Not sure if I agree that beggars can be choosers, It's farcical that the Argos to bmo is even being considered, since they have back out of at least two stadiums deals if not a third.
As I've stated before, worst case scenario is the pitch becomes terrible and in a crucial play-off or champions League match a back pass to the keeper bobbles and bounces on a shitty Argo chewed up pitch skips the keepers foot and rolls in the net, eliminating TFC from a competition. What if something like that cost us a supporters shield, or an MLS cup.
I for one would absolutely lose my shit if this was to occur. Seems like an unlikely scenario but that the way I tend to think about the Argos being at bmo, for me as a supporter it has to be all about worse case scenerios because I love our club and can't stand the thought of being done in by a second rate CFL team.
I think you meant to say, the problems would be larger due to the argos at bmo.
Regarding the scheduling, and TFC having priority as per lease agreement: that's priority at the time of scheduling. They don't know the possible CONCACAF scheduling (or how far TFC might make it in that tournament); nor the MLS or CFL playoff schedules when the MLS & CFL schedules are set before the season starts. There are also many other restrictions, due to TV schedules, various other schedules for the different soccer teams involved, etc. They could easily end up with a footy game in BMO field 2 or 3 days after a CFL game. Or worse, maybe on the same weekend.
Will TFC then be allowed to bump the Argos out of a previously-approved slot in the schedule? I don't think so.
Even if I HAD faith that TFC couldn't get bumped my priority would be the National sides as well. I doubt that's been talked about much in what order of priority it is but let me tell you how nauseous I'd become learning my future road trip to Montreal is because Saputo respects our game more than my hometown.
FORMER FULL TIME KOOL-AID DRINKER
I've read Argo fans who think BMO will be painted blue for them, based on TV numbers.
As for the attendance #'s, the Argos have been papering for years - BMO won't change that. But, TSN and CFL apologists in the media will go on and on about how great the atmosphere is no matter how many actually show up.
^ That's why New England, Seattle, and Portland never sign DPs; or host national games or friendlies.
And thinking of the viewership, I highly doubt that TSN/Bell would allow an Argos game to be bumped for a CONCACAF game.
Plus FYR mentioned the national team games. Those are sometimes booked on fairly short notice, especially friendlies. Of course they will go to Montreal if the Argos are already booked at BMO on that day or a few days before.
"The CSA" and "easily" in the same sentence, hmmm....
Yup. MLSE will never be right owners when comes to soccer.
They obviously have no clue what they're doing and we're seeing results of that on-field since day one. If wasn't for strong local support for soccer in this market, then TFC would have folded already like Chivas USA.
I personally believe that winning TFC team will explore in this market and truly make BMO field the place to be in summer time (sorry Blue Jay fans, but baseball is boring sport with no atmosphere whatsoever).
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
To be fair, Seattle didn't get a game for years, even with FIFA designating their surface as FIFA grade. And when did they last play in Portland or NER?
And, can anybody have seen Kaka or Defoe or Gerrard or Lampard going to a turf team?
A local CFL operation doesn't even compare to the money TFC gets from one international friendly. The CFL's growth potential is nowhere near as good as soccer. (Yes, Mulder, we've had this argument before but CIS attendance does not count as CFL interest). MLS has the potential to be a BIG revenue generator. Nobody, but Nobody is talking about huge future growth in revenues for the CFL. They are for MLS.
If MLSE want to spend $3- 5 million on a pitch that undercuts the future for the sake of an operational money loser, then they are far more stupid then they have been up until now.
right of the City/Board to use the stadium for a significant part of any available dates annually on a cost recovery basis only for the City, CNE, World's Fair and Olympics (subject to use for regularly scheduled major league soccer games and FIFA games) and for other public events; http://ottawa.ca/cal...Main Report.pdf
not to mention the lease agreement w the argos can be drawn up so they are behind the csa in priority
Last edited by king10; 02-23-2015 at 02:09 PM.
I fall back on the 'return on investment' point of view. Why would MLSE invest millions in grass and the heating infrastructure only to yank it up so they can get 10 more dates at home, threaten the franchise established there and cut off / limit other events there that they *still* get a cut on.
You are right, never say never, but the money end (the only end they seem to understand) doesn't point to plastic being the answer.
Road Trips: July 7 2007 Chicago, July 22nd 2007 Columbus, August 11 2007 NY, October 13 2007 LA, March 29 2008 Columbus, May 24th 2008 DC, May 26 2008 Montreal, June 28th 2008 NE, March 7-11-14 2009 Charleston, March 28 2009 Columbus, April 10 2010 New England, May 12 2010 Montreal, April 7 2012 Montreal, March 16 2013 Montreal , June 3 2014 Montreal, March 14 2015 Columbus
Twitter: @RPBPhil
There could be a few 3 day turnarounds, probably for cup games. But I think you're overestimating how crowded the schedule will be.
Argos play 9-10 games mid-June to mid-November. That's 20 weeks. This year TFC has 14 games in that span, a little higher than normal due to the reno. Add in 2-3 playoff games (I know...), 2 VCup, and 2 CCL.
MLS schedule comes out first so we get priority for all dates. CFL commissioner has said he's willing to work with TFC on scheduling.
They could do TFC Friday/Sat, Argo Sun/Mon to allow for five day turnarounds. Schedule VCup, CCL, and friendlies on weeks Argos are away (which will be 10 weeks of the time frame I stated).
Really shouldn't be too hard to maintain a minimum 5 day turnaround after Argos games. I imagine we'll get more home games before mid-June too.
“Years have gone by and I’ve finally learned to accept myself for who I am: a beggar for good football.
I go about the world, hand outstretched, and in the stadiums I plead: ‘A pretty move, for the love of God.’
And when good football happens, I give thanks for the miracle and I don’t give a damn which team or country performs it.”
-Eduardo Galeano
And in a small stadium the atmosphere might actually be good - there's no reason an Als-Argos game wouldn't have good atmosphere, or Ti-Cats-Argos in a good stadium. Of course, that stadium should be a CFL stadium and also home to university and even high school football in the GTA.
But we have no sports entrepeneurs with any vision in this city, it's all corporate money acting the way corporate money always acts.