most of the time, you would have a fere point. However, due to the sale and the move of venue and the need to get argos more fans to board the ship, I think it should be in Toronto next year if it works out good.
If giving the Argonauts 2 Grey Cup's in 6 years ensures their future and helps move the league forward IMO it's a very small price to pay.
Undoubtedly TiCats fans and Bob Young deserve a Grey Cup soon, but with Ottawa looking all but guaranteed for 2017, they (the Tiger Cats) may have to wait a little while longer.
Once new Mosaic is finished I'm sure the Riders will want another one, Montreal hasn't had one once since 08 (and until the Big Owe issue is resolved, won't see one for a long while), Calgary may be building a new stadium shortly and I'm sure they would love to have some Grey Cup profit coming in. Everyone wants a piece of the Grey Cup and while I would love to see a proper rotation for it, we might be a few years away from that.
I just think it is a bad idea to have Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton have Grey Cups back to back to back. That said, if we must to save the Argos, Hamilton waiting until 2019 is fine.
personally, I don't enjoy watching games, specially the big one, in bad weather. Cold is ok, but I don't like rain and snow, specially with strong wind.
Is it for sure that the argoscfl will not even be able to return to skydome for a cup game??
Based on every out there, it sounds as though the intention is for the Grey Cup to take place at BMO.
IIRC Dave Naylor has stated that it isn’t a sure thing.
I also recall Paul Beeston and Keith Pelley (when he was with Rogers) stating on Primetime Sports, that once the baseball season is over they can hold other events, bringing up the Bills in Toronto Series.
I get where the CFL and TSN are coming from with this but it is not following the logical reasoning that is being used for new stadiums.
-Winnipeg, Hamilton, and Ottawa left very little room for era for the scheduled opening of the new stadiums. Winnipeg was needed to be pushed back a whole year. Which pushed back the one full season to work out stadium kinks. So Winnipeg GC will be in 2015 opposed to 2014.
-Ottawa opened on time but was not at fully completed with that being in place this season. Hence they get 2017 for reasons of wanting that year in Capital city.
-Hamilton will have a full season this year but will need to wait an extra year due to Ottawa.
-How in the world are they going to get BMO field ready to host a GC by next season. The phase 2 soccer reno's are already going to be done this off season. Plus they need to add the Phase 3 to have it ready for Argo's regular season.
In less than a year they are going to add an expanded seating phase for something as big as the GC??
Delayed openings, running at partial capacity, or moving regular season games is tough enough but doable. Not so for the party they are planning the GC.
Some of you really need to stop crying about no grey cup in hamilton... Blame Bob Young for that not the CGL it was him and mitchell that decided they wouldn'thave any at IWS not the CFL.
Now they can jump in line and wait their darn turn..
Is that fare?
It was reported that Braley bought the rights to a recent Grey Cup in Vancouver from the Ticats. Apparently the rights to host the GC are rotated amongst all the teams. If a city isn't ready or doesn't want to host they can sell the game to the highest bidder. Mr. Braley was quoted in a news story saying he bought the game from Hamilton (while another recent GC in Vancouver was the Lions turn).
The problem with some of the smaller centres is the lack of hotel rooms and infrastructure to handle the huge crowds. The 2011 GC in Vancouver attracted an amazing 30,000 fans from outside the Lower Mainland, who stayed an average of 4 days in Vancouver enjoying the GC Festival. The province reported there was a $118M economic impact from the 2011 GC.
So even though some cities don't get to host the GC that often, they still benefit economically...by receiving a share of the league's GC profits and by selling the rights to the game to the highest bidder.
Yup thats pretty much about the way it works. If I recall correctly the province of BC also happily tapped some govt sources for a bit of extra cash in support of them as well. They spent 400 million to completely gut the older and replace it with newer. They basically have the province keep the naming rights. They see the value in the investment such a venue can bring in $$$ to the economy from visitors of big time events. Hence the Womens World Cup finals will be seen around the world in Vacouver at BC Place. As well as everything except the semis.
They should institute a rotation (that switches between east and west)
2015: Winnipeg
2016: Hamilton
2017: Edmonton
2018: Ottawa
2019: Saskatchewan
2020: Montreal
2021: Calgary
2022: Toronto
2023: BC
2024: Atlantic (if they exist)
Its not really crying more of a concern. Apparently Bell/Kilmer is willng to pay what ever it takes to get BMO fast forwarded not just for the 2016 regular season but add over 10K temp seats for the GC.
OSEG as well made sure that TD place was open on time.
From looking from the outside in, it looks to me like Hamilton sports scene is exploding!!!
THF is up and ready. Copps new management with naming rights and reno's. out with the much less popular AHL Bulldogs and in with the much more popular OHL version of the Bulldogs. Hamilton is surrounded by London, Kitchener, Mississauga, Oshawa. All popular clubs, with 6-9K venues that are busting at the seams often with a strong fan base. All within roadtrip reach of the 17K FirstOntario Centre.
Canada World Juniors on TSN in Canada 2017 scheduled Toronto and Montreal, followed by 2019, then 2021. Two powerful corporations as Global Spectrum and Bell media in the sports and entertainment business are no doubt scheming to have the event in the 17K FirstOntario centre as one of the sights.
Canada's women's National team final tune up and send off game will be at THF.
NASL is coming and southern Ontario to upstate NY and 6 nations is a hot bed for NLL. ESPN/TSN has the rights to both on a National level and Hamilton is right in the middle with FirstOntario.
Hamilton your time is coming real fast in a big way IMHO. I am very excited and I dont live there!!!
Good idea .I like it . Every city would host 1 in every 9 years.
However, the big problem here is Montreal. We have gone through that in detail , so I will not point it out here.
Wait, why does Regina go ahead of Calgary ? Is it because you are part of Rider Nation ? Please do not suggest it is because of Regina’s new stadium. A new stadium should not entitle a city to host before a city with an older one.
BTW, this is OT but still a fun fact trivia.
Rider Nation is the 3rd nick name for the team and fans. In the 80’s - 90’s they were Rider Pride. Before that in the 60’s - 70’s they were the Green Machine.
They will probably sell the 40k seats at BMO for more money than they would in selling 55k at SkyDome thus making it more profitable to have the game at BMO than at SkyDome. 40k these days is about the average Grey Cup attendance when you look at cities like Winnipeg, Hamilton, Ottawa, Calgary, and Regina not having greater capacities than that for the big game.