Playoffs push B.C. Lions, Whitecaps attendance into stratosphere (or a minimum of the higher bowl)

Article content material

Forty years in the past, when B.C. Place first inflated its 255-tonne Teflon-coated fibreglass roof into an enormous dad bod in a good, button-up shirt, a storied run of occasions within the stadium started.

Article content material

A report 60,342 followers crammed into B.C. Place the day after it opened on Monday, July 19, 1983 to look at the Vancouver Whitecaps christen it with a 2-1 win over the Seattle Sounders.

Article content material

Three days later, for a CFL pre-season recreation, the B.C. Lions had 53,472 come via the turnstiles for a 45-19 win over the Stampeders.

After that, it was Robbie Knievel leaping 18 automobiles, Hulk Hogan beating Massive John Stud in WrestleMania, papal visits, iconic live shows, Gray Cups and Soccer Bowls.

And whereas the Lions and Whitecaps have performed lots of of dwelling video games within the stadium’s 40-year historical past, this weekend will see one other first: The higher bowl open for back-to-back video games that includes the 2 groups.

The Lions and Whitecaps introduced earlier this week that they’re opening extra seating for his or her playoff video games — the Lions host the Calgary Stampeders within the West semifinal on Saturday, the Caps welcome Los Angeles FC for Recreation 2 of their first spherical collection on Sunday — with 30,000-plus followers anticipated for every match.

Article content material

Article content material

This would be the first time within the Caps’ 13 seasons as a Main League Soccer crew that the highest a part of the stadium can be open. Their earlier MLS attendance excessive was a lower-bowl sellout of 27,683 for a 2018 recreation in opposition to the Seattle Sounders.

The entire crew’s attendance information got here within the NASL period, save for an exhibition recreation in 2007 in opposition to David Beckham and the L.A. Galaxy (48,172).

The Lions have hit their high-water mark thrice, all in 1985-86, once they had 59,478 for 2 regular-season video games and a playoff recreation.

Each groups are real looking and know the times of promoting out the constructing would require, on the naked minimal, a league championship recreation — and even that may not tilt the scales sufficient.

By way of that lens, seeing the higher bowl opened is a monumental win.

Article content material

The Whitecaps are trending, slowly and incrementally, again upwards. It’s been a tough promote for former followers of the crew, who solely dipped beneath a 20,000 common after 2018-19 season.

Whereas this weekend is an enormous win for the franchise, and a telling mile marker, it nonetheless comes after a season the place they’ve averaged 16,745 followers per recreation — the second-lowest of their MLS period, simply forward of the 16,399 set … final 12 months. They rank twenty sixth out of the present 29 MLS groups.

However their Resolution Day crowd was 25,146 — the most important since their 2019 season opener — and Sunday’s recreation is shaping as much as be the biggest of their MLS historical past. They’re holding the season ticket holders they do have, reporting a retention charge of 95.4 per cent, and greater than 1,500 new packages bought for subsequent season.

Article content material

The Lions have been trending upward ever since Amar Doman bought the crew and rapidly set about making it seen in the neighborhood once more. This 12 months, they’ve seen a 13.6 per cent soar in attendance, second solely to the defending champion Toronto Argonauts, though the Boatmen are nonetheless final general in CFL attendance.

The Lions are fourth general with 23,208 followers per recreation, the very best since 2014. They’ve opened the higher bowl 4 instances this season and 6 instances since June 2022.

“It’s electrical,” Lions receiver Justin McInnis mentioned of the B.C. Place environment this season. “You simply discover that this 12 months the followers have been by our aspect all 12 months lengthy, sticking by our aspect, simply making noise.

“I bear in mind being on a distinct crew coming to B.C. Place and it was at all times type of quiet. It’s not what it’s been this 12 months. It’s tremendous thrilling to know that the fan base is rising, they’re supporting us. Simply gotta maintain placing on a present for them.”

Article content material

Each groups have put an emphasis on pre-game actions on Terry Fox Plaza, within the absence of conventional tailgating.

On Saturday, the social gathering begins at midday with the Lions internet hosting a Yard Brunch — pancakes, sausage and egg sandwiches, cheeseburgers and hotdogs, in addition to $5 beers and $6 mimosas. Their playoff recreation, with the winner securing a berth within the West Closing in Winnipeg, begins at 3:30 p.m.

“You may’t beat November soccer in Vancouver,” mentioned Lions’ president Duane Vienneau. “As we noticed first-hand in final 12 months’s playoff recreation and a few of the greater regular-season nights in 2023, our stadium has confirmed to be among the best in-game experiences throughout the CFL.”

On Sunday, the Whitecaps kick off their social gathering a couple of hours earlier than their 4:30 p.m. match with LAFC, rain or shine. LAFC come into city holding a 1-0 benefit of their best-of-three collection with Vancouver, after profitable the opener 5-2. The winner will face whomever emerges triumphant from the Seattle-Dallas collection, which the Sounders lead 1-0.

Article content material

[email protected]

X.com/TheRealJJAdams

Bookmark our web site and assist our journalism: Don’t miss the information it is advisable to know — add VancouverSun.com and TheProvince.com to your bookmarks and join our newsletters right here.

You can too assist our journalism by turning into a digital subscriber: For simply $14 a month, you will get limitless, ad-lite entry to The Vancouver Solar, The Province, Nationwide Submit and 13 different Canadian information websites. Assist us by subscribing immediately: The Vancouver Solar | The Province.

Article content material