CFL and Argos looking at solution for BMO end zone turf and attendance problems

[macspectrum]

i just saw ads on cbc for track and rugby - the C in cbc and cfl stands for canadian, not corporate
i think the cfl is not expensive to buy and sits well within the mandate of the cbc and they can stream

[argolio]

i just saw ads on cbc for track and rugby - the C in cbc and cfl stands for canadian, not corporate
i think the cfl is not expensive to buy and sits well within the mandate of the cbc and they can stream

I bet the track and rugby rights are much, much cheaper.

[1971GreyCup]

I see from last night's MLS match at TD Field that it is possible to accommodate CFL football and MLS soccer in the same stadium without compromising the safety of CFL players.

Too bad the petulant Toronto FC fans had to once again cause stadium damage. This time the set fire to TD Field. Nothing like being an ambassador for your city.

[DoubleBlue_Red]

I see from last night's MLS match at TD Field that it is possible to accommodate CFL football and MLS soccer in the same stadium without compromising the safety of CFL players.

Too bad the petulant Toronto FC fans had to once again cause stadium damage. This time the set fire to TD Field. Nothing like being an ambassador for your city.

Thats because the stadium was designed with CFL and soccer in mind. The Argos messed up when they didn't get in on BMO when it was initially built and moved in a decade after the fact.

It wasn't rocket science. The government was only going to publicly fund one stadium on the former exhibition grounds. Now we are stuck with this Frankenstein stadium situation.

[PullTogether73]

Thats because the stadium was designed with CFL and soccer in mind. The Argos messed up when they didn't get in on BMO when it was initially built and moved in a decade after the fact.

It wasn't rocket science. The government was only going to publicly fund one stadium on the former exhibition grounds. Now we are stuck with this Frankenstein stadium situation.

Yes, but the city mandated that BMO Field be able to accommodate both soccer AND CFL football.
I'm not sure what happened to the latter. The size of a CFL field hasn't changed in...?

[DoubleBlue_Red]

Yes, but the city mandated that BMO Field be able to accommodate both soccer AND CFL football.
I'm not sure what happened to the latter. The size of a CFL field hasn't changed in...?

Mayor Miller at the time gave the OK to the stadium being built short of CFL dimensions - because the Argos at the time were not interested in playing there.

[halifaxguy]

I have the solution, how about the CFL going down to an NFL size field? end zones could be moved up and fans moved closer to the action.
But the smaller field would mean they would have to reduce the number of players on the field by 2 same as the NFL/NCAA...................

[R.J]

Mayor Miller at the time gave the OK to the stadium being built short of CFL dimensions - because the Argos at the time were not interested in playing there.

This is not true at all. Richard Peddie confirmed that he got a call from Howard Sokowlski when the BMO negotiations were happening between the City and MLSE - It was Peddie who said no to the Argonauts.

[AngeloV]

Mayor Miller at the time gave the OK to the stadium being built short of CFL dimensions - because the Argos at the time were not interested in playing there.

More like because he was a mark for TFC. After the Argos announced plans to move there, He threatened to give up his TFC tickets, all this despite what the Argos did for him as mayor. They were the #1 sports team in the city that took part in his anti bullying campaign, and he "rewards" them with that attitude. To this day, I think his public stance had a lot to do with the No Argos at BMO idiots. First class A**hole move on his part.

[argolio]

It's now obvious David Miller worked behind the scenes to change BMO, funded by all three levels of government and approved by Council as an all-purpose stadium, to soccer-specific. The best part is that to this day he claims to not know how that happened. He was only the frickin' mayor at the time!

Total weasel.

[Shipyard]

I wonder how many CFL fans only subscribe to TSN right now and not Sportsnet? You would need to subscribe to both.
Also I can see the CFL and Rogers trying to schedule their TV broadcasts around the Jays. Not too many days from Apr to the end of Sept when the Jays are not playing. It just wouldn't work out very good for the CFL to have Rogers involved. TSN will be the lone bidder again.
Rogers has the big NHL contract and the big Jays contract, they have no need for the CFL

TSN is $45m (plus potential bonuses) for final two seasons.

Rogers will never get CFL rights ... no way the BOG will every give them games

CFL games are on TSN-only to force you to buy TSN in your cable package ... subscriber fees are largest revenue source. CFL is their biggest and most profitable property.

Global is the other major player for CFL rights. That why league wants Halifax in league before deal expires. They can leverage Global vs TSN (shaw vs Bell). There was talk that Global wants a saturday afternoon game every week, and if Halifax joins they can offer 1 game to Global and 4 on TSN.

[PullTogether73]

Rogers will never get CFL rights ... no way the BOG will every give them games

1. Why not?

2. How do you know this to be a fact, as opposed to just your opinion?

[argos1873]

I think this problem could be solved with engineering. Engineering that will not be cheap. I don't think its a coincidence that this problem was also brought up along side fixing the attendance issue. Fix the attendance issue and MLSE will invest the money to fix the field issue for the Argos. They aren't going to throw good money after bad.

[Argo57]

More like because he was a mark for TFC. After the Argos announced plans to move there, He threatened to give up his TFC tickets, all this despite what the Argos did for him as mayor. They were the #1 sports team in the city that took part in his anti bullying campaign, and he "rewards" them with that attitude. To this day, I think his public stance had a lot to do with the No Argos at BMO idiots. First class A**hole move on his part.

Would expect nothing less from Miller.

[Ron]

I see from last night's MLS match at TD Field that it is possible to accommodate CFL football and MLS soccer in the same stadium without compromising the safety of CFL players.

Easy to do when it's all fake turf. That would be easy for BMO to do. Replace grass that benefits the stadiums money maker and make it all inferior turf.

The other option is to spend a ton to make it more usable in the endzones for the football team that is losing money year after year. Spend a ton that doesn't fill a single seat. Both easy to do options.

[AngeloV]

Easy to do when it's all fake turf. That would be easy for BMO to do. Replace grass that benefits the stadiums money maker and make it all inferior turf.

The other option is to spend a ton to make it more usable in the endzones for the football team that is losing money year after year. Spend a ton that doesn't fill a single seat. Both easy to do options.

Ron, you do realize that despite the crowds, TFC also loses money right?

[DoubleBlue_Red]

Ron, you do realize that despite the crowds, TFC also loses money right?

They will lose more $ if they take out the grass pitch - its the whole selling point of an authentic soccer experience.

[gee]

I don't understand the big deal about the endzone. It's a stadium quirk, like the Green Monster. Both teams know it's there, both teams have to deal with it. Artificial turf is not unsafe. When you're playing at that end you have to take it into consideration and adjust your footwork accordingly. What is the frigging problem?

I agree with you on the endzone size. and I actually like the slight variation (preferred the variation we saw in old NHL rinks).

[AngeloV]

They will lose more $ if they take out the grass pitch - its the whole selling point of an authentic soccer experience.

I don't think it really matters. Only the hardcore fans ever really care about that. The majority of their fans are people that love the party atmosphere in the stadium. They will continue to lose money as long as MLS TV and streaming viewership remains low.

[Shatto]

The solution might be the installation of hybrid grass, which is synthetic fibres intertwined with natural grass. In the UK it has been utilized where both rugby and soccer share the field. Expensive but perhaps worth looking into.