Upgrading BMO

[narduch]

Nice to see the resident troll chime in. Indifference about fake grass by TFC fans? LOL. Just shows that Trollium has no ****ing clue what he is talking about, as usual.

[Joe MacCarthy]

There is also talk the the upcomming TV deal that the CFL will get will be so lucrative that it will make owning a team in the league a lot more viable.

They already have it.

TSN and CFL agree on deal worth around $40 million a year, source says

The Canadian Press March 21, 2013

TORONTO – The CFL and TSN have reached a deal on a new broadcast agreement.

The all-sports cable network announced Thursday the partnership is through 2018. Financial details were not provided but a league source requesting anonymity said the deal was worth in the neighbourhood of $40 million per season.

That’s significantly more than double the previous five-year agreement between the broadcaster — which includes RDS, its French-language affiliate — and the league that was reportedly worth $15 million annually.

[ag futbol]

Sounds to me like "downgrading" BMO while making the facility multipurpose so it can generate more revenue. Hope it never happens and everyone tells Leiweke to stick it up his ass at TFC event this weekend.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Nice to see the resident troll chime in. Indifference about fake grass by TFC fans? LOL. Just shows that Trollium has no ****ing clue what he is talking about, as usual.

Actually Lewieke mentioned situations where teams shared the stadium with a natural turf surface, it is possible. I know some English rugby and soccer teams share a turf surface. Lewieke mentioned BBVA Compass Stadium which apparently plays host to local high school football games and Texas Southern University football games.

As for permanent football lines on an artificial surface, I have no idea what Trillium is talking about. Ever watched a Whitecaps game from BC Place?

[narduch]

Actually Lewieke mentioned situations where teams shared the stadium with a natural turf surface, it is possible. I know some English rugby and soccer teams share a turf surface. Lewieke mentioned BBVA Compass Stadium which apparently plays host to local high school football games and Texas Southern University football games.

As for permanent football lines on an artificial surface, I have no idea what Trillium is talking about. Ever watched a Whitecaps game from BC Place?

I was keying in on Trollium's point about indifference by TFC fans. Which couldn't be further from the point. I don't know a single TFC fan that is happy with the prospects of the Argos at BMO Field.

[Joe MacCarthy]

I was keying in on Trollium's point about indifference by TFC fans. Which couldn't be further from the point. I don't know a single TFC fan that is happy with the prospects of the Argos at BMO Field.

Yes, I know but they may have to get used to the idea as the winds seem to be blowing that way. And again, reading between the lines (on my part) it didn't sound like Leiweke was too against the idea. Or maybe he was told to toe the line by the upper mucky mucks.

[Ivan]

Yes, I know but they may have to get used to the idea as the winds seem to be blowing that way. And again, reading between the lines (on my part) it didn't sound like Leiweke was too against the idea. Or maybe he was told to toe the line by the upper mucky mucks.

I definitely got that impression as well. Count me as another 7-year SSH that would not be back in a shared stadium. A lot of money would need to be spent to get a shared stadium to my specifications in order for me to stay.

[Macksam]

Interesting comment from the Ticats forum

Lots of politics involved. BMO belongs to the city of Toronto and MLSE wants upgrades which they can't get unless the city agrees and it is very likely that Ford will demand the Argos be factored in, if the city is going to spend millions upgrading a facility that has been hijacked as it is.

This has nothing to do with the well being of the Argonauts but everything to do with fear that a new football stadium is built and MLSE locked out of football (NFL or CFL) in Toronto for decades or using the Argos to leverage money and permits for BMO.

MLSE is not afraid of being locked out of CFL football.

[Joe MacCarthy]

A lot of money would need to be spent to get a shared stadium to my specifications in order for me to stay.

That could very well happen, to solve a problem (MLSE get a new stadium, Argos get a more appropriate home) and keep everyone happy.

[Joe MacCarthy]

MLSE is not afraid of being locked out of CFL football.

They are if the word going down now is true. They want the Argos as a stepping stone to prove to the NFL they can run a football operation. The NFL isn't about to hand them a franchise on spec just because it's MLSE and Toronto is a big market (think of LA). We've been debating it in another forum, there are a million reasons why the NFL won't come to Toronto.

[narduch]

I don't understand what owning a CFL team has to do with owning an NFL team. That makes no sense and I've seen that in the media a few times.

Besides, as it stands now, the NFL does not allow corporate ownership. Until the NFL changes that rule you can completely count MLSE out as an NFL owner.

I seriously think MLSE is looking at buying the Argos though. Like I alluded to earlier, the new TV deal makes it more attractive and it gives BMO Field more dates to fill. The want to renovate BMO Field anyways (a major renovation).

[ag futbol]

^ I don't think they consider it a prerequisite at all. NFL will require lots of capital, first class everything (including a stadium that will probably cost a billion dollars or more) , and private (not corporate) ownership.

Don't think they will be get too caught up on whether they own a CFL team, which is 1/10th of the size.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Besides, as it stands now, the NFL does not allow corporate ownership. Until the NFL changes that rule you can completely count MLSE out as an NFL owner.

Apparently there are ongoing discussions (NFL) about this changing as it doesn't make as much sense today as it did years ago. Any individual rich enough to be an owner might as well be a corporation.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Whatever the motives, and there is likely a myriad of those as far as MLSE is concerned, it probably won't be good for either the Argos or TFC if MLSE gets involved. TFC may end up with less of a fan experience and MLSE's long term goal is to likely kill the Argos.

[Califax]

Wow. If I were a TFC fan I would call that scary listening not interesting listening. Just another suit running TFC in the same manner it has been run since the beginning. I also don't understand how one can fire Payne without firing Nelson who's hiring was Payne's largest mistake during his tenure. Nelson may or may not have the potential that Payne and now Leiweke are stating but there is no doubt he is woefully underqualified at present and was learning on the job this year and will be learning next year as well (if we take Leiweke on his word that Nelson will be there next year). And how dysfunctional is it to then bring in another manager a few months later with a coach who he did not choose? If you are going to take the hard decisions as Leiweke claims and clean house then you need to actually get rid of everyone not leave one guy from the old regime who will definitely not be the first choice of the new regime.

And if they actually go through with converting BMO to host the Argos they would be destroying the very last tiny, tiny sliver of illusion that TFC/MLSE has anything but utter contempt for it fans. TFC fans are a docile bunch but if they go through with this there should be a mass protest along the lines of several thousand fans canceling season tickets and instead buying season tickets for a local amateur or semi-pro side and going to those games instead. And if someone had the means and ambition to refurbish a local stadium like Lamport and put an NASL team there it could really be a gold mine. No city in North America is crying out for a second soccer team more than Toronto.

Man you are a terrible troll. I'm glad narduch saved me the keyboard space by astutely putting down what is actually going on. But I've gotta hand it to you, you look great plugging your eyes and ears and swinging blindly at the piniata.

If you even listen to the audio, he is fairly clear that keeping an intimate atmosphere is job one. He also stated this when he met with supporters. If you can honestly tell me that there is no way to convert BMO to house them both and keep it intimate for soccer, then you're in the wrong line of work. Cause it sounds to me there are a few structural engineers working on this right now and they would love your input. Maybe we can have the Montreal supporters to come back and drunkenly rip the chairs out of the south end as to expedite the retrofit of the stadium.

While we're on the subject of jobs that you could do better, you could probably stand to tone down the college freshman C+ essay hyperbolic drivel on Leiweke. You're calling him out for only claiming to make hard decisions but it's not complete unless he fires everyone? But I forgot, he's only delivered in this league. Maybe it pisses you off that we have the money to turn this around under his guidance or the fact that when TFC stops being ****, it will eat into the attention you get. For a guy whose biased obsession with TFC has long since crossed the border of sad and continued down the road towards uncomfortable, we've all had our fill of your incredible business acumen. Personally I think a second hockey team might make money before a second soccer team does. Just throwing that out there.

You're just essentially a supporter with a flare and a pipe dream and you do both of those things well... and you criticize well. Actually, often, not well, but often. You just don't think in an unbiased manner. Ever. Talk to Doug before he jumps ship to the Ottawa team. You can learn something about how to be informed, funny and troll simultaneously, rather than talking out of your ass.

Your whole rant is based on Nelson not being fired and the stadium being ruined. Both are misguided.

[Joe MacCarthy]

he is fairly clear that keeping an intimate atmosphere is job one. He also stated this when he met with supporters

That's how I heard it.

[Joe MacCarthy]

Argos could play at BMO Field: Leiweke

Bill Lankhof, Toronto Sun September 05, 2013

TORONTO - Football may be coming to BMO Field.

In a conference call that will be disquieting for soccer fans, but welcomed by Argonauts fans, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment president Tim Leiweke indicated Thursday the stadium could be in for changes.

Leiweke said while the interests of soccer fans wouldn’t be ignored, he didn’t guarantee keeping a grass field, and he didn’t rule out reconfiguring the stadium to accommodate football.

The Toronto Sun’s Frank Zicarelli wrote Wednesday that MLSE could be entering discussions with the Argonauts about purchasing the club. Leiweke indicated there have been discussions about BMO Field, and that they are on-going. The Argos are negotiating with the Rogers Centre for a new lease (renewed for 5 years - JM) but want to move to a smaller venue such as the MLSE-owned BMO Field.

Leiweke is meeting with TFC season-ticket holders Sunday. “We’re going to stand front and centre and look them in the eye and communicate here — good, bad and indifferent. What we’ll tell them on football is that we did football at (the Stub Hub Center) in L.A. with different games including the high school championships and a whole series of games there,” Leiweke said, when Toronto Sun soccer writer Kurt Larson asked about the possibility of the Argos moving into BMO.

“We’ve done rugby (at BMO). They do football down in Houston at (BBVA Compass Stadium). To me, it’s not a debate about do you do football or not. It’s a debate about if it’s the CFL can you design the stadium so that it grows for the CFL and shrinks back down to its current intimacy for soccer. That’s money, and it requires cash and we’re trying to figure out what that means.”

Leiweke’s comments would indicate an interest in the Argonauts.

But he is also being careful not to alienate TFC’s rabid fans.

It is a fan base that has been very possessive about the club’s stadium, and what effect a sharing arrangement would mean.

“We clearly understand and would never think of taking the stadium and ruining the intimacy of an MLS game by building it into a static setup for only CFL and then having huge amounts of gap between the fans and the pitch,” Leiweke said. “The only way to think about this is the stadium (end zone) is going to have to be able to move in and out. The pitch is going to have to be scheduled in a way where you can’t do football and MLS on the same weekend. There are ways to make it work. No decision has been made.”

The pitch is a sensitive issue with soccer fans who fear a football team might mean a switch to turf. Or, a grass field that is chewed up by football use.

“We’re going to continue to look at it,” said Leiweke. “But the commitment we’re going to make is we will not ruin the intimacy of the viewing and current setup of MLS and we will do it in a way where we’re not going to turn the field into dirt.”

[Joe MacCarthy]

MLSE LOOKS AT BMO FIELD IMPROVEMENTS, CFL REFITTING

THE CANADIAN PRESS 9/5/2013

TORONTO -- The owners of Toronto FC say they are looking at whether BMO Field can be refitted to accommodate the CFL game.

Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, said the project was currently at "the information-only stage" and was part of a larger plan to see how the lakefront stadium can be improved.

Leiweke said high school football championships have been played at the StubHub centre, home to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Football is also played at the home of the Houston Dynamo.

And BMO Field has played host to the Canadian rugby team "which is just as tough on a pitch as football if not more so," Leiweke said on a conference call Thursday. "And we find a way to make it work."

"To me it's not a debate of whether you do football or not," he added. "It's a debate about if it's the CFL, can you design the stadium so that it grows for the CFL and shrinks back down to its current intimacy for soccer?"

The Toronto Argonauts currently play at Rogers Centre, with many fans wishing for a more intimate setting. There has been speculation in the local media recently that MLSE is interested in purchasing the CFL team from current owner David Braley.

The Argos and Rogers Centre agreed on a new lease agreement prior to the 2013 season.

Leiweke says no decision has been made on changing the BMO Field set-up but there is talk underway to see what could be accomplished.

"We're going to continue to look at it but the commitment we're going to make is we will not ruin the intimacy of the viewing and the current set-up for MLS. And we will do it in a way where we're not going to turn the field into dirt," he said.

"And whether or not we can do that, it means we've got to spend more money. To the credit of ownership, what they've told us is 'Go look at it.' They haven't approved it, because we don't know what it is yet. And so we're still working on it."

Leiweke said MLSE won't even look at it unless it includes upgrades to the current MLS viewing experience. "And that means, yeah, we're looking at a roof."

MLSE is sending people to see other MLS stadiums, to see new designs and technology.

"This league is changing quickly," Leiweke said. "BMO worked when we first began eight, nine years ago when we started building it. But today we're going to have to change. And that means everything is in and under consideration. Nothing has been decided."

Originally the brainchild of the Canadian Soccer Association, the $62.5-million stadium was built as a way to bring the FIFA under-20 World Cup and an MLS team to Toronto.

[narduch]

I'm skeptical that they will be able to make the necessary changes to the stadium and make it work for soccer and football. The game day experience will suffer.

They think they can wow us with a Forlan and we won't care about the changes.

[Trillium]

I was keying in on Trollium's point about indifference by TFC fans. Which couldn't be further from the point. I don't know a single TFC fan that is happy with the prospects of the Argos at BMO Field.

http://forums.redpatchboys.ca/showthread.php?19108-Argos-unlikely-to-play-at-BMO-Field-in-2014/page12

An awful lot of resignation and acceptance and discussions about how the rugby lines were hardly visibile, you really ought to get your head out of your Kook Aid barrel and realize your hard core support for TFC is sorely tested and almost beaten down, your core fan base in the supporters groups have failed over seven years to have any significant positive impact on your team... out of the playoffs.... firing staff left, right and centre, its a circus and you can only respond to post claiming its just trolling ... seriously man give your self a reality check your club is a ****e has been from day one continues to be and your kook aid support only makes it more hilarious to Whitecaps fans amongst others.

Narduch... you should get to where your fellow TFC fans are getting... not going to games if they bring in plastic turf, not buying tickets, not caring.

[Grizzly]

Man you are a terrible troll. I'm glad narduch saved me the keyboard space by astutely putting down what is actually going on. But I've gotta hand it to you, you look great plugging your eyes and ears and swinging blindly at the piniata.

If you even listen to the audio, he is fairly clear that keeping an intimate atmosphere is job one. He also stated this when he met with supporters. If you can honestly tell me that there is no way to convert BMO to house them both and keep it intimate for soccer, then you're in the wrong line of work. Cause it sounds to me there are a few structural engineers working on this right now and they would love your input. Maybe we can have the Montreal supporters to come back and drunkenly rip the chairs out of the south end as to expedite the retrofit of the stadium.

While we're on the subject of jobs that you could do better, you could probably stand to tone down the college freshman C+ essay hyperbolic drivel on Leiweke. You're calling him out for only claiming to make hard decisions but it's not complete unless he fires everyone? But I forgot, he's only delivered in this league. Maybe it pisses you off that we have the money to turn this around under his guidance or the fact that when TFC stops being ****, it will eat into the attention you get. For a guy whose biased obsession with TFC has long since crossed the border of sad and continued down the road towards uncomfortable, we've all had our fill of your incredible business acumen. Personally I think a second hockey team might make money before a second soccer team does. Just throwing that out there.

You're just essentially a supporter with a flare and a pipe dream and you do both of those things well... and you criticize well. Actually, often, not well, but often. You just don't think in an unbiased manner. Ever. Talk to Doug before he jumps ship to the Ottawa team. You can learn something about how to be informed, funny and troll simultaneously, rather than talking out of your ass.

Your whole rant is based on Nelson not being fired and the stadium being ruined. Both are misguided.

LOL. I think it is pretty apparent from the content of our two posts who is trolling who. If you think a multi-sport facility is going to be as good as a soccer specific stadium I hope you enjoy it when it becomes reality. Multi-sports facilities always have many compromises even when they are well done but the corporate bosses of TFC say it will be great so it must be true since they are such a source of credibility. At the very least TFC is going to be playing on torn up grass or artificial turf but I am sure you will be very happy about that as well. As for Nelson, either Leiweke is blatantly lying or you will have a second year of a coach who is learning on the job and has not exactly impressed this year. You seem pretty ok with either possibility. Actually you seem pretty ok with whatever TFC/MLSE feed you. It is nice to see that after 7 years of incompetent mismanagement someone still believes and defends MLSE. That must warm the hearts of greedy corporate executives everywhere. Or as your preferred troll would put it, you are not only drinking the Kook-Aid but doing your best to pass it around.

As to me being pissed off, why would I be pissed off? My team is currently in 1st place in the east after being in the league for 2 years while your team was out of the playoff race a couple of months ago, an annual tradition during your 7 years of existence. Plus we have a nice soccer specific stadium with no plans to share it with any other sport. Life is good as an Impact fan!