Buffalo Bills to Toronto?

[goalieboy82]

Please for the love of god no! Keep American football in the US, and Canadian Football in Canada. I think most Americans and Canadians can agree on that.

something from the simpsons about the CFL

Oddball Canadian rules'

anyway i dont think that the Bills will move to Canada. if they do

[WelshSteeler]

I hope it doesn't happen but if it does what about maybe Blizzard

Toronto Blizzard played in the NASL in the 70's/80's.

[DEAD!]

Well why would the Amercian broadcast networks pay billions of dollars for TV rights fees, and companies that pay billions in advertising dollars and realise that there's a team in a market that, quite frankly doesn't sell some of the companies products? Unless the Canadian divisions of these companies and Canadian companies themselves can make up for that difference, then I don't see an NFL team in Toronto.

[CC97]

Well why would the Amercian broadcast networks pay billions of dollars for TV rights fees, and companies that pay billions in advertising dollars and realise that there's a team in a market that, quite frankly doesn't sell some of the companies products? Unless the Canadian divisions of these companies and Canadian companies themselves can make up for that difference, then I don't see an NFL team in Toronto.

i never understood that argument... it's assuming there are 0 televisions in Toronto. There are very few products that are available in the US and not in Canada (especially with Internet shopping). They would be replacing a relatively small market with one that would be 4th largest in the United States (if it were in the US of course), sounds like a TV upgrade to me.

[jkrdevil]

Well why would the Amercian broadcast networks pay billions of dollars for TV rights fees, and companies that pay billions in advertising dollars and realise that there's a team in a market that, quite frankly doesn't sell some of the companies products? Unless the Canadian divisions of these companies and Canadian companies themselves can make up for that difference, then I don't see an NFL team in Toronto.

Well I'm sure a Canadian TV station (such as CTV for example) would buy the rights to air the Toronto teams games in Canada. That gives the NFL even more money.

[JH42XCC]

If the Bills were to move to Toronto, then a stadium would have to be built for them in nearby Mississauga, which is about 17 miles west of T Dot.

[DEAD!]

If the Bills were to move to Toronto, then a stadium would have to be built for them in nearby Mississauga, which is about 17 miles west of T Dot.

Well, they're gonna have to do that soon because the city is filling up and may run out of areas to build a stadium. I would suggest Vaughan as a more likely location. Like, Mississauga to the west, it borders Toronto to the north and they have plenty of room up there.

[Phil]

Keep the Bills in Buffalo.

The Rogers Centre is too small. The Bills aren't that far away as it is, and I have yet to see a model that convinces me that the CFL could survive if the NFL moved into its largest market.

For the record, Paul Godfrey said yesterday on Off the Record (TSN program) that he has a model that would see the CFL survive such a move, but also says he is not involved in any attempt to bring an NFL team to Toronto.

Besides, why would the Bills move to Toronto if Los Angeles, the second biggest American television market, doesn't have a team? The fact that two teams have failed there does not overcome the fact that the market is more than double the size of Toronto.

[leedsunited]

Willis McGahee, noted scholar and thinker. Whatever he says, goes.

[FiddySicks]

Keep the Bills in Buffalo.

The Rogers Centre is too small. The Bills aren't that far away as it is, and I have yet to see a model that convinces me that the CFL could survive if the NFL moved into its largest market.

For the record, Paul Godfrey said yesterday on Off the Record (TSN program) that he has a model that would see the CFL survive such a move, but also says he is not involved in any attempt to bring an NFL team to Toronto.

Besides, why would the Bills move to Toronto if Los Angeles, the second biggest American television market, doesn't have a team? The fact that two teams have failed there does not overcome the fact that the market is more than double the size of Toronto.

Ok, but if an NFL team moves into Toronto, would you really be that dissapointed in the death of the CFL? And accually, I really doubt that an NFL team would kill the CFL. It might make it more along the lines of how the AFL is here, so it would be a signifigant drop off, but an NFL team in Toronto would also raise the possibility of expansion or more NFL teams moving into Canada in the future. If it works of course. Truth be told (and im not bashing the CFL. Hell, I like the CFL's style of play), the CFL is second rate compaired to the NFL. Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

[NJTank]

I think the NFL would do well in Toronto, and adjust could be made to the SkyDome to make it larger they wont geta Super Bowl, but neither will Green Bay.

[Guest]

That will never happen, and I hope it never happens.

Because then Montreal would want an NFL team.

They didnt even want their baseball team so I doubt they would want an American football team.

They wanted baseball, but MLB didn't want them to want it. Besides, baseball and football are completely unrelated anyway.

[puckhead42]

Well my two cents......even yhough it may only be worth one......Im an American that really cant stand the NFL anymore....I live in upstate N.Y. and IM SICK OF WATCHING BORING FOOTBALL....I love the CFL rules....3 downs....25 yard endzones 110 yard field.....the game is alot more wide open......we have a channel that airs CFL games....but as soon as the NFL starts they stop airing the games....no playoffs no Grey Cup which sucks......one thing I dont know about the game and have never seen how does a team earn a point other than the extra point after touchdown?....................

[KevinMcD]

I would die along with the rest of Buffalo if Canada steals our team. They have been here for ever. Plus Wilson will NOT move the team. The only chance of relocation is when he dies. Which, sadly may be coming in the next few years. His daughters said they would sell the team to the highest bidder. So Hopefully a Buffalo group, or a group that wants to keep the team here will have the bucks. I think I heard that Jim Kelly was trying to organize a group to buy the team.

Oh...And McGahee is a :censored:ing idiot

[IceCap]

Keep the Bills in Buffalo.

The Rogers Centre is too small. The Bills aren't that far away as it is, and I have yet to see a model that convinces me that the CFL could survive if the NFL moved into its largest market.

For the record, Paul Godfrey said yesterday on Off the Record (TSN program) that he has a model that would see the CFL survive such a move, but also says he is not involved in any attempt to bring an NFL team to Toronto.

Besides, why would the Bills move to Toronto if Los Angeles, the second biggest American television market, doesn't have a team? The fact that two teams have failed there does not overcome the fact that the market is more than double the size of Toronto.

Ok, but if an NFL team moves into Toronto, would you really be that dissapointed in the death of the CFL? And accually, I really doubt that an NFL team would kill the CFL. It might make it more along the lines of how the AFL is here, so it would be a signifigant drop off, but an NFL team in Toronto would also raise the possibility of expansion or more NFL teams moving into Canada in the future. If it works of course. Truth be told (and im not bashing the CFL. Hell, I like the CFL's style of play), the CFL is second rate compaired to the NFL. Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

A team in Toronto would kill off the Argons, robbing the CFL of its largest market. On top of that, sports fans across Canada would adopt the Toronto team as their favorite team, much like they do with the Raptors and Blue Jays. That would cause the CFL to lose even more fan support, and the death of the CFL would follow. That would rob fans in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Montréal, and possibly fans of every other major Canadian city (future CFL expansion) the chance to see pro football.

Before you say "but if Toronto works they might expand into other Canadian cities" think about this; the NFL will not be expanding into Edmonton or Calgary. Maybe Montréal or Vancouver, and that's a big maybe. The NFL is happy with 32 teams, and Toronto would only get one if an existing team moves.

What are the chances that an other team would choose Montréal or Vancouver over LA if they wanted to move? Realistically the only Canadian city that has a shot at a NFL team is Toronto, and that's enough to kill the CFL.

Not only would the CFL be lost, but the existence of Canadian-style football would come to an end. The Toronto NFL team would play by American rules, and without the CFL the Canadian junior league, the CIS, all the way down to pee wee leagues would switch over to American rules.

Yes, the CFL may be a tier below the NFL, but it's OUR league and it's OUR style of football. It's not worth sacrificing for one NFL team in Canada.

Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

As I've said above, a team in Toronto would be the bigging and the end of the NFL in Canada. There's almost no chance that any other Canadian city would get a team. So in effect you're asking Canada to kill off a whole league and a distinctive version of the game for one team. It's not worth it. We'll keep our "second rate" league, thank you very much.

[Viper]

I tend to agree, moving the Bills to Toronto is a pretty daft idea for the reasons already given. Besides, Toronto already has an American football team... my Vipers. And I didn't spend years building it into a title contender in its dynasty fantasy league just to have some mediocre real-world outfit muscle in on my turf.

[Phil]

Keep the Bills in Buffalo.

The Rogers Centre is too small. The Bills aren't that far away as it is, and I have yet to see a model that convinces me that the CFL could survive if the NFL moved into its largest market.

For the record, Paul Godfrey said yesterday on Off the Record (TSN program) that he has a model that would see the CFL survive such a move, but also says he is not involved in any attempt to bring an NFL team to Toronto.

Besides, why would the Bills move to Toronto if Los Angeles, the second biggest American television market, doesn't have a team? The fact that two teams have failed there does not overcome the fact that the market is more than double the size of Toronto.

Ok, but if an NFL team moves into Toronto, would you really be that dissapointed in the death of the CFL? And accually, I really doubt that an NFL team would kill the CFL. It might make it more along the lines of how the AFL is here, so it would be a signifigant drop off, but an NFL team in Toronto would also raise the possibility of expansion or more NFL teams moving into Canada in the future. If it works of course. Truth be told (and im not bashing the CFL. Hell, I like the CFL's style of play), the CFL is second rate compaired to the NFL. Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

A team in Toronto would kill off the Argons, robbing the CFL of its largest market. On top of that, sports fans across Canada would adopt the Toronto team as their favorite team, much like they do with the Raptors and Blue Jays. That would cause the CFL to lose even more fan support, and the death of the CFL would follow. That would rob fans in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Montréal, and possibly fans of every other major Canadian city (future CFL expansion) the chance to see pro football.

Before you say "but if Toronto works they might expand into other Canadian cities" think about this; the NFL will not be expanding into Edmonton or Calgary. Maybe Montréal or Vancouver, and that's a big maybe. The NFL is happy with 32 teams, and Toronto would only get one if an existing team moves.

What are the chances that an other team would choose Montréal or Vancouver over LA if they wanted to move? Realistically the only Canadian city that has a shot at a NFL team is Toronto, and that's enough to kill the CFL.

Not only would the CFL be lost, but the existence of Canadian-style football would come to an end. The Toronto NFL team would play by American rules, and without the CFL the Canadian junior league, the CIS, all the way down to pee wee leagues would switch over to American rules.

Yes, the CFL may be a tier below the NFL, but it's OUR league and it's OUR style of football. It's not worth sacrificing for one NFL team in Canada.

Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

As I've said above, a team in Toronto would be the bigging and the end of the NFL in Canada. There's almost no chance that any other Canadian city would get a team. So in effect you're asking Canada to kill off a whole league and a distinctive version of the game for one team. It's not worth it. We'll keep our "second rate" league, thank you very much.

I'm speechless. Icecap and Phil, backing the same side of an issue!

Bucfan, there are a lot of people who would be more virulent in their response to your insinuation that CFL fans would happily trade in their teams, the game, the history and tradition, but for a sniff of the NFL.

Some teams in the CFL trace their origins back almost 140 years. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, relative newbies in comparison, have been around for more than 75 years. The Grey Cup is 2 years away from its 100th birthday.

We have our own game... it's a lot like yours, but it has a very different (dare I say 'richer'?) history than your own. No, we can't afford the top talent anymore, but we grow some of our own talent, and we think that the albeit more limited talent only shines all the brighter on our stage.

It's not like we don't enjoy the NFL too. Sure, the field's 30 yards too short, that extra down seems unnecessary, and the fact that the kick returner can avoid getting hit just by waving his arms like a shipwrecked sailor doesn't make a lot of sense, but if you squint your eyes and tilt your head just right, you can tell that it's football too.

But we love our game, and we aren't going to give it up just so Torontonians don't have to cross the border to watch it live.

[Pat]

I'm a Canadian and diehard NFL fan. I can't stand the CFL. I catch a little bit here and there but for the most part I find the product horrible. A team in Toronto could work I think, and personally I couldn't care less if it was the end of the CFL. However, there are lots of Canadians who do. The game is different, the players aren't close to as good, and the presentation is sloppier BUT for many it's their game. A team in TO would destroy the Argos, and in turn hurt the league dramatically. Would it kill the CFL? I dont know... I wouldnt mind having a Toronto team so I could watch some NFL games live.... in fact that'd be pretty cool, but I don't know why the NFL would even consider Canada before LA....

But who cares.... the whole thing's pointless, the Bills aren't moving!

[FiddySicks]

Keep the Bills in Buffalo.

The Rogers Centre is too small. The Bills aren't that far away as it is, and I have yet to see a model that convinces me that the CFL could survive if the NFL moved into its largest market.

For the record, Paul Godfrey said yesterday on Off the Record (TSN program) that he has a model that would see the CFL survive such a move, but also says he is not involved in any attempt to bring an NFL team to Toronto.

Besides, why would the Bills move to Toronto if Los Angeles, the second biggest American television market, doesn't have a team? The fact that two teams have failed there does not overcome the fact that the market is more than double the size of Toronto.

Ok, but if an NFL team moves into Toronto, would you really be that dissapointed in the death of the CFL? And accually, I really doubt that an NFL team would kill the CFL. It might make it more along the lines of how the AFL is here, so it would be a signifigant drop off, but an NFL team in Toronto would also raise the possibility of expansion or more NFL teams moving into Canada in the future. If it works of course. Truth be told (and im not bashing the CFL. Hell, I like the CFL's style of play), the CFL is second rate compaired to the NFL. Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

A team in Toronto would kill off the Argons, robbing the CFL of its largest market. On top of that, sports fans across Canada would adopt the Toronto team as their favorite team, much like they do with the Raptors and Blue Jays. That would cause the CFL to lose even more fan support, and the death of the CFL would follow. That would rob fans in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Montréal, and possibly fans of every other major Canadian city (future CFL expansion) the chance to see pro football.

Before you say "but if Toronto works they might expand into other Canadian cities" think about this; the NFL will not be expanding into Edmonton or Calgary. Maybe Montréal or Vancouver, and that's a big maybe. The NFL is happy with 32 teams, and Toronto would only get one if an existing team moves.

What are the chances that an other team would choose Montréal or Vancouver over LA if they wanted to move? Realistically the only Canadian city that has a shot at a NFL team is Toronto, and that's enough to kill the CFL.

Not only would the CFL be lost, but the existence of Canadian-style football would come to an end. The Toronto NFL team would play by American rules, and without the CFL the Canadian junior league, the CIS, all the way down to pee wee leagues would switch over to American rules.

Yes, the CFL may be a tier below the NFL, but it's OUR league and it's OUR style of football. It's not worth sacrificing for one NFL team in Canada.

Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

As I've said above, a team in Toronto would be the bigging and the end of the NFL in Canada. There's almost no chance that any other Canadian city would get a team. So in effect you're asking Canada to kill off a whole league and a distinctive version of the game for one team. It's not worth it. We'll keep our "second rate" league, thank you very much.

I'm speechless. Icecap and Phil, backing the same side of an issue!

Bucfan, there are a lot of people who would be more virulent in their response to your insinuation that CFL fans would happily trade in their teams, the game, the history and tradition, but for a sniff of the NFL.

Some teams in the CFL trace their origins back almost 140 years. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, relative newbies in comparison, have been around for more than 75 years. The Grey Cup is 2 years away from its 100th birthday.

We have our own game... it's a lot like yours, but it has a very different (dare I say 'richer'?) history than your own. No, we can't afford the top talent anymore, but we grow some of our own talent, and we think that the albeit more limited talent only shines all the brighter on our stage.

It's not like we don't enjoy the NFL too. Sure, the field's 30 yards too short, that extra down seems unnecessary, and the fact that the kick returner can avoid getting hit just by waving his arms like a shipwrecked sailor doesn't make a lot of sense, but if you squint your eyes and tilt your head just right, you can tell that it's football too.

But we love our game, and we aren't going to give it up just so Torontonians don't have to cross the border to watch it live.

Wow. I guess I really had no idea thst the CFL was THAT big in Canada. And really guys, my intent wasnt to put down the CFL. I just personally would love to see the NFL go international to Canada and even Mexico if possible. I think that the whole talk that the NFL has too many teams as it is is a total load of bull:censored: and would do extremely well in other countries. Only reason I called the CFL second rate is because compaired to the NFL they just straight up cant afford the players the NFL can. I think giving the Canadian fan the opportunity to see guys like Peyton Manning, Mike Vick, LaDanian Tomlinson, and the likes play week in and week out north of the border would be awesome. Hell, I even thought that at one point the NFL shouldve tried to use the CFL like they do NFL Europe. Id even like to see it taken as far as a CFL NFL merger much like the old NFL AFL merger. Now I know thats next to nil, but I still think the expansion of the NFL would be great for everyone. But I do see your point. More respect to the CFL right here now.

[IceCap]

Keep the Bills in Buffalo.

The Rogers Centre is too small. The Bills aren't that far away as it is, and I have yet to see a model that convinces me that the CFL could survive if the NFL moved into its largest market.

For the record, Paul Godfrey said yesterday on Off the Record (TSN program) that he has a model that would see the CFL survive such a move, but also says he is not involved in any attempt to bring an NFL team to Toronto.

Besides, why would the Bills move to Toronto if Los Angeles, the second biggest American television market, doesn't have a team? The fact that two teams have failed there does not overcome the fact that the market is more than double the size of Toronto.

Ok, but if an NFL team moves into Toronto, would you really be that dissapointed in the death of the CFL? And accually, I really doubt that an NFL team would kill the CFL. It might make it more along the lines of how the AFL is here, so it would be a signifigant drop off, but an NFL team in Toronto would also raise the possibility of expansion or more NFL teams moving into Canada in the future. If it works of course. Truth be told (and im not bashing the CFL. Hell, I like the CFL's style of play), the CFL is second rate compaired to the NFL. Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

A team in Toronto would kill off the Argons, robbing the CFL of its largest market. On top of that, sports fans across Canada would adopt the Toronto team as their favorite team, much like they do with the Raptors and Blue Jays. That would cause the CFL to lose even more fan support, and the death of the CFL would follow. That would rob fans in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Montréal, and possibly fans of every other major Canadian city (future CFL expansion) the chance to see pro football.

Before you say "but if Toronto works they might expand into other Canadian cities" think about this; the NFL will not be expanding into Edmonton or Calgary. Maybe Montréal or Vancouver, and that's a big maybe. The NFL is happy with 32 teams, and Toronto would only get one if an existing team moves.

What are the chances that an other team would choose Montréal or Vancouver over LA if they wanted to move? Realistically the only Canadian city that has a shot at a NFL team is Toronto, and that's enough to kill the CFL.

Not only would the CFL be lost, but the existence of Canadian-style football would come to an end. The Toronto NFL team would play by American rules, and without the CFL the Canadian junior league, the CIS, all the way down to pee wee leagues would switch over to American rules.

Yes, the CFL may be a tier below the NFL, but it's OUR league and it's OUR style of football. It's not worth sacrificing for one NFL team in Canada.

Wouldnt you like the build up of teams in your country that are in a first rate league?

As I've said above, a team in Toronto would be the bigging and the end of the NFL in Canada. There's almost no chance that any other Canadian city would get a team. So in effect you're asking Canada to kill off a whole league and a distinctive version of the game for one team. It's not worth it. We'll keep our "second rate" league, thank you very much.

I'm speechless. Icecap and Phil, backing the same side of an issue!

Religion, politics, social attitudes, those are all petty concerns. Keeping one of the world's oldest leagues around, as well as a Canadian institution, is a cause that transcends all political, social, and religious backgrounds