I got to thinking how weird it would look in the standings to have 5 teams in the East, including Ottawa and Winnipeg?
There are several reasons why the Bombers should return to the West, not the least of which, it gives the four eastern Canadian teams a better chance to make the playoffs. The 4th place West team must have more points than the 3rd place East team to crossover, if they're tied in points the East gets in (and vice-versa).
It's no secret that Canadian football is strongest in the west. The east needs all the help they can get to solidify their place in the competitive sports marketplace. Having only 4 teams in the east would be a small gesture of advantage. Didn't all four West teams make the playoffs in 2012? With Wpg in the East under that scenario, three of the five East teams would miss the playoffs...which is hardly a marketing boost.
While Winnipeg has been in the "east" for several years, you only have to look at the map to know the Bombers belong in the west. Just because the Red Wings are in the Western Division, doesn't make it right or mean the CFL should copy the NHL's mistakes and mix up their geography.
Another factor is the Bombers return will add some needed flavour to the West Division. When we had 5 teams in the West, making the playoffs used to mean something. It wasn't easy but when you made it, it was a big deal. I think that added competition brought the interest level in the football to a higher level. This might give Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver a little boost of nostalgia from the glory years, with the fierce divisional and playoff battles with the Bombers returning.
With Ottawa coming back next season, the East could go back to the traditional "Big Four" which ruled Canadian Football for 100 years...and now with the playoff crossover, the eastern teams must strive to be competitive with the West division.
I realize there's support for Winnipeg to stay in the east next season and there are valid reasons on both sides...but as a western football fan, I'd vote for the Bombers to come home, where they belong in the West division. :thup:
Oops, I didn’t see a previous thread, perhaps it was buried a few pages back. Mods can merge this if desired. I just had a brain-flash that I wanted to express about how the Bombers move could be a boost to both the East and West divisions!
I agree, the Bombers should be in the West division. This is especially true because if the tenth team ever comes, it's not likely to be coming from the West (unless it's Saskatoon). It will be QC, London or out East.
You are right in that the Bombers Belong in the west. As was mentioned and you can look at a map and see it is so being 20 hour drive from Winnipeg to its closest teams in the GTA.
In a cost efficient league no city in the east is very far from any of the other four Eastern cities.
I think for this year maybe they keep the BBS in the East but I cannot see any reason why this Ottawa franchise will not succeed with a strong group owning the team and a sports front office in place for Marketing or any other things office in place and a second one from the partnership of Ottawa. They have deep pockets two have extensive experience with pro sports and they are all invested in Toronto with that being the place of their businesses.
They are also managing both the CFL/Soccer stadium as well as the modernized Civic center with both venues currenly having full time tenants. NASL Soccer and CFL for the stadium and the 67's and the expansion NBL of Canada pro basketball league.
In contacting the OSEG they will be looking for more tenants for both venues and an Arena football League team back in Canada At the Civic center is possible. With cross promoting of all of there sports together as well as the NBL of Canada team who they do not own but play in a bulding in 2014 that the OSEG will run
Also with 9 teams there will be no more four game series and only 2two 3 game series. Winnipegs should be playing the Riders in that 3rd rubber match being that they are natural regional and historic rivals.
Good points, Steve! The Bombers in the West would mean extra games against their natural rivals, like the Riders. I think the only reason the Bombers want to stay in the east is selfishly, they believe it’ll be easier to make the playoffs. But when 3 of the 5 Eastern teams miss the playoffs for a couple seasons, the league office might realize, “geez, this wasn’t such a good idea.” In addition, there’s the boost the Bombers will give to the credibility of the West Division (so 4 of 4 West teams don’t make the playoffs). This would be a win/win situation for both divisions. :thup:
it has always been a given that bombers move back to the west when a team returns either to ottawa or someother place east of manitoba, just like they did when the als returned to mont
1- Owners had to pay an 800k bribe to get the Bombers to change division so unless the Bombers want to return that money (if it was a cost, it must be a saving now ) I'd leave them where they are.
2- The divisions will be unbalanced anyway so for the sake of competition and fair representation its best to spilt games against an expansion teams four ways instead of three ways.
3- Stability in the Ontario market is not yes rock solid so to have the fifth team in the Eastern Division makes sense.
So even if Winnipeg and maybe Saskatchewan want this, its in the best interest of the league to keep things the way they are until and if a tenth franchise is introduced and that's assuming that franchise would be East of Winnipeg.
Well, that is news to Commissioner Cohon in this June 26th, 2013 story:
[b]The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are likely to remain an east division team for the foreseeable future according to CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon, even with the return of Ottawa to the Canadian Football League next season.
“You know, I don’t see any move with Ottawa coming back? said Cohon.
When asked if that meant the Bombers would be staying in the east, Cohon responded saying “likely, I think they’ll be staying in the east.?[/b]
[b]HfxTC wrote:[/b]
1- Owners had to pay an 800k bribe to get the Bombers to change division so unless the Bombers want to return that money (if it was a cost, it must be a saving now :) ) I'd leave them where they are.
2- The divisions will be unbalanced anyway so for the sake of competition and fair representation its best to spilt games against an expansion teams four ways instead of three ways.
3- Stability in the Ontario market is not yes rock solid so to have the fifth team in the Eastern Division makes sense.
So even if Winnipeg and maybe Saskatchewan want this, its in the best interest of the league to keep things the way they are until and if a tenth franchise is introduced and that’s assuming that franchise would be East of Winnipeg.
I’d be surprised if the league paid $800k to the Bombers for the last move East? Even if it was $300k, it’d still be worth it to realign the league back to its traditional format.
I can see some merit in having 4 opponents in the expansion team’s division, but for all we know the REDBLACKS might be competitive right out of the chute with the likes of Hamilton and Montreal, (especially if they sign T. Tebow or J. Russell at QB).
I don’t quite see how having 5 eastern teams helps the stability of the Ontario market? With 9 teams, the schedule will be pretty much balanced with 1 Home & Away against 6 teams, and 3 games vs 2 teams in your division. With 5 teams in the East it will be harder to make the playoffs, than with 4 teams.
Geographically thinking,how about for next year we go with Eastern Conference =HAMILTON,MONTREAL,TORONTO,OTTAWA Central Conference=WINNIPEG Western Conference=B.C,EDMONTON,SASKATCHEWAN,CALGARY There ya have it problem solved!!! If the BOMBERS win their conference they automatically qualify for the play-offs,done deal now onto the next problem!!! :roll: :roll:
So if something should happen to an eastern team as has happened four times in the last ten years. The owners have to pay another 800k to bring them back East again ? I agree with Cohon instead of playing yoyo with the franchise just leave them where they are.
I'm starting to get on board with the five teams in the East idea. When the Renegades entered the league, there was a crossover in 2002, 2003, and 2005. You can bet there will be a cross over in 2014 if we've got BC, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatchewan, and Winnipeg in the same division. If a 10th team isn't too far away (2020ish), it might make more sense to leave Winnipeg in the east. Unless all four current west teams make the playoffs and three east teams miss it in 2014. That would be ridiculous.
Anyway its not Cohon’s call. I’m not sure where your going. Its up to the Board of Governors. All the Bombers need to do is convince five other teams that they should be relocated.
I would agree that it would make sense to keep the Bombers in the East for the 2014 season as the Ottawa situation has been nip and tuck for a few years now you just can't move the Bombers without promoting the move back to the Western Conference.
So 2014 will be all about Football back in Ottawa. Once they have milked all of the publicity out of that then proper promotional move back to the west campaign can begin and they can move back.
Just like all Expansion talk and TD Atlantic were put on the side for the 100th Grey cup Celebration in 2012 the same is being done here.
The move back to the west coming in 2015 or 2016 would probably be best with a lul in a highlight to promote.
'14 and '15 Ottawa along with the 3 new stadiums will be there to create the hype.
2017 is the scheduled opening of the Regina venue along with the countries celebration and Grey Cup returning to the Nations Capitol.
So 2016 would probably be the year of Winnipegs return West or maybe 2015. For 2017 the best thing would be to assure as best as possible that a true East team gets to the Grey Cup a team from Ontario or Montreal being so close to the Capitol to pump the eastern fan interest in that year in particular. The CFL would not benefit if Winnipeg were representing the east because they are really in the West.
The Grey Cup campaign of back to our roots EAST VS. WEST could be a theme for that celebritory year.
If a team from the West crosses over and makes it to the Cup well then that will have to be
Who cares ? The Bombers haven’t even asked to move to the West division. Probably because generally the West division has been the tougher division. When you factor a home game is worth at least a million why would you do that. Also being in the East there is a chance that you could get Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan in a Grey Cup.
) I'd leave them where they are.
