The World Cup draw is this week. What will a game ticket cost you?
This is a huge week for soccer. On Friday, the World Cup draw will be held. It'll determine not only who has a tougher or easier run to a championship, but also who Canada will play. This is particularly intriguing to those around here, since a number of games will be played just down the road in Toronto. On this episode of Placeline Hamilton, Canadian soccer Hall of Famer John McGrane chats about the incredible price of tickets, whether the reported $380-million price tag to co-host is worth it, the impact on soccer in this area - and how much you might make if Canada was to host Italy in the first game in Toronto and you had a ticket you wanted to sell.
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Can TD Coliseum really be a catalyst for the downtown?
The reviews were almost unanimously positive when Paul McCartney re-opened the renovated TD Coliseum the other day. People loved the concert and people seemed to really like the re-imagined building. But that's just the start. It's long been argued that this facility is supposed to be a catalyst that will bring the entire downtown back to life. It'll be the thing that leads to cleanup and spawns development. Can that really happen? Lou Frapporti of the Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG), which is part of the private-sector consortium behind the renovation that has pitched this vision for years now, answers that question on this episode of Placeline Hamilton. Unsurprisingly (spoiler alert), he says, yes. How? The answer - part of it, at least - is laid out in the conversation.
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Hunting Grounds: The Spectator's Susan Clairmont on new true crime series
It's one thing to write about crimes in the Westdale area that went on for seven years as Spectator columnist Susan Clairmont did in a series called Hunting Grounds, laying out the story of men peeping on women, videotaping them without their knowledge, and in some cases sexually assaulting them in the area around McMaster University. But finding a balance between writing it in a compelling way while also maintaining enough of an emotional distance so as not to be consumed by the horrible details is a challenge. One Clairmont has had to navigate for years writing about the worst crimes in the city. How does someone immerse herself in horrible things and not become totally torn up by what she sees and hears? Clairmont talks about that - and Hunting Grounds - on this episode of Placeline Hamilton.
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What is the role of universities in 2025?
Between the tens of thousands of students who attend and the staff who are employed there, McMaster University has a huge impact on the Hamilton community. Susan Tighe was installed as the school's new president a few months ago. On this episode of Placeline Hamilton, she talks about the role of universities in 2025, challenges facing schools and whether students today are too easily offended on campus. Also, what's Mac doing with the old Hamilton Spectator building just off the highway, anyway?
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Will 2026 bring another 'change' election?
We are roughly a year away from the next municipal election in Hamilton. Which means those who are thinking of running for mayor (and in some cases, council) almost certainly have the wheels in motion by now. Who will be running? What will be the main issue or issues? And will this election bring the kind of change the last one did? John Best is back to chat about what city hall might look like by the time we go to bed on Oct. 26, 2026.
In journalism, a "placeline" is the location given at the start of a story which indicates where the story originated – in this case, Hamilton. Each week, the Placeline Hamilton podcast will bring you all the latest news from around Hamilton and area – everything from council to crime and entertainment to sports – and things of interest to Hamiltonians. Hosted by Spectator columnist Scott Radley, it will be a deep dive into the week's most interesting developments, and bring you exclusive interviews with experts from The Spectator and across the city.
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