Worst Argonaut Ownership of All Time

[argonaut11xx]

Please vote and comment,

[ArgoGabe22]

I only know of Bralery and C&S regime so not sure how the others were. I heard of McNall bringing in the Blues Brothers and Schwartz had a female t-shirt contest but at least they tried right?

[ArgoZ]

The Argonauts have had a few troubling times, but I have never seen them in the deathbed quite as severe as during the Schwartz era. Players were not getting paid, how can anyone say any owner was worse?

On a side note. Considering the current situation, I think many if us would love to have the 26 000 crowds, increased media attention and promising future outlook, we experienced during the C&S era. Whether it was all fake, for their attention or bankrolled by someone else, the times were a lot more fun.

[Argocister]

I can't comment as I really don't know about any of them .... Except Braley of course.... And he should have an asterisk ...or 2 parts Braley "the saviour" , and Braley " I don't want to do this anymore"
We sure have had more than our fair share of dweebs .... I think.

[Neely2005]

The McNall, Candy, Gretzky ownership group probably shouldn't even be an option. They spent to bring the number 1 NFL draft prospect to the CFL and made the Argonauts the place to be seen.

[gilthethrill]

I only know of Bralery and C&S regime so not sure how the others were. I heard of McNall bringing in the Blues Brothers and Schwartz had a female t-shirt contest but at least they tried right?

Sherwood was a nice man who took horrible advice. I recall the wet t-shirt contest....that reeked of XFL. We all know how that league did. When players don't get paid, it does not get worse than that.

[argonaut11xx]

I only know of Bralery and C&S regime so not sure how the others were. I heard of McNall bringing in the Blues Brothers and Schwartz had a female t-shirt contest but at least they tried right?

Schwarz try to have a "stripper" promotion if i remember correctly (Garth Drabinsky- a convicted criminal was part of his marketing team). If memory serves me correctly, this ownership group brought Muhammad Ali to an Argo game, and that was the best attendance during this regime.

The McNall, Candy, Gretzky ownership group probably shouldn't even be an option.

McNall was/is a crook who ran like a RAT when the good ship Argonaut was sinking. Gretzky was an absent owner. John Candy was amazing,

[AngeloV]

I voted for McNall. Yes he gave the Argos a great year of ownership, but it's very easy to use stolen money to appear as a great owner. Once he stopped putting money in, he set the team back until '96 when Flutie and Matthews arrived.

We all know that Schwartz had his issues as an owner and the team was in a bad state during his time, but I really don't blame him for that. He trusted the advice of a friend in JI Albrect, who convinced him it would be easy to fill the stadium and make a tonne of money. He was generally a nice man, that tried, but was sold a bill of goods by someone he trusted that wanted another kick at the can of running a football team.

C&S were good owners as long as they didn't have to spend their own money. The positive about them, was that at the time, they did increase attendance as well as the team's profile..but that didn't last long.

Harry Ornest I believe was the last man to make money as owner of the team...but really did nothing to set them up for future success.

I think Bill Hodgson was unfortunate as he owned the team at a time where the business of the NFL just took off along with the salaries, causing many to look at the CFL as minor league.

I've been all over Braley, but I do acknowledge that without him, the league would be running the Argos just as bare boned as he is. My biggest beef concerning him is that he easily could have sold the team to MLSE which would have served everyone better, but his reported greedy demands of $10M and future revenue percentages going back to him have put the future in doubt.

[Stevoman]

McNall was/is a crook who ran like a RAT when the good ship Argonaut was sinking. Gretzky was an absent owner. John Candy was amazing,

Candy was amazing and the heart of that ownership group. Gretzky was just along for the ride and McNall was a one trick pony (get the biggest name and the crowds will come). McNall even said in an interview that maybe it was unfortunate that they won it all in the first year because they had nothing to work for in the second year. All the build up and hype happened too fast and he was hoping to string it out for another season. But at least they tried one trick!

C&S (while being fake) had a lot more corporate connections which helped and also dressed up the stadium a lot more to make it at least look like the Argos played there.

We wouldn't have a team to talk of if it weren't for Braley but he hasn't done anything to enhance the team.

Schwartz was surrounded by Albreit (spelling?) and made so many bad decisions. But he also recognized how special Pinball was and made him the coach (when he didn't deserve to be) and it was actually a brilliant move. Pinball kept the team focused (much like Milanovich now) during very dark days and also had the charisma to still charm the general public into coming out once in awhile. I think we're greatly missing his presence representing the team to the GTA.

Ornest was the owner when I first started to follow the team but don't remember anything except the ugly logo he put on the jerseys/helmets.

I'd also like to point out that while this is a very valid thread regarding mismanagement by owners, I am also very grateful to each and everyone of them. I'm not sure why these owners were deluded enough to think they could make the Argos work but I am so glad that they've tried.

[gilthethrill]

Didn't CS not go against Adam Rita and hire Bart Andrus? If that is true, who was Rita leaning toward hiring as HC in 2009? Thankfully Barker came in a year later and started to clean up that mess.

[ArgoRavi]

Schwarz try to have a "stripper" promotion if i remember correctly (Garth Drabinsky- a convicted criminal was part of his marketing team). If memory serves me correctly, this ownership group brought Muhammad Ali to an Argo game, and that was the best attendance during this regime.

The wet t-shirt contest idea was Geoff Fardy's idea. He had followed Jeff Giles over from the CFL office in 2001. Drabinsky came in the next year and did have that Ali idea although I would suggest that didn't quite work out as well as they had thought it would.

Sherwood Schwarz seemed like a nice enough and well-meaning fellow but took advice from the wrong people and ultimately led the team to bankruptcy. My initial impulse is to vote for him but there is certainly no shortage of options which is quite sad in and of itself.

[argolio]

there is certainly no shortage of options which is quite sad in and of itself.

That's probably the "best" answer, unfortunately.

[Deerkeeper]

Where is the "all of the above" selection.

[Ron]

I voted C&S.

They got the fans hopes up and turned out to be frauds once they made their GC payday.

[Will]

C & S had the opportunity to get us a new stadium at York and theoretically they had an opportunity for BMO (and don't start another debate over this) and squandered them. This has ultimately led to the position that we are in now.

[D-Gap-Willie]

This is an almost impossible poll to answer without further categories and details. I won't comment on the ownerships of Bill Hodgson or Harry Ornest. Both had their good moments and bad moments, and I refuse to speak ill of the deceased.
My votes:
Worst criminal/thief owner - Bruce McNall
Most incompetent owner - Sherwood Schwarz
Worst lying/con artist owners - C & S
Most uninvolved/cold hearted owner - David Braley ( the 'banker')
Actually I perhaps should not include Braley as an owner, since he was merely C & S' s loan shark, before he foreclosed and took over the Argos.
The winner ? -- C & S for the lies, the incompetence, the empty promises and the lack of forethought and definitive action especially regarding the stadium issue. They would never have been owners if David Braley had not strong armed the CFL BOG to accept them over other bids. I blame C & S for this, since it is my belief ( no proof ) that they conned Braley also.

[shayman]

C and S may have had their faults but on Oct 27, 2007, for a regular season game, they managed to put 40,116 people in the seats. If anybody did that now they'd be hailed as the conquering hero.

[Will]

C and S may have had their faults but on Oct 27, 2007, for a regular season game, they managed to put 40,116 people in the seats. If anybody did that now they'd be hailed as the conquering hero.

Well they were at the time because their ownership came immediately after 15-17k average attendance in 2003.

[argonaut11xx]

C and S may have had their faults but on Oct 27, 2007, for a regular season game, they managed to put 40,116 people in the seats. If anybody did that now they'd be hailed as the conquering hero.

I give credit to Keith Pelley for any/all success the Argo's had under C&S

[Will]

I give credit to Keith Pelley for any/all success the Argo's had under C&S

From my perspective it did seem that things went south once Pelley left for Rogers.

At the risk of appearing to be defending C & S I'll say this: part of any successful ownership is hiring the right people.