Palmer Group talking Ottawa Roster?

CFL Talk
#1
[url=http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/story.html?id=b663b4d2-68eb-4566-a382-94e6b9c72f22&k=54208]http://www.canada.com/topics/sports/sto ... 22&k=54208[/url]

A group seeking to return professional football to Ottawa emerged after a teleconference call with Canadian Football League officials Tuesday expressing optimism the sides can make a deal.

Bill Palmer, a former CFL linebacker and father of Montreal Alouettes quarterback Jesse Palmer, called the exchange with the league's franchise committee ''productive,'' and said the parties will talk again next week.

''I feel good about it,'' Palmer said. ''There are ebbs and flows to negotiations, and you learn more every time you spend time with them.

''It was a good, productive day. I'm still passionate about doing this. I just want the deal to be fair for both parties.''

Palmer represents a group of eight to 10 American investors and one from Ottawa. Palmer has refused to disclose their identities.

He was joined Tuesday by former Rough Riders general manager Dan Rambo, a retired National Football League scout who stands to assume a front-office position should Palmer's group land a franchise. Rambo, a longtime Ottawa resident, is heading the group's negotiation for an expansion draft, which the CFL has already admitted should be favourable to the new franchise and make it instantly competitive.

The Ottawa Renegades were officially ''suspended'' by the league in April after four seasons of competition. The Rough Riders were collapsed by the league following the 1996 campaign after 120 years of existence.

Palmer's group represents the last hope for Ottawa football fans now that two other would-be bidders are no longer in the running.

In October, Golden Gate Capital Corp. dismissed itself after its chief financier was diagnosed with cancer. Then, earlier this month, a bid led by food-and-beverage entrepreneur Frank D'Angelo was told by the CFL that it was no longer under consideration.
The league and Palmer are trying to bridge significant gaps on several fronts, foremost a franchise fee that the league has increased from $3.5 million to more than $5 million since the bidders emerged. The league also wants a security bond to guarantee operational funds for at least one season should the new owners abandon the franchise.

The sides must also agree to terms of an expansion draft, which was a significant problem for Renegades management in 2001, and Palmer's group must also negotiate a lease with the City of Ottawa for Frank Clair Stadium.

#2

i would say, the ottawa group should get 2 seasons without having to opperate under the Cap...

i mean, they never got the chance to front-load contracts, as all the other teams got a chance to do, so right there, the ottawa team is at a disadvantage right off the get-go!

give them 2 years with no Cap, so after thier initial season of expansion roster guys, they can go after free agents ( like dickenson and such ), and front load contracts going into thier 3rd season ( and first opperating under the Cap ).

anyone else agree or disagree?

#3

...I disagree, too much of an edge on other teams and instantly they go from average to excellent status....they need to work for that status...let's be realistic here, Ottawa is being punished for losing a team, if they get their team back that's great but why 'reward' them for doing so....

....there are two parties responsible for the growth and success of the next team....the Owner, in putting in place a sound business plan and then placing qualified people in that plan to run it....and the fans in Ottawa to get out and support the team, no matter what.....

....having a reverse dispersal draft will make them pretty competitive right away....

#4

I sure hope Ottawa comes back with strong fan support.

#5

I agree with Red. After the few thousand “Hard Core” fans, are there really enough other fans that really care? Why grant them special status. Let them earn it.

#6

I also hope the league this time holds to their guns in the franchise fee of $5M and hopefully a minimum $5M bond(even though previously it was discussed at $10M).
Any group that is balking on this price, which is a bargain, obviously does not want it bad enough and does not have the cash to sustain it long term.
If not for the Palmer group, I'd say bring back Frank and add Jeff Hunt as President.

#7

fack'em. You don't get awarded for screwing up your franchise twice.

I think the CFL loses ALL credibility by allowing this garbage sports town back in the league for the third time.

garbage fair-weather fans. and the fans that do exist, are too stupid to admit the lacking fan support is the reason why the team has folded twice in 10 seasons. Instead, the argue poor ownership, old venue, and being the perennial losers of the CFL is the real reason for lack of support... WHICH BASICALLY DEFINES WHAT A GARBAGE FAIR-WEATHER FAN IS!!

blame the league for not supplying good owners, and then expect favors in return? Its not a coincidence no one wants to own a team there. The only interest has been from an egotistical entrepreneur whackjob whos looking for a fun way to promote his cashcow beverage company, and a guy on his deathbed.

This Palmer group .. The only thing that could possible fuel their motivation to own a team in Ottawa is a gigantic lack of business sense, or the purest of stupidity.

StatiK76
GO BOMBERS!!!

#8

Hey....special status is the in thing. I say the conservative government give them Nation like the recent Nation of Quebec. It's time for Ottawa's Rough Rider Nation, not to be confused with Saskatchewan's Rider Nation. :thup:

#9

I wouldn't have expected anything less from you, StatiK! Did you have a bad experience in Ottawa? Get mugged? Ever been to Ottawa? Ever been to a game at FCS or seen a hockey game in Ottawa for that matter? You talk about garbage and I would certainly agree that you are quite the expert at it but again I wouldn't have expected less than garbage from you, StatiK. I can't believe I am even replying to you but I was able to stop the urge to vomit long enough to do so!

Go Gades Go in 08!
Go Sens Go!

#10

Sorry about a fellow Bomber "fan"... I think the two years grace is fine as long as they never ask for a league bail-out. This is super news and should be treated as such. Palmer should have the good sense to really build a solid foundation and make a great franchise again. Best of luck to all involved!

#11

Blah blah blah, blah blah, blah blah.....

#12

...statik....you're a little harsh on the ol Cap City....i think the CFL has to encourage a new ownership in Ottawa not sabotage and dump on it....sure there should be proper safeguards in place...but jeez let these guys get started...I.m sure any party who is going to invest a great sum of money in the franchise is going to do their homework...and part of that would be to make sure a proper fan base still exists...so they don't end up like the Gliebs.....who i might add did a lousy job in promoting or made any positve moves with the Rens.....BUT as far as granting concessions to the team right off the bat....sorry drum have to disagree....like RedW pointed out ...a reverse dispersal should give them enough of a good start... :expressionless:

#13

For how many years did Ottawa have a team before they went down the first time?