Quote:
Originally Posted by EpicPonyTime
The CFL is still heavily driven by gate revenue. I don't know that an increase in the TV contract would be enough to offset poor attendance.
If the team actually does play (I don't believe it will, sadly) it is absolutely crucial that they draw as close to 20K as possible in Moncton.
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All very true.
I didn't mean to downplay the importance of gate receipts for the CFL, I just wanted to point out that as far as the league itself is concerned, it's very important to have a 10th team by 2021 in order to maximize their negotiating position for the upcoming contract regarding broadcast rights.
I'm sure Anthony LeBlanc will want to maximize gate revenues as much as possible if the team calls Moncton home for 1-2 years. To do this though, he will need to be smart strategically.
If the Schooners are viewed as a carpetbagger team from Halifax, only calling Moncton home for a year or two because they have to, then it will be very difficult to get the local community to buy into the whole project. Apathy could reign supreme, even though Moncton
does have a strong football tradition.
LeBlanc will have to try and give the impression that the Schooners are "Moncton's team" (at least on a temporary basis), or more likely "the Maritimes team, currently based in Moncton", somewhat downplaying the Halifax connection. This will help to get the broader community to buy into the project.
This could be enhanced by developing a relationship with local organizations like the Moncton Minor Football Association and local high school teams. They should be smart about getting sponsorships from local businesses, co-branding and having prizes and give aways. In addition, it would be useful if LeBlanc could be explicit about the long term plans he has in mind regarding any future relationship between the team and the city after he moves the franchise to Halifax. If he were to come out and state that Moncton would be the permanent home of the Schooners training camp, and that the Schooners intend to hold a regular season game in Moncton every year or two, then this could go a long way to building a loyal fan base in the city and getting that initial buy-in by the community that he so desperately needs in order to make the first 1-2 years of the franchise a success if the team is temporarily based in Moncton.