Originally Posted by
rdavies
I don't think BMO is the main training centre of Canadian soccer NTs. It (BMO/Toronto) is basically a hub, that has easy flight access, a turf surface, and is home to many of the players. That's what makes it attractive. I don't recall hearing about any serious danger of moving to Montreal as most of the NT extended training camps were usually held at the Nottawasaga Inn Resort in Alliston. Most of the time the players (spread across NA and Europe) fly in for a few days of training before a game at BMO.
Their comfort level with BMO is unfortunate as they are virtually unknown in the country. Whereas the popular women's NT play around the country (on AT surfaces) so far the men have not. And when you have great facilities like BC and Winnipeg not being used (by the men), it's a shame. Maybe the Argentines and Brazilians won't play on AT but certainly many other countries won't mind accepting appearance fees.
The only way BMO enters the argument is if MLSE buys the Argos. If not it is entirely credible that Braley will put together his own stadium plan. He has made public pronouncements and it seems unlikely to me that a man of his integrity would bother or risk doing that if it wasn't his intention. I just wish this thing would come to a head one way or another.
Braley's comments on the record: In the halftime interview of the Lions/Argos game he said:
Question: You've done this in British Colombia...I remember coming here and thinking I'm seeing the last days of the BC Lions when you'd have nine, ten, twelve thousand
Braley: In BC we did the demographics, we've now completed the demographics in Toronto we've got 14% Italian fans in Toronto so you've got to build your marketing programs and programs around the demographic and once you do that and reach out and touch them then they start to become your partners and Waterboys and in our case our Double Blues Club in Toronto.
It's a very slow hard working process but you're also fighting the big leagues in the sense of Major League Baseball and hockey. We had the best attendance and atmosphere for a home game in Toronto, I think it was 28 or 29 thousand last week for our home opener in Toronto. Everybody's talking about the buzz and if we start putting them in regularly we can bring those fans back to the Canadian Football League in Toronto
What we intend to do is have a 27-29 thousand seat stadium in all likelihood in north Toronto, Vaughan, Markham maybe Mississauga and the plans are being worked on outside the Argonauts themselves, they're to sell tickets and put the house in order for the team. Outside I have my construction companies working on where we would be and where we could set up and where we could build a stadium and who's gonna fund it
Question: Do you have a timeline?
Braley: Under 5 years. They (Rogers) wouldn't kick us out on the street if we needed an extra year but it would be best if we had our own facility, if it's three years fine if it's four years fine if it's six years it'll come to pass.
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