Bruins/Argos Connection

[AngeloV]

And yet, the community ownership group in Winnipeg has been a very successful franchise - posting a big profit this past season; playing in 4 straight GCs, having league best attendance in a nice newer stadium.

I doubt anybody involved in running the league in the past would have tried diligently to apply that community model to any of the struggling franchises over taking whatever buck$ they could gouge out of new sugar daddy - regardless if it was a clueless clown of a bizness man who should not be involved with the CFL and Canadian football. Simple & easy seems to be the main m.o. of the CFL BOGoofs a lot of the time.

Ti-Cats tried community ownership in the late 80's or early 90's and it was almost the end of the franchise. Just because it worked out west for many years in 3 communities, doesn't mean it would in any other markets.

[paulwoods13]

Ti-Cats tried community ownership in the late 80's or early 90's and it was almost the end of the franchise. Just because it worked out west for many years in 3 communities, doesn't mean it would in any other markets.

Also worth noting that community ownership appears to have run its course in Edmonton. The one-time flagship franchise of the league has drawn tinier crowds than Toronto the past couple of years (for some games, at least -- one I attended in 2022 might have had 5,000 there).

[ArgoRavi]

Ti-Cats tried community ownership in the late 80's or early 90's and it was almost the end of the franchise. Just because it worked out west for many years in 3 communities, doesn't mean it would in any other markets.

Ottawa tried something like that in 1987-88 - it was called a "limited partnership," I believe - and it was a disaster too.

[AngeloV]

Ottawa tried something like that in 1987-88 - it was called a "limited partnership," I believe - and it was a disaster too.

Was the hat with Joanne Polack running things or before?

[paulwoods13]

Was the hat with Joanne Polack running things or before?

She was GM from 1989 through 1991. She was with the club 1987-88 in a PR capacity.

[ArgoRavi]

Was the hat with Joanne Polack running things or before?

I think that Polak came in towards the latter part of that limited partnership. They had taken over the team when Allan Waters sold it, after owning it for a decade or so. Waters owned CHUM radio station in Toronto.