Thanks Pinky and would love to but the person I go to games with, my wife, just likes getting to the games about 10 minutes before they start sort of thing, unfortunately.
But I agree with what you’re saying. All I was trying to indicate was that from a business standpoint, attracting more marginal type fans like those that simply need the tailgate experience in a larger area to come to games, would be good from that aspect. But in reality it already exists as you mention so maybe this wouldn’t work in the TigerCats case with either not enough interest from these types in the team or maybe the location of the stadium. :?
Yes you are right, and if Hamilton and Toronto were to stay the course and the status quo there wouldn’t be an increase in ticket sales. Toronto signing Ray and Hamilton signing Burris is all about creating something new and getting the curious to come out and buy tickets.
If Torontonians can fork out $150 a ticket for 42 Leaf games and 30,000 in that crowd last October paid $180 to watch the Bills and I’m sure they would pay that for 8 Bills home games too, 20,000 fans will pay $50 for 80 Blue Jay games and big bucks for 15,000 Raptor tickets for 30 plus home games and they have to restrict FC season tickets at 18,000 because of the demand, so what’s wrong with the CFL in Toronto?
It’s obvious it’s the image, Torontonians don’t think it’s the big leagues, it’s not the best football and they couldn’t care less if there is a law that 20 Canadians must be on the team. A new smaller stadium is not going to happen, who would even consider spending a hundred million or so on the Argos?? Signing Ray may put a few hundred more in the stands but the fact is that they want the NFL!!! It’s going to happen sooner or later and when Ottawa comes into the league it is likely TO will be gone so it’s time to get used to it and I think the league can do very well without Toronto.
There is potential in Hamilton and with the new stadium in Ottawa too.
A new smaller stadium is not going to happen, who would even consider spending a hundred million or so on the Argos??
Agree mike but what I think Toronto might consider especially if Buffalo does get the reno being studied now and effectively shutting out Toronto for a fairly long time, is consider building a 25,000 seater for the Argos etc. that is on a site that could be expanded for a future Olympic Stadium (there is talk again of Toronto going after the Olympics) and a stadium design that would accomodate a large reno for such a stadium. At that point it may be near the end of the Bills new lease should that be signed with the reno and Toronto could go after the Bills at that point perhaps if the need/want is still there.
In other words, why not get the ball rolling now for, as you say, is probably an inevitable larger football facility down the road in Toronto at some point. :?
David Braley is going to have his team playing out of Roger's.
With the signing of Ricky Ray they will have a much more competitive team.
A winning team in T.O. will bring the fans out.
Ricky Ray is a recognizable name to the sports fans of T.O.
Lets not forget that Obie had an offer in on Ray but could not restructure his contract.
The scenario could have been reversed, Ray in Hamtown and Burris in Hogtown.
Either way (and I would have either on my team over Glenn) a big splash signing like this for both teams is great for league exposure.
T.O. has a good team they were just lacking a QB and they just got way better at that position.
There Defence was good, Cory Boyd is very good and now with Ray at the helm they cold have a winner.
Ricky Ray will sell tickets, he is a big name player at the most important position.
Think about it.
Can you name the starting QB's of every team in the league? Probably.
Can you name the starting Centers?
The starting Runningbacks?
Probably not.
QB is a high profile position.
I know some ***os fans who never said much about their team until Ray was signed. They are now all excited about this season. Don't know if it will translate into ticket sales but it may. Hopefully the switch to Hank will do the same here in Hamilton. The league still does need a team in Toronto, though and would benefit from a couple more teams in the East. When we were at the GC in BC the Lions fans we spoke to all were disappointed that the East was represented by a "Western" team. So having teams in TO and Ottawa are a must.
Nice wrap on a similar theme to this thread in todays Globe and Mail by Allan Maki:
<!-- m -->[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/off-season-aftershocks-rearrange-cfl-landscape/article2291847/]http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/o ... le2291847/[/url]<!-- m -->
It's very simple really. If you put a pathetic product on the field, don't expect much support. It seems that finally the Southern Ontario teams are serious about being competitive. For the longest time, it was Montreal and everybody else in that division.
If both the argos and the ticats are competitive next year, you'll see attendance rise.
I read Maki’s take on the CFL quarterback situation and must agree with him. Actually, I don’t even see how he can rate
Hamilton in second place (behind Toronto and ahead of Calgary) as the situation currently stands, since, as he indicates,
there remain too many unknowns for Hamilton, the most predominant being the coaching staff.
We don’t know yet if the new coaches (HC, OC and QBC) will have good chemistry with Henry Burris.
I still say Obie was asleep at the helm when he should have been working at the end of season 2011 and I find
any organization that fires high ranking officials (Marcel Bellefeuille et al.) before securing new blood very strange.
Hopefully, this delayed situation won’t rise up to bite the Ticats in their collective butt.
I don’t think Obie was asleep at all. Some of the desired coaching candidates were not immediately available and the early firing of Bellefeuille is beneficial to him and the organization. They already knew MB was gone after the EDF so why have the man continue working with the Cats if they know his fate is sealed. Let him relocate his family and give him an early head start to find another job. As for our competition, so what if the Argos signed Milanovich? He is an unproven 1st time HC and Benevides was staying in BC anyways. We haven’t missed out on anything. I’d prefer that Obie is patient and picks the RIGHT guy for the job.
earl, you are the biggest flip-flopper on this forum.
one day you say the bills are renovating their stadium and staying in buffalo, then the next day you say they are destined to move to toronto.
this is just the latest of your flip-flops.
you do this with so many topics, its nauseating.
The Bills could be renovating thier stadium and staying in Buffalo and at the same time could be moving to Toronto or wherever in 20-30 years after the lease is over from the reno and Toronto or whomever builds a nice stadium and the team is for sale then and then moves.
Another way of interpreting flip flopping in some cases is that some scenarios on whatever aren't as straight forward necessarily as what is perceived by others. I have an open mind that is fluid, doesn't mean it's that intelligent but it does mean it is quite adaptable.
Ok now you can go puke from being totally nauseated from this post. -- and I haven't had a drop of booze today, yet. :o
I don’t know…I’m hearing Dave’s kickin’ the tires on Moncton…you know…go from owning 1/4 of the league to 30% (assuming it’s team 10) and getting sea-to-sea coverage…
Then he'll really be in a dilemma - which team should he try and have with the Cup? I guess in some ways teams like the Yanks and Bosox are in a similar situation with making sure they have the money to outbid a lot of other teams for players, owning the league in a round about way maybe.
So why would a flip flop like that be Earl’s fault?? it was announced that they are looking at a feasability study to upgrade Rich Stadium. If it’s feasible then they will stay in Buffalo if not they could move to Toronto. If the Bills stay in Buffalo there’s nothing to stop another NFL team or an expansion team to Toronto.
They’ll get one sooner or later.
if you are as familiar with earl's body of work on this forum as i am from the last 7 years, you'd know how often he posts an opinion that contradicts his previous opinion, only to later post a different opinion again.
you never know where earl stands on an issue because he himself never knows.
it’s almost mind numbing following earls sometimes isn’t it ? i am sure he’s a good guy and all …
Both the argo’s and ticats have had good teams in the past and attendance hasn’t risen above what it is now sure there is the labor day game that can draw big but big deal …the fan base is what it is unfortunately and the league needs to find that magic formula to make the people want to show up and buy tickets too bad that’s the toughest part of it
you never know where earl stands on an issue because he himself never knows.
Actually dg, you are correct with this statement referring to me on many occasions. I would say it's not so much where I stand but rather my mind trys to keep assessing new information as I learn of it and incorporate this into what makes sense at that time. And this can change all the time with me, I'll admit. And to be honest while I can appreciate this sort of makes me wishy washy looking at times, I'm actually quite proud that my brain works like this. And I try and see the facts on something rather than the emotional aspect of what I would like or not like. Difficult though I will admit. Example I've said on occasion I like Kevin Glenn but that doesn't mean I think he is a real top rated quarterback. Probably should stay away from saying that sort of thing will admit.
mikem, I find this statement by Roger Goodell to mean that there is only room for one team in the Toronto-Buffalo region as he sees it as "one region". My take at any rate:
“Right now our focus would be making what we've done here with the Bills playing the one game in Toronto successful,? NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said during a visit to Ralph Wilson Stadium in October. “The more we work on that and focus on that makes it even better for this market and for Toronto, because for us, it's all one region.?
I appreciate Earls explanation of his posts.
What I have found from reading his posts you cannot mistake his passion for the city, team, league and his country.
We know where he stands on these important areas.
I have never found Him rude or aggressive or judgemental,unlike a lot of posters.
-- and I haven't had a drop of booze today, yet. :o