Frank Zicarelli who covers the Argos for the Toronto Sun, just nailed it on the media types who cover the Argos or lack there of.
There are many rats in the media business and most crawled out of their holes to attend Tuesday’s announcement, even though many had never previously stepped foot inside BMO Field.
But that’s how the media business works in Toronto where the Argos have been completely forgotten. When the proverbial crap hits the fan, they come out and most are never to be seen again.
Some if it self inflicted dont you think? 2-12! Horrendous team, arguably the worse team in Argo history. Right up there with the '81 Argos. Today though we have the Raptors, Jays, Leafs, TFC and now even the Wolfpack to compete with. Wouldnt be surprised if tonights attendance is worse than the 9000 against Calgary a few weeks ago. A meaningless game at frigid BMO Field. What a better way to spend a Friday evening
You’ve never been to BMO then for an evening game. Even in the summer the winds blow off the lake and make it feel a lot cooler. 16 degrees and sunny today will feel like 6 degrees this evening at BMO. Layer up if yu do go
My favourite time of the year is GC Week. When the “elite” sports columnists in Canada, who ignore the CFL 364 days of the year, lecture us on whats wrong with the CFL, point out holes in the state of the league speech…
then wrap it up with a backhanded compliment to the atmosphere and host city etc. but wondering how a league HE doesnt care about is cared about by so many.
It’s a gross exaggeration to say all sports media in Toronto is anti-CFL, but the league definitely has its detractors in that market. Damien Cox sure seems to be one of them. Low attendance for the Argos? Cox will be right there piling on. Lopsided losses? He’ll be only too happy to point it out.
I think now after doing some research it’s been that way forever it seems .
It’s just worse now .
Learned a few days ago that the Los Angeles Wild Cats of the AFL played a game against the New York Yankees in Toronto in Maple Leaf Stadium in 1926 in front of 10,000 fans . Yankees joined the NFL from 27 to 29 .
Was never aware of that .
They had the forward pass before the Canadian game adopted the forward pass and it was a popular game here . The Canadian game at that time still resembled rugby .
In 1955 there were attempts by Eric Craddock to bring an NFL franchise to Toronto .
Toronto Argos of course lost three games in a row to NFL competition in the early sixties that didn’t help .
There was always talk in the biggest city and it’s prevailed to this day .
I think the CFL Argos being unsuccessful for years kept the Argos popular enough that the CFL game was difficult to master even with NFL stars on the team ( Leon Mcquay ) that the CFL was a CHALLENGE .
When it became easy and the challenge is gone it maybe one of the reasons that it just doesn’t get the attention it needs to be fertile .
Seeing other teams like the Leafs , Jays and Raptors climb the wall in a more challenging competitive environment is a difficult comparison for the Argos .
Open Question - could it be an improvement in regular attendance if the Argos were moved somewhere else in Ontario so long as it is not closer to either Ottawa or Hamilton?
I’m not asking hypothetically for in the next two years or so but more like in the next decade coming upon us and already begun in many ways.
Some of the most critical comments in the media I’ve read over the years about the Argos have come from Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun. But I guess being critical a lot is considered better than ignoring the CFL - because this week it was announced that Steve Simmons is going into the media wing of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. https://torontosun.com/sports/football/steve-simmons-is-going-into-the-cfl-hall-of-fame-media-wing
Whether the CFL was on a high, a low, down to eight teams or spreading the field from Saskatchewan to Sacramento, Steve Simmons was there to cover it.
For 40 years, he has kept readers across the country informed with news and opinion, some critical of players, ownership and those running the ship. But the century-old unique outfit also needed recognition for its fan base, home-grown talent and its colourful characters.
Simmons’ work was recognized Thursday when the Football Reporters Of Canada elected him to the media wing of the Canadian Football Hall Of Fame.
Larry Tucker who used to work for the Calgary Sun is also going into the media wing.
No. No stadiums, no history of supporting football to the extent required. And then there are all the issues associated with the CFL leaving the biggest national market for advertisers and sponsors. If the day comes when the Argos are folded, the league would very quickly become a four-team prairie loop with revenue a fraction of what it is now.In short, this is not going to happen, nor should it.
I’ve never had a problem with Simmons. He has written often how he misses some of the players of his childhood and has written often about the CFL. Of course he has been critical of the league but I feel it’s out of frustration with the league repeatedly shoots itself in the foot.
Unfortunately the passion of some of the fans on this site has turned into a siege mentality and become defensive of any criticism. There’s a lot of things I love about this sport but there is definitely room for improvement.
And this is where I am confused looking in from the outside and reading so many comments about the lacklustre support for the Argos IN the city of Toronto.
And no, don’t fold the Argos just move them say in the next decade and keep them the Toronto Argonauts.
The team would still be in the GTA, so there is no issue with advertisers and sponsors.
If there were a facility constructed nearer to where any large fan base lives, but no longer travels into the city to see the games, would it be viable?
Of course such construction should not be nearer to either Hamilton or Ottawa, so any new venue likely would have to be in some respect west of the city though of course not necessarily directly.
Yes! Ive been saying this for awhile.
Its time for MLSE to expand its stamp throughout the GTA. Raptors NBA G league minor team is the only MLSE entity to play in the ecpanded GTA region.
The York 9 of the new CPL has taken over York stadium. And expantion and plans for the venue built for the Pan Am Games. Fans in that region are embracing them.
Im a bit suprised that MLSE has not expanded into the WNBA. Which would be an awesome addition to MLSE. Playing in one of the three GTA regions venues
As well as popular as Canada’s National Womens National team is. That the MLSE has not taken in a NWSL pro womens soccer team could also find York as its home.
Rite now Toronto Fc does NOT have a top Minor league team. But with the CPL. they could affiliate themselves with the York 9 or even the Team outa hamilton.
MLSE got a bit to big for there pritches. Looking down on OHL major junior Hockey.
They should also be affiliated with Mississauga Steelheads.
Now that would be THE Top S&E in North America.
Spreading their name across the entire HUGE GTA.
This idea of moving the Argos somewhere in the GTA has been addressed numerous times on this forum. It’s a terrible idea that would drive away existing fans who are not willing to drive for hours to a stadium on another side of what is a gigantic, traffic-plagued region. And there is zero evidence anyone would pay for such a mythical stadium.
