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Could Halifax finally get a stadium and team ?


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is there someone willing to own a team there? That's as important, probably more so than a stadium.

Exactly. No one has ever even expressed mild interest in owning a CFL team. The Maritimes are a wasteland of failed AHL teams... No other pro sports have ever been there.

That's not entirely true. The Ice Caps are extremely successful in St Johns. But will probably move simply due to logistics of travel. But it's a very successful profitable team.

Not to split hairs but NL is not considered a Maritime province ... #TheMoreYouKnow

 

In the strictest sense of the word "maritime", Manitoba is considered a maritime province.

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Real skeptical about Halifax. The people there seem so bleh about the CFL from what I've read. The whole Maritimes thing scares me that the team no matter where they put it would just fail. Please no Moncton, though. 

There is definitely a contingent that wants CFL in the city, but I think there's a much bigger contingent that hasn't had it for so long that they've convinced themselves that the CFL is a bush league, and the NFL is so great blah blah.

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The only spot for a 10th team that could be successful long term is Quebec City.  But they are building an arena and chasing the NHL, so it'll be awhile.  IMO the NHL going to Quebec City would be great for the CFL because they could use the model in Calgary, Ottawa, maybe Toronto now too, where the owner of the NHL team (OHL in Ottawa) owns and operates the football team, all these groups are looking for ways to diversify and pull more revenue.  They would need a stadium with lots of public funding though.

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Be great if True North could own the Bombers but with the stadium debt, it probably won't happen.

 

Why would this be great?  Sure it's great that True North brought the Jets back, but why do fans yell out 'True North" during a football game and why do we need True North to own and operate the football team?  I don't get all this at all.   IMO it's disrespectful.

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I believe a CFl team could be successful in Halifax.  But the vast majority if not the entire stadium will have to be funded by taxpayers.

 

Let's say it's a $125-$140 million stadium seating 24 - 25,000 with 1000 or so club seats and 25-30 suites.

 

- 30 - 40 million from the city

- 50 - 60 million from the province (possibly more if no federal funding)

- 30 - 40 million from the feds.  Halifax would have to show the stadium would be used for  amatuer events on a regular basis (university) to get funding.  Of course, the policies of the federal government with regards to funding pro facilities could change with a different party in power in 1.5 years.

- 10 - 20 million from private owners and/or yearly lease of 1 - 2 million.  Guaranteed revenues from other events at the stadium.

 

Might not be able to even get that from a private owner unless they are allowed to construct a stadium alongside a larger development similar to Lansdowne in Ottawa. 

 

One of conditions of building a stadium in a new market like Halifax should be a minimum number of deposits on season tickets and multi-year commitments on all the suites and maybe even the club seats.

 

I think it could be done.  There isn't much competition for the entertainment dollar in Halifax.

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Be great if True North could own the Bombers but with the stadium debt, it probably won't happen.

 

Why would this be great?  Sure it's great that True North brought the Jets back, but why do fans yell out 'True North" during a football game and why do we need True North to own and operate the football team?  I don't get all this at all.   IMO it's disrespectful.

 

 

Most likely reason is that True North has proven, ever since they brought in the Moose, built the MTS Centre, then built a business model with concert revenue and other external income to bring the NHL back to Winnipeg.  

 

They know how to run and own sports / entertainment entities, and have put people in place to slowly turn the Jets around.   That and they are backed by some of the richest owners in the NHL / Canada.

 

People compare that to a meddling BOD who run the Bombers, make decisions on the franchise without their own money on the line, which has given us 20 some years without a championship team in a 8.5 team league.  (Yes I know Asper has invested a lot of his money into the franchise, but at the end of the day, his money isn't on the line like it is with Chipman). 

 

Especially when you hear stories coming out of Regina about them razzing Khari Jones at the end of the last season when it was thought he was coming here about the Bombers being cheap and cutting his per diem in half during the playoffs, joking telling him to get used to it.  That is the perception of the Bombers, and probably warranted.

 

One organization is a model way to run a sports franchise and the other .... is not.  If the Bombers want the same respect given to True North, then start running their business in a way that people give them that respect.

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It was 9 teams for decades & we got by just fine... I'd like to see it go back to a 16 game schedule... Too much pounding on players.

 

I guess it depends what time frame we really focus on, personally I grew up with an 8 team league (with the Renegade blip) and now feel like an odd number is lopsided.

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Quebec's focus is solely on the NHL at this point and Laval wanting nothing to do with sharing their venue (there were plans for expansion to the stadium at one point), means that Quebec really isn't even a discussion at this point. Halifax is on the forefront mainly due to their Mayor wanting to get a stadium deal done soon and Ottawa's model has shown a better way to make it work than just relying on public money to fund the whole thing. Let's be honest whichever City ends up with a CFL ready stadium is the one that will end up with the team. Halifax seems to be the most serious about getting it done, hence the league's attention to that market. Personally I think Halifax has a lot of potential and it would be my first choice for potential expansion.

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The thing is, atlantic canada continues to be a huge hotbed of grass roots football.. Its only getting more and more popular..

Getting a team there is simply a genius idea if they can impliment it..

 

"Grassroots" football is non-existent in most of Atlantic Canada and the AUS football conference is dying a slow death as the game grows in Quebec and the West.

 

It's not a hotbed.

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