http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sports/football/cfl/Outdoor-Heritage-Classic-game-could-be-postponed-289193531.html

 

 

 

The Heritage Classic hoped to be played in Winnipeg next season is in danger of being postponed for one year.

The NHL and Winnipeg Blue Bombers are struggling to find a date that works for both sides. The NHL wants to play the game in late December while the football club is pushing for a February date.

 

The Bombers don’t want the game played that close to the Grey Cup while February won’t work for the NHL due to its all-star game and other soon-to-be announced outdoor games.

 

Both sides are hopeful a compromise can be reached but time is running out for a game in the 2015-16 season.

Bombers CEO Wade Miller is pushing for a greater gap between the two games and wants the NHL to pick up costs, believed to be more than $500,000, associated with keeping the stadium operational through a Winnipeg winter.

 

The league is expected announce its slate of outdoor games for next season this weekend at its all-star weekend in Columbus. Unless there is a dramatic softening of stances, Winnipeg will not be on the schedule.

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So the Bombers take on a tonne of debt as part of the process of building a new stadium, which always was a risky proposition, but did it with the idea that within a few years of opening they would host a Grey Cup, which would bring in millions of revenue and help get that repayment schedule on track and moving in the right direction.

 

And while there would be cost benefits from leaving the temporary seating up from that event to the Heritage Classic, there is a significant chance that is outweighed by the revenue loss from having two high-priced events that will draw from the same customer base so close together.

 

Is Miller unfounded in that fear?  That people will pick just one and the Bombers will lose out?

Why don't we ask the citizens of Winnipeg which one they would rather have?

Obviously he's totally out to lunch.

 

 

 

You found outrage on twitter? This changes everything.

 

How much outrage would there have been if they just got the deal done like they were supposed to?  The Bombers have a very negative public image in this city right now and they certainly don't need to make it any worse.

 

 

I think this is a bit extreme.  The image is all relative to what you're comparing it with and by whom.  Major league vs. minor league here, there are supporters for both. It just so happens the woodwork is now filled with pro-Jets folk who would take a bullet for the team, and kick the slumping Bombers to the curb and call it a day.

 

 

Correct.  So the Bombers need to work harder now to keep fans than they did before.  The Jets aren't leaving again anytime soon.

 

 

 

The Bombers do indeed need to work harder to keep their fans. There's a compromise that can be made that can appease both sides, it just all depends on who is willing to concede what.  All the backlash on Twitter?  I wouldn't even bat an eyelash right now.  

 

I'm trusting the people involved are aware of the stakes.

The Heritage Classic is a token event that the Bombers host to supplement their revenue.  Much like a One Direction concert.

 

The crazed nonsensical shrieking that has lost all perspective coming from a potential reschedule is much like what I imagine One Direction fans would react like if the same thing happened to that concert.

 

Not painting a good image here Jets fans.

These outdoor have played out need to take a break from them

The Bombers do indeed need to work harder to keep their fans. There's a compromise that can be made that can appease both sides, it just all depends on who is willing to concede what.  All the backlash on Twitter?  I wouldn't even bat an eyelash right now.  

 

I'm trusting the people involved are aware of the stakes.

 

 

I'm guessing their fans wouldn't be impressed if Grey Cup revenues fell millions short due to fans with limited resources choosing the hockey game over the football game, and would not be impressed if after 3 years of occupying a new stadium they had still not made a dent on the loan's principal.

 

Moving the game back a few months likely solves the scheduling/revenue conflict; it just creates 2 additional costs: extended rental period for the temporary seats and extended period of time for snow clearing in the stadium.  Miller doesn't want to bear those costs on his own.  Seems fair.  Why should he?

 

So that's the divide right now.  Work to close it.  Or re-schedule to 2016.  Either or.

 

The Bombers do indeed need to work harder to keep their fans. There's a compromise that can be made that can appease both sides, it just all depends on who is willing to concede what.  All the backlash on Twitter?  I wouldn't even bat an eyelash right now.  

 

I'm trusting the people involved are aware of the stakes.

 

 

I'm guessing their fans wouldn't be impressed if Grey Cup revenues fell millions short due to fans with limited resources choosing the hockey game over the football game, and would not be impressed if after 3 years of occupying a new stadium they had still not made a dent on the loan's principal.

 

Moving the game back a few months likely solves the scheduling/revenue conflict; it just creates 2 additional costs: extended rental period for the temporary seats and extended period of time for snow clearing in the stadium.  Miller doesn't want to bear those costs on his own.  Seems fair.  Why should he?

 

So that's the divide right now.  Work to close it.  Or re-schedule to 2016.  Either or.

 

 

There's costs associated with rescheduling to the following season though too.  Either the temp stands stay up the entire time until then, or they are taken down and then put up again.  Either way there is that cost to consider with moving the game (amongst others) to the 2016-17 season.

You don't need the extra seats for the classic.

If the cost of putting them back up is more then projected revenue the you go without the extra 8k seats

I can appreciate millers perspective but I'm not sure I buy it. Seems like some of the things we've heard about his personality. Sounds like he big leagues the NHL. He has to realize when he's at a table with Chipman and Bettman that he's not the big boy.

I think it's shortsighted. Cross promoting the Bombers with the NHL is pure gold and if done right would have been great.

The Bombers needed true north to help them with the traffic issue. They rely on true north to run concerts. Just looks very bad on miller to not be able to work this out.

But on the flip side it means two huge events stretched out over a year instead of a few weeks

I was thinking March myself.

 

 

Let's see how well the Grey Cup sells when it is the main reason we are not getting a Heritage Classic that everyone has been expecting for at least 2 years.

 

Why don't we ask the citizens of Winnipeg which one they would rather have?

 

Hmmm, an either or mentality where the Bombers come in last.

 

And to think Miller has concerns over putting these two events so close together.  What a fool.

 

 

The Grey Cup isn't selling out here either way.

 

It will sell out

It will sell out. Hotels already packed. The issue will be the day after the semi finals and which teams fans are flipping their tickets. One local business owner told me he loves the bombers but the best thing is not to have them in the grey cup. They dknt want locals. They want 40,000 out of towners.

Technically the game was never confirmed in the first place so I don't see the need for outrage or to play the blame game. Seems like both true north the bombers and the NHL are all at fault. Bombers might make a few bucks off the game. Not much. True north don't make much either. NHL takes all the revenue.

So glad Miller stuck to his guns and chose to stick it to Bettman. A) The Grey Cup is way more important than a stupid outdoor hockey game. The GC brings in huge revenue...the WC does not. The league gets all revenues, aside from the rental fee they pay WBB FC. The outdoor games suck now...way overdone. The GC will be far more entertaining. C) Putting the GC and WC back to back like that is insane because people can't afford tix to both. Spread them out...one goes one year, one goes the next. WAY better option for everyone. 

 

Anyone complaining about this postponement is an idiot. Good on Miller, good on the WBB FC...

So glad Miller stuck to his guns and chose to stick it to Bettman. A) The Grey Cup is way more important than a stupid outdoor hockey game. The GC brings in huge revenue...the WC does not. The league gets all revenues, aside from the rental fee they pay WBB FC. The outdoor games suck now...way overdone. The GC will be far more entertaining. C) Putting the GC and WC back to back like that is insane because people can't afford tix to both. Spread them out...one goes one year, one goes the next. WAY better option for everyone.

Anyone complaining about this postponement is an idiot. Good on Miller, good on the WBB FC...

Yes the outdoor games sucking will certainly be the case here. *rolls eyes*.

Miller also wanted the NHL to pay half the cost of the extra seating. Which doesn't make much sense to me.

Putting the GC and WC back to back like that is insane because people can't afford tix to both. Spread them out...one goes one year, one goes the next. WAY better option for everyone.

This is why I'm ok with pushing it back a year. Although I would have sucked it up and paid for both, a lot of people couldn't or wouldn't.

Miller also wanted the NHL to pay half the cost of the extra seating. Which doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Why should the Bombers pay the entire amount if they were going to be used by the NHL too.

 

Miller also wanted the NHL to pay half the cost of the extra seating. Which doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Why should the Bombers pay the entire amount if they were going to be used by the NHL too.

 

 

Because its something they dont need?

 

Its not like the game wouldnt happen without the extra seating. 

 

The extra seating is for the CFL not the NHL.

Bombers will make very little. Not sure why the NHL couldn't pay for the extra seating when they are the ones taking in all the revenue. Heritage classic nice but seems the local team and stadium lose out lots

People 25 years ago would be ***** slapping people complaining about a one year delay. New stadium and hockey team playing in that stadium. Amazing. Even 20 years ago. I personally could care less if it's 2016 or 2017 or 2020. The fact that we will get one eventually is quite amazing when you think about it

Miller also wanted the NHL to pay half the cost of the extra seating. Which doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Why should the Bombers pay the entire amount if they were going to be used by the NHL too.

 

Because its something they dont need?

 

Its not like the game wouldnt happen without the extra seating. 

 

The extra seating is for the CFL not the NHL.

If the NHL is using them they should pay some of the cost. Do you think keeping the temporary seating up for 3 extra months is free.

 

 

 

Miller also wanted the NHL to pay half the cost of the extra seating. Which doesn't make much sense to me.

 

Why should the Bombers pay the entire amount if they were going to be used by the NHL too.

 

Because its something they dont need?

 

Its not like the game wouldnt happen without the extra seating. 

 

The extra seating is for the CFL not the NHL.

If the NHL is using them they should pay some of the cost. Do you think keeping the temporary seating up for 3 extra months is free.

 

 

Bombers can take them down then.  Its not needed.

 

If the game is postponed a year do you think the NHL will ask the seats go back up?  Nope.

 

The seats are only going up because of the Cup game....  It has nothing to do with the NHL. Did the NHL ask for the seats? Did the NHL say we wont get the game if the extra seats arnt there?  Nope.

I'd hate to lose that game so they better come to an agreement.

Why fault Miller for wanting to make $ and pay off his club's debt? So complain about the community owned Canadian team and blindly support all things True North? The Bombers didn't get 100 million + over 20 years in VLT money from the province. That was the Jets, you know the club owned by the richest man in Canada.

Let the NHL come thru IGF next season.. We are hosting the biggest single game in the CFL and we get it..what, once every decade? That should definitely take precedence over a gimmick hockey game that might become an annual event..

NHL should have just bowed out gracefully truth be told.. It's the bombers stadium, right around the biggest event held there to date.. Come on bettman, try not being a complete assclown for once in your life..

Miller also wanted the NHL to pay half the cost of the extra seating. Which doesn't make much sense to me.

Why should the Bombers pay the entire amount if they were going to be used by the NHL too.

Why should the NHL pay half the cost for something the bombers are using twice and using regardless of the NHL game?