Group makes ‘very credible’ pitch for Halifax CFL franchise

[Bruro]

A 10 team league, one division would be ideal. Top two teams get a bye (as an incentive first place team is automatically awarded the grey cup the following year). Teams 3-6 play the first round. Moreover a 10 team league can have a balance schedule. 5 games every weekend. Maybe a bye at labour day where there are 2 big games and 3 games the next weekend. Season can be shortened as well. Big myth of CFL is fans love the cold weather of November. been proven time and time over the years that attendance actually drops towards the end of the season and into the playoffs. a lot of it has to do with cold! Season should start mid June and grey cup should be in the second week of November, the latest

[Bruro]

I still think Quebec City would be a better fit. Bigger population (same size as Winnipeg) and the current university stadium can be retrofitted to CFL stsndards less costly than a brand new one in Halifax. Plus a Quebec -alouettes rivalry would be great! Like the Nordiques and Habs. Would add life to the Montreal franchise

[AngeloV]

I still think Quebec City would be a better fit. Bigger population (same size as Winnipeg) and the current university stadium can be retrofitted to CFL stsndards less costly than a brand new one in Halifax. Plus a Quebec -alouettes rivalry would be great! Like the Nordiques and Habs. Would add life to the Montreal franchise

Disagree. Halifax would be pulling support from an entire region. It would be similar to Riderville IMO.

[Bruro]

Disagree. Originally from Newfoundland. Thinking newfies would support a team in halifax is like thinking people in winnipeg would support a team in Regina. Ditto for new brunswickers as well. Plus a new stadium will cost 250 mill min. Unless the provincial government ponies up the cash it will not get built period. At least in Quebec City they have that university stadium that can be built up to CFL standards. New and sits 12k. Can be expanded to 25k at 100-150 mil tops.

[ArgoGabe22]

Disagree. Originally from Newfoundland. Thinking newfies would support a team in halifax is like thinking people in winnipeg would support a team in Regina.

I don't know if anyone really expects Newfoundland to support it since its not geographically connected but I can see PEI, NB support it. Although, I think this was why people were pushing for Moncton, since it's more central to everything.

[AngeloV]

Disagree. Originally from Newfoundland. Thinking newfies would support a team in halifax is like thinking people in winnipeg would support a team in Regina. Ditto for new brunswickers as well. Plus a new stadium will cost 250 mill min. Unless the provincial government ponies up the cash it will not get built period. At least in Quebec City they have that university stadium that can be built up to CFL standards. New and sits 12k. Can be expanded to 25k at 100-150 mil tops.

I was talking more New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Quebec city drew like 3k for an Allouettes pre season game. Doesn't exactly scream "give us a team". Both Halifax and Moncton did much better when the hosted games. The Laval crowds could be more about school spirit than actual football fans. The Maritimes would tret a CFL franchise of their own like gold.

[OV Argo]

I was talking more New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Quebec city drew like 3k for an Allouettes pre season game. Doesn't exactly scream "give us a team". Both Halifax and Moncton did much better when the hosted games. The Laval crowds could be more about school spirit than actual football fans. The Maritimes would tret a CFL franchise of their own like gold.

Agreed AV - IMO the entire Maritimes region would travel to support their team - just like in Sask.

They could also hold one or even 2 games a year at that facility in Moncton that has hosted CFL games before.

This needs to happen - IMO about the single biggest thing the CFL could do = get to 10 teams - and Atlantic Canada with a team to make it a true coast to coast CFL; 5 games a week instead of 4 would be huge IMO.

[R.J]

Disagree. Originally from Newfoundland. Thinking newfies would support a team in halifax is like thinking people in winnipeg would support a team in Regina. Ditto for new brunswickers as well. Plus a new stadium will cost 250 mill min. Unless the provincial government ponies up the cash it will not get built period. At least in Quebec City they have that university stadium that can be built up to CFL standards. New and sits 12k. Can be expanded to 25k at 100-150 mil tops.

Telus stadium has a maximum seating capacity of 19,500, and there's no more room to expand it, so I don't see that working for the CFL. Quebec is also missing a potential ownership group.

[rdavies]

Disagree. Originally from Newfoundland. Thinking newfies would support a team in halifax is like thinking people in winnipeg would support a team in Regina. Ditto for new brunswickers as well. Plus a new stadium will cost 250 mill min. Unless the provincial government ponies up the cash it will not get built period. At least in Quebec City they have that university stadium that can be built up to CFL standards. New and sits 12k. Can be expanded to 25k at 100-150 mil tops.

Lots wrong with this post. The team will likely be called the Atlantic Schooners for many reasons. Atlantic includes Nfld and the one thing we can agree on is there won't be too much Newfie support re: tickets. But that does not preclude down the road building a market (however small) for TV ratings and team gear.

I lived in all three Maritime provinces, it will be a regional team and there won't be any petty squabbles about supporting it, it will mimic the Riders.

As for the stadium costing 250 million that would get the equivalent of something between IGF and Mosaic, that won't happen. THF at 145 million is more like it. I can easily see it getting federal and provincial funding if the ownership can get Dal and SMU on board. You can get federal money for university infrastructure.

Expansion of the Laval stadium is not that easy. Moncton's 10k relatively new stadium would cost up to 100 million to bring it up to snuff (according to Cohon), same would go for Laval. Also Laval has a private backer for the football team and they are very happy with the status quo. If they wanted a CFL team the news would be out there, they don't. They like being a big fish in a small pond.

[Argo57]

Disagree. Halifax would be pulling support from an entire region. It would be similar to Riderville IMO.

That makes the most sense to me as well.

[argotom]

Disagree. Halifax would be pulling support from an entire region. It would be similar to Riderville IMO.

Agree, don't forget Atlantic Canada do not have another pro team and just like Saskatchewan.
The name must be Atlantic something, I like the Storm!
This could be another Ottawa financial boom.

[S.A.C.]

The name must be Atlantic something, I like the Storm!

Destroyers?
Anything, as long as it's not the Halifax Explosion.

[rdavies]

Destroyers? Anything, as long as it's not the Halifax Explosion.

I actually like the sound of Halifax Explosion but it will be a regional name Atlantic ???

Destroyers has a nice ring about it but isn't totally accurate historically speaking. Yup they convoyed destroyers across the Atlantic during the war but the Corvette had much more significance. I'm also not keen on the sound of Atlantic Corvettes.

It's not going to be Maritime anything, especially Marauders which makes no historic sense and even though Privateers has some cachet it is mostly related to NS. Schooners is really the only name that I can think of that could be made acceptable to the entire region and it works on several different levels.

[rdavies]

The name must be Atlantic something, I like the Storm!

Not bad. It has to be Atlantic so as not to preclude NF even though they would be an infinitesimal part of it. You would be looking to build that market down the road for other opportunities aside from ticket sales. Atlantic also flows off the tongue better with the potential candidate names. They'll pick something that makes sense historically and geographically not like Raptors : ( Apparently lots of fossil finds in the GTA moreso than AB : ) Will likely be Schooners as it ties in with all the provinces shipbuilding history, it's on the dime (still is isn't it?) and of course a good tie in with the beer.

[Argo57]

A 10 team league, one division would be ideal. Top two teams get a bye (as an incentive first place team is automatically awarded the grey cup the following year). Teams 3-6 play the first round. Moreover a 10 team league can have a balance schedule. 5 games every weekend. Maybe a bye at labour day where there are 2 big games and 3 games the next weekend. Season can be shortened as well. Big myth of CFL is fans love the cold weather of November. been proven time and time over the years that attendance actually drops towards the end of the season and into the playoffs. a lot of it has to do with cold! Season should start mid June and grey cup should be in the second week of November, the latest

The league would also take into account what effect a proposal such as yours would have on TV ratings (particularly the playoffs).
Would Western Canada tune in and watch an Ottawa-Montreal Grey Cup Final or more importantly (by population base) will Eastern Canada tune into a Winnipeg-Saskatchewan Grey Cup game, my guess is ratings would drop to which the network partner wouldn’t be too happy which would have ramifications when negotiating TV rights.
It’s not so simple.