New Stadium Locations

[rdavies]

With no news at all on this at this time everything is just speculation.

I just cannot see them reversing the BMO philosophy at this point. Not just for TFC fans but also city of Toronto would most likely want to continue as being the main training location for the National Soccer teams. The CMT almost moved to Montreal with Saputo having the best surface at the time and having the high quality natural soccer surface at BMO will keep them there.

I don't think BMO is the main training centre of Canadian soccer NTs. It (BMO/Toronto) is basically a hub, that has easy flight access, a turf surface, and is home to many of the players. That's what makes it attractive. I don't recall hearing about any serious danger of moving to Montreal as most of the NT extended training camps were usually held at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston. Most of the time the players (spread across NA and Europe) fly in for a few days of training before a game at BMO.

Their comfort level with BMO is unfortunate as they are virtually unknown in the country. Whereas the popular women's NT play around the country (on AT surfaces) so far the men have not. And when you have great facilities like BC and Winnipeg not being used (by the men), it's a shame. Maybe the Argentines and Brazilians won't play on AT but certainly many other countries won't mind accepting appearance fees.

The only way BMO enters the argument is if MLSE buys the Argos. If not it is entirely credible that Braley will put together his own stadium plan. He has made public pronouncements and it seems unlikely to me that a man of his integrity would bother or risk doing that if it wasn't his intention. I just wish this thing would come to a head one way or another.

Braley's comments on the record: In the halftime interview of the Lions/Argos game he said:

Question: You've done this in British Colombia...I remember coming here and thinking I'm seeing the last days of the BC Lions when you'd have nine, ten, twelve thousand

Braley: In BC we did the demographics, we've now completed the demographics in Toronto we've got 14% Italian fans in Toronto so you've got to build your marketing programs and programs around the demographic and once you do that and reach out and touch them then they start to become your partners and Waterboys and in our case our Double Blues Club in Toronto.

It's a very slow hard working process but you're also fighting the big leagues in the sense of Major League Baseball and hockey. We had the best attendance and atmosphere for a home game in Toronto, I think it was 28 or 29 thousand last week for our home opener in Toronto. Everybody's talking about the buzz and if we start putting them in regularly we can bring those fans back to the Canadian Football League in Toronto

What we intend to do is have a 27-29 thousand seat stadium in all likelihood in north Toronto, Vaughan, Markham maybe Mississauga and the plans are being worked on outside the Argonauts themselves, they're to sell tickets and put the house in order for the team. Outside I have my construction companies working on where we would be and where we could set up and where we could build a stadium and who's gonna fund it

Question: Do you have a timeline?

Braley: Under 5 years. They (Rogers) wouldn't kick us out on the street if we needed an extra year but it would be best if we had our own facility, if it's three years fine if it's four years fine if it's six years it'll come to pass.




Braley proposes selling his CFL clubs
Kevin Werner, News Staff September, 19, 2013

...

Braley, speaking to about 60 people at a Progressive Conservative party fundraiser Sept 18 at the Lakeview in Hamilton, the Burlington resident said he is also looking at building a new stadium for the Argonauts. Already, there are four municipalities with land that would accommodate a new facility, he said.

While selling the B.C. Lions will be easy because the franchise is doing well financially, Toronto, which he bought in 2010, will be more difficult, said Braley.

“They are still losing money,” said Braley. “We will eventually make money. We need a new stadium and I have three communities looking at land now. There is a fourth one as of today (Sept. 18).”

He said a location, and securing the money for a new facility should be completed within a year.

Some of the money will come from both the provincial and federal governments, he said.

The Argonauts were looking to sign a new lease agreement to play at the Rogers Centre earlier this month. But it is expected their time at the facility will be short lived. The Toronto Blue Jays are looking at replacing the facility’s artificial turf and replace it with grass.

[cflsteve]

I don't think BMO is the main training centre of Canadian soccer NTs. It (BMO/Toronto) is basically a hub, that has easy flight access, a turf surface, and is home to many of the players. That's what makes it attractive. I don't recall hearing about any serious danger of moving to Montreal as most of the NT extended training camps were usually held at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston. Most of the time the players (spread across NA and Europe) fly in for a few days of training before a game at BMO.

Their comfort level with BMO is unfortunate as they are virtually unknown in the country. Whereas the popular women's NT play around the country (on AT surfaces) so far the men have not. And when you have great facilities like BC and Winnipeg not being used (by the men), it's a shame. Maybe the Argentines and Brazilians won't play on AT but certainly many other countries won't mind accepting appearance fees.

The only way BMO enters the argument is if MLSE buys the Argos. If not it is entirely credible that Braley will put together his own stadium plan. He has made public pronouncements and it seems unlikely to me that a man of his integrity would bother or risk doing that if it wasn't his intention. I just wish this thing would come to a head one way or another.

Braley's comments on the record: In the halftime interview of the Lions/Argos game he said:

Question: You've done this in British Colombia...I remember coming here and thinking I'm seeing the last days of the BC Lions when you'd have nine, ten, twelve thousand

Braley: In BC we did the demographics, we've now completed the demographics in Toronto we've got 14% Italian fans in Toronto so you've got to build your marketing programs and programs around the demographic and once you do that and reach out and touch them then they start to become your partners and Waterboys and in our case our Double Blues Club in Toronto.

It's a very slow hard working process but you're also fighting the big leagues in the sense of Major League Baseball and hockey. We had the best attendance and atmosphere for a home game in Toronto, I think it was 28 or 29 thousand last week for our home opener in Toronto. Everybody's talking about the buzz and if we start putting them in regularly we can bring those fans back to the Canadian Football League in Toronto

What we intend to do is have a 27-29 thousand seat stadium in all likelihood in north Toronto, Vaughan, Markham maybe Mississauga and the plans are being worked on outside the Argonauts themselves, they're to sell tickets and put the house in order for the team. Outside I have my construction companies working on where we would be and where we could set up and where we could build a stadium and who's gonna fund it

Question: Do you have a timeline?

Braley: Under 5 years. They (Rogers) wouldn't kick us out on the street if we needed an extra year but it would be best if we had our own facility, if it's three years fine if it's four years fine if it's six years it'll come to pass.

There you have it they have studied the demographics and the location will be in the North GTA suburbs, straight from owner himeself. The fans are not coming into downtown Toronto on a regular basis so Braley will bring the Argos to where the fans are for the CFL. Peel, York, and Durham.
York is in the center and as the roadways will not be great for everyone they York Area has 1.2 million itself and each of the other two regions will have areas that border the York Area on the left and the right so there access could be reasonable. As for public transportation people in the suburbs like to drive so getting into your car and driving to the game in an area with ample parking sets up a nice tailgaiting situation.
Also looking what is going on around other cities in North America expanding in to now bigger populated areas in the suburbs for a franchise that sits 3rd or 4th in the pecking order of city teams is working in many places.
The Argos will not be among the top 3 in the city anytime is this generation or two. NHL, MLB, and NBA are just too big to compete with and the Argos have fallen out of favor for sometime now. If they did stay in Toronto they would at best be competing for a distant 4th with TFC.
Time to move to a new area and start something new in that now very populated area. Times have changed and the Argos are seeing that change is best for them.
Too many people are looking at this as a bad thing and dont see what a good thing it can be.
Toronto is unique in this way with the other two big Metros have NHL, CFL, and MLS. No MLB and or NBA and the MLS teams are still very new so the CFL is still at number two.
For Toronto you also need to factor in Hamilton Ti Cats as anyone to the south of Toronto are Hamilton Ti Cats fans

[Neely2005]

I don't think BMO is the main training centre of Canadian soccer NTs. It (BMO/Toronto) is basically a hub, that has easy flight access, a turf surface, and is home to many of the players. That's what makes it attractive. I don't recall hearing about any serious danger of moving to Montreal as most of the NT extended training camps were usually held at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston. Most of the time the players (spread across NA and Europe) fly in for a few days of training before a game at BMO.

Their comfort level with BMO is unfortunate as they are virtually unknown in the country. Whereas the popular women's NT play around the country (on AT surfaces) so far the men have not. And when you have great facilities like BC and Winnipeg not being used (by the men), it's a shame. Maybe the Argentines and Brazilians won't play on AT but certainly many other countries won't mind accepting appearance fees.

The only way BMO enters the argument is if MLSE buys the Argos. If not it is entirely credible that Braley will put together his own stadium plan. He has made public pronouncements and it seems unlikely to me that a man of his integrity would bother or risk doing that if it wasn't his intention. I just wish this thing would come to a head one way or another.

Braley's comments on the record: In the halftime interview of the Lions/Argos game he said:

Question: You've done this in British Colombia...I remember coming here and thinking I'm seeing the last days of the BC Lions when you'd have nine, ten, twelve thousand

Braley: In BC we did the demographics, we've now completed the demographics in Toronto we've got 14% Italian fans in Toronto so you've got to build your marketing programs and programs around the demographic and once you do that and reach out and touch them then they start to become your partners and Waterboys and in our case our Double Blues Club in Toronto.

It's a very slow hard working process but you're also fighting the big leagues in the sense of Major League Baseball and hockey. We had the best attendance and atmosphere for a home game in Toronto, I think it was 28 or 29 thousand last week for our home opener in Toronto. Everybody's talking about the buzz and if we start putting them in regularly we can bring those fans back to the Canadian Football League in Toronto

What we intend to do is have a 27-29 thousand seat stadium in all likelihood in north Toronto, Vaughan, Markham maybe Mississauga and the plans are being worked on outside the Argonauts themselves, they're to sell tickets and put the house in order for the team. Outside I have my construction companies working on where we would be and where we could set up and where we could build a stadium and who's gonna fund it

Question: Do you have a timeline?

Braley: Under 5 years. They (Rogers) wouldn't kick us out on the street if we needed an extra year but it would be best if we had our own facility, if it's three years fine if it's four years fine if it's six years it'll come to pass.

"North Toronto, Vaughan, Markham maybe Mississauga".

Mississauga doesn't work for me but North Toronto, Vaughan & Markham will all work well for me. (Yes I know that it's not just about me but I mentioned in my previous posts why I think that those are good loacations)

So there you go, the only way that we end up at BMO Field is if MLSE buys the Argonauts. So there's yet another reason against the perennial losers at MLSE buying our Argonauts.

Everything that MLSE touches gets expensive and uncompetitive.

Hopefully a better owner than MLSE is found!




Subway extension into Richmond Hill:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...ticle15113241/

This has been in the planning for years. Hopefully they get the shovels in the ground soon as this extension made more sense than the Vaughan extension which is already under way.