Tim Hortons Field was one of the places considered for the Argos to use for “home” games and I think could be used for other potential games lost due to the Blue Jays playoffs. I don’t know for sure if THF was offered for the Oct 6th game as it would disrupt a Ticats practice between 2 games. Having to give up the field for a practice would not necessarily be an issue if the Ticats could use Mac. That may not have been an option. Certainly Hamilton would have been a much better option for Argo STHs on a week night.
For what it’s worth cflisthebest, I do think that the team and their loyal fans have been given a raw deal but that is really on the Argos management (and to some extent past owners who accepted free rent for a time at RC) for agreeing to the terms of the deal that they signed a couple of years ago. Of course there is the possibility that they didn’t have much choice in the matter too. However, I have to agree with what others have mentioned,that giving the Argos extra home games next season does penalize teams and their owners (who would lose money from the loss of a home game) who are not responsible for the decisions of the Argos management. Ottawa is the on team that is really getting the benefit of an extra home game so I think that they are about the only team that one could ask to give up a game next season.
To their credit, the Argo have learned to be a pretty good road team so I’m not sure the lack of home games has been a huge disadvantage. Learning to deal with such adversity (as the Ticats learned over close to two seasons waiting for THF to be ready) can help to strengthen a team. Most hopefully there will not be big delays in BMO Field being “football” ready for 2016 ad the team should be able have a much more balanced schedule once they are in their new home.
Good teams can win in a safeway parking lot in Kenora if they have to…one less home game because of a situation caused by the team itself just isn’t an issue…
Going forward, the Argonauts suddenly seem like a team that could be here again. Montreal is a dynasty in decline; Winnipeg is rubble; Hamilton will spend the next year as a refugee franchise, playing under bridges and in parking lots while a new stadium is built. Toronto could become the new Montreal, for a time.
Its disgraceful just how abused the Argos fanbase are getting by just about everyone associated with Skydome. They are treated like 3rd class citizens in there. And yes its a competitive disadvantage, but unfortunately, it was the Argo ownership groups (both current and previous) that sat back and did nothing when these shenanigans began years ago. If the team had better leadership, the club would be playing at BMO Field for a few seasons by now and none of this would be an issue.
By the same logic, then weaker teams (like Sask this year) should be compensated by the other teams because they don’t have as much talent. Maybe Toronto should just give Saskatchewan Ricky Ray to even the playing field? No, of course not. It’s not Toronto’s fault that Saskatchewan didn’t recruit the right players, just like it’s not Saskatchewan’s fault that Toronto didn’t arrange appropriate home dates/venues for their matches.
These are just situations that Argo and Roughrider fans will have to endure for a time. They’ll both be back on top in the future.
Hamilton didn't have its own stadium for a season and a half, and they never had to move home games to other teams homes. Are the Argos the new Las Vegas Posse?
This is why the CFL shouldn't even allow a team to start the season unless their stadium owner will respect the schedule.
I already hated Rogers... but now I (and anyone else with any Canadian pride) have even more reason to.
The Blue Jays give the Argonauts 10 or 11 dates and tell them to choose 9. Not sure how they can arrange appropriate home dates/venues for their matches with that lease agreement.
Sorry Neely, but you can’t win this argument, because it is illogical.
As an Argonaut STH and long time devoted fan, I am as frustrated as you, but the other CFL teams bear no responsibility for the Argos’ situation.
There has been no conspiracy to disadvantage the Argonauts by the other CFL teams.
The REDBLACKS did not solicit the Argos to move the October 6 game to TD Place. The Argos approached the REDBLACKS.
It was the Argos who signed the lease agreement with Rogers Centre, along with all the stipulations regarding the scheduling supremacy of the Blue Jays.
The other CFL teams owe the Argos nothing in this regard.
I believe if there was no inconvenience to any of the other teams, they would accommodate the Argos as best they could.
Unfortunately, with regard to the schedule, we will have to suck it up (again) and pray that things will be better at BMO Field.
Again, the rest of the league is not responsible for finding the Argos a venue or for negotiation terms for the Argos, just as the rest of the league is not responsible for Roughriders’ scouting, recruiting, etc. Ergo, comparable.
It’s no secret Rogers hates the CFL and especially the Argos. It was Rogers who held up the Argos sale to MLSE and relocation to BMO, while floating false rumours by Madani and others blaming Braley for holding up negotiations. Braley said after the sale that Rogers was tough to deal with over two years of negotiating.
Rogers will do everything in their power to screw-over the Argos, including making them castoffs in Toronto’s only football stadium, while blocking their move to BMO. Why would one of Canada’s largest corporations commit such vile acts against their hometown football team and league?
I think it’s just sour grapes. Rogers and their clan are envious that the CFL survives and thrives, while their dreams of a NFL franchise have been a dismal failure on all counts. Rogers is also envious of CFL’s summertime TV ratings which triumphed the BJ’s for a generation, until this season.
The fact is the NFL will never come to Canada as long as the CFL survives in Toronto. A NFL team in Toronto, earning 75-cent dollars, whose TV ratings don’t count and will likely be the weakest drawing team at home and the road…while engaging a maximum of 70% of the hometown football market (with at least 30% still supporting the Argos)…the $2B NFL team and $1B stadium investment to compete with another pro football league is just pie-in-the-sky. Rogers knows that now and are using their power and influence to gain vengeance against the plucky Argos, who just won’t go away and are now moving into the basement suite.
Let’s Pull Together! The Argos are North America’s oldest sports franchise:
Good rant
2 things
1 maybe if Torontonians weren’t indifferent to the Arhols, packed the stadium and had great tv numbers, they’d be treated differently. Don’t get me wrong. Rogers are a bunch of dbags for sure
2 Arhols are the second oldest. For the oldest you have to travel westward down the qew… 8)
True, the Hamilton Tigers were incorporated in 1869, so technically they’re the oldest sports franchise but the Argos are the oldest team still using their original name (the Tigers merged with the Hamilton Flying Wildcats in 1950 creating the Tiger-Cats.)
