Argos to BMO decision - Wednesday, May 20th

[OgtheDim]

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 44m44 minutes ago

"I now own the Argos?"

[Ultra & Proud]

You forgot one

You're right! I may move Real Sports to 6th though.

And when that Drake night club goes into the ACC then Argos will be #12.

[Borga]

at lest the mad to the final in our life time.. when was the last time the leafs made it to the finals ?

Dude, why do you even bother? I've never seen someone so negative about absolutely EVERYTHING.

[Nodoubtguy]

You're right! I may move Real Sports to 6th though.

And when that Drake night club goes into the ACC then Argos will be #12.

Well Drake should be an item on that list by himself

[Qman]

ticketing, merchandising, marketing etc

same thing MLSE does for TFC.
MLSE runs the business and sells tickets. Why would you have different 4 ticketing departments, with half doing nothing in the offseason.

The club hires the soccer people and runs the on field product.

[Villa TFC]

and conveniently the whole story gets buried . Man those fuckers at mlse are good

Wonder if MLSE paid a bonus to Babcock to sign right NOW just to bury this story!

[Gringo Starr]

THIS

Yep, basically said deal was in place 2 weeks ago, keep it quiet not to spoil the home opener and now get it lost in the Babcock story

crafty

[TorontoFC6fan]

Dude, why do you even bother? I've never seen someone so negative about absolutely EVERYTHING.

There's nothing positive about Toronto sports. Im just being realistic while people keep their heads in the sand.. The blue jays was the last team to win a championship dog years ago.. when was the last time the leafs or raptors even made it to the eastern finals ? the 2nd round ? when was the last time the blue jays were even came close to making the play off ? Don't even get me started on TFC.. Im just a person that likes to be realistic. some people like to live in dreamland and wish on star.. I've been wishing on a star with the leafs since i was a kid and the only thing they gave me were grey hairs and im still in my 20's.

[OgtheDim]

People, just drop the conspiracy stuff

Tory's schedule was announced last night, well before Babcock made his decision.

[ryan]

People, just drop the conspiracy stuff

Tory's schedule was announced last night, well before Babcock made his decision.

It was previously announced his decision was coming today.....how would anyone but Babcock know when he'd decide?

[OgtheDim]

How would anybody last night know for sure what he would decide today?

If Babcock went to St. Louis or SJ or Buffalo, the Argo reports would be in front of that news.

[TorontoFC6fan]

the nick name for this city should be TORONTO THE SPORTS CITY OF FALSE HOPE!

[Fort York Redcoat]

He's going to buffalo.. why would he come to this joke call the leafs to destroy his rep ? Nobody wants to come here and be puppets to MLSE. The leafs will forever be trash! Thats why i stopped watching them 3 years ago.

So now that you've been proven wrong you can get back on topic. Any more and you're just trolling.

[TFC07]

So press conference is tomorrow morning now?

[TorontoFC6fan]

So now that you've been proven wrong you can get back on topic. Any more and you're just trolling.

will see who's trolling when the leafs are playing golf again. FALSE HOPE!

[Still Kicking]

I was annoyed that both Larry T and Tim L. at the presser had that bemused "where do these wacky TFC fans get this concern about field quality?" look on their faces.
History - baby - history
The Argos and the Blizzard once shared Exhibition Stadium. I attended some of those games- it could have been played on a parking lot painted green.

I attended the 1982 Grey Cup at Exhibition Stadium in rainstorm conditions.

The Argos have built a reputation over the last decade (or two) of being a money-losing, cheap, afterthought team supported by older fans, shrinking fanbase, losing ground to the NFL. If Larry T and Bell are going to erase that legacy, fine and good, but don't insult us and pretend that legacy does not exist. Today Larry T. said "no compromise to the quality of the field for TFC". Sorry, but the events running up to all of this hoopla for the new, broke tenant for BMO Field have been all too coy for me to think that clinches it. No details on the price the Argos fetched, 3 million on the field and 20 million on the stands that move to make way for the longer field - but no mention of whether that was part of purchase price or whose money that is. And some coyness as to the actual ownership team for the next few months? These situations reeks of compromise, so the field remains a concern. The fact is that both a MLS team and a CFL team have playoffs and championships in November, so concern about field quality might not be a hot button issue until November 2016. Will the hockey team misdirect be used then?

[TFC07]

will see who's trolling when the leafs are playing golf again. FALSE HOPE!

Leafs are going to be rebuilding their team so I don't except them to make it to the playoffs in next year.

[GabrielHurl]

Can people shut the fuck up about the Leafs or take it here ................................ http://forums.redpatchboys.ca/showth...hread/page1656

[Fort York Redcoat]

Can people shut the fuck up about the Leafs or take it here ................................ http://forums.redpatchboys.ca/showth...hread/page1656

What he said

Back on Topic

[Villa TFC]

I was annoyed that both Larry T and Tim L. at the presser had that bemused "where do these wacky TFC fans get this concern about field quality?" look on their faces.
History - baby - history
The Argos and the Blizzard once shared Exhibition Stadium. I attended some of those games- it could have been played on a parking lot painted green.

I attended the 1982 Grey Cup at Exhibition Stadium in rainstorm conditions.

The Argos have built a reputation over the last decade (or two) of being a money-losing, cheap, afterthought team supported by older fans, shrinking fanbase, losing ground to the NFL. If Larry T and Bell are going to erase that legacy, fine and good, but don't insult us and pretend that legacy does not exist. Today Larry T. said "no compromise to the quality of the field for TFC". Sorry, but the events running up to all of this hoopla for the new, broke tenant for BMO Field have been all too coy for me to think that clinches it. No details on the price the Argos fetched, 3 million on the field and 20 million on the stands that move to make way for the longer field - but no mention of whether that was part of purchase price or whose money that is. And some coyness as to the actual ownership team for the next few months? These situations reeks of compromise, so the field remains a concern. The fact is that both a MLS team and a CFL team have playoffs and championships in November, so concern about field quality might not be a hot button issue until November 2016. Will the hockey team misdirect be used then?

I was a Toronto Blizzard season ticket holder at the Ex and throughout all of their final seasons at Varsity, Centennial etc. While I know that there's no comparison between turf today and turf back then, the memories I have of the Blizzard sharing a stadium with the Argos are enough to make me wake up in the night in a fevered sweat for the rest of my life. My happiest day was when the Blizzard left the Ex for the real grass of Varsity. Now it feels like the reverse is happening all over again.

[TFC07]

I can't wait end of the year when it's time for SSH to renew their seats to see what MLSE is going to offer to keep them happy. I don't think making the playoffs alone is going to change how many of us feel about Argos move to BMO field.

[OgtheDim]

Rickey Foley Everybody

Argo Star & Proud Canadian


Latest twitter rant something to behold

Ricky Foley @Foley4Real · 24m 24 minutes ago

Dick move announcing Babcock news the day #Argos r finally sold. Guess some people still jealous we the only team who wins in this city @CFL


I feel sorry 4T.O sports fans...Every yr hype 4teams who don't EVER win...Spending $ 2come see mostly Foreigners play with no heart/effort

I'll tell you one thing these CDN #CFL boys don't claim 'wetheNORTH' then head home to the south during off seasons... #NBA

And our Captains and vet leaders don't play like a bunch of soft ass punks with no emotion or passion for the game or its fans... #NHL

So congrats on Ur new coach @MapleLeafs...Hopefully 50mil & sky high ticket prices r enough 2give Ur players heart & a compete level #CFL



*************

Not sure any of that is aimed at TFC.

[Areathrasher]

I was waiting for a "soccer players are whiny diving pussies" part to that rant. Guess there is still time.

[Paul6toes]

The overreaction to this is really sad to hear out of the "supporters group" forum.

The hate for MLSE is funny too because it is such a two way street with their fans, especially for this team. Unlike the established sports they need to ensure they appeal to the fans here in order to maintain their attendance. They have done so by continually spending money on talented players, unfortunately none of them have worked out. On the flip side, they have the same mentality as a fanatic rather than a supporter when it comes to their managers. Constantly overreacting to every little thing and creating so much turnover that it's impossible to build a successful team.

At the end of the day, TFC will continue to play at BMO and management seems to want to make this a success, otherwise why else would they invest all this money into a stadium/players/training academy/usl team/usl stadium etc.

As Larson once mentioned on twitter.. this is North America, multipurpose stadiums are the norm especially when it comes to public ownership of these stadiums. Personally I don't care that this is happening, I will continue to cheer on this team because I love the sport. If you can't do that because a pitch has a faint line on it, or an extra divot than off you go. The stadium won't miss you.

Great post. Let's all have that attitude.

[Beach_Red]

Note who gets more air time tonight.

***

In MLSE land, it will be priority wise:

Leafs first

Leafs second

Raptors 3rd

TFC 4th

Marlies 5th

Argos 6th

But Argos' fans don't care about this. They're where we were in year one of TFC, so happy to have a team they don't care about anything. They're just happy the team didn't move to Quebec City or Moncton. Argos fans would have been happy to play in the parking lot at BMO.

TSN on the other hand....

[SoccMan2]

The only decent roof is the one covering the east stand, the other two stands which will have roofs the roofs will not protect anyone from the rain, have a look at the drawings of the stadium with the completed roof and the other two sides might as well not even have a roof, it will not protect anyone from the elements, like who designs these things idiots!

[SoccMan2]

Or how wrong you are the ones who say the stadium won't miss us, they will when the stadium looks like the Stub Hub center when Chivas played their before their demise.

[Areathrasher]

Dear Toronto FC Supporters, Over the past year, a pressing issue in Toronto sports has been the search for the future home and ownership group for one of the city's most historic franchises, the Toronto Argonauts. That search involved a number of key parties, including the City of Toronto, the Canadian Football League and MLSE, as plans centered on a return of the Argos to the Exhibition Place grounds at BMO Field. This afternoon, it was announced that Larry Tanenbaum and Bell Canada will assume ownership of the Argos beginning in 2016 and that the Phase 2 renovation plans for BMO Field, beginning in September, will also include a conversion to accommodate a CFL playing field, making BMO Field a true outdoor multi-purpose facility with numerous benefits to the City of Toronto. Throughout the past year, in our many conversations with Toronto FC fans about a potential move of the Argos to BMO Field, we have reiterated the fact that MLSE's commitment to delivering the best soccer experience for TFC and its fans is unmatched. Because BMO Field is owned by the City of Toronto, we worked closely with different levels of government, including the Province and Federal Government, over the past year to help facilitate a solution while ensuring that TFC's interests were a top priority. You are already well aware of the significant steps MLSE has taken to deliver on our vision for TFC. MLSE's ownership group has committed more than $100 million to the BMO Field renovation project, $100 million in roster moves for world-class players like Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley, and more than $3 million specifically on technology to ensure BMO Field has one of the best pitches in Major League Soccer. We have reinforced that BMO Field will always be, first and foremost, a soccer facility and that TFC will be the first priority when it comes to scheduling. Our focus for Toronto FC is rewarding our fans with a team that is capable of competing for a championship year in and year out and creating one of the best soccer experiences in the league for our fans. That will never change. The Argos, and the Canadian Football League, are not only an iconic part of Toronto's sports landscape, but they are also a Canadian cultural institution and the team's move to BMO Field will play an important role in the rejuvenation of one of the oldest sports franchises in North America. For TFC and Argos fans, we can look forward to bringing together Toronto's newest team with its oldest team under one, brand new roof at BMO Field in 2016! Please feel free to contact your personal season seat holder representative if you should have any further questions. Yours truly,
	Tim Leiweke President and CEO MLSE

[Chaps]

So bell wants to kill off TFC for the CFL when clearly soccer is on the rise in North American and future revenues will be so much higher than the tiny CFL.

Nobody is killing off anyone. The only people that could kill TFC is the fans, if they stop supporting. So your call.

Also, Argo support is 4:1 over TFC right now, and the Argos are the weakest support in the league. So we can talk all day long about how big footy MIGHT become in the future, but the fact is right now the CFL is a lot bigger of a show. And money talks now.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Great post. Let's all have that attitude.

No. And this user has already made good on the dismissive part of this post. If you're of the mind to exclude a certain mindset then this place may not be for you. We try to be more accepting.