Toronto Star Saturday

**timlb01** · 06-19-2016, 07:55 PM

I was really disappointed and upset by the Toronto Star not covering anything on the CFL or the Argos on Saturday. I just cancelled my paper with them with the following email:

"Hi,

Please cancel my delivery and subscription to the Toronto Star permanently. Your coverage of the Toronto Argonauts and the Canadian Football League is disgusting. I do not want to receive the paper any longer. You are no longer authorized to submit charges to my credit card."

I don' know what there problem is but I know I should not be surprised as their coverage was sparse at best. Always other sport coverage that do not get the ratings that the Argos get. Brutal...

**AngeloV** · 06-19-2016, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by timlb01

I was really disappointed and upset by the Toronto Star not covering anything on the CFL or the Argos on Saturday. I just cancelled my paper with them with the following email:

"Hi,

Please cancel my delivery and subscription to the Toronto Star permanently. Your coverage of the Toronto Argonauts and the Canadian Football League is disgusting. I do not want to receive the paper any longer. You are no longer authorized to submit charges to my credit card."

I don' know what there problem is but I know I should not be surprised as their coverage was sparse at best. Always other sport coverage that do not get the ratings that the Argos get. Brutal...

Wait...People still have subscriptions to newspapers?

**Argoknot** · 06-19-2016, 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by AngeloV

Wait...People still have subscriptions to newspapers?

One less, good for him!

**Wobbler** · 06-19-2016, 08:11 PM

It is disappointing to hear that the Star didn't have any CFL news, but considering the perilous state of traditional media... I don't feel judgmental.

**1argoholic** · 06-19-2016, 09:03 PM

Good On yah! Screw the bastards!!!!

**Rich** · 06-20-2016, 01:27 AM

Also on Saturday the Star ran this story, which as I predicted, managed to spin the story of the BMO turf into a negative for the Argos. Except I didn't think it would happen until the Argos actually damaged the turf.

Toronto Turf War Has Reds Fans Seeing Blue

**Downtownfan** · 06-20-2016, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Rich

Also on Saturday the Star ran this story, which as I predicted, managed to spin the story of the BMO turf into a negative for the Argos. Except I didn't think it would happen until the Argos actually damaged the turf.

Toronto Turf War Has Reds Fans Seeing Blue

I actually wrote to FitzGerald about this piece, complaining that it was an unnecessary provocation-- he did not back down, saying that it was a worthy news story. I also said that his piece on tailgating was a more of a rehash of events from 15 years ago, but again he defended the piece, saying that there was a direct line between the last time the Argos focused on tailgating and now. I offered him suggestions for other pieces, such as doing one on people who are season ticket holders of both teams, or whether the Argos would have a spread like TFC did for their "homecoming," but he ignored it.

We ARE NOT going to get anything that resembles fair treatment in this media market, certainly not from the Star. Despite having new owners a new team, a great new vibe, and a real effort to connect with fans, this will all be ignored: Expect little coverage, and whatever there is, will undoubtedly focus on the negatives.

**timlb01** · 06-20-2016, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by Rich

Also on Saturday the Star ran this story, which as I predicted, managed to spin the story of the BMO turf into a negative for the Argos. Except I didn't think it would happen until the Argos actually damaged the turf.

Toronto Turf War Has Reds Fans Seeing Blue

Why not cover the team or the preseason game from the night before. What the hell! Exactly my point. It seems to me management / the ground crew understand what they are up against. This has been written about weekly for the past year. Having a back up field ready to go, a great lighting and drainage system. What else could you want? Complain when there is a real issue. I think the concerns have outstanding contingency plans so move on and each team enjoy there game day experiences. This BS feuding will never end especially with the media hyping it.

As it has been said many times before on this form if TV ratings dictated the coverage TFC would have almost no coverage and the Argos and the CFL would have a lot more. I think the Toronto Sun surprisingly has very good fair coverage of the Argos and the CFL.

**mchesher03** · 06-20-2016, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Downtownfan

I actually wrote to FitzGerald about this piece, complaining that it was an unnecessary provocation-- he did not back down, saying that it was a worthy news story. I also said that his piece on tailgating was a more of a rehash of events from 15 years ago, but again he defended the piece, saying that there was a direct line between the last time the Argos focused on tailgating and now. I offered him suggestions for other pieces, such as doing one on people who are season ticket holders of both teams, or whether the Argos would have a spread like TFC did for their "homecoming," but he ignored it.

We ARE NOT going to get anything that resembles fair treatment in this media market, certainly not from the Star. Despite having new owners a new team, a great new vibe, and a real effort to connect with fans, this will all be ignored: Expect little coverage, and whatever there is, will undoubtedly focus on the negatives.

i'm amazed he more or less doubled down but it's his prerogative I guess. I haven't read anything from the star outside of links on this site in ages anyways. anyhow thursday should be a blast, fitzgerald and co. can work hard to try to find the negatives as much as they'd like.

**Scooter McCray** · 06-20-2016, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Downtownfan

I actually wrote to FitzGerald about this piece, complaining that it was an unnecessary provocation-- he did not back down, saying that it was a worthy news story. I also said that his piece on tailgating was a more of a rehash of events from 15 years ago, but again he defended the piece, saying that there was a direct line between the last time the Argos focused on tailgating and now. I offered him suggestions for other pieces, such as doing one on people who are season ticket holders of both teams, or whether the Argos would have a spread like TFC did for their "homecoming," but he ignored it.

We ARE NOT going to get anything that resembles fair treatment in this media market, certainly not from the Star. Despite having new owners a new team, a great new vibe, and a real effort to connect with fans, this will all be ignored: Expect little coverage, and whatever there is, will undoubtedly focus on the negatives.

If there continues to be no fair treatment by the Toronto media despite the efforts being made by the new ownership and leadership of the Argos to reconnect with the fanbase and the city then the Toronto media should be called out as the hypocrites they really are by national media. When I was driving into work today I was listening to Sirius XM radio and the American DJ, was discussing the Cleveland championship drought ending last night, and he mentioned other cities and lengths of years since winning a championship, and he mentioned Toronto's only being 3 years. Americans recognize the Grey Cup as a championship more than Canadian media do.

**Downtownfan** · 06-20-2016, 10:26 AM

Just as a follow up, this is what I wrote back: to Fitzgerald, with a bit of a dare at the end:

Dear Sean,

Thank you for your reply, which I appreciate. I understand that you will defend these pieces as written, which is not surprising. But three points:

First, you state that “People wonder and debate why the Argos are in the shape they're in today?” What is that “shape” today that you are referring to? Do you mean how the franchise has undergone a dramatic change in the last 12 months? Being owned by Larry Tannenbaum and Bell? Being in a new stadium? Revamping their game day experience dramatically? The “shape” of the Argos is dramatically different from what it was just a year ago, and in a positive direction. Is that what you mean by “the shape” they are in today?

Second, will the Argos have a similar “homecoming” treatment by the Star as what was given to TFC? Given that it really is a homecoming of sorts, returning to the Exhibition grounds?

Third, I recently was a on PhD defence committee for a thesis that looked at the CFL, cultural nationalism and protectionism in the 1970s which sparked my scholarly interest in this topic more generally. I am thinking of writing a piece on media attitudes towards the CFL. Would you willing to be interviewed for such a piece?

Best,

**Scooter McCray** · 06-20-2016, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Downtownfan

Just as a follow up, this is what I wrote back: to Fitzgerald, with a bit of a dare at the end:

Dear Sean,

Thank you for your reply, which I appreciate. I understand that you will defend these pieces as written, which is not surprising. But three points:

First, you state that “People wonder and debate why the Argos are in the shape they're in today?” What is that “shape” today that you are referring to? Do you mean how the franchise has undergone a dramatic change in the last 12 months? Being owned by Larry Tannenbaum and Bell? Being in a new stadium? Revamping their game day experience dramatically? The “shape” of the Argos is dramatically different from what it was just a year ago, and in a positive direction. Is that what you mean by “the shape” they are in today?

Second, will the Argos have a similar “homecoming” treatment by the Star as what was given to TFC? Given that it really is a homecoming of sorts, returning to the Exhibition grounds?

Third, I recently was a on PhD defence committee for a thesis that looked at the CFL, cultural nationalism and protectionism in the 1970s which sparked my scholarly interest in this topic more generally. I am thinking of writing a piece on media attitudes towards the CFL. Would you willing to be interviewed for such a piece?

Best,

Nice letter. I hope you do write that article on the media. Honestly if their attitude and coverage does not change measurably during and after this season than there really is a media conspiracy in Toronto against the team and league. It really does need to be exposed.

**Johno27** · 06-20-2016, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Scooter McCray

When I was driving into work today I was listening to Sirius XM radio and the American DJ, was discussing the Cleveland championship drought ending last night, and he mentioned other cities and lengths of years since winning a championship, and he mentioned Toronto's only being 3 years. Americans recognize the Grey Cup as a championship more than Canadian media do.

Bravo sir! At least more than certain myopic Toronto media types, anyway!

**1argoholic** · 06-20-2016, 11:33 AM

As I've said multiple times in the past, NO Argonauts fans were all pissed off when the Toronto Blizzard or Jays came into their stadium at CNE. Since then both sports have shit on the Argonauts.

**Argoknot** · 06-20-2016, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Downtownfan

I am thinking of writing a piece on media attitudes towards the CFL.

Well, if you're in Toronto good luck with that. The extent of their attitude is to hope the CFL dies in the vain hope that their wet dream of eating the free chicken in an NFL press box will come true.

**Neely2005** · 06-20-2016, 11:44 AM

The Red Star has always been a pretty terrible newspaper IMO so I'm not really surprised. I cancelled my subscription years ago. I prefer the National Post and the Toronto Sun.

**Argoknot** · 06-20-2016, 11:57 AM

I have been a long time soccer fan (not TFC as they have turned me against them). Over ten years ago we eagerly waited for news from articles by Norm Dacosta and Neil Davidson to name a few. But now with the advent of forums, blogs and social media if you have the mental capability to separate the wheat from the chaff, mainstream media is no longer much more accurate or timely than any online source.

The need for "professional" media is becoming less and less. There will always be a need for good reporters and journalists but seeing as how many bad ones are out there (stirring controversy to get eyeballs) their relevance has become less and less.

I used to love canoe.ca as a news site. Now it's just a mishmash of infotainment garbage, as long as there are fans out there who will report on events I think I am capable of interpreting some truth out of them so I can bypass the "professional" garbage. The world has become a voracious consumer of content, most of it crap, thankfully there are some gems within the poop.

**1argoholic** · 06-20-2016, 12:14 PM

Very well written Argoknot. I'll say a big no shite to that!!!!!! The Star used to have quality CFL reporters but that is going way back at this point.

**AngeloV** · 06-20-2016, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Neely2005

The Red Star has always been a pretty terrible newspaper IMO so I'm not really surprised. I cancelled my subscription years ago. I prefer the National Post and the Toronto Sun.

Sports aside, the Sun is considered a joke of a paper by most in the industry.