Ford Wants NFL Team For Toronto

[Mulder]

Before anyone gets into the CFL vs NFL debate as well, I'd suggest reading this article.

http://communities.canada.com/regin...cconnell-weighs-on-in-the-cfl-nfl-debate.aspx

 

[toto]

Could this whole NFL story be Ford's attempt to move media's attention away from reporting on the budget? There was growing concern about how this budget is being balanced and Ford was getting asked a lot of questions that he didn't want to, or could not anwser. This is a federal politician's, who shall go unnamed, favourite tactic. Don't like what the media is saying about you, throw out an absured idea, sing a song, do anything to make them forget the important issues at hand. Naw, Ford's not that smart!

 

[MisterF]

If the NFL ever expands outside the United States (and I'm not convinced it has any interest in doing that), it'll be to Mexico and not Canada. They got over 100,000 people in Mexico City and Mexico has no domestic football league.

I never understood people's obsession with trying to get Canadian teams into foreign leagues. Do other countries do this?

 

[lordmandeep]

When you are beside the biggest sports market in the world, it will tend to have an impact?? ^^^

 

[jn_12]

If the NFL ever expands outside the United States (and I'm not convinced it has any interest in doing that), it'll be to Mexico and not Canada. They got over 100,000 people in Mexico City and Mexico has no domestic football league.

I never understood people's obsession with trying to get Canadian teams into foreign leagues. Do other countries do this?

Yep. Welsh teams play in English soccer leagues and if it were up to Rangers and Celtic in Scotland they'd be playing in the Premier League. The KHL has teams outside of Russia. If there is money involved then why wouldn't any team or owner want to play in the best league possible?

 

[MisterF]

Yep. Welsh teams play in English soccer leagues and if it were up to Rangers and Celtic in Scotland they'd be playing in the Premier League. The KHL has teams outside of Russia. If there is money involved then why wouldn't any team or owner want to play in the best league possible?

So the only examples aren't even independent countries and have a fraction of Canada's population, or are poor former Soviet republics. Good company. It's kind of a moot point though because the NFL has no interest in expanding here, especially since the games in London and Mexico City were far more successful than the ones in Toronto.

 

[nfitz]

So the only examples aren't even independent countries and have a fraction of Canada's population, or are poor former Soviet republics.

I was going to point out Australia and New Zealand, but you'd probably claim they are a fraction of Canada's population. Canadians and Americans already do this in baseball, basketball, hockey, and football. In the past we've done it with Canadian football. Not sure why it's an issue if we do it with American football ... the only downside I see is that the game is so long and slow, that it's painful to watch in person.

 

[MetroMan]

Can one of the mods please move all these NFL posts to an appropriate thread? This has gone waaaaay off topic for 4 pages already.

Can we discuss the departure of Kouvalis or to really get back on topic, how you think Toronto will look like in 4 years of Ford?

 

[toto]

Can one of the mods please move all these NFL posts to an appropriate thread? This has gone waaaaay off topic for 4 pages already.

Can we discuss the departure of Kouvalis or to really get back on topic, how you think Toronto will look like in 4 years of Ford?

Hopefully, transit won't look like the photo you posted.

I think Ford will have a fair bit of opposition in council, but will somehow manage to get his way on a number of key issues. At least this year. After next year's budget, with all the predicted cuts in services, fee for service increases, he'll end up have little, if any, support on council. Throw in some minor distraction, like the NFL, some major, yet to be determined, gaffes, and it will be an entertaining four years for sure.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Which comments do you mean?
I am a sports fan, and I've been to Intercounty Leaf games a few times over the years.

I haven't counted the number of times I've watched the CBC, but I can start now if you want.

I don't have a problem with any Canadian giving support to other countries, unless it's at the expense of Canada. I would never support the country my parents emigrated from over Canada in a direct competition, but I support it against all other countries.

Any more questions?

Yes how do you reconcile the fact the NHL is now american and you still watch it?
The World Cup has never featured Canada, so I am allowed to cheer for who I want. And so are other people. Frankly you cannot tell people who to cheer for. Or what to support.
So you would have a problem with me if I did support the NFL to come here? (I'm on the fence given the stadium problem and the money to raise it.)
Canada has never done anything of significance in recent times in the (Summer aka the Real )Olympics other than bailey. So you support mediocrity?
This is just sports and the majority of the country does not care about it one way or the other like adma has said.

And conveniently enough, ZERO viable candidates are named. Paul Godfrey doesn't have anywhere near that kind of money, and corporations (Rogers for example) are strictly forbidden by NFL bylaws to own NFL teams.

The Ford's are talking out of their rapidly expanding butts.
That's great but irrelevant since the NFL itself says Rogers cannot own an NFL team.

Tannnebaum could own it. Alex Snaider There are lots of billionaires here who have not been approached or given a chance to show interest. Four groups mentioned in the article.

You're deeply wrong man. Super Bowl and Grey Cup ratings are comparable, especially since, for strategic reasons, CTV, an over-the-air network, broadcasts the Super Bowl, while cable stations TSN and RDS (available in fewer homes) air the Grey Cup.

The Grey Cup drew 6.4 million viewers in 2009 and 6.25 million in 2010. And for 2009, more than 14 million Canadians watched part of the game (representing 43 per cent of the population), and the audience peaked at 8.35 million when the game-deciding field goal was kicked.

3/4 of those millions come from Western Canada which has nothing to do with this.
Plus 20,000 per game is less then half then what the bills loserfest drew and the argos are comptetive. You can cite TV numbers all you want but on the ground they are bleeding money, something has to be done either way.

If ratings are so strong for the CFL you have nothing to worry about in theory.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

So the only examples aren't even independent countries and have a fraction of Canada's population, or are poor former Soviet republics. Good company. It's kind of a moot point though because the NFL has no interest in expanding here, especially since the games in London and Mexico City were far more successful than the ones in Toronto.

Scotland and Wales share a crown. They have their own soccer teams and legislatures.

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...-chief-of-staff-stepping-down/article1879564/

Rob Ford’s powerful chief of staff is leaving the top job in the mayor’s office, The Globe and Mail has learned.

Nick Kouvalis is planning to depart in three or four weeks for a new post within the administration leading the city’s efforts to contract out garbage services, according to Councillor Doug Ford, the Mayor’s brother

Just to get back on topic.


Garbage contraction? What about the Union?

 

[denfromoakvillemilton]

Some more garbage contraction stuff.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...-garbage-pickup-any-time-soon/article1879467/

 

[toraerach]

Scotland and Wales share a crown. They have their own soccer teams and legislatures.

THey share more than the crown. They are both part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Their legislatures are only able to make laws in matters devolved from British Parliament (the governments of Scotland and Wales have no sovereignty in their own right, unlike the Canadian provinces, American states, etc.). They share a common citizenship. They are in absolutely no way independent sovereign nations, whether they have separate soccer teams or not. In international sports, there are many examples where teams do not follow international borders. Take cricket (amongst other sports) where Northern Ireland is represented by an all-Ireland team, for example, regardless of the fact that politically speaking it is part of the UK (the rest of Ireland is oficially a foreign nation).

 

[GenerationW]

Yes how do you reconcile the fact the NHL is now american and you still watch it?

I only watch the Leafs. That's enough of a burden. I watch the NFL as well by the way.

The World Cup has never featured Canada, so I am allowed to cheer for who I want. And so are other people. Frankly you cannot tell people who to cheer for. Or what to support.

Canada was in the '86 World Cup. And yes, by an act of Parliament I am officially allowed to tell people who they can cheer for.

Tannnebaum could own it. Alex Snaider There are lots of billionaires here who have not been approached or given a chance to show interest. Four groups mentioned in the article.

I could own it too in theory. The point is four groups are mentioned but no one is named and no one is quoted. The Fords were clearly grandstanding. They sent up a trial balloon and almost everyone in the media shot it down.

3/4 of those millions come from Western Canada which has nothing to do with this.

A massive lie and an ignorant statement. Your credibility just went out the window.