Argo Sale

[R.J]

Tanenbaum and Bell is better than nothing, I really wish Rogers would also come on board, not because I'm a fan of Rogers or the way they treat the Argonauts. Moreso due to personally wanting to see the full strength of MLSE behind the Argonauts and the CFL.

[gee]

Tanenbaum and Bell is better than nothing, I really wish Rogers would also come on board, not because I'm a fan of Rogers or the way they treat the Argonauts. Moreso due to personally wanting to see the full strength of MLSE behind the Argonauts and the CFL.

this sounds so much better than MLSE to me. no reluctant bride (Rogers) to complicate decision-making. Bell owning the team with the strength to heavily promote the team through its broadcasting channels. Bell with the direct connection to the broadcasting rights to want to make the Argos success happen. this is incredible and way better for the Argos and the CFL than MLSE ownership!!

[LLB997]

Tanenbaum and Bell is better than nothing, I really wish Rogers would also come on board, not because I'm a fan of Rogers or the way they treat the Argonauts. Moreso due to personally wanting to see the full strength of MLSE behind the Argonauts and the CFL.

better to drive a 3 wheeler with a smaller engine than a 4 wheeler with a flat tire. this is the best outcome I could have hoped for. GREAT news if its true. Everybody will now see Rogers for what they are. Not wanting to be a part of this will hurt every club aside from the Leafs and Jays but luckily for the Argos it will still be a huge improvement

[ArgoRavi]

Tanenbaum and Bell is better than nothing, I really wish Rogers would also come on board, not because I'm a fan of Rogers or the way they treat the Argonauts. Moreso due to personally wanting to see the full strength of MLSE behind the Argonauts and the CFL.

I agree with you about wanting Rogers aboard. If they did come on board, they could not ignore/denigrate the CFL on their many media outlets as they presently do. If they choose not to be involved in ownership, it will clearly show just how anti-CFL they continue to be although I am sure the Rogers apologists will have a different spin on this.

[Neely2005]

CFL issues statement on the Toronto Argonauts:

http://www.cfl.ca/article/cfl-issues...onto-argonauts

[LLB997]

I wonder what Mclown is going to say about this? ha

[Fumblitis]

I wonder what Mclown is going to say about this? ha

I'm gonna check his podcast a little later.

[Argo57]

Tanenbaum and Bell is better than nothing, I really wish Rogers would also come on board, not because I'm a fan of Rogers or the way they treat the Argonauts. Moreso due to personally wanting to see the full strength of MLSE behind the Argonauts and the CFL.

I think the Tanenbaum-Bell option is the best of both worlds, all the financial and marketing clout that MLSE ownership can bring without Rogers being involved, no complaints from my end here.
Highly amusing to read the posts decrying the lack of Rogers involvement in this ownership group considering the venom that has been spewed towards them for months on this forum.
Some people are never happy I guess!!

[LLB997]

I'm gonna check his podcast a little later.

post any info. I don't want to give the sportsnet site the extra view unless I have too. haha

[R.J]

better to drive a 3 wheeler with a smaller engine than a 4 wheeler with a flat tire. this is the best outcome I could have hoped for. GREAT news if its true. Everybody will now see Rogers for what they are. Not wanting to be a part of this will hurt every club aside from the Leafs and Jays but luckily for the Argos it will still be a huge improvement

this sounds so much better than MLSE to me. no reluctant bride (Rogers) to complicate decision-making. Bell owning the team with the strength to heavily promote the team through its broadcasting channels. Bell with the direct connection to the broadcasting rights to want to make the Argos success happen. this is incredible and way better for the Argos and the CFL than MLSE ownership!!

I agree with you about wanting Rogers aboard. If they did come on board, they could not ignore/denigrate the CFL on their many media outlets as they presently do. If they choose not to be involved in ownership, it will clearly show just how anti-CFL they continue to be although I am sure the Rogers apologists will have a different spin on this.

I think the Tanenbaum-Bell option is the best of both worlds, all the financial and marketing clout that MLSE ownership can bring without Rogers being involved, no complaints from my end here.
Highly amusing to read the posts decrying the lack of Rogers involvement in this ownership group considering the venom that has been spewed towards them for months on this forum.
Some people are never happy I guess!!

In hindsight my post came out wrong. What I probably should have stated was that Bell/Tanenbaum is the next best option to MLSE.
I am in no way shape or form a fan of anything Rogers related, however Ravi and I seem to be on the same wavelength on this. In the best case scenario, Rogers comes on board and all three parties are 100% committed to the Argonauts and CFL.

There are also more benefits to having the full might of MLSE as opposed to TanenBELL or anyone else for that matter.
#1. The lease agreement, from what's being reported Rogers wants a fair lease agreement for the Argonauts in BMO, which would undoubtedly include rent and I wonder how much of the facility fee, concessions, parking, naming rights $$$ etc TanenBELL will receive. However if MLSE wholly owns the teams = no rent just game day costs plus all the concession, naming rights, facility fee charges and parking, minus what the city will receive through their lease agreement.

#2. Marketing and promotion - Due to CRTC rules tv and radio companies are only allowed to sell a percentage of ad space for their programming, ad slots are held to promote their own content. So if Rogers and Bell are both on board should they choose we'd see and hear Argos promotions through multiple platforms and it would come at less cost to MLSE. So while they'd still have to pay to develop the ad, they would save costs by not having to pay for advertising slots. TanenBELL could still do it solely on Bell properties, just making a point that Bell and Rogers combined have more reach then Bell by itself.

#3. Cross promotion - Obviously would have to wait and see what TanenBELL are planning, so I'll just state that under MLSE we could have potentially seen a lot of cross promotion between the Argonauts, Raptors, TFC, Marlies and Leafs.

#4. Maybe if Rogers got on board and the CFL would throw them a bone for the next tv contract we'd see Rogers tune towards the CFL change, which IMO wouldn't be a bad thing.

Just to be clear I love the TanenBELL arrangement, my only point was that MLSE ownership with 100% commitment was the truly best case scenario. However under this set-up both could use MLSE clout as well as their own clout to bring in more sponsorship revenue, build up the perception of the team and league, as well as give the Argonauts stable ownership in a stadium where the lease is probably be better under their stewardship than if some random owner/group was involved with the team.

[argotom]

I agree with you about wanting Rogers aboard. If they did come on board, they could not ignore/denigrate the CFL on their many media outlets as they presently do. If they choose not to be involved in ownership, it will clearly show just how anti-CFL they continue to be although I am sure the Rogers apologists will have a different spin on this.

Disagree that's akin to the fox in charge of the hen house.

[Rich]

#1. The lease agreement, from what's being reported Rogers wants a fair lease agreement for the Argonauts in BMO, which would undoubtedly include rent and I wonder how much of the facility fee, concessions, parking, naming rights $$$ etc TanenBELL will receive. However if MLSE wholly owns the teams = no rent just game day costs plus all the concession, naming rights, facility fee charges and parking, minus what the city will receive through their lease agreement.

Larry Tannenbaum is Chairman of the Board of MLSE. Together he and Bell control a majority of MLSE. They are not going to get fleeced on rent or concessions. Actually i doubt they will pay any. Creative accounting will rule the day. Revenues from the Argos will go towards paying down the BMO renovation costs and everyone will be happy.

this sounds so much better than MLSE to me. no reluctant bride (Rogers) to complicate decision-making. Bell owning the team with the strength to heavily promote the team through its broadcasting channels. Bell with the direct connection to the broadcasting rights to want to make the Argos success happen. this is incredible and way better for the Argos and the CFL than MLSE ownership!!

I agree completely. This is the best possible scenario. The Bell-Rogers partnership has made MLSE a mess (that makes money hand over fist). I have heard that the infighting make it difficult for the organization to do anything. That's why Lieweike's getting the hell out. The Rogers NHL deal only made matters worse. The CFL doesn't need all that MLSE baggage.

Bell Media in Toronto can do an whole lot of promotion. CP24 for starters, the local all-news channel, has had some Argo stuff on air, but they could go big as the Argonauts Station. CTV Toronto can do a whole lot more, by far the most-watched local newscasts. Bell also owns MuchMusic, MTV, Comedy Network, lots of demographic reach there. On the radio side, Bell owns two of the biggest stations in town, CFRB Newstalk and CHUM-FM, plus I think Virgin radio and of course TSN. Rogers can go blow. I am so happy today because of this.

I wonder what Mclown is going to say about this? ha

McCown is all about rubbing elbows with the big boys. I think the perception was that Braley was a hayseed from Hamilton with a 50-year-old haircut and no pull among the Toronto elite. And i think that perception was pretty close to the truth.

If it means he can kiss Mr. Tannenbaum's tushie at a private party, McCown will start raving again about how much he loves the Argonauts.

[Stevoman]

I agree completely. This is the best possible scenario. The Bell-Rogers partnership has made MLSE a mess (that makes money hand over fist). I have heard that the infighting make it difficult for the organization to do anything. That's why Lieweike's getting the hell out. The Rogers NHL deal only made matters worse. The CFL doesn't need all that MLSE baggage.

Bell Media in Toronto can do an whole lot of promotion. CP24 for starters, the local all-news channel, has had some Argo stuff on air, but they could go big as the Argonauts Station. CTV Toronto can do a whole lot more, by far the most-watched local newscasts. Bell also owns MuchMusic, MTV, Comedy Network, lots of demographic reach there. On the radio side, Bell owns two of the biggest stations in town, CFRB Newstalk and CHUM-FM, plus I think Virgin radio and of course TSN. Rogers can go blow. I am so happy today because of this.

I agree with pretty much everything stated here. I've been a Leafs fan my whole life but the last few years I've been disgusted with MLSE...but most specifically with Rogers. As stated by others, not having to deal with them is awesome! Also, much of this sale being dragged on for so long is probably more to do with infighting between Rogers and Bell than Braley being stubborn.

[LLB997]

can anyone link me to the virtual stadium tour, I wanna book my season seat......ohhhhh, too soon?

wound meet salt

[Invader]

Larry Tannenbaum is Chairman of the Board of MLSE. Together he and Bell control a majority of MLSE. They are not going to get fleeced on rent or concessions. Actually i doubt they will pay any. Creative accounting will rule the day. Revenues from the Argos will go towards paying down the BMO renovation costs and everyone will be happy.

While Tanenbaum is the chairman, he doesn't have a vote. Under the unique corporate structure of MLSE, Rogers and Bell basically have one vote each. They must agree on everything the corporation does. If one party decents, it doesn't happen.

Apparantly Rogers is demanding that Bell/Tanenbaum pay full market value for Argos rent and facilities at BMO. Rogers will probably be scrutinizing every Argo sign and billboard at BMO to ensure they've paid for it, then promptly removed after the game...just like at Skydome (but hopefully no 100-ft. Trent Edwards murals).

[Rich]

While Tanenbaum is the chairman, he doesn't have a vote. Under the unique corporate structure of MLSE, Rogers and Bell basically have one vote each. They must agree on everything the corporation does. If one party decents, it doesn't happen.

Apparantly Rogers is demanding that Bell/Tanenbaum pay full market value for Argos rent and facilities at BMO. Rogers will probably be scrutinizing every Argo sign and billboard at BMO to ensure they've paid for it, then promptly removed after the game...just like at Skydome (but hopefully no 100-ft. Trent Edwards murals).

This doesn't make sense. If the corporate structure is as you describe, then Rogers can't demand anything if Bell doesn't agree to it.

["Issues"Mcgee]

Bell owns TSN. Considering TSN lost the NHL contract, they will hopefully plug more CFL and Argos content into our TV screens. They have the funds to do it. I would love to wake up in the morning and see all CFL coverage on TSN.

[Neely2005]

I agree with pretty much everything stated here. I've been a Leafs fan my whole life but the last few years I've been disgusted with MLSE...but most specifically with Rogers. As stated by others, not having to deal with them is awesome! Also, much of this sale being dragged on for so long is probably more to do with infighting between Rogers and Bell than Braley being stubborn.

Yeah Rogers wanted to keep Burke but Bell wanted him gone, eventually Bell got their way. Hopefully they do again.

[1argoholic]

Sad that guys like Brad Faye, Jamie Campbell and Greg Zahn all love the CFL and Grey Cup and must feel like they have their hands tied. I met Brad in Vancouver at Grey Cup in 1990 before he was a Sportsnet guy. He was a Lions fan. He never missed Grey Cup for years and years. Jamie started coming along and then Zahn who just loves the Grey Cup party. Wonder if they are actually told to not speak much about the CFL.

[argonaut11xx]

Rogers finally shows its true colours..."they want fair market value" for Argo's rent at BMO, and apparently this is the biggest stumbling block??? WTF???

Did the Ontario taxpayer get "Fair market Value" when they sold the Skydome to Rogers???...hardly

I officially HATE everything Rogers...they are truly ANTI- Canadian