Celebrating 20 Years of Sobeys Stadium – 10 Milestones over the Years

1. Opening Night time: Andre Agassi vs. Tommy Haas 

On July twenty sixth, 2004, Andre Agassi and Tommy Haas stepped on the courts to faceoff for the primary opening evening match at Sobeys Stadium, filled with over ten thousand followers wanting to expertise the stadium for the primary time. The night noticed many firsts all main as much as Agassi clinching the opening evening win on the new Canadian stadium. Agassi bested Haas 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after a slight 23-minute rain delay. 

2. First NBO Champion: Roger Federer 

On August 1, 2004, Roger Federer outlasted Andy Roddick within the first remaining on Centre Courtroom. The rating was 7-5, 6-3 within the championship match which resulted in Federer’s first Canadian title. This thrilling match drew large crowds because the Sobeys Stadium welcomed 165,508 followers onto its grounds over the week-long event. En path to Toronto, Federer had already claimed a title on the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2004. 

3. First Canadian NBO Champion in 50 years 

In 2019, Bianca Andreescu turned the primary Canadian to win the Nationwide Financial institution Open offered by Rogers in 50 years since Faye City’s victory in 1969. The 19-year-old was main Williams 3-1 within the first set earlier than the American retired with an harm. Andreescu and the Canadian crowd cheered Williams on throughout an emotional speech as she accepted her runner-up trophy. The primary-ever matchup between the 2 was extremely anticipated and stuffed Sobeys Stadium to capability, later erupting in cheers to have fun their hometown champion.  

4. The Pan American Video games land in Toronto 

In 2015, Sobeys Stadium, hosted the tennis occasion of the Pan American Video games. Working from July 10-26, the event noticed a couple of success on the Canadian entrance, together with a gold medal for Gabriela Dabrowski and Carol Zhao in girls’s doubles and a silver for Dabrowski and Philip Bester in blended doubles. The Pan Am Video games had been an amazing alternative to focus on the world-class facility at Sobeys Stadium and draw consideration to the energy of Canadian tennis on a bigger scale. 

5. Serving Up Sustainability at Sobeys Stadium 

Through the years, Tennis Canada has made vital strides to make Sobeys Stadium greener by introducing sustainability initiatives that decrease the stadium’s carbon footprint. For instance, detailed evaluation and monitoring of waste and utilities started in 2016 earlier than a formalized Tennis Canada sustainability plan was developed and launched in 2021. Since then, an inner sustainability committee has been established. In 2023, Tennis Canada partnered with Laykold to resurface Centre Courtroom with recycled tennis balls. In the meantime, Tennis Canada has offset participant journey to the Nationwide Financial institution Open offered by Rogers in Toronto since 2022. 

6. Recognizing our frontline staff on the 2021 NBO

On the night of Monday, August 9 in 2021, Tennis Canada hosted 300 frontline staff on the Nationwide Financial institution Open after a 12 months off in 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic. It was particularly poignant for the event to have the ability to host these staff given the uncertainties the pandemic led to. In 2020, Tennis Canada misplaced $60M of income, largely as a result of cancellation of the NBO in Toronto and Montreal. Whereas adhering to authorities security tips, Tennis Canada was in a position to host 51,160 followers at Sobeys Stadium over the course of the week-long event in 2021, bringing in a small internet income regardless of predicting one other $5M loss.  As a particular thanks to the event’s particular company, the ATP Tour’s high gamers confirmed their appreciation to the frontline staff in a video proven on the large display at Centre Courtroom. Click on right here to look at the video.

7. Davis Cup ties at Sobeys Stadium 

Sobeys Stadium has hosted Davis Cup ties in 2005, 2009, and 2010. Staff Canada had their largest success on the stadium in 2010, overpowering the Dominican Republic 5-0 on Grandstand  within the Americas Zone Group I second spherical play-off. Since then, Staff Canada offered by Sobeys gained their first-ever Davis Cup in 2022 over Australia in Malaga, Spain, quickly mirrored by the ladies’s workforce clinching their first Billie Jean King Cup the next 12 months. 

8. Live performance Takeover Dwell from Sobeys Stadium 

Since 2005, Sobeys Stadium has hosted a number of big-name artists, together with Lionel Richie, Brad Paisley, Ok’naan, Eric Church, and lots of extra. In 2011, the organizers of the BlackCreek Summer season Music Pageant ready the stadium for a star-studded lineup. In 2024, The Feldman Company produced the Dwell on the Bowl summer season music sequence which included performances from artists like Barenaked Women and Shaggy.  

9. Sobeys Stadium hosts the 2017 NAIG Opening Ceremonies 

On July 16, 2017, Sobeys Stadium hosted over 5,000 athletes and a pair of,000 volunteers from throughout the continent for the opening ceremonies of the North American Indigenous Video games (NAIG). The occasion featured world-renowned performers, fireworks, and a parade that stuffed the stadium. The opening ceremonies kicked off the eight-day competitors in venues throughout Ontario and welcomed Indigenous communities from across the continent for an evening of celebration earlier than the competitors started the next day. 

10. The 2023 NBO breaks attendance file 

The 2023 Nationwide Financial institution Open offered by Rogers noticed file attendance numbers as over 175,000 followers joined us at Sobeys Stadium to welcome the celebs of the ATP Tour. Across the grounds, the fan expertise was higher than ever, with a brand new and improved meals courtyard, digital actuality tennis, reside music, and rather more to maintain attendees engaged between matches. Followers witnessed Jannik Sinner clinching the primary ATP 1000 Masters title of his profession on Centre Courtroom on finals Sunday.