Joe MacCarthy Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 The fact that MLSE is willing to ruin the authenticity of soccer at BMO Field tells you all you need to know about how important TFC is to them. On the NFL, I think that is still a long shot. I can't see anyone or group fronting the $2 billion to make it happen. Back on topic, I wonder what MLSE will do if they don't get the Fed and Provincial funding. Its not looking good on those two fronts. That also puts the City money in jeopardy too. Do they still go ahead with the plan? Do they cut costs with a project that already looked bare bones? Agreed on the first two points. As for the 3rd, this whole mess has been convoluted from day one with the unholy alliance Rogers/Bell=MLSE involved. It's almost impossible to forecast anything because one argument can have an equal and opposite argument from the politics and business involved with the unholy alliance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Agreed on the first two points. As for the 3rd, this whole mess has been convoluted from day one with the unholy alliance Rogers/Bell=MLSE involved. It's almost impossible to forecast anything because one argument can have an equal and opposite argument from the politics and business involved with the unholy alliance. I agree. A few weeks ago I was convinced the government money was going to happen. Now I believe the opposite and that could bring then entire project into question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 If they were serious about TFC they wouldn't be risking the playing surface. They would also be planning to build a Red Bull Arena type stadium. This proposal doesn't even come close. I don't agree with this just because of the turf situation. If those 1980s American wannabe rejects at MLSE are ever able to have a controlling interest in the NFL that would kill the Argos and irreparably harm TFC. It would be like slow death by starving. Starving them of coverage because of the all encompassing NFL coverage, the betting and the pools, and if you're not getting mainstream coverage like the Argos, (thank God for TSN) it makes it very difficult to build new fans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I agree. A few weeks ago I was convinced the government money was going to happen. Now I believe the opposite and that could bring then entire project into question. I'm starting to have my doubts as well. Do the Argos lose out again? I honestly believe those MLSE wannabees are going into full Ralph mode now and if they had the resources would pay the 400 million to get out of the lease. My only saving grace is when former MLSE honcho Richard Peddie said there are number crunchers at MLSE who question this whole thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazlo_80 Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 well i don't see how NFL impacts TFC the same as others, but the Bills aren't coming to Toronto anytime soon. On top of a lease at the Ralph until 2020, the NFL still has no team in LA, which is priority #1 right now. TV money for NFL is huge, being in a massive American city can improve their negotiations significantly with US carriers, while being in a Canadian city does nothing to improve the bottom line. If you think soccer is cynically capitalist the NFL has brought it to a whole new level. From making games 10 minutes longer to cram in 10 minutes more of commercials, to signing exclusive rights agreements for "Sunday Ticket" with only one american TV provider, they truly only care about the bottom line...and right now Toronto doesn't improve it the way LA does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 My only saving grace is when former MLSE honcho Richard Peddie said there are number crunchers at MLSE who question this whole thing. Considering Peddie's track record I wouldn't pay attention to anything he says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 To me the schedule looks very workable. Most times a TFC game follows an Argos game by 5 days or more (in one case there is only 3 days in between). But the Voyageur's Cup is going to be revised now. Meaning more games later in the soccer season that will need to be coordinated with Argo's games. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.notenboom Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 But the Voyageur's Cup is going to be revised now. Meaning more games later in the soccer season that will need to be coordinated with Argo's games. Yes. You'll notice I mentioned this in my post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 Council set to OK BMO Field expansion Don Peat City Hall Bureau Chief Toronto Sun March 31, 2014 TORONTO - The Ford brothers seem to be the only ones on council lining up against the BMO Field expansion. City council is being asked this week to approve Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s $120-million expansion of the stadium. The deal calls for a $10-million loan from the City of Toronto. Mayor Rob Ford has raged against the deal, calling it “corporate welfare,” but councillors on all sides of the political spectrum were heading into Tuesday’s council meeting ready to vote for it. A city staff report released Monday revealed MLSE has agreed to commit $200,000 to help alleviate congestion or traffic issues at Exhibition Place as part of the project. MLSE is asking for $10 million each from all three levels of government to add almost 10,000 seats to the stadium along with a partial roof and an extended field that could accommodate the Toronto Argonauts. Councillor Gord Perks said it’s a better deal than what the city has now so he’ll be supporting it. “I think any business person or football fan — or person who just loves Toronto — would support it,” Perks said Monday. “And if you don’t support it, you’re not a good business person, you’re not a football fan, you don’t seem to care about public opinion.” Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong summed up the BMO Field deal as a good arrangement. “A $90-million investment on city-owned property for a very small investment of $10 million,” Minnan-Wong said. “When a company invests in a city asset, I don’t believe that’s corporate welfare.” Councillor Doug Ford said he, like the mayor, remains opposed to the deal. “It just doesn’t make any business sense,” he said. “They are profitable organizations.” He accused MLSE of “bully tactics” when it comes to the push for BMO Field and wouldn’t rule out he and the mayor may be the only ones to vote against the idea. “That’s alright,” he said. “What else is new down here.” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 This is set to be rubber stamped by city council today. No one will notice though as the contentious Island Airport extension will be the big news of the day. That vote is today too. I'm more interested in what happens at the Provincial and Federal levels. Will they provide the $20 million? What if they don't? Does the City pull the plug or does MLSE step up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFC07 Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 This is set to be rubber stamped by city council today. No one will notice though as the contentious Island Airport extension will be the big news of the day. That vote is today too. I'm more interested in what happens at the Provincial and Federal levels. Will they provide the $20 million? What if they don't? Does the City pull the plug or does MLSE step up? I am sure MLSE will step up if both Feds and provincial government decide not to give them money. MLSE needs this upgrade so they can host Maple Leafs for their 100th anniversary at BMO field Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFC07 Posted April 3, 2014 Share Posted April 3, 2014 Toronto city council has voted 39-3 in favour of a deal to expand BMO field. Now MLSE is waiting for provincial and federal government to give them their respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 It is pretty pathetic when the Ford brothers are actually the most sensible ones in the Toronto city council. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greatest Cockney Rip Off Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 It is pretty pathetic when the Ford brothers are actually the most sensible ones in the Toronto city council. How so? The council is loaning MLSE $10 million, so they'll get their money back plus a private company is investing 90 million in a city owned property. I don't see how this is a bad investment for the city. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Saying it is a city owned facility is technically correct but this deal also extends MLSE's management agreement another 10 years to 2037 so in effect MLSE owns the stadium until then. By the time the city actually gains control of the stadium again they may just be stuck with the cost of tearing it down. They are also changing the deal between the city and MLSE so the city now gets a flat fee each year instead of a percentage of revenues and MLSE is certainly planning to hold events that will make this portion of the deal work in their favour. If the investment made so much sense, why did MLSE have to go to the city for funding instead of funding it themselves or going to a bank? This was all about changing the terms of the agreement with the city to favour MLSE. Asking for money from the federal and provincial government will be a similar sort of scam. You read the fineprint and MLSE always comes out on top in these deals just like they did on the original stadium deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Bob Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 How so? The council is loaning MLSE $10 million, so they'll get their money back plus a private company is investing 90 million in a city owned property. I don't see how this is a bad investment for the city. If it's such an exquisite investment, why isn't a bank making it? It's not the government's place to hand out loans to business. That is literally what the financial sector is for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFC07 Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Where's CSA? I love to know what they think about BMO field renovation. Do they even care that national soccer stadium is being converted into multi-sport venue which risk damaging the turf? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted May 22, 2014 Share Posted May 22, 2014 Playing NT games at BMO, almost solely because of its turf surface, has become decidedly underwhelming with the unveiling of the new Regina stadium. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.notenboom Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Although I would love to see it, I'd be willing to bet that they won't anytime soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Playing NT games at BMO, almost solely because of its turf surface, has become decidedly underwhelming with the unveiling of the new Regina stadium. Did I miss where they announced that the new Regina stadium will have natural grass? I tried looking into the playing surface and today's announcement was devoid of this. Seems kind of strange that such a big stadium announcement would completely gloss over a key component. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Although I would love to see it, I'd be willing to bet that they won't anytime soon. That's right, they won't. Well the women will, but the prima donnas won't. Maybe the new generation of CMNT will, we can only hope. Add it to the list the CMNT won't play at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.notenboom Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I'm doubt if the women, U20s, or any other Canadian National team will play in Regina ... Even if the new stadium had a pristine natural grass surface. We are too far from everything I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe MacCarthy Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 I'm doubt if the women, U20s, or any other Canadian National team will play in Regina ... Even if the new stadium had a pristine natural grass surface. We are too far from everything I'm afraid. They (women) just played in Winnipeg, they play in Vancouver, they'll play in what will be the best outdoor facility in Canada as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob.notenboom Posted May 23, 2014 Share Posted May 23, 2014 Although I would love to be proven wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narduch Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Good news for soccer fans, it looks like the BMO Field renos won't make provisions for housing the Argos: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/argos-on-the-outs-in-bmo-field-dispute-between-mlse-and-federal-government/article18862832/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.