Argos at BMO Field

[ArgoRavi]

One more thing (then I'll get off the topic) both the Ticat players and team representatives credited the Argonauts as a great organization and expressed hope that they (Argonauts) remain strong and ultimately end up at a new facility to keep the franchise healthy!!!

It has been said on here for many years that the best thing that could happen to the CFL in southern Ontario is for the Argos and the Ticats to be strong together for a long time and have lots of playoff battles. Last year, sadly, has been all too rare over the last quarter of a century.

[Neely2005]

He'll need to tie it in with amateur athletics in some way. Maybe at the high school or college level? If he builds it in Markham he could let the all athletic high school (Bill Caruthers) use it.

He would need to tie it in with a major event like the Pan Am Games but that ship has sailed for the foreseeable future.

Markham & Vaughan interested in being home to York U. campus:

http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story...york-u-campus/


Another possible option if Braley does indeed decide to build his own stadium.

[AngeloV]

Markham & Vaughan interested in being home to York U. campus:

http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story...york-u-campus/


Another possible option if Braley does indeed decide to build his own stadium.

Give it up. There is no way the Argos will not be in BMO

[Argo57]

Give it up. There is no way the Argos will not be in BMO

100% guaranteed they will be at BMO, not even worth discussing other sites at this point.

[rdavies]

100% guaranteed they will be at BMO, not even worth discussing other sites at this point.

It certainly is worth discussing. BMO will likely be a far better solution than the RC, I think most of us can agree on that, but will it be a long term solution? Ground sharing (when you're the junior partner) is never ideal and even with a 20 year lease I am sure there will be "outs" in the contract for any party to leave.

If this is an opportunity for the Argos to pair up with a university (like Winnipeg did), right a past wrong (York), relocate to where their fans are and be eligible for federal money, it should be explored.

And I forgot, a place where they'll be able to display a few logos and further the brand.

[ArgoRavi]

Just because a couple of municipalities are interested in having a campus of York University doesn't mean that there will be a stadium in either of those places. That is a very big leap IMO. Furthermore, doesn't York already have a new stadium which meets their current needs? Why in the world would they ever need a new 25k-30k stadium? Realistically, there will be no other stadium other than BMO Field before 2017 when the Argos must leave SkyDome.

[rdavies]

Yes, it is a very big leap but do we really think sharing BMO will be a long term solution. Somebody's gonna get cranky in this deal. A York campus would need a 25k stadium like the University of Manitoba needs a 33k stadium, it's not about filling the joint it's about usage of the facility itself.

I'd say you're right about the timeline too, but this is for down the road when the BMO situation becomes untenable. These things have to be thought out. If C&S had thought more long term we wouldn't be having the problems nor they have the regrets that we all do today. Maybe they had no choice and their arms were tied but nevertheless leaving the York deal has proven almost catastrophic and has harmed the club immeasurably.

[ArgoGabe22]

Yes, it is a very big leap but do we really think sharing BMO will be a long term solution. Somebody's gonna get cranky in this deal. A York campus would need a 25k stadium like the University of Manitoba needs a 33k stadium, it's not about filling the joint it's about usage of the facility itself.

Unless York's new campus has another football or soccer team then there won't be any need for another stadium even if the Argos got involved. Their new stadium will last a long time especially since so much money is being pumped into the Pan Ams.

[paulwoods13]

. . . relocate to where their fans are . . .

Here we go again. There has yet to be any credible evidence presented by anyone that the Argos fanbase is located close to any location in the GTA. The notion that putting the team at York, or Downsview, or Woodbine, or wherever outside the downtown core would bring it closer to its fans has no evidence to back it up. It is highly probable that fans come to games from all over the GTA, which is a massive geographic area.

[rdavies]

Well, you might want to talk to Mr Braley rather than me. His polling seemed to indicate that he had a large constituency of Italian fans of the Argos. And if the link to the interview wasn't dead we could hear that plus his mentioning that his construction company was checking out locations for a new Argos football-only stadium, 27,000 to 29,000 seats, to be located in north Toronto area, Vaughan, Markham or Mississauga, to be completed within 5 years.

That's old news, but he said it. And whether, in his mind. he linked this Italian demo to a location, who knows.

[Argo57]

It certainly is worth discussing. BMO will likely be a far better solution than the RC, I think most of us can agree on that, but will it be a long term solution? Ground sharing (when you're the junior partner) is never ideal and even with a 20 year lease I am sure there will be "outs" in the contract for any party to leave.

If this is an opportunity for the Argos to pair up with a university (like Winnipeg did), right a past wrong (York), relocate to where their fans are and be eligible for federal money, it should be explored.

And I forgot, a place where they'll be able to display a few logos and further the brand.

Sure lets discuss the "next" Argonaut stadium before they have moved into BMO whose expansion was approved just last week.
Have at it.

[rdavies]

And you think that's gonna last 20 years sharing with TFC, ten? Short term thinking, to me this is just a temporary lifeline.

Does anybody else here think Argos to BMO will be a permanent solution?

[paulwoods13]

Does anybody else here think Argos to BMO will be a permanent solution?

Yes, as permanent as any stadium is. Exhibition Stadium 29 years, Rogers Centre 26 years . . .

Well, you might want to talk to Mr Braley rather than me. His polling seemed to indicate that he had a large constituency of Italian fans of the Argos.

All of whom live within a few miles of each other?

As Ravi and others (including me) have pointed out many times, Braley might have been calling the bluff of MLSE by touting other supposed locations. Sure, we can accept whatever he said in one interview at face value. Or we can accept that business people often say things publicly that are much different than what they are working on behind the scenes.

[argotom]

After all this, it would not surprise me if this MLSE so called sure thing deal with BMO fell apart and we wind up with a stadium in Markham.
Let's hope so.

[paulwoods13]

After all this, it would not surprise me if this MLSE so called sure thing deal with BMO fell apart and we wind up with a stadium in Markham.
Let's hope so.

Let's not.

[rdavies]

After all this, it would not surprise me if this MLSE so called sure thing deal with BMO fell apart and we wind up with a stadium in Markham. Let's hope so.

I don't know about a stadium in Markham but it wouldn't surprise me to see the thing fall apart. It will probably go on but I definitely can't see this marriage of convenience lasting five years before someone wants a divorce.

And that would mean a new stadium for TFC (leaving BMO for the Argos) or the Argos hitting the road again.

[AngeloV]

Well, you might want to talk to Mr Braley rather than me. His polling seemed to indicate that he had a large constituency of Italian fans of the Argos. And if the link to the interview wasn't dead we could hear that plus his mentioning that his construction company was checking out locations for a new Argos football-only stadium, 27,000 to 29,000 seats, to be located in north Toronto area, Vaughan, Markham or Mississauga, to be completed within 5 years.

That's old news, but he said it. And whether, in his mind. he linked this Italian demo to a location, who knows.

Should we just start calling you InvaderII? Why do some on here have a need to be the PR for David Braley? And again, what's with the Mr? Is he your boss or teacher? No need to be so formal around here.

[BATKINSON001]

The deal had better not fall apart! I am tired of seeing the Argos get screwed

[T-Bone]

I don't know about a stadium in Markham but it wouldn't surprise me to see the thing fall apart. It will probably go on but I definitely can't see this marriage of convenience lasting five years before someone wants a divorce.

And that would mean a new stadium for TFC (leaving BMO for the Argos) or the Argos hitting the road again.

The city wants the Argos at BMO Field and they want to make money on that investment. They aren't going to force MLSE to spend money on retractable seats to accommodate the Argos only for the Argos to walk away 5 years later. The Argos will be at BMO Field for however long the lease agreement is agreed to.

[Neely2005]

The city wants the Argos at BMO Field and they want to make money on that investment. They aren't going to force MLSE to spend money on retractable seats to accommodate the Argos only for the Argos to walk away 5 years later. The Argos will be at BMO Field for however long the lease agreement is agreed to.

That depends on the clauses in the lease that the Argonauts sign. They may have out clauses.