To the boycotters

While I fully intend to go to IWS games, I can understand those who choose not to. In fact, given the product dished up to Hamilton fans, it could be argued that it makes more sense to not go to games. Which brings me to my point. The salvation of the team probably will probably be determined more by those who stay away than those who go to games. I’ve watched the Leafs for several decades ice mediocre teams, never winning anything of consequence but filling the seats and selling merchandise. Until the fans start to stay away from games, there is no incentive for MLSE ownership to do much of anything except toss the fans a bone every now and then (e.g. last year’s saviour, this year’s flop Andrew Raycroft). Same with the Cats. As long as the fans continue to go to games and buy their stuff, there is no pressure on the team to make changes. Let attendance drop to the teens again and you might see things happen. Bob Young puts pressure on Desjardins who puts pressure on Taafe who puts pressure on the players to WIN!! And if they can’t win, they find people who can.

So while I still intend to go to games because I like the CFL and the Cats, it may just be that I’ll owe the boycotters a debt of gratitude in the longrun for forcing changes on the team.

An Argo-Cat fan

Well written

I don't see what boycotting games is going to do anyway.

This Ticats organisation wants to succeed, they just haven't been able to fit the puzzle pieces together, but they are getting close.

Boycotting Leaf games may have made sense back in the 80's, but even MLSE wants the team to make the playoffs because there is a huge amount of money to be made when the Leafs play in the post season.

The Ticats also will make more money if they play in the post season.

It's not like the Ticat organisation is being cheap.

It's not like they haven't made personell changes.

It's not like they haven't found good Canadian talent.

I really believe that Bob Young cares, and that to compare him to the suits of MLSE is wrong.

Actually its been staed previously that various organizations including the Cats lose money by winning the Cup

How many more changes do you want?

This is not MLSE, this is an organization that has tried very hard to field a competative team and actually cares about winning.

You're making it sound as if they don't care about the football side of things and all they want to do is empty our pockets.

The last time I checked, this team under Bob Young has done everything from signing multiple free agents, to trying to lure a CFL legend from the NFL to finish his career here.

Not only that, but after none of that worked, they have now gone in a different direction again by hiring a coach with experience and trying to develop their own talent for long-term roster stability instead of the quick fixes they thought they had before with the likes of Ranek, Brazzell and others.

Boycotting the games will not help us win. It will not force anymore changes then what's already been done and for the life of me I can't understand this logic.

I for one do not support the movement of a boycott as it will do no good for anybody involved.

Do you really think in a right mind that The staff really wants to lose? Are you insane? This is not just a team they follow this is their life.

I feel that that the organization needs to feel the heat for many NON-football decisions as well. The fact that they care about winning doesn't cut it, they aren't making the one decision that should have been made prior to the start of the season. People just don't see how this team as constructed is going to win. Besides maybe the players will wake up to the fact they are thrownig away a job they love with thier undisciplined selfish play

So let’s be honest then…the game will be boycotted because Jason Maas is starting over Timmy Chang?

That’s what it all boils down to I guess right?

Nevertheless, the organisation takes in money for every post season game they play.

The incentive is there.

For some, for others its the price of the evening (tix concessions lack of water,etc), for others its the obnoxious gameday presentation, etc. There is a lot of room for improvement and fan feedback isn't always listened to when it should be.

I have not seen recent numbers but for years expenses exceeded income

I don’t think I said anywhere that the organization wants to lose. What I did say is that a drop in revenue puts pressure on the team to improve their performance which in this case means win. It’s simple human nature really. A drop in income and the resulting pressure are great motivators.

An Argo-Cat fan

A drop in revenue puts pressure on the team to fold ,not spend more .

I'd watch the boycott BS!

Although a boycott is tempting, I think it would be an irrational response to a situation that really is beyond our(the fans)control. The players need our support now more than ever. If we give up on them, it won't be long before they give up on themselves.

As tough as it is sometimes to watch them play, they are beginning to show improvement. I truly feel that with alot more discipline and determination, this team can claw it's way out of the hole they have dug themselves. There are good things ahead for this team and I continue to look forward to each and every game. :rockin:

I would be interested in seeing a source for this.

If it is a home game, there is nearly a 1 million dollar gate, even more if they raise the prices for playoffs.

Then what,sit at home and sulk,when you could be at the park sitting with great people,drinking great beer, watching the team start to gel. Man I wish I lived close enough to do that.

Of course there’s a lot of room for improvement. But the whole “they’re not listening to the fans” thing is ridiculous.

How do you propose that the “listening to the fans” system should work? With each season ticket you get a voucher that entitles you to one major personel decision. Or have you got a better plan?

Because I don’t see how a football club, with tens of thousands of fans that each have their very own, often completely contradictory opinions, can do everything that each and every fan wants them to do, all the time.

So you think Chang is God. I think he’s a rookie that threw one great pass. There, we cancel each other out. I guess some other fan will have to use their voucher to decide this one.

I would suggest that people who don’t understand the logic simply possess that typical Canadian “virtue” called complacency; the same old complacency that allows us to have the fine corrupt, self-serving political system (on all three levels), that allows corporations to get away with bloody murder, that allows media to function as a propaganda machine for the elites, the same complacency that also poverty, crime, social injustice to flourish… Yeah, let’s express our displeasure and frustration with good old complacency; we will just continue on watching/attending games and buying merchandise as though nothing is wrong and maybe if we just do nothing the problem will simply go away.

sour grapes. it’s a freakin game and the people in charge i think are seriously trying to build a team. we wouldn’t have gotten dyakowski, setta,moreno,bauman.belasiak,loescher,chang, signed/drafted if they were not serious about it. bob young is the only reason team remains in this city.
it’s a professional sports team and what comes with it are prices for food beer etc what stadium in north america doesn’t go big with concessions?. i’m a leaf fan and id rather spend my 220 a year on seasons to watch the cats than spend 100 bucks to see the leafs.
boycott’s i do not support unless it had more to do with a corrupt team,etc but most here say this because of a poor record or because chang doesn’t start.well if chang did start i wouldn’t be boycotting even though i feel it’s not the answer.