Kipers Hair Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Check out this article - not even sure why they are even bothering with trying to play there... I know - f-ck them, but I do respect the intense sense of Nationalism the Canadiens display for their sport... http://www.thestar.com/article/541713 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Check out this article - not even sure why they are even bothering with trying to play there... I know - f-ck them, but I do respect the intense sense of Nationalism the Canadiens display for their sport... http://www.thestar.com/article/541713 I have always maintained that LA has a much better chance of landing an NFL franchise before a team lands in Canada. The problem is Americans think everybody wants an NFL franchise because the majority of people in America want one. Canada is NOT America. Believe it or not, Canada is another country with its own laws and culture. People who think they can slap an NFL franchise in Canada, and the Canadians will come in droves, are in for a rude awakening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Believe it or not, Canada is another country with its own laws and culture. But why do we call it America Jr.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I have always maintained that LA has a much better chance of landing an NFL franchise before a team lands in Canada.The problem is Americans think everybody wants an NFL franchise because the majority of people in America want one. Canada is NOT America. Believe it or not, Canada is another country with its own laws and culture. People who think they can slap an NFL franchise in Canada, and the Canadians will come in droves, are in for a rude awakening. I've been arguing this for years. Americans just assume that Toronto will glom onto any franchise the NFL throws their way, but they absolutely love the Argonauts up there! Yes, the NFL is a brand of football with the most talented players. But that doesn't a guarantee that tickets will sell and that the team would be marketable. Imagine if the CFL decided to expand to America (they actually did one time in Vegas) and they put a team in Buffalo. Let's hypothetically say that the new team was more successful than the Bills. Would anybody choose the new CFL team over the Bills? No way in hell. So why do we think the Torontans will choose the Bills over the Argos? I doubt the stadium would even sell out after the first few games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 But why do we call it America Jr.? The bigger question is why do people who call Canada 'America, Jr' always think Canadians are rude? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 The bigger question is why do people who call Canada 'America, Jr' always think Canadians are rude? I'm just gonna go out there and say this...Canadians, in my experience, are much kinder people than Americans. Essentially, the cultures of American and Canada are relatively similar but I've always found my trips up north to be incredibly pleasant. I'm hoping to graduate college and go into sports broadcasting, and if my job takes me up to Toronto or another Canadian city, I'd be more than happy about that. Plus, lots of Tim Hortons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I've been arguing this for years. Americans just assume that Toronto will glom onto any franchise the NFL throws their way, but they absolutely love the Argonauts up there! Yes, the NFL is a brand of football with the most talented players. But that doesn't a guarantee that tickets will sell and that the team would be marketable. Imagine if the CFL decided to expand to America (they actually did one time in Vegas) and they put a team in Buffalo. Let's hypothetically say that the new team was more successful than the Bills. Would anybody choose the new CFL team over the Bills? No way in hell. So why do we think the Torontans will choose the Bills over the Argos? I doubt the stadium would even sell out after the first few games. You need to brush up on your history. Vegas was not the only American city that had a CFL franchise. Linky I have been involved in numerous discussions regarding the viability of the CFL existence in the US. It would take a long term vision and plan to make it happen. I am talking decades. The way the NFL is going, only the larger cities will be able afford to keep an NFL franchise. That makes the smaller markets exploitable, and a great target for CFL expansion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 You need to brush up on your history. Vegas was not the only American city that had a CFL franchise. Linky I have been involved in numerous discussions regarding the viability of the CFL existence in the US. It would take a long term vision and plan to make it happen. I am talking decades. The way the NFL is going, only the larger cities will be able afford to keep an NFL franchise. That makes the smaller markets exploitable, and a great target for CFL expansion. Do you really think it would take though? Don't you think we're too set in our ways for the most part to accept a new league? You say the smaller markets might lose their NFL franchises. So let's say Buffalo, Cleveland, KC, etc lose their NFL teams and the CFL moves in. I'm not sure enough people would buy it. Most Bills fans I know would just give up on football if the Bills ever left town, and I'm sure that's the case in the other small market cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I'm just gonna go out there and say this...Canadians, in my experience, are much kinder people than Americans. Essentially, the cultures of American and Canada are relatively similar but I've always found my trips up north to be incredibly pleasant. I'm hoping to graduate college and go into sports broadcasting, and if my job takes me up to Toronto or another Canadian city, I'd be more than happy about that. Plus, lots of Tim Hortons. I do not know if they are anymore kinder or nicer, but I do know if you treat them with respect and you respect their culture, they have this strange tendency to be nice to you. If you cop an attitude that your way of life or that your country is superior, they have this other strange tendency to become 'testy'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I've been arguing this for years. Americans just assume that Toronto will glom onto any franchise the NFL throws their way, but they absolutely love the Argonauts up there! Yes, the NFL is a brand of football with the most talented players. But that doesn't a guarantee that tickets will sell and that the team would be marketable. Imagine if the CFL decided to expand to America (they actually did one time in Vegas) and they put a team in Buffalo. Let's hypothetically say that the new team was more successful than the Bills. Would anybody choose the new CFL team over the Bills? No way in hell. So why do we think the Torontans will choose the Bills over the Argos? I doubt the stadium would even sell out after the first few games. With cheaper tickets than the Bills sell at RWS, the Argos average 30,000 fans for their home games. Multiple franchises have folded in Montreal and Ottawa; the current Alouettes are transplanted from Baltimore. Both Toronto and Hamilton went bankrupt and were taken over by the league in 2003. And in the most recent survey by Reginald Bibby, a sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, the CFL was more popular than the NFL in all but one province. The exception? Ontario. Rogers screwed the pooch with his insanely high tickets; if he'd priced them near the NFL average, the game would have sold out in July. Too bad for him ... and I dearly hope Ralph got his cash up front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 I do not know if they are anymore kinder or nicer, but I do know if you treat them with respect and you respect their culture, they have this strange tendency to be nice to you. If you cop an attitude that your way of life or that your country is superior, they have this other strange tendency to become 'testy'. That's essentially the same for any country in the world (except France). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Believe it or not, Canada is another country with its own laws and culture. People who think they can slap an NFL franchise in Canada, and the Canadians will come in droves, are in for a rude awakening. That right there has to be the loosest definition of a word ever used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 With cheaper tickets than the Bills sell at RWS, the Argos average 30,000 fans for their home games. Multiple franchises have folded in Montreal and Ottawa; the current Alouettes are transplanted from Baltimore. Both Toronto and Hamilton went bankrupt and were taken over by the league in 2003. And in the most recent survey by Reginald Bibby, a sociologist at the University of Lethbridge, the CFL was more popular than the NFL in all but one province. The exception? Ontario. Rogers screwed the pooch with his insanely high tickets; if he'd priced them near the NFL average, the game would have sold out in July. Too bad for him ... and I dearly hope Ralph got his cash up front. Ok fair enough, I have to back down in the face of statistics. However, the few friends that I have from Toronto tell me that the Argos are a big deal. Maybe it's a small dedicated base? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Do you really think it would take though? Don't you think we're too set in our ways for the most part to accept a new league? You say the smaller markets might lose their NFL franchises. So let's say Buffalo, Cleveland, KC, etc lose their NFL teams and the CFL moves in. I'm not sure enough people would buy it. Most Bills fans I know would just give up on football if the Bills ever left town, and I'm sure that's the case in the other small market cities. Yes I do think it would take. But like I said, it would take a long term plan and commitment to make it happen. If you look at that link I provided, you will see one of the CFL franchises was located in Baltimore, post Colts and pre Ravens. The franchise was pretty successful by CFL standards, and that is with an NFL franchise sitting just up the road in D.C. IMHO, Buffalo would be a prime target for the CFL. Unless UB decides to go play with the big boys in the college game, Buffalo has no real collegiate football team to draw away entertainment dollars. Buffalo is located near the border creating an almost instant rivalry with other nearby Canadian teams. Further, you state a lot people would give up football if the NFL left their small market. I am one of those people. But it is not football I would give up on. It would be the NFL. I would still watch the collegiate game. And while Id o not live the WNY area anymore, I would still root for any team that is willing to represent my hometown, CFL team included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kipers Hair Posted November 22, 2008 Author Share Posted November 22, 2008 and I dearly hope Ralph got his cash up front. Good point...though I think Rogers is good for it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cynical Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 That right there has to be the loosest definition of a word ever used. What 'aboot' it, eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ieatcrayonz Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 What 'aboot' it, eh? Dude if you're looking for culture in Canada you had better find some yogurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 That right there has to be the loosest definition of a word ever used. He might have been thinking about the microbe thingies that make limburger cheese and poisonous mushrooms. I'm just sayin'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 Ok fair enough, I have to back down in the face of statistics. However, the few friends that I have from Toronto tell me that the Argos are a big deal. Maybe it's a small dedicated base? They do have their diehards, but for most of Toronto, it's the Leafs, the Leafs, and the Leafs, with everything else far behind. And they're frontrunners, too. I was up there the night the Jays won their first A.L. pennant; everybody was a fan, and there was a raucous celebration in the streets ... but in the fifth-largest city on the continent, they've drawn below the league average for the last 10 years in a row. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SageAgainstTheMachine Posted November 22, 2008 Share Posted November 22, 2008 They do have their diehards, but for most of Toronto, it's the Leafs, the Leafs, and the Leafs, with everything else far behind. And they're frontrunners, too. I was up there the night the Jays won their first A.L. pennant; everybody was a fan, and there was a raucous celebration in the streets ... but in the fifth-largest city on the continent, they've drawn below the league average for the last 10 years in a row. Well from an attendance perspective, the Blue Jays and Expos were the two teams that suffered the worst from the 1994 strike year. Of course for the Expos fans, there was a feeling of treachery because they were a heavy favorite to win the World Series that year. But aside from that, I've always found it interesting that Canadian baseball never really recovered from the strike, whereas the American teams show no lingering effects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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