Cohon. Will He Be a Leader or a Failure?

Biggest thing he needs to do is get Ontario back on the CFL. Hamilton will likely see a bit of a rebound when the new stadium is built, but something needs to be done in Toronto. He's got a good idea with building it at the grassroots level, but in Toronto he needs to get FANS there, not business interests who come to game to whine that it's not the NFL.

Yeah forget U.S. expansion. It’s pointless and dangerous for the integrity of the game as we know it. The focus should be on a solid business model for Canadian teams (such as what exists now) that gives competent owners the opportunity to make a profit. That alone will drive the building of stadiums and expansion in Canada. It may take another ten years or more to reach 10 teams, but if that’s what it takes to do it right then it’s better to wait. Besides, even if a city big enough to actually support a team, Quebec City for example, were to start planning a CFL-size stadium tomorrow, it would take at least 5 years with all the inevitable political wrangling and environmental assessments before the thing is even built. I personally doubt that Moncton, as much as I am cheering for it and insofar as it’s population is growing, won’t be ready for a full-time franchise for at least another 10 years.

So, while waiting for the expansion cards to fall, Cohon needs to (and here I go arrogantly telling the commish how to do his job) focus on future ownership stability, promo;tion in Southern Ontario, the TV deals in Canada, and securing a significant tv deal in the states, because that will build league credibility in the southern Ontario market. It will be a tough sell. Cohon needs a long-term deal that will allow the league to build an audience, garner highlights on ESPN (beyond the much welcomed but only occasional comments from Chris Berman), and expose Americans to regular, consistent viewing times for games. It doesn’t have to be a major broadcast network (CBS, NBC, ABC, FOX, ION), but it does need to be available in every market. I also doesn’t have to bring in much revenue until the level of viewership reaches a threshold that allows the carrier to make a profit. The NFL network is a good fit, but only if it expands the number of games to include September - November, and includes the playoffs and Grey Cup. ESPN3 carrying all the games including playoffs was a brilliant addition last year. That needs to continue for the foreseeable future.

You see Jerome Messam and Andy Fantuz trying the NFL again.
As well as others.
Even if they come back, half a season is lost.

Which is why Cohon has to work on paying these guys some decent money, so that they stay
instead of wanting to go to the NFL and even sit on the bench.
Because it pays more!

To me everything hinges on the next TV deal.
IF the league can get at least 30 mil a season.
Double from the current deal, then everything else will fall into place.

Absolutely, this is number one. If a solid TV deal is in place, it will likely lead to a bump in the salary cap and make players want to play and stay in the CFL. More money then makes it more appealing to prospective owners for the Argos and would help current owners as well (and help Winnipeg pay off their stadium). It will also make it more attractive for expansion teams to enter the league because it would be a more sound business decision to do so. More money could be spent on marketing, facilities, scouting, you name it. I just wish the deal was up sooner, because I heard it was expiring after 2013. I thought it was for five years beginning in 2008 (ending 2012)?

More people will go to ARGO games when they start winning. They have had a terrible football team for 4 straight years.
The fans are there.

Hamilton , needs more fans too.

I see brighter days ahead for both teams.
RAY , is in TO and they have a new head coach that fans like me believe in.
I have had ARGO season tickets for 23 years and my wife and I only went to / 2 ARGO games last year.
We had 0 faith in JIM BARKER , as a head coach. We had 0 / O-LINE and 0 receivers. BORING , BORING football. :thdn:
The ARGOS look a lot better , at least on paper and we have the 100th GREY CUP in , TO.
I predict that both the ARGOS attendance and their T.V. ratings will very much improve in , 2012.
I am not sure that I can say the same thing about EDMONTON and CALGARY?

Agreed like everyone else has said, the critical new TV deal will shape the CFL future and will further define the legacy of this commish.
If a homerun is hit between $30M-$50M per year, then everything will flow in a more positive manner including the cap, increase in the roster size, the values of each team and expansion.

T.
YOu think CBC is getting back in?
I keep hearing the naysayers in the media saying TSN is the cFL's only hope.
That CBC is getting out of sports.

Then again if you can make money with the CFL, I'm sure CBC will be in the bidding
I still predict a split venture between CBC and TSN, with CBC and maybe even TSN showing the Grey Cup game.
I would hope 20 million from each. At least.

Another issue for Cohon to is to confront Rogers head on with their plans for the Skydome.
We can't have this baseball team trying to kill off the Argos by booting them onto the curb with no where to go.

IF Rogers does boot out the Argos, I would hope the CFL starts attacking the Blue Jays the way Rogers has been attacking the CFL all these years.

Start telling people how much more popular the CFL is then baseball in Canada.
Like enough of the nice guy routine Mr. Cohon.

So your idea of good commissioner is a Wack job who sticks his nose in a privately owned business he does not own, create conflict and bad mouth other sports. Nice… :roll:

Also doing something like that would leave the CFL wide open for retaliatory law suits. Rogers can easily out lawyer the CFL and it would be a big, public, costly mistake for the CFL to try to take on a giant like Rogers regardless of what Rogers may have done.

Then again if you can make money with the CFL, I'm sure CBC will be in the bidding [b]I still predict a split venture between CBC and TSN,[/b] with CBC and maybe even TSN showing the Grey Cup game. I would hope 20 million from each. At least.
Do you not believe CTV may be in the mix somewhere Benji? It is the largest private sector national network in Canada and will likely be included in the tender process.

Either way, the CFL would be wise to partner with both Cable and Network broadcasters.

It would be foolish not to, if the goal is to grow the game.

Tangled.
I can't see CTV taking on the CFL.
Because they already have a full slate of American football games to show.
To me the best network available beside TSN is CBC.
Because they aren't committed to American football like the other networks.

I couldn't beleive how many TV stations in Canada show American football?
You got CTV, TSN, Sportsnet, CITY TV and Channel 11 in Hamilton.

Meanwhile the CFL only has TSN.
Ridiculous

I’m all for keeping the existing deal with TSN, only for the Grey Cup I wouldn’t mind seeing it on CTV or CBC. Just my two cents.

Tangled. I can't see CTV taking on the CFL. Because they already have a full slate of American football games to show. To me the best network available beside TSN is CBC. Because they aren't committed to American football like the other networks.
true, however the NFL season doesn't get underway until the second week of September which leaves over two months of secular CFL football content. And correct me if I am mistaken, but does CTV not have a mandatory Canadian content quota directed by the CRTC?

benji, I read somewhere and it may have been on this site how the CBC and Sportsnet might do something together?
Also, I can’t see CBC getting out of sports when the NHL is their money making machine.
I know this sounds far fetched, stay with me though but I have a friend who has a relative working downtown at the CBC headquarters and supposedly the office rumours is something is brewing with the CFL and especially their need to have one game per week and to include all of the playoffs and the GC.
Take it for what it’s worth?

T.
I think you're right.
CBC never wanted out of the CFL in the first place.
Tom Wright signed with TSN without offering CBC a chance to bid.
Who knows.
CBC may have offered 20 mil a season.

I don't know about Sportsnet though?
I can't see Rogers doing anything to support the CFL.

I don't know about Sportsnet though? I can't see Rogers doing anything to support the CFL.
CFL broadcasts are quite profitable for TSN (and a bargain compared to other pro sport licenses) thus Sportsnet may wish to enter their name into the proverbial hat, regardless of what they have stated publicly.

Established profitable content should appeal to Rogers, (as any carrier)and may actually provide additional security to the CFL (and Argos)should Rogers obtain a few licenses to broadcast.

It may be wise to spread the broadcast wealth in order to increase the league wealth.

I believe that CBC will be getting CFL games again in the next TV deal, but I think it will be less than a 50-50 split with TSN. I also don't see the CBC losing hockey night in Canada. The new deal between Rogers and Bell for MLSE makes it far more unlikely IMO that CBC loses hockey rights.

I don't want CBC to lose HNIC.
I've been watching it since I was a kid, and Saturday night without hockey on CBC would be a shame.
And I agree.
I beleive CBC will spend what it takes to keep the NHL on Saturday night.

And also agree that CBC wants the CFL back big time.
That way they would own the rights to the two top sports in Canada.

I would like to see CBC have a Saturday and Sunday night game in the summer and fall.
TSN could do their Friday double headers.

Once hockey starts CBC could show CFL before HNIC on Saturday night.
Two great Canadian sports back to back.

Playoffs would be on CBC, with TSN and CBC sharing the Grey Cup.
All for 20 million each.
Works for me.

Yes indeed the CBC has to keep HNIC and the CFL in the fall, but not for more then half the schedule or 2 games per week still giving TSN the other share.
While the playoffs and GC has to go on the main network.
This split can garner the league upwards of $50M per year.