’t wait…for the Drop of the Puck! LOL

OK…here is my First ( Of many to come ) Stupid questions for you guys, on this Forum.
We have not actually selected our Tickets as of yet…we are just on the waiting list, for the Best seats in the House…once all of you Long Time Loyal Lion Fans have grabbed your favorite seats first…I am hoping, that there will be enough good seats left, for us Band Wagon jumpers to secure for ourselves. lol
So my question is…should we be sitting on the Lions side of the Field…behind their bench ( If possible) or does it matter if we are on the Visiors side of the Field?

For the Canucks games…we always Love to seat on the Visitors side at GM place, so that we can see the Crosbys, Ovechkins, etc when they come to town…I seem to forget, if the same applies to our Footbal games?
Do we want to sit on their side of the field, so that we can se the Visitors players…or…do we want to be with the Home Team?
What do you guys think?
Ya…it’s been a while! LOL
Home side or Visitors side ?..or…does it really matter?

Just had to ask you guys what you prefer.
Man…is it June yet? LOL
I can Hardly wait!
It will definitely…be bringing back lots of wonderful memories for me, and creating some new ones, for my own son!
I wouldn’t want to miss this…for the World!
See you there.

2
:thup: Welcome back!

Like you, I was brought up on the Lions games at Empire by a Dad that had season tickets since the very first game (and we still have them!!) Lucky for my Dad that he had a daughter that grew to love football, it's definitely my game and in my genes though we "girls" were never lucky enough to play.
As to your question where to sit....it's a given.......the Lions side of the field! You definitely do not want to be in the midst of all those Sask. watermelon heads as they wave their flag in your face when they come out of the BC woodwork for the Sask games.
We have such a great fan base on "our side" of the field; but that said, Geroy's corner looks like a awesome place to sit as well.
If you end up on the other side of the field, there is a great challenge for you........to make it a really cool place to sit and be an awesome 13th man for our Lions.
Enjoy your experience and thanks to Santa for bringing you back to the fold.
By the way, the Dome isn't all that bad....it's more about being there to support the team and boy, can we make a lot of noise!

3

Welcome back too, but here is a another question for you too, if you love this season with the lions are you going to buy season tickets in the refurbished retractable roof at bc place?

4

Thanks so much for the welcome back.
I can’t tell you how much we appreciate that nice greeting from some “Loyal” die hard fans! lol
I was kind of thinking…that we might just be scorned, for jumping on the Empire Band Wagon?
You put our fears to rest.
Thanks for the input and advice, in where we should try to secure our new seats, once they get down to us, for the selection process of our seats.
DUH…What was I thinking? LOL
Man…you sure can tell, …we have been a way for a while now!
At GM place…the only thing, that we have to put up with every once in a while…is those Fans, from the Center of the Universe and their equally “Loyal”… Maple Leaf Fans.
So…for Hockey games, it’s your choice…as to, which side works best for each individual person…Home or Visitors side of the rink, with no worries regarding the Fans from other teams.
But come to think of it…Rival Fans…Cheering on their Team, ( Which is about to Lose to ours! LOL) are what the games, are all about…so…Bring them on! LOL

I just can’t tell you enough…How Excited and Thrilled I am, to be coming back, to not only the Lions…but to be coming back to some Very Special memories of not only playing there, at one time…but to be coming back to Empire Stadium , where I came with my own Dad and Mom to watch our Lions , and now being given that opportunity again, to share that once in a Life Time experience, with my own son.

Funny that you should ask about next year , when the team returns to the New and Improved BC Place.
We were just talking about that, just last night.
Well…what with us Hosting the Grey Cup next year…( I think that we are…aren’t we? ) we would be foolish, not to keep our seats, for another year of more memories.
And all kidding aside…I am sure, that after just one season, of “remembering” what it is like to sit, and watch the games in our Cold and Damp “Wet” Coast Chill, with that wind whipping through the stands, as it comes off our Beautiful North Shore mountains…we will soon all be lining up, and chomping at the bit… for our 2011 BC Lions Tickets, in the New and Warm “Domed” and “Covered” BC Place! LOL

Ya …Talk is Cheap, when it comes to telling every one…how Football should be played outside, and I am the First one to lead the charge, on that one!
But the reality is…our Summers are absolutely Beautiful, and Empire… with our Mountains framing the Stadium in the back ground, is what memories, are made up of.
But…we all soon forget…just how COLD and “DAMP” the Old Stadium could be, and the New Temporary one, will be… in the Fall months.
Green Bay and New England just have to deal with the Dry Cold.
We…here in BC…have that Bone Chilling Dampness and Wind, go right thru us, that we have to deal with.
I am looking forward to it?
You F&%king better believe it! LOL
It’s definitely going to be an Emtional experience…and I am so looking forward to it!
Is it June the 20th yet?
Thanks again Guys and Gals, for the Warm Welcome back “Home”!

5

I think some of the people who responded to the original post either have forgotten how cold, windy and rainy it was at Empire or weren't born before 1979 or so.. That stadium also forced everyone on the east side to stare into the setting sun during evening games in the summer. By every empirical yardstick BC Place Stadium is so much better than Empire ever was. Comfortable individual seats, no pillars to block your view, booze sales instead of sneaking in a mickey of your favourite poison. And don't forget the big screen for replays.

The only down sides to the Dome are the heat during summer, ridiculously expensive beer, crappy food and idiot fans fighting in the upper deck.

Sometimes people just don't realize how good they have it.

Dooger in Surrey

6

Why are they calling the new stadium located on the field of old Empire Stadium everything but Empire Stadium? Are they afraid to get bad publicity or something? Due away with the "empire fields" name and give it it's proper name, "Empire Stadium". There, is that so hard to say! You call a horse a horse and a duck a duck!

7

Totally agree 100%, with your energized statement.
I mentioned exactly the same thing, on another Post on here…and it really disappoints me Greatly , that any one would ever consider calling it, “anything” but…Empire Stadium.

The “ONLY” reason, that I even remotely considered, buying Seasons Tickets for the Lions this year, was due to the fact…that they were going to be returning to “Empire Stadium” for one more year, so that we could all experience and capture and Re: live, what we all grew up with.
Because of that…and “ONLY” because of that…I am once again…actually Excited and HOOKED on being a Lions Fan again, and to show my Support for them, with my Seasons Tickets in hand, at the New " Empire Stadium".
I would never ever have considered buying my Seasons Tickets, if it were not for their return…to…Empire Stadium.
The New “OLD” Dome, with the removable roof…would not have any appeal at all, or any added excitement for me at all, in order to convince me, to rekindle my love for our Lions.
But…“Empire Stadium”…did exactly that!
The Club is really dropping the Ball…“BIG TIME”…if they do not Promote or Advertise their One year Home…as “Empire Stadium”!
What better Collectible Souvenir, or Keep Sake to have …than some “Empire Stadium” used Ticket Stubs, Empire Stadium T Shirts, Hats, Old School Lions Club Jackets, Old School Lions Football Jerseys, Old School Lions Pennants( That we ALL used to have hanging on our Bedroom walls at home"), Old School Lions Seat cushions, The minature Old School BC Lions Footballs, Dal Richards at every single Game, A “Replica” of the OLD Glass CKNW Broad cast Trailer parked outside of Empire Stadium, Old School prices for Hot Dogs and Pops ( Hey…you will make up for the cost reductions by Packing not only Empire Stadium but…by Attracting a NEW Group of Kids and Youngsters with the same Memories that we all have of watching Footbal played Outsidel , to your “FUTURE” Lions games down the Road, at the New Retractable Dome at BC Place… …“Empire Stadium”…is a Marketing Agencies “DREAM”…and it is our “DREAM” as well!
To cal it any thing else, other than… “EMPIRE STADIUM”…is to show Total Disrespect for “Every one” that has either Played there as a Pro, Played there as a Junior or SFU or UBC Player, or for any one who has ever attended a Concert there from the Beatles to Elvis, to the last group that I heard and saw there, was Super Tramp and Heart…but the most Disrespect will be directed at each and every one of us, that grew up there…going to games with our own Moms and Dads and Grandparents…who still to this day…have Vivid, Fond and Magical memories of sharing that experience , with all of us Kids.

“MAN”!!!..Annus Stukus would surely be rolling over in his Grave, if he ever were to hear, what the Lions are planning on calling his Shrine!

I was hoping to catch the Lions Bug again, by introducing my own Son and my Wife, to the place that I grew up playing at myself, and watching the Lions play while attending the games with my own Mom and Dad.
I am so pumped up at the thought of getting another chance to revisit my youth…that I was excited not only about this year, but was also planning on doing it again, next year at BC Place.

But…that Magic and Fire that I feel at present for our return to Empire Stadium, will surely be rapidly extinguished, if they atempt to Market it or call it any thing…But…Empire Stadium!
What the F%$K, are this guys thinking?
It doesn’t take a High end Manhattan Advertising firm, to figure out…that there is Money to be made…with Marketing the place, as “Empire Stadium”!

Duh!..It’s a No Brainer!
One Final year!
One chance to market “it” and the Lions…to the MAX!

Hey…I have to say, that I absolutely HATE Soccer ( With a PASSION!) …but…aside from my own Personal feelings on that Girlie Sport…The White Caps History, and their own Memories, were made and enshrined at “Empire Stadium”!
The Soccer Girls, could also benefit Greatly, from the marketing of their games, by playing them at the second coming of “Empire Stadium”!

It is a …“NO BRAINER”!

8

i have bought season tickets this year , first time in years because they did move back into empire stadium, good luck on calling it empire stadium, everything i have heard for the name of this historic site is empire field, i know they should call it empire stadium , but only for one year, does not seem like a good idea, i do not care what they call it as long as they are outside.

9

by the way how can you say that having bc place upgraded with a retractable roof is not going to be fun? how do you know that?

it will be the hottest place to be in the summer with the open roof, practically a brend new stadium, and for you to say you had no interest in the lions at all when they were in bc place, is being a little unrealaistic don’t you think , what about back in the mid 80’s when the lions were the hottest team in the city, when they were getting 45,000 a game. or during the west finals we had under wally buono when we were getting 55,000 +.

sound like a band wagan jumper.

10

Band wagon Jumper?
I have to agree with you…in a way.
First Off…The Retractable Roof will not have any effect at all, on us going back to BC Place.
We also had Seasons Tickets for the Lions back in the early '80s, and Honestly…it was due mostly…to the New Novelty of the Indoor Stadium…I would be lying, if I was not to admit that.
But…that was the main reason, for us all being there, at that time.
But then…The Lions caught Fire…whether it was due to being Pumped up by being the New Stadium or whether it be due…to the Organization Finally getting their hands on some Very Good players and Coaches to go along with the New Domed Stadium.
We were there with them, through the Good Times and the Bad Times…and then once we won the Grey Cup in 1994…the team went down hill and so did the looks and care of the Stadium, as they both…began to show their age and wear and tear.
Not sure how you like to spend your money, but we have always been firm believers in getting some Bang for our Buck.
When we felt that , that Stopped…so did our Support for the Lions at that time.
Sad …But True!
Whether or not the Roof retracts or not…it is still the same Lifeless Cold and Sterile building, that ALL Indoor Stadiums are, and always will be.
Ya…The Roof will Open on our Warm Summer nights…But…So what!
What will the view be of?
Will we see the North Shore Mountains??
Will we see the Sun setting over English Bay??
Will we see the Skyline of Vancouver??
That would be a BIG …“NO”!
We will see…Nothing that is Beautiful and Eye appealing at all…
So…your argument, really holds no weight at all, does it?
It is the Product on the Field…that is the main attraction…when it comes to pulling Fans into…a Domed Stadium.
The seating being so far away from the Field in BC Place and the incline of that seating …is whats makes BC Place, not a very Fan Friendly place, to be watching any game from.
Once again…a Sliding Roof…is not a Big Deal at all…But…Playing totally Outside and being exposed to the weather and the view…is a Big Deal.
And…that is what is pulling us back …to Empire Stadium and the Lions again.
It is entirely up to the Lions, as to whether or not…we want to try out BC Place Stadium again.
Empire Stadium will always hold a very Special place in our Hearts…at this moment and point…BC Place…does not.
That can always Change…but…it is all up to the Lions to make that happen for us.
Are we Band Wagon Jumpers??
May be?
But…I will be the one, to always decide, where I will be spending my Hard earned Dollars, not have that expense be decided by another Fan.
If the Lions or yourself, would like to supply us with 2 Free Seasons pass’s, for the next couple of years…we woud Love to attend every single game and show our Support for them…but…until that generous offer comes our way, we will just wait and see, as to where our entertainment Dollars and Time will be spent .
I’m sure that Mr. Brailey and the Lions, will appreciate our Money and Support for the 2010 season
Regardless, of what you or anyone else might think.

11

i agree with bc place and the new roof, it will be a lot diffrent than what is going to become empire stadium. but it will be refreshing to have the roof open, and to feel the fresh air coming in the building. because it is the grey cup year ,attedance should be good, but it all depends on the lions team if they are hot and on a roll it will be the place to be, but if they are stinking the place out everynight nobody will show up.

12

Bunch of fair weather fans in BC it seems....The Place, Outdoors, on the bridge, just go watch football...geez.

13

Yeah...I guess B.C. Place was too much like a No Fun League stadium eh! :roll:

14

Far off Lions fan since NFL strike of 1982…last time I could see CFL football on non-Pay-Per-View TV here.

I recall two great vacations including Vancouver where I saw the Whitecaps & Lions a few days apart at Empire Stadium each time, and another when I saw them both at BC Place days apart. 'Caps going 3-0 vs my Earthquakes.

Also drove 100 miles to see Lions at Sacramento Gold Miners. One of few Orange jerseys in the stands.

So, please bring a non-local up to speed…

Is the “Empire Stadium” for 2010 a refurbish off the old Empire Stadium, or a new temporary stadium on the old site?
The renderings look great. About 40,000 seating? Looks way too good for a temp.
Really liked the old one on my visits. Close to the action compared to BC Place.

If NOT a temp, suprised the Whitecaps wouldn’t use that instead of BC Place.
I don’t recall noting overlap in the ownership groups, and they don’t manage the stadium either, do they?
Surely they aren’t thinking of over 40K crowds any time soon…33% more than the great support Seattle got in their first year “back”.
Longer/wider CFL fields should easily fit a regulation soccer/football pitch.
(unlike an NFL/American Football stadium, or College stadium wher the field fits inside a running track.)

I see a cost of $14million, so I suppose that has to be a “freshening” of the old.
If not, we need contact info for your architect & contractors!!
Here in San Jose/Silicon Valley they are talking US$100 Million for an 18-20K seater SoccerSpecificStadium.

Great Olympics by the way. Already planning my next visit.