Its nice the CFL season is almost upon us, but its time the people running this league become more agressive and add at least four more teams to the CFL.
Don't go nuts like Gary Bettman and expand stupidly, but go slow and add two for 2008, and two for 2009.
Quebec City and a maritime team would be the first two logical choices. In 2009 add London and Ottawa.
I know stadiums are an issue, but you have to play with the hand your dealt. Outside of Ottawa, these other teams can start off in stadiums they currently have.
LOndon could expand TD Stadium to 20,000. Quebec I think could do the same thing. Not sure about Halifax.
Then as time goes on, these cities would eventually wake up and build their own stadia or risk losing their teams. And seeing this, maybe some of the established teams who are playing in these 90 year old flea traps would get off their butts as well.
If the CFL waits around for these cities to build a stadium before expanding, it'll never happen. I say take the initiative, award them a team, start out small, and build from there. Thats the only way.
So how exactly will these teams compete on a financial level if they do not have enough seats to break even? In order for this to work you would have to have owners with deep pockets willing to lose a chunk of money until a big enough stadium was built.
As an example, the Riders are saying they need to average 25,000 to break even. Who is going to make up the difference? Its not like the CFL has millions of dollars to hand around.
Roughriders 25000 to break even?
No problem, every game.
How is london going to support a team?
Dont give me this NHL routine either.
And what is with Ottawa, Let it Die!
Halifax has no interest in the CFL or the CFL has no interest in Halifax.
Quebec City!!! Viva la Quebec!
I say we are all way off.
We need to nabb Alaska.
They would love to play CFL, plus the americans would love to make fun of the idea. And they couldnt call Seattle Seahawks the Alaska Seahawks anymore.
ummm, how does montreal survive? they only have 20K seats.
It’s all about ticket cost.
First off PEPS stadium reportly should be expanded to 25K soon(1-2 years) sidenote Molson is getting expanded by 5K during the next off season for the 2008 season
Ottawa has a stadium that can try and kill a 3rd team, but Moncton could be an option to re-locate that dead franchise(due to stadium/politic issues in Ottawa) they will have a new 10-11K seat stadium that could/should have a plan to expand(to 25K)
Now how can a smaller stadium mean more money?
1.higher ticket prices
2.LUXURY BOXES!!!(something alot of CFL teams don’t have many off)(WPG, HAM, CGY, SSK)
3.Outside Revenues/low stadium costs(playing out of a university stadium helps lower stadium costs depending on the deal, holding a annual concert could be a good revenue venture)
4.NOT SPENDING 5 FRICKEN MILLION ON PLAYERS! lol.
Let’s see, reduce Spending on players from the Riders 5M+ to 3.5M their year end expenses are alot lower(from 15M to 12.5M) then remove expanded seating costs(250-500K)
any possible CFL team starting in a 20K seat stadium would be like Montreal(with plans to expand)
Moncton or Halifax + Quebec are the best two options for a city, with Quebec having a stadium for 2009-2010 perfect for the next Ottawa experiment.
I don't think this is "just another expansion thread". I think this is the only way the CFL will ever be able to expand.
Because if you wait for a city to build a stadium, it's not going to happen.
Give em a team, and let the franchise grow from there. Because it ain't working the other way around.
Outside of that, look for the cFL to remain the 8 same cities.
These cities might have been all we had back in the 50's, but today we have more larger cities, and many that are just as good or better football towns then those in the league already.
berezin, I agree that other cities in Canada could very well support a CFL team with about 25,000 av attendance per game at an av ticket price that would make a team viable. But first you need an owner or ownership group to come forward. I'm sure the league will listen, you make it sound like the league wouldn't listen if someone in London approached the league and I don't agree with you at all there. Of course they'd hear them out. :?
Never mind expansion! We should be pushing for contraction. Ottawa was a good start for us pro contractionists. We need to eliminate at least one other team.
appleby wrote:
Never mind expansion! We should be pushing for contraction. Ottawa was a good start for us pro contractionists. We need to eliminate at least one other team.
