CITY � H SUMMER 2011 / 29 THE BEST OF THE CITY
> WE LOVE WATCHING THE BEST
Historic pitch Royal Athletic Park a storied field for spectators
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t’s been the home of baseball, soccer, football, beer festivals and more. But when pro baseball’s Victoria Seals announced they wouldn’t be back this year, Royal Athletic Park was left without a major tenant. Victoria United, the regional men’s all-star team that plays in the summer Pacific Coast Soccer League, is the longest-running major tenant still using the facility. United’s roster was essentially raided by the Victoria Highlanders when the latter claimed a spot in the Professional Development League – the second tier of the United Soccer League – and began playing out of Langford’s City Centre Park in 2009. Many local soccer fans shifted their allegiance as well. Now the Highlanders are moving in again, this time onto United’s home turf. This summer the Highlanders men will play half their games at RAP, part of a move downtown that is expected by
many to become permanent. The club is preparing to move out from the massive PDL league and into the top-tier USL pro division. It’s the same league the Vancouver Whitecaps spent the past decade in before securing an MLS franchise. “(The USL) will happen as soon as the stars are aligned in terms of sponsors, seats and players who can compete at that level,” said Highlanders’ general manager Drew Finerty. The minimum number of seats in the home stadium of a USL pro franchise is 2,500. RAP holds 3,500. And as it would be the only USL team in Western Canada, drawing talent wouldn’t be too much of a concern for the Highlanders. “If we have to play another year of PDL, we’re not concerned,” Finerty said. “We turn out good players and have an academy system in place. All indications are that the city is ready (for) that level.” <
Nigeria takes on Costa Rica in the 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup, the biggest event so far with seating expanded to accomodate 10,400 people per match.
SOCCER • United - 1995-current • Vistas - 1988-1990
BASEBALL • Athletics -1946-1951 • Capitals -2004 • Seals - 2009-2010
FOOTBALL • Rebels - 1985-2009 FASTBALL • Traveller’s Inn - 1970s-2004