ARGOS/GREY CUP STATE OF THE UNION

I just heard Co-owner David Cynamon who was on Fan 590 with Bob McCown.
First, the Grey Cup and tickets are selling still fast and without mentioning the exact figure, it is nearly sold out and the SRO sign in all likelihood will go out before training camp.
Season ticket sales, game day tickets and overall sponsorship is all 15% up from last year.
The team nearly broke even last year and even without the Grey Cup, will make money this year.
With the Grey Cup although David did not mention the profitability factor, other teams have made $3M+ in profit.
David also said it is a good thing they did not build the Varsity stadium as already and the last few years they have outgrown the capacity of 20,000 by 10,000 seats. The relationship with Rogers and corporate Canada here in Toronto was described as awesome.
Who would have thought a few years back during the Sherwood era, this would have happened.
Not me.

It really is refreshing to have such great ownership and people that actually care about the Argonauts more than a business venture. Make no mistake though, the Argonauts always put a positive spin on any situation though, Keith Pelley is an expert at that.

Season sales are up but we still rank in the CFL basement. As long as they continue though, we're fine. The poor summer schedule will hurt attendance in the first half of this year though, but expect some huge crowds if there is a decent team come Fall.

The Argos will never disclose there profits but they always seem to find a way too lose money. Last season when they might make a modest profit, they waste half a million on Williams.

A new stadium was still a good idea, but they actually took a business minded approach and couldn't turn down a sweatheart Rogers Centre free rent deal. A 30 000 seat stadium would be sold out every game, created demand, and balanced a budget rather easy. I still like the Dome, but a new stadium would have been awesome.

I like many, hung my head and was ready to accept the demise of the Argonauts in the Swartz era, but yes, everything has come full circle, the planets have aligned and I am as big as an Argo fan as ever.

It is great to hear that the Argos are back on stable ground. It looks like however that they will be stuck at the RC for at least 20 more years, because with the new BMO Field just built, there is no appatite for Toronto to build another stadium in the near future.

I have to admit, I am bitter towards/jealous of Toronto FC for getting a stadium at the drop of a hat, no trouble at all, but look what the Argos (and every other CFL team) has to go through ...

Kev, it's called the MLSE factor and the unbelievable pull they have in this market.
So much so that they invest little or no money and have the use for profit of course, of a new soccer stadium, the refurbished Ricoh Colliseum(hockey for the AHL team which no one watches), a soon brand new practice facility which the city will build and MLSE will apparently manage, just like the brand new Oshawa GM place 6,000 seat arena.
What did PT Barnum say?