I do not believe Whettenhal has made money since owning this team. (or at least this is what was being reported). As you say HFX, maybe being an outsider he will want to sell in the upcoming years. Hopefully it will be someone local who is known and understands the market.
Not so sure Popp would be best suited as the next president given he lives in SC at least 6 months of the year and I do not believe he has a commanding grasp on the french language.
I see what you are gettting at, but the Riders have had their fair share of financial difficulties too. And, lets not forget that, during the unthinkable years (3 straight…?) in Edmonton of the Eskimos missing the playoffs, they still led the league in attendence.
I have faith that things will be OK in Montreal. The CFL is a gate-driven league, and Montreal always gets close to filling the stadium, even if season ticket subscribers have slipped, there will be that much more room for walk-ups.
For a global city apparently that full of culture and activity, and though I have never been there I have heard nothing but what a great time it is especially for the night life, I am surprised they are behaving like fair weather fans do in the US in small or medium-sized cities like down here in the Tampa Bay area and where I grew up in Indianapolis Indiana.
I wonder why? Is Montreal like Toronto in that respect with regard to its teams other than the Canadiens?
Or is it just the ownership, as Hfx cites, is only interested in gutting out the franchise instead of maintaining it as a going concern as a business?
i agree he is a great owner but I don’t think he’s been losing money every year since 1997/1998. I think he may have had some seasons where there wasn’t much left or slight losses but nothing like the last two years.
Lalonde 400k, Trestman 400k, Popp 400k… That’s not counting the directors… The problem in Montreal is not an income related one like Toronto for example,it is the money spent on people required to keep a winner in place year in, year out.
Well if Jim and Marc have a direct line to the owner, what’s the point of hiring a President ? Your talking a 20 million dollar business where 75% of your expenses are controlled by football operations anyway. Normally the President is the guy with the direct line to owner or stock holders…
The president should be looking after the corporate community, ensuring they are getting more than 2.5million. Having all corporate boxes sold for each home game, ensuring the season ticket sales is better than 14k.
As you said in a couple of posts under the Als section, someone who has the "contacts" in the corporate world.
That is not Jim Popp nor Marc Trestman. Let them focus on the on field product and a winning team. This is their strength.
No but I would suspect that things like where training camp will be held, what kind of entertainment allowances are for employees. What are the company policies regarding media are all part of what normally a President would have a voice in. I’m not saying Lalonde was the right guy. I just don’t think what the Als are looking for or need is a “President”. They are looking for someone to look over some aspects of business operations and office manager in Montreal. Just the way the company developed over the years and with very entranched quality people everywhere in the organization.
Very interesting situation in Montreal no question. While I wish the team success in respects, I want our Hamilton TiCats to beat the crap out of them every chance.
Montreal is fair weather though, in the NHL I have never heard "fans" boo their own team like I have seen for the Habs and 2 seconds later cheer so loudly if they score a goal.
Montreal has weird fans for all sports, as yo yo as it gets, up and down, roller coaster etc. but then that's part of the French emotional cultural thing I think.
And it cost them the Expos in part along with that dipshit guy who went to own the Red Sox, forget his name. That was the death knell for MLB in Montreal.
SASK. once needed a telethon and a $3 million loan from the NFL to survive at one time.
As I have written before , Vancouver , Toronto / Hamilton & MONTREAL are all difficult markets for the CFL.
Montreal ALS have folded 2 times before and they no longer have a baseball team [the Expos].
However , some people still like to only single out Toronto for bashing.
They take it personally. If the team is losing they feel like losers if their team is winning they think they are the ones putting the points on the board. It is weird for sure.
Makes for some great sex there in La Belle Province I'm sure though, eh Hf? I hate you, no, I love you, no, I hate you, f.... me baby go for it... hard, I hate you, no, I love you... 8)
I think Montreal is a little bit different than Toronto though. Montrealers generally know their city is hot stuff. They don’t seek anyone’s approval to be considered “world class” (whatever that means). It’s just that that city has a tradition of only supporting winners, save for the Habs. People say, Montreal is not a hockey city, but a Habs city.
I do think the alouettes are still on solid footing, like the rest of the league. However, I always get the sense that people hold CFL teams to a MUCH higher standard than NHL teams. People have no problem supporting CRAP like they do in Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, etc but if those city’s CFL teams don’t perform for a couple years, ticket sales will be down and so will sponsorship.
No one did , this time. All that I am trying to say is that Toronto isn’t the only CFL city that goes through bad times.
I hope that ALL CFL cities do well. :thup:
I hate you, no, I love you, no, I hate you, f.... me baby go for it... hard, I hate you, no, I love you... 8)