Teams In The Wrong Stadium

[kw11333]

Argos today playing "at home" in their rival's (Hamilton) stadium against Calgary. There due to the Blue Jays in the postseason.

http://www.calgarysun.com/2015/10/16/unique-situation-has-calgary-stampeders--toronto-argonauts-squaring-off-in-hamilton

Like no one in Hamilton showed up. Attendance was 3,000. The Fort McMurray game drew 4,900.

[johnnysama]

^ The crowd size reminds me of the Carolina Hurricanes early years: "Good seats available- heck, great sections available!"

[Old School Fool]

It's Joe Albi Stadium.

Which has hosted NFL preseason games as recently at 1976.

8/29/1953 Chicago Cardinals v Green Bay Packers 13-7

8/21/1954 New York Giants v Chicago Cardinals 26-0

8/13/1955 Green Bay Packers v New York Giants 31-24

8/19/1961 Denver Broncos v Oakland Raiders 48-21

8/28/1971 San Francisco 49ers v Denver Broncos 33-17

8/31/1974 Denver Broncos v New England Patriots 27-21

8/07/1976 Chicago Bears v Seattle Seahawks 27-16

Some of these have already been listed, but here are the oddballs since the Texans played in the Rubber Bowl (excluding the well-documented games in London and Toronto). Designated home team is listed first.

Detroit, MI Ford Field 12/13/10 Mon Minnesota Vikings New York Giants L 21-3

Minneapolis, MN TCF Bank Stadium 12/20/10 Mon Minnesota Vikings Chicago Bears L 40-14

East Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 9/19/05 Mon New Orleans Saints New York Giants L 27-10

Mexico City, Mexico Aztec Stadium 10/2/2005 Arizona Cardinals San Francisco 49ers W 31-14

Tempe, AZ Sun Devil Stadium 10/27/03 Mon San Diego Chargers Miami Dolphins L 26-10

Stanford, CA Stanford Stadium 10/22/1989 San Francisco 49ers New England Patriots W 37-20

East Rutherford, NJ Giants Stadium 9/25/1977 New York Jets Baltimore Colts L 20-12

Berkeley, CA Memorial Stadium 9/23/1973 Oakland Raiders Miami Dolphins W 12-7

Evanston, IL Ryan Field 9/27/1970 Chicago Bears Philadelphia Eagles W 20-16

Tampa, FL Tampa Stadium 11/30/1969 Miami Dolphins Boston Patriots L 38-23

Atlanta, GA Grant Field 10/5/1969 Atlanta Falcons Baltimore Colts L 21-14

Minneapolis, MN Memorial Stadium 10/5/1969 Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers W 19-7

Birmingham, AL Legion Field 9/22/1968 Boston Patriots New York Jets L 47-31

Chestnut Hill, MA Alumni Stadium 10/15/1967 Boston Patriots Miami Dolphins W 41-10

Chestnut Hill, MA Alumni Stadium 9/27/1964 Boston Patriots New York Jets W 26-10

Denver, CO Denver U. Stadium 9/7/63 Sat Denver Broncos Kansas City Chiefs L 59-7

Chestnut Hill, MA Alumni Stadium 9/8/1963 Boston Patriots New York Jets W 38-14

Denver, CO Denver U. Stadium 9/7/62 Fri Denver Broncos San Diego Chargers W 30-21

Boston, MA Harvard Stadium 9/16/1962 Boston Patriots Houston Oilers W 34-21

Pittsburgh, PA Pitt Stadium 9/24/1961 Pittsburgh Steelers New York Giants L 17-14

Pittsburgh, PA Pitt Stadium 10/9/1960 Pittsburgh Steelers New York Giants L 19-17

Buffalo, NY War Memorial Stadium 9/28/1958 Chicago Cardinals New York Giants L 37-7

Philadelphia, PA Phila. Municipal Stadium 1954 9/26/1954 Philadelphia Eagles Cleveland Browns W 28-10

Akron, OH Rubber Bowl 11/27/52 Thu Dallas Texans Chicago Bears W 27-23

There's a more complete list at http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-games-played-at-neutral-sites/, though it hasn't been updated in a few years. It also has neutral exhibitions at http://www.footballgeography.com/nfl-exhibition-games-played-at-neutral-sites/

I wish the NFL did neutral site preseason games again. I always enjoy seeing NBA preaseason games in neutral sites like the Lakers doing their annual games in Hawaii.

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

^ The crowd size reminds me of the Carolina Hurricanes early years: "Good seats available- heck, great sections available!"

I get a little bitter when I remember that they have a Stanley Cup and the Caps don't

[billman29]

Between 95/96 and 96/97, the Raptors played 3 games at Hamilton's Copps Coliseum

Unfortunately, this was one of only two pictures I could find of the team playing at the arena, from 12/26/96

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

^ Pre-season though I believe....they do it quite often and at the Bell Centre as well.

[kw11333]

Raptors vs Suns at Rogers Arena (formally GM Place)

Yes, that is the same floor the Grizz used, and you can even see the logo at centre cour that was scratched out.

They have since replaced the court.

[nash61]

Between 95/96 and 96/97, the Raptors played 3 games at Hamilton's Copps Coliseum

Unfortunately, this was one of only two pictures I could find of the team playing at the arena, from 12/26/96

There's a picture in the media lounge at Copps of the Raptors playing the Hawks, and I wasn't sure when it was from. Thanks for answering my question!

[UnclearInitial]

Roma and Lazio played the 1989/90 season at the Flaminio Stadium as the Stadio Olimpico was undergoing renovations to host the 1990 World Cup. While too small, it had infinitely better sightlines with no running track

[jgiff17]

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/general-view-of-bbva-compass-stadium-before-the-houston-news-photo/184217542

[aawagner011]

After playing the Georgia-Florida rivalry game in Jacksonville since the 1930s, two games (1994, 1995) were forced to move to a home and home while the Jacksonville stadium was being renovated for the Jaguars arrival. Best I can find is video.

[mfoster]

Here are some Arena League oddballs I mined... I only have the locations, the venues can probably be reasonably inferred...

Sat Jul 15 1989 at Mar Detroit 39, Maryland 7 at Baltimore, MD
Fri Jul 28 1989 at PiG Detroit 61, Pit Gladiators 34 at Richfield, OH
Sat Jul 29 1989 at Mar Chi Bruisers 61, Maryland 27 at Cincinnati, OH
Fri Aug 04 1989 at Den Denver 41, Chi Bruisers 40 at Atlanta, GA
Sat Aug 03 1996 at Mem Minnesota 50, Memphis 25 at Tupelo, MS
Sat May 17 1997 at Flo Florida 44, NJ Red Dogs 28 at Kanata, ON
Sat May 31 1997 at Flo Arizona 48, Florida 25 at Los Angeles, CA
Sat Jul 12 1997 at Flo Florida 52, NY CityHawks 12 at Boston, MA
Sun Jul 05 1998 at Flo Orlando 53, Florida 44 at Lakeland, FL
Sat Jul 25 1998 at Flo Nas Kats 57, Florida 39 at Kansas City, MO
Sat Apr 28 2001 at Hou San Jose 62, Houston 57 at Charleston, WV
Sat May 12 2001 at Hou Houston 62, Toronto 43 at Madison, WI
Sat May 26 2001 at Hou Nas Kats 49, Houston 46 at Bismarck, ND
Sat Jun 09 2001 at Hou Det Fury 48, Houston 45 at Fresno, CA
Sat Jun 16 2001 at Hou Oklahoma 78, Houston 52 at Lubbock, TX
Sat Jun 30 2001 at Hou Arizona 77, Houston 67 at West Valley City, UT
Sat Jun 08 2013 at Chi Chicago 67, Utah 43 at Rockford, IL
Sat Jun 15 2013 at Chi San Antonio 61, Chicago 54 at Rockford, IL
Sat Jul 13 2013 at Chi Chicago 68, Cleveland 32 at Rockford, IL
Sat May 30 2015 at Phi Philadelphia 51, Las Vegas 43 at Atlantic City, NJ
Sat Aug 22 2015 at SJ San Jose 70, Arizona 67 at Stockton, CA

[cajunaggie08]

I forgot about the Houston Thunderbears (terrible name). Les Alexander sold the team back to the AFL before the 2001 season so the league had them play all of their "home" games at potential relocation destinations. The league just wound up discontinuing the team after the season ended

[KDubK414]

I forgot about the Houston Thunderbears (terrible name). Les Alexander sold the team back to the AFL before the 2001 season so the league had them play all of their "home" games at potential relocation destinations. The league just wound up discontinuing the team after the season ended

That's pretty interesting, though not unprecedented in the world of sports. Like with the Expos playing at Hiram Bithorn in Puerto Rico. Or the Barnstormer days in MLB's early days, where you had All Star teams playing test games in proposed future markets. I think leagues have been doing that forever. The NHL did it with Milwaukee when the BMOHBC was first built. They had a few exhibition games there, but the crowds weren't great. And after Katrina the NFL and NBA used that to test a few markets they were thinking of expanding to. Unfortunately it worked for Oklahoma City, as Seattle has yet to get a team back. San Antonio on the other hand was content being Cowboys fans, though around that time Houston got a team back.

I'm surprised the Brewers never had to play a series or two at "home" in Minneapolis due to inclement weather. Though that was probably due to the fact that double-headers were still common place and day games were still a sorta normal thing.

[OffCenteredScoreboard]

....... i kid i kid. although this was a Plan B move so i'm partially correct.

[Silent Wind of Doom]

I'm surprised that the people who argued that didn't give them an advantage didn't mention the obvious fault with that idea.

The cameras and crowds see the players like that. But their opponents, the people they'd need an advantage over see this:

They're not going to get a camouflage advantage unless they crawl prone on the floor.

[ConcreteCharlie]

I'm surprised that the people who argued that didn't give them an advantage didn't mention the obvious fault with that idea.

The cameras and crowds see the players like that. But their opponents, the people they'd need an advantage over see this:

They're not going to get a camouflage advantage unless they crawl prone on the floor.

That has been attempted

[Happier_Gilmore]

Way late to the party here, but whatever.

Charlotte Bobcats (now Hornets) playing at the old Coliseum before they moved to their new arena.

76ers hosting the Chicago Bulls at the Spectrum as a tribute to the Spectrum before it was torn down.

NJ Nets played at the Prudential Center in Newark for a few seasons between leaving the Meadowlands Arena and moving to Brooklyn.

[Happier_Gilmore]

Clip of the Philadelphia Flyers hosting the Carolina Hurricanes in a 2008 preseason game at the Spectrum. The Flyers and 76ers left the Spectrum in 1996, when the CoreStates (now Wells Fargo) Center was completed.

[rxmc89]

^Do those two examples really count though? That WAS their home arena for almost 30 years.