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Toronto politician aims for NFL franchise north of border

Discussion in 'Other NFL' started by Topdawg13, May 5, 2011.

  1. Topdawg13

    Topdawg13 New Member

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    -Link-




    Canada to NFL: Our sports suck, please give us a franchise. :pointlol:


    (Note: To all Canadians out there, it was a joke, please disband the lynch mob. :couch: :pointlol: )
     
  2. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    CFL is open for business this Sunday they hold their draft, how is that whole NFL lockout thing going?

    :wink2:
     
  3. Topdawg13

    Topdawg13 New Member

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    Touche....... :up:


    It will end, it will end............ :yes:
     
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  4. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Cam Wake, watching his BC stuff on youtube has given me a real taste for the CFL, far more than 90% of NCAA football.

    CFL has games on Fr/Sat which is perfect to then catch a Dolphins game on Sundays.

    What is even better..FREE online streaming of games on ESPN3, radio broadcasts are not blocked like US online radio broadcasts are blocked going into Canada.
     
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  5. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Doug Ford is the brother of newly elected Mayor of Toronto Rob Ford.

    I live in Toronto, and I don't want to see it here. It is an American game and it belongs there. Not in Mexico, England, or Canada.

    Plus we don't even have the culture to support an NFL team. Tailgating would be nonexitent unless you are drinking maple syrup. The second you hold a alchoholic beverage in public outside of designated "beer tent" areas where you have to buy beer at $8 a plastic cup, you are slapped with a $110 ticket. We don't know what it is to be an NFL team.

    Keep the NFL in America, it is best that way.

    Plus the league won't let it happen unless it is Buffalo that is moving.
     
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  6. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    How do I recall an email? :)
     
  7. Topdawg13

    Topdawg13 New Member

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    :huh:


    Um...........never mind :smackhead: :up:
     
  8. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    How can you live in Toronto and have near 0 pulse on Toronto and surrounding area. There's a huge NFL following around the entire area. The fact were supporting the Buffalo Bills at very exaggerated pricing for a team we can drive 90 minutes to see is a darn fine example. Yes, Toronto would need a new stadium, but the politicians from all levels of government would be slobbering over the NFL that it wouldn't take much effort.

    Also laws can be changed as we just saw with the whole UFC change of heart on the Ontario Government's part. I have no doubt they will get an exception to the laws to allow tailgating on the lots with a proper stadium. Toronto can easily support an NFL team. Heck were only talking 8 games a year for the #1 sport in North America.

    The GTHA has over 6 million people (5th most populous in North America) and beyond the huge TV market they would get country wide exposure. Heck back in 2010 conference final games drew 2.5 million people each. Those are huge ratings for Canada.

    The downfall in Toronto has been corporations owning the teams. NFL doesn't allow such I do believe thankfully so we won't have to worry about Rogers etc owning teams.

    It is quite a way off though, depending on what happens with the Bills after Ralph kicks the bucket. However, if Buffalo has to move at the very least you'd think Buffalo fans would prefer Toronto over having their team go to L.A.

    The other plus side is having a commish that wants to expand the game beyond borders.
     
  9. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I never said we (assuming you live in or near Toronto based on your post) couldn't support a team. We would sell out every week. People here follow the NFL more than the CFL fro crying out loud.

    My point is that I don't think a Canadian city is appropriate for the NFL for other reasons. It just wouldn't feel right singing the Canadian national anthem at an NFL game. I'm not anti-patriotic, but again, I think it should stay in the USA.

    I don't think we will bend the rules to tailgate. It isn't our nature. The UFC is a bad example because a violent sport got commissioned - why wouldn't it, doctors on site, boxing is just as dangerous, too much money for the city to loose, etc. But drinking in public, I don't see any tolerance for that whatsoever.

    If it does come to Toronto, I would be excited as heck, don't get me wrong, but what would that do to our beloved AFC:E division if Jacksonville moved to Toronto? You know they'd rearrange the divisions so it is TOR, BUF, NE, and NYJ eventually. I don't like change, and I don't want the NFL to become anything but exclusively American.

    By the way, rumor is, if we are to get a team, they are going to knock down Woodbine mall and build a stadium there. As it stands now, the Rogers center with max football capacity and seating would be the third smallest stadium in the NFL in regards to capacity. Not good enough to sweeten the deal.
     
  10. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Ah, so a tailgaiting culture has not really developed around Argos games?
     
  11. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    http://sports.nationalpost.com/2011/05/05/saints-refute-toronto-relocation-rumour/

    Apology yadda yadda yadda

    This whole thing reminds me of BC and the 2010 winter olympics, they lost their proverbial shirt to host those games, as in billions and had to truck in snow for the events, the denizens of BC and Vancouver seemed to think it would help the area appear to have arrived, when in fact..the games are never spoken about any longer.

    To me, if the NFL wants a team in the Toronto Metroplex Region THEY should bend over backward to place one there, pay for the stadium and what have you themselves, typically politicos become child like whenever sports franchises and "appear to have arrived" are involved, but to me, I always pictured Canadians as common sense type of people who would hesitate to add to the public debt for what amounts to a 4 month industry that they are guaranteeing the profits for locating there.

    Invite the NFL to pick up the tab for everything or say no thanks.

    Change that local ordinance, 8 bucks a beer is outrageously pricey, and I no longer drink!

    A bottle of water would cost what..4 dollars.?!?!
     
  12. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Don't quote me on the price of beer, I was merely trying to make a point. But some events it can get that high. And the thing with Toronto is, when it comes to sports, people are willing to spend that kind of money - trust me.
     
  13. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    They said the same thing about baseball (America's past time after all) but boy did people ever embrace those early 90's Jay's teams. As far as the tailgating laws Ontario has shown quite the willingness to bend over backwards when it comes to money. It just hasn't been an issue due to the fact there isn't a Toronto stadium with a huge parking lot to support tailgating.

    What's been damaging to Toronto sports over the years has been the corporations owning teams. It just doesn't work for building a winner. Thankfully the NFL doesn't allow such.

    The stadium Ford wants to see it on is the waterfront at the abandoned Hearn generating plant.

    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...stadium-in-waterfronts-future/article1987941/

    This is a picture of the area which honestly would make for a perfect stadium spot. Large open space. They can reuse Hearn's foundation to save nearly $100 million on stadium costs. Can put in loads of parking and tailgating space.

    [​IMG]
     
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  14. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Thanks for the link. That would make for a nice spot for a stadium/sports complex.

    Agreed about the corps....maybe Jim Balsillie gets a pro team in Toronto after all? :lol:
     
  15. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Hey they have the Blue Jays and Maple Leafs!

    Uhhm, wait a minute..:lol:
     
  16. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    Blue Jays, Raptors, Leafs (and talk of a future 2nd NHL team in Toronto), Toronto FC and yes I might even include the Argonauts as a team *ducks*.
     
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  17. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    J/K VanDolPhan, thought it funny that Tone did not think Toronto had a "professional sports team" so Brasielle would have to bring one in and build a new stadium.

    Of course I could be wrong.

    And let me add, it is a GOOD thing for the CFL when the Argos are a contender.
     
  18. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Jim Balsillie (CEO of RIM located in Waterloo, ONT about 1 hour from Toronto) was very aggressive in trying to move the Phoenix Coyotes to the Toronto area. He upped his bid significantly, and the NHL still rejected him. That is what I was referreing to.

    So, maybe he gets a pro team in Toronto like he wanted, not that Toronto doesn't have pro teams. We have plenty of them, and one still cant win a championship. :)
     
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  19. padre31

    padre31 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    The Argos are probably your best chance of bringing a title to Toronto..:D

    I caught some of their games via streaming (and because I thought Cory Boyd and Chad Owens were guys the Dolphins would be interested in) and that stadium is just so massive, hard to sell it out.
     
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  20. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    Actually it was Hamilton (my city) he was trying to get the team to. Hamilton has had to suffer with the tempation of NHL for 20 years now. Ever since Ottawa was allowed to steal our team away (shoulda been ours), then the 3 times now Jim's tried to move the team here.

    Sports do well here just out of the fact there is a huge population in the Greater Toronto/Hamilton Area, with a huge TV market and cross Canada promotion.
     
  21. Tone_E

    Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Well, even Cambridge and Kitchener/Waterloo were beeing considered. In any case both locations were a direct threat to the Maple Leafs and Buffalo, so no dice.

    I have three uncles in Hamilton still, currently up the mountain, and that is where my mother grew up. :up:
     
  22. VanDolPhan

    VanDolPhan Club member Club Member

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    Not in any serious way though. Jim always worked out a deal with HECFI every time he made one of these moves to get his hands on Copps, Hamilton Place, Hamilton Convention Center and The Studio. The last one cost him a cool million plus just to get them to 'reserve' the ability to schedule in games etc. I used to do some security with the building that's attached to them and folks around there were scared he would take over. They are all unionized and city run...last thing they want is private ownership even though the city would have loved to give him the entire thing since it costs them so much money every year.
     

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