Vancouver Spectator Sports
Vancouver wouldn't be a genuine Canadian city without its own hockey team since
Canadians are fairly fanatical about the sport. For outsiders, hockey looks more
or less like random events on an ice rink, but for those with a trained eye, it
is a perfectly choreographed, if violent, event.
Word has it that hockey players are the best conditioned of all professional athletes,
and, perhaps the toughest. If you aren't sure about that, take a look at the face
of any hockey player who gets an interview. He looks like he came straight from
the battlefield.
Hockey season runs from the middle of September to the middle of April, so if you're
going to be in town during that time, chances are you can catch a game at GM Place.
Games start at 7:00pm. To find out everything you want to know about the Canucks
and order tickets, go to the official Canucks Website. To find out how to get to
GM Place, look
here.
Vancouver's CFL (Canadian Football League) team began in 1941 as the Vancouver Grizzlies
in the Western Inter-provincial Football Union. The name was changed to the BC Lions
in 1954. The team plays at BC Place and the season lasts from June to October, longer
if the team makes it into the playoffs.
Differences between Canadian and American Football
Although many people associate football with the US, football has as long a history
in Canada as it has in the United States. The first football match, under Harvard
rules, was played between Harvard University and McGill University at Cambridge,
Mass, in May 1874.
What differentiated this football from other early games called football is that
it was patterned more after rugby than soccer.
In the intervening 130 years, Canadian and American football have evolved along
slightly different paths. Canadian football has maintained closer ties to its rugby
origins with its rounder ball, larger field and greater emphasis on kicking.
A Few Contrasts between Canadian and American Football
Field:
Canadian: 110 yards x 65 yards with 20 yard end zones
American: 100 yards x 53.5 yards with 10 yard end zones
Players:
Canadian: 12
American: 11
Downs:
Canadian: 3 to make 10 yards
American: 4 to make 10 yards
Kicking:
Canadian: Field goals can be returned
American: Field goals may not be returned
Time between plays:
Canadian: 20 seconds between plays
American: 45 seconds between plays
There are a number of other differences between the two games that you'll notice
if you are familiar with American football and attend a Canadian football game.
Vancouver has its own NLL (National Lacrosse League) team, the Vancouver Ravens.
The Lacrosse season runs from November to the last week in March, and the Ravens,
like the Canucks, play at GM Place. Times vary, so check the Ravens' schedule for dates and times.
When Vancouverites aren't busy being fanatical about hockey, they're busy being
fanatical about their professional soccer team, the Whitecaps. Just to avoid confusion,
the Whitecaps used to be called the Vancouver 86ers. The name was changed in October
2000.
The Whitecaps' schedule runs from the first week in May to the first week in October.
All games are played in Swangard Stadium, located in Burnaby. For more information
about the 2002 soccer schedule, go to the Whietcaps' website.
The Vancouver Canadians are part of the Oakland A's farm system. This Pacific Coast
League baseball team plays at beautiful Nat Bailey stadium from their first home
game Sunday June 23 at 6:00pm, until their final home game September 1, 2002.
This year the Canadians play 10 afternoon home games and 28 night home games. You
can find the schedule online.
Nat Bailey Stadium is worth a visit in its own right. Built in 1951, it is one of
the oldest minor league stadiums still in use. It was named after the first owner
of the White Spot hamburger chain who was also a longtime supporter of Vancouver
baseball. Nat Bailey Stadium is located near Queen Elizabeth Park.
The best way to get there from downtown is to go south on Cambie Street, across
the Cambie Street Bridge and turn east, left, at 29th Avenue.
Tickets for Vancouver Canadians games cost $7.00, $8.50 and $10.50 and are available
at Ticketmaster
online or at SportsLine: 604-280-4400.
Vancouver does not have a professional rugby team but it has a strong amateur program.
There are four men's leagues, a women's league, and a junior league.
For people who think football players and hockey players are tough, watching rugby
is an eye opening experience. Rugby players play a total contact sport in shorts,
without pads, outdoors in the winter. Ears have been known to disappear in the heat
of battle.
The rugby season runs from the middle of September to the middle of April. If you
like watching serious contact sports, don't miss a rugby game when you're in town.
Vancouver rugby fields are located at:
- Brockton Oval: Stanley Park Vancouver
- Balaclava Park: Carnarvon and Balaclava Streets, 29th-31st
- Connaught Park: Larch and Vine Streets, 10th and 12th
- Field 2: Simon Fraser University
- Gordon Park: 49th and 54th Avenues, east of Argyle Street
- Jericho Park: 1600 Discovery Street
- John Hendry (Trout Lake): 13th and 19th Avenues, Victoria Drive
and Templeton
- Klahanie Park: North foot of Lions Gate Bridge, off Capilano Rd
in North Van
- Wolfson Fields: University of British Columbia
The BC Rugby Union's premier team, the Vancouver Caps', schedule
is available at the Union website.