As mentioned, here's Tim Baines on the Grey Cup. A brief chat with a CFL official. Don't be surprised if there's at least some kind of price reduction. http://www.torontosun.com/2016/10/11...ame-in-toronto
I beg to differ. The presence of the Argos at BMO Field is a detriment to soccer. We haven't seen the worst punishment it can inflict on the quality of soccer, but give it time. Aesthetically and psychologically, it's already having an effect and there are fans who have given up seasons tickets because of what they perceive to be a lack of full commitment to soccer by MLSE. We've had this tattered rag bag of a franchise imposed on us in a stadium we were all led to believe was built to be a home for soccer.
Having seen the sport of soccer grow and fade in repeated cycles over past years, it's important that the current team we support be housed in a place where the culture of the game can be celebrated and grown.
I want to drive past BMO Field on any given day and see the place reflect what has grown and developed with soccer, a sport that has an immense future in Canada. Toronto FC and BMO Field have been the catalysts in driving soccer forward and have greatly contributed to changing the ridiculous anti-soccer mindsets that have been so prevalent within the mainstream media in Canada.
It's one thing to see how poorly the Argos were doing before coming to BMO Field. They hosted and won the Grey Cup in 2012 and their season ticket base actually dwindled to below 4,000 immediately afterward. Their advertising support has withered away to starvation levels. Their everyday presence in the collective consciousness of sports fans in Toronto is so miniscule that it is fair comment to say 'no one cares about the Argos anymore.'
And all of this decline, decay and deterioration has happened DESPITE the concerted efforts of mainstream media to prop them up. We all know about TSN's financial commitment and daily content (it will be no shock to learn someday that Bell doped CFL ratings by providing free TVs and paid-for cable subscriptions to seniors' homes across Canada). The Toronto Sun is a long time official media partner with Steve Simmons waving blue pom-poms like he was Richard Simmons. And then there's Dan Ralph's Chapstick-covered correspondence in the Globe & Mail or CFTO's chinstrap-licking sportscasts.
All of this was in place before the Argos moved to Panacea Palace, err, BMO Field. Now, despite free tickets flying about like confetti, we're actually seeing a decline in attendance and a hilarious absence of advertising. It isn't working now because it was never working before.
It's hardly been a shout of support to TFC and the loyal fans who have made the place a roaring success in spite of the team's checkered history and media coverage that still veers into disparaging cynicsm. the people of Toronto are into soccer regardless and their support for the game is rock solid. It's only going to grow. You can see the future of the game mid-week nights at soccer fields all over the city.
What best serves that future is a stadium that pulses with atmosphere and offers great sightlines. An intimidating bandbox. Having it closed in on all sides creates that. Instead, we have no north end stands anymore and the south end stands are compromised from being the best they can be in order to accommodate the Argos.
Recent stadium trends show that multi-use stadiums don't work. The sports world, in general, has moved away from them. Rogers has recognized the need to strengthen its core product at the dome and moved accordingly. BMO Field should be no different. Soccer can provide a healthy, profitable core product every year with over 30 events easily achievable. Toronto is a city with demographics developing in so many ways that work for soccer, and not just for TFC's benefit, but for all levels of the game.
Pavlov's poodles can come on here and yap all they want about an Argos viewership. Let me break it to you, buckos - Victory was never spelled Vicarious.
What we're seeing is total humiliation. A reeking embarrassment to the owners and the city, moreso for TSN, the CFL's megaphone that airs this dog-and-pony show. It doesn't belong at BMO Field. Is that something a sponsoring bank signed up for? It's time to restore the stadium to suit soccer. Stop wasting time and resources on accommodating the CFL and get on with giving soccer the home it deserves.
This is a beautiful panegyric to footy but a nasty requiem to Toronto gridiron.
But all but a few are onside with you and your positive vision for OUR game. The endless humiliating of the struggling Argos in here is superfluous though and sings to a chorus minus a couple that can't be convinced its worth it to change (back to what was).
Flaming won't change anyone's opinion.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
I think I can summarize that essay.
1. Bitter at our ownership for opening the door and building a business model that involves them.
2. Jealous of media attention they get
3. Likes to look at things from the car
4. People of Toronto are into soccer. (Some are into MLS too after Beckham signed and for games not involving CONCACAF ... I added the part in parenthesis)
5. Doesn't like the horseshoe design. (I don't either)
6. For some reason, multiuse stadiums "don't work anymore"... Which is weird considering NFL stadiums are used for all kinds of things outside of the 8 days they are used for football.... probably means "I don't like them" or worse "I want my tax dollars going to a different stadium for every team"
7. Tv ratings don't matter... unless what I like is winning. Sort of like Trump and the polls
8. They are struggling for attendance so hurry up and find some miracle out clause before they get the attendance numbers they had just 3-4 seasons ago.
As best I can tell, there was no corner lot cricket discussion this week.
10:1 odds that the reply will be a personal attack or none at all...?
Interestingly enough the Argos trolls who were on here earlier have now fled. This leaves Pookie (a CFL fan? I'm not sure) vs. a number of people interested in arguing about the Argos. I think if Pookie and those others were not posting this thread would have died.
Most TFC fans who were on here earlier due to fears over the grounds have now checked out because there are no significant lines, neither has the pitch been destroyed. They'll come back if there are problems, otherwise they are gonzo.
So may I make the humble suggestion that we just let this thread die? Argos can be suggested in the All Sports section of the board, the rest is not relevant to TFC as there is no news that the Argos are about to fold or move elsewhere.
MLS is a tough, physical league, that emphasizes speed, and features plastic fields, grueling travel, extreme weather, and incompetent refs. - NK Toronto
Of all the other threads we close on here and this one is somehow open. These are exactly the kind of threads that give forums a bad name.
This thread is to the board what two and a half men is to TV. I feel guilty every time i click on this.
Kill it before it lays eggs.
It's ok boys. I can just leave it.
Originally came back to it just to say that I am impressed the ground share was working, I was wrong about MLSE not being able to make it work and to share my experience as a 1st time visitor to an Argo game there, the only CFL game I've ever been to
Last edited by Pookie; 10-12-2016 at 04:17 PM.
I am quite happy with the ground share. No real field issues yet. Have been down to one Argos game this year plus a few at Hamilton. Also have my Grey Cup tickets. Looking forward to it, pretty sure it will be packed by kickoff, especially if the Ticats or dare I say the Argos. Also looking forward to the first ever TFC playoff at BMO Field, now that is going to be very special.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Please let this thread die, better yet lock it. We can open up a new one if the turf gets damaged after a rain-game or something. This is coming from an anti concuscion-ball at BMO field guy, I enjoyed bashing on their trolls and sock-puppets at the height of the drama, but now it's just needless negativity. We have a lot to look forward to with our growing and exciting franchise while their team is a steaming dump of crap and their arrogant boosters who claimed they'll dominate this stadium and turn it blue are broken, humiliated and are proven to be quite foolish given the utter failure of their franchise. No use wasting time on them as they're self-destructing on their own and will be relegated to some highschool "stadium" in the years ahead...
Last edited by mistercorporate; 10-12-2016 at 05:52 PM.
Well said "greatwhitenorf" , could not have said it better myself, the part that makes my day is that even with all the attention one of Canada's biggest sports network has given them, the Toronto Sun having almost two pages of daily coverage and a few more other media giving them daily coverage they still are struggling at the gate and at a new facility, while TFC who does not get even half the coverage the Argos are getting doing so much better attendance wise, how the hell is that possible all you soccer haters!
Yeah, kill it off. If/when the grass has issues, start a new thread about that.
Thank you. The push back has to start somewhere.
There's been bullshit and bafflegab out the ying yang in the misappropriation of this facility. The stadium was built for soccer.
I can fully appreciate and endorse how it might work in the dead of winter to house an outdoor NHL game. That's gonna be a runaway success and an almost annual event. I'd even support some sort of winter snowboarding event. But from spring to late fall, the stadium should be about one thing and one thing only - soccer. This Argos thing isn't even funny anymore. Who actually wants to watch a corpse rot?
There's no suggestion here that BMO Field should just be about Toronto FC. We should have a chance to see more of our national teams in action. We should see more club friendlies or summer tournament play like we're seeing now across North America with top club sides from around the world. I can't believe those sorts of events won't generate more revenue than what the Argos generate. They won't have 3,000 season ticket holders next season because there's no motivation to ever buy Argos seasons tickets again. They'll be lucky to sell a single suite unless some alumni splash out for one.
I'm a proud Toronto boy who once adored the Argos. This isn't about hating them. Far from it. I just want the best for our city. They aren't capable of providing anything close to that. Soccer can.
If that's not something you want to read about or contribute to, then gentle reader, avert your eyes. Don't click on this thread.
Last edited by greatwhitenorf; 10-12-2016 at 09:58 PM.
I guess I'm one of the few that wants this thread left open in hopes people would give good/bad updates on the pitch itself. As a season hold out STH who has not set foot in BMO since the Argo's decision I will be making my return decision all based on what has been said about the reliability of the pitch after a full regular season of TFC field share. It looks like ML$E was right about it holding up. I know this has been the driest season in history and scheduling was greatly in our favour for pitch healing between matches and games. I look forward to my first game... again.
TV ratings are nice and all, but TSN only releases national numbers and not GTA numbers. It's great that lots of people are watching outside of Toronto, but there's a reason why the Argos don't get much corporate support or advertising dollars from the GTA. Many of these companies don't believe the Argos reach a desirable demographic (young males 18-49). The Argos demo is an older group, living outside the city. Until this changes, they won't get anyone to their games, nobody will buy/wear their merchandise and nobody will put advertising/sponsorship money into the team. Clinging to "ratings" is killing the franchise because key people believe the Argos are still a thing and will be an easy fix, when the reality is, they are completewly irrelevant in Toronto, the city that actually matters.
Took you long enough. Added perspective. Wish we had it pages ago. If it's not about hating on them try to keep it about the pitch and keep the humiliating of your boyhood team out of it. We are all well aware of what has happened and what it means. Everyone here talks footy first.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
Argos game starts exactly the same time as the Jays game tomorrow. You might actually have -4 people there.
Interesting development. Ticketmaster now showing the Grey Cup approaching a sellout. Earlier this week the stadium was roughly half sold.
Someone playing with the "ticket availability", or has there actually been an aggressive run on tickets?
Ticketmaster is not an accurate way to predict sellouts, as tickets are often artificially held back to project scarcity. This happens with all teams that use it. The only time it's accurate is when it shows massive amounts of available tickets (when teams get desperate for sales).
That being said, Grey Cup ticket sales are apparently atrocious, half the stadium empty, they're blocking off sections to give away to sponsors and to create false scarcity. If they drop prices closer to game day or they give away tickets, a lot of people who paid $600+ are going to get pissed off...
Last edited by mistercorporate; 10-15-2016 at 11:16 AM.
Ryerson students Argos Game:
I have some update regarding the email i posted here last week or so. Not too many people showed interest and apparently 6 people (out of over 1000) from first year are going because their midterms are on Fridays and normally first year students want to party more than anyone else. Keep in mind that this is only mouth to mouth and no confirmation as how many are actually going, could be a lot more and this is only for one department.
I would think the league sponsors took a number of seats for their use, promotions, give always, buys etc. I mean you are approaching a month out at this point, thus I just do not see the advantage/point of strategic blocks at this point. In someways it would be risky unless you have a concrete plan for them.
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
Last edited by greatwhitenorf; 10-16-2016 at 01:55 AM.
Oh, do go on.
We simply love to hear about the CFL and concrete plans.
When it comes to concrete:
They've built or refurbished four stadiums lately for the CFL - Ottawa, Hamilton, Winnipeg and Vancouver - and each and every one is in the midst of legal wrangles over unpaid bills to designers, contractors, sub-contractors and materials suppliers.
Gosh. What could go wrong with a national championship involving the league's longest-running financial fiasco franchise and the national championship it's hosting this year?