Owners of Jays, Leafs, Raptors Team Up

[KevinMcD]

No way the Bills move until Wilson kicks the bucket. He will never move this team. Mabye it is possible when he is gone but hopefully for Buffalo someone like Golisano (Saving the Sabres from moving) comes to rescue the Bills. I've heard Jim Kelly is trying to organize a group to buy the team from Wilson, or buy it after he dies.

[epper]

Im really torn on this one. On one hand, I'm a diehard Bills fan, and I know that 1/2 of Western NY would commit suicide if they left Orchard Park. I love the Bills, and love their fans. The stadium is getting old (as are the GM and Owner....), but I really hope they dont move. I like making the 45 min trek across the border to Buffalo rather than the 1 hr. trek (with no traffic. 2.5 hrs with their hellacious traffic.) to get to Toronto.

On the other hand, I do think Toronto deserves a big-league football franchise. Im sorry to all the CFL fans here, but the Argos (and CFL in general) really don't mean squat in that city. Believe me, I know, as a hardcore sports fan who lived their for 2+ years. I would be really torn as to which team to align myself with, but I think teams could survive in TO. and OP.

[pcgd]

What makes 32 the perfect number?

The struggling to sell tickets?

The deluted talent pool?

The seperation of the good and bad?

None of these things are true. Teams are selling out everywhere. People travel hours to go to NFL games.

Plenty of qualified players are not kept off teams. I can't see any reason why 34, 36, or hell 40 wouldn't work.

The NFL is one of the most even leagues in world. Pittsburg was a 6th seed and won it. Teams routinely are in the playoffs one year, and out the next, and visa versa.

[Brendan]

I love the CFL and I think that putting a team in the Toronto would kill the CFL. Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a about what happens to the CFL. I just hope that if Toronto gets a NFL team it wont be from expansion like another poster said 32 is perfect if anything its 2 many.

[rams80]

I love the CFL and I think that putting a team in the Toronto would kill the CFL. Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a about what happens to the CFL. I just hope that if Toronto gets a NFL team it wont be from expansion like another poster said 32 is perfect if anything its 2 many.

The leger sheet disagrees with you.

32 teams has worked great.

[The_Admiral]

So the Argos aren't huge in Toronto. Is any team not called the Maple Leafs huge in Toronto, honestly?

[Phil]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

Toronto in the NFL won't succeed for all the reasons people say the NHL won't succeed in Winnipeg. Costs are still too high even with a cap, the exchange rate and taxation works against us, the facility is too small, there are more promising locations, and on and on and on. At least the NHL in Winnipeg wouldn't have the added problem of potential cannibalization of another market.

[CC97]

So the Argos aren't huge in Toronto. Is any team not called the Maple Leafs huge in Toronto, honestly?

as long as they're winning...

- Raptors were top 5 in nba attendence while they were sitting in the basement, again

- Jays set the mlb attendence record 4 years in a row (1990-1993)

- and the Rock, a lacrosse team, draw about 16,000 a game.

[CC97]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a  about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

So... Canada hates Toronto because some kid in Vancouver doesn't care about the CFL?

Sometimes even I have to shake my head at my own nation.

[Original6]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a  about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

Toronto in the NFL won't succeed for all the reasons people say the NHL won't succeed in Winnipeg. Costs are still too high even with a cap, the exchange rate and taxation works against us, the facility is too small, there are more promising locations, and on and on and on. At least the NHL in Winnipeg wouldn't have the added problem of potential cannibalization of another market.

Costs are too high? Toronto is a city of millions, Winnipeg is a city of 100 thousands. There is no comparison. not that I am saying it wont happen, but if you actually lived in this city you would know that the NFL is really popular here, but you don't you live in winnipeg. The CFL's blue bombers are the only thing you guys have in the town and like I said before, it would probably piss you off that Toronto would, again, be getting another elite pro sports franchise while winnipeg sits there with a NHL dream at best.

[Original6]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a  about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

So... Canada hates Toronto because some kid in Vancouver doesn't care about the CFL?

Sometimes even I have to shake my head at my own nation.

Misery loves company... and that's basically what the landscape of sports in Canadian cities are... miserable.

It's one and done... if their hockey teams don't make the playoffs or get punched out quickly it's over.

It's funny because when I was in Alberta, the people I was staying with were ragging on the leafs and they just kept going thinking I really gave a crap while I was trying to watch a Jays game on Sportsnet. It's so pathetic it's rediculous. I simply Yawned while watching an Eskimos game (I was tired) and they got all on defensive mode "Why you yawning this football isn't good enough for you? Big shot from Toronto!!!"

[rams80]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a  about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

So... Canada hates Toronto because some kid in Vancouver doesn't care about the CFL?

Sometimes even I have to shake my head at my own nation.

Misery loves company... and that's basically what the landscape of sports in Canadian cities are... miserable.

It's one and done... if their hockey teams don't make the playoffs or get punched out quickly it's over.

It's funny because when I was in Alberta, the people I was staying with were ragging on the leafs and they just kept going thinking I really gave a crap while I was trying to watch a Jays game on Sportsnet. It's so pathetic it's rediculous. I simply Yawned while watching an Eskimos game (I was tired) and they got all on defensive mode "Why you yawning this football isn't good enough for you? Big shot from Toronto!!!"

I'm not sure if you're helping here.

I would like to say, though, if Green Bay can continue to work in the NFL, Toronto most likely would work in the NFL.

[sean69]

I don't care if it is Bill Gates himself wanting a NFL team........ THE NFL HAS NO INTEREST IN COMING TO CANADA, PERIOD!!!!!

As soon as you folks get that in your heads the better off you'll be. Toronto might think it is a NFL city, but come on... where is the stadium? Are the tax payer going to fork out 100 mill for a new facility? Never mind all the other problems there would be in running an NFL teams in Canada. This is just so Rogers can get his name in the paper, the self indulging prick the he is.

[CC97]

I don't care if it is Bill Gates himself wanting a NFL team........ THE NFL HAS NO INTEREST IN COMING TO CANADA, PERIOD!!!!!

As soon as you folks get that in your heads the better off you'll be. Toronto might think it is a NFL city, but come on... where is the stadium? Are the tax payer going to fork out 100 mill for a new facility? Never mind all the other problems there would be in running an NFL teams in Canada. This is just so Rogers can get his name in the paper, the self indulging prick the he is.

Tagliabue (sp?) said at SB XXXIX that the NFL was interested in international expansion and Toronto would certainley be at the top of that list.

[Frenchie]

I don't care if it is Bill Gates himself wanting a NFL team........ THE NFL HAS NO INTEREST IN COMING TO CANADA, PERIOD!!!!!

As soon as you folks get that in your heads the better off you'll be. Toronto might think it is a NFL city, but come on... where is the stadium? Are the tax payer going to fork out 100 mill for a new facility? Never mind all the other problems there would be in running an NFL teams in Canada. This is just so Rogers can get his name in the paper, the self indulging prick the he is.

Sorry, but Ted Rogers is a great philantropist, who loves Toronto and wants to leave a legacy.

As long as he's at the helm of RCI, we'll be fine.

The day he kicks the bucket and it falls into the hands of the shareholders, that's when it'll all go down.

Those "hobbies" of his will no longer have any meaning unless they reap cash, so the Jays will be gone, and any hope of an NFL, or whatever else we may dream of may be in jeopardy.

Nobody who's ever been in the same room ar Mr.Rogers will ever call him a prick.

Don't get me wrong, his businesses are there to make money, and I personnally have suffered greatly from the lack of structure/focus one of its divisions had, but nevertheless, it is far from a reflection on the man's abilities. He's a visionary. And this country needs more of those.

Now to the topic at hand, NFL in Toronto, I would say as long as they wear blue and white uniforms that include a Maple Leaf in it, the pseudo bandwagonesque sports fan base in this city should follow it.

[Frenchie]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a  about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

Toronto in the NFL won't succeed for all the reasons people say the NHL won't succeed in Winnipeg. Costs are still too high even with a cap, the exchange rate and taxation works against us, the facility is too small, there are more promising locations, and on and on and on. At least the NHL in Winnipeg wouldn't have the added problem of potential cannibalization of another market.

I'm sure you know the quote:

"The only thing that unites all Canadians is the htred for toronto".

Well, I have a prediction: give it 5 years, and Calgarians will surpass Torontonians in that area.

And personally I don't care what role I play in it, as long as I play a role in Canadian Unity...

(note that I have the odds against me: I am a FRENCH-CANADIAN (formerly separatist) who lives in Toronto)

If only timing would have been there, the new Soccer Stadium location at the CNE would have been perfect for Football!!!

[Cyclopsis Joe]

Next thing you know they'll be wanting another baseball team.

[Frenchie]

Next thing you know they'll be wanting another baseball team.

Like where? Quebec City?

[Phil]

Then again if Vancouver got a NFL team I wouldn't give a  about what happens to the CFL.

Why the rest of Canada hates Toronto and, increasingly, Vancouver.

So... Canada hates Toronto because some kid in Vancouver doesn't care about the CFL?

Sometimes even I have to shake my head at my own nation.

That "kid in Vancouver" just happens to be all too indicative of the attitude posted by others in this very thread, and if that is at all representative of the actual populations, that's a huge number of people that feel that way.

A commonly held perspective in the rest of Canada is that Torontonians and, increasingly, Vancouverites are all too willing to give up whatever piece of Canadiana they possess in favour of the latest flavour-of-the-month toy they can get their hands on.

Torontonians feel that the CFL is "minor league" - the rest of Canada doesn't delude themselves into believing it is perfectly on par with the NFL, and it bugs me (and I'm guessing a lot of others) that that is used as an excuse not to support your team.

It's like the country boy who goes Hollywood, and then acts like he's too good for his momma's vittles, just because he's been to the Waffle House and seen the promised land.

Get over yourselves Toronto. The CFL may not be the Grand Slam Special at Denny's, but to thumb your nose at it is a slap in the face to your country, as well as all the extremely talented athletes, their great plays and accomplishments and the '-30°C on metal benches' diehard fans that make up the best league on the planet (regardless of talent level).

[Frenchie]

CFL has a good product, my main beef with Toronto is the BandWagon nature of it.

The Argos go through Ups and Downs, and people are not willing to support them when they're down.

Also the Stadium SUCKS! I don't care if it was in Antartica, Football should never be played in a Dome.

look at the Montreal Success story!

The waay they celebrate a football game since they moved downtown is much closer to the NFL experience than the Argos.

And I agree with SyPhi, I would pay TONS to go see a Esks-Riders game in November.