Photos by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.29
Les Prince Field @ Ron Joyce Stadium
Michell Cr
Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8
Year Opened: 2008
Capacity: 6,000
A (Mc)Master Class in Football
McMaster University was founded in Hamilton, Ontario in 1887. It was named after Senator William McMaster, who left $900,000 for the purposes of founding the university. It has grown to over 37,000 students over the years.
In 1901, McMaster fielded its first football team and would join the CIAU, precursor to the current USports, in 1906. The moniker of Marauders was adopted in 1948. The Marauders have achieved success on the gridiron since the turn of the millennium, earning eight Yates Cups as OUA Champions, all of which were post-2000.
In 2011, the Marauders earned the ultimate achievement, winning a Vanier Cup with an overtime victory over the Laval Rouge et Or. The Marauders also earned six championships during their brief associations with sub-conferences. McMaster has also been home to five Hec Crighton winners as national football MVP.
The modern Marauders call Les Prince Field @ Ron Joyce Stadium home. They played at iconic Ivor Wynne Stadium, former home of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, while the on-campus facility was being built. The stadium is named after founding partner of Tim Hortons and former CEO, Ron Joyce. The field is named after Les Prince, who contributed to McMaster for 34 years as a coach, athletic director and Dean of Students.
Food & Beverage 3
Inside Ron Joyce Stadium, McMaster Catering Services sets up a temporary concession stand. Hot dogs, burgers, chicken sandwiches are available along with chips and popcorn. Coffee, soda, and bottled water are beverages available at this stand. Inside the adjacent David Braley Centre, there is also a Booster Juice. Fans who wish an alcoholic beverage, beer sales are past the north endzone and must be consumed in that area as opposed to the grandstand.
Atmosphere 3
Ron Joyce Stadium is a single grandstand stadium that sits on the east side of the south-north oriented Les Prince Field. It is on the campus of McMaster University and surrounded by a number of residence buildings along with the David Braley Athletic Centre to the south. The field is surrounded by attractive, black, wrought-iron fences that allow fans to see in, as well as to give the stadium a real presence on campus.
Before the game, fans may be interested in popping in to the David Braley Centre and checking out the McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame. Along with builders Les Prince and Ron Joyce, plaques for other builders Arthur Burridge, David Braley and Ivor Wynne can be found along with McMaster legends Jesse Lumsden, Ben Chapdelaine, Phil Scarfone, Kojo Aidoo, Kyle Quinlan and the venerable Russ Jackson.
Ron Joyce Stadium features light brick with maroon accents. There isn’t too much to see in the stadium itself other than a display for the donors to the stadium project. The stadium features three sections of reserved stadium seating in the centre, flanked by a total of six sections of general admission bleachers. The incline is steep and the grandstand is raised to give terrific sightlines.
A large box for operations and press sits behind the top row of the grandstand. Be wary of the last row in front of the pressbox as it provides less legroom than other rows. One of the first videoboards for Canadian University football, having since been upgraded, sits at the south end. A large notation of the 2011 Vanier Cup Championship is emblazoned on the facade, south of the pressbox.
The gameday atmosphere at McMaster is strong. Members of the McMaster Marching Band perform the national anthem, marching bands not being that common in Canadian Universities. It would be beneficial if they could contribute more to the game. Cheerleaders lead the crowd in cheers and perform acrobatic stunts at field level and DJ Jukebox plays music during breaks in the action. The use of an eagle screech sound effect is prevalent. The PA announcer for McMaster is solid, but is hampered by a terrible system which echoes significantly. The mascot, Mac the Marauder, participates in cheering at field level.
Neighbourhood 3
Ron Joyce Stadium is located on the campus of McMaster University in the Westdale neighbourhood, west of Central Hamilton. There are a few spots for pre or post game food and drink nearby, including Phoenix Craft House, East Meets West Bistro, West End Pub, West End Diner and Dragon Court. Heading toward Central Hamilton to Hess Village may be a bit more interesting.
There are a few other sporting options in Hamilton. McMaster fields a few other athletic teams, including basketball. The Hamilton Cardinals, Forge FC and Toronto Rock may be other appropriate options. However, the star attraction of the Steel City is the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Other tourist options in Hamilton include the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum, Dundurn Castle, and HMCS Haida National Historic Site. For fans wishing to stay near campus, the Hampton Inn downtown is a good option.
Fans 3
USports football attendance is fairly elastic depending on factors including weather and time of year. Rainy or cold weather will hurt attendance significantly along with a Thanksgiving Weekend scheduled game or one in late August, before students populate the campus. The Marauders usually attract between 1,000 and 3,000 fans per game. The game that was reviewed was very well-attended as it was move-in weekend for the first year students, and the evening Marauders game was part of the orientation activities. Mac fans are not atypical of Ontario fans and are fairly reserved until something big happens.
Access 4
Ron Joyce Stadium is located on the campus of McMaster University, in the Westdale neighbourhood. It is north of Highway 6, east of Highway 8 and west of Highway 403, on Mitchell Crescent on campus. Getting to campus isn’t terribly difficult, but will require a bit of city driving. There is some parking on campus, but the best bet is to use the parking garage under the stadium whose entry is at the north end.
HSR bus stops can be found on campus for those interested in public transit. Fans should consult the Hamilton Street Railway website for fares, schedules and maps. Getting around the stadium is not too difficult and the washrooms are adequate for the facility.
Return on Investment 4
USports Football provides great value for the sporting dollar. Reserved seating is pricey at $39, but General Admission tickets go for $22. Students and seniors have discounts and McMaster students have a steeper discount. Concession prices are decent and parking may have a cost, however, sometimes the parking is free, as was the case for the game that was reviewed. The gameday atmosphere at McMaster is strong and the team is consistently competitive, providing a good product on the field.
Extras 3
An extra mark for the McMaster Athletics Hall of Fame.
An extra mark for the consistently competitive team that the Marauders field.
An extra mark for the McMaster Marching Band.
Final Thoughts
If fall means football, then a trip to Hamilton for the McMaster Marauders should be in the cards. A good facility with a competitive team is what fans will get and Les Prince Field @ Ron Joyce Stadium provides comfort and solid sightlines. In the end, it all works out to a (Mc)Master Class in football.
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