New range for roamin' Mustangs
By IAN BUSBY -- Calgary Sun
Being a frequent spectator of Calgary's A-League team, Jamie Auvigne was delighted to hear about the McMahon Stadium pitch.
"As a fan coming in to watch the game, you've got good seats now," said the Calgary Mustangs player. "There's proper facilities with concessions.
"People are always going to come out and watch games on a sunny day in the middle of summer. From that aspect, this is really good."
The midfielder watched all but three Calgary Storm games at Foothills Stadium last year while recovering from a torn abdomen muscle. And, as a born-and-bred Calgarian, he has some perspective on what a soccer fan in this city wants.
So as the new Mustangs officially announced the home of the CFL Stampeders as their new digs yesterday, Auvigne was talking about the team's future.
The Mustangs open the season April 25 in Minnesota with their first home game May 9 against the same club.
Auvigne was an original member of the Storm and has lived through the ups and mostly downs with the previous ownership. He now sees a change with club.
"It seems to be a lot more organized," Auvigne said.
"They seem to get everything finalized before they make an announcement. The previous few years, there was too much going on behind the scenes. Promises here and there and they didn't follow through."
Owners John Torode and Juergen Hanne also have connected with the youth soccer community, announcing yesterday a partnership with the Calgary Minor Soccer Association.
The CMSA will sell discounted tickets to its members and the soccer club will operate 16 day-long summer camps for young players.
Part of the deal requires the team to employ 25% of its roster with players developed in the Calgary soccer community.
With the move to McMahon and the partnership with CMSA, the Mustangs feel they can succeed where others have failed.
While the football field at McMahon has the same dimensions as a regulation soccer pitch, the artificial turf presents a problem. Natural grass or a product called 'field turf' is needed to meet United Soccer Leagues and FIFA regulations.
McMahon must be converted to one of those surfaces for the 2005 season if the Mustangs want to continue playing there.
Torode hasn't approached the Stamps but first plans to broach the subject with McMahon officials. CFL cities such as Winnipeg, Montreal and Ottawa already have field turf.
