Sports in Canadian culture - Page 101

Steveston · #**2001** Posted **Aug 13, 2014, 7:31 PM**

Also keep in mind that the replay screens would be peppered by pop flies, sitting as they are, directly above the middle of the playing surface.

Nathan · #**2002** Posted **Aug 13, 2014, 7:46 PM**

They replaced the seating and did massive amount of structural work at BC Place though. Can they still shift the stands like they used to for baseball?

Nevermind... By the time I got around to replying, someone already addressed it...

Chadillaccc · #**2003** Posted **Aug 14, 2014, 4:22 AM**

Canada just beat France to make it to the final of the Women's Rugby World Cup!

This will be the first Women's Rugby World Cup that New Zealand hasn't won, so it's a pretty big deal.

Canada plays England for the cup on August 17th

isaidso · #**2004** Posted **Aug 14, 2014, 7:48 AM**

It's astonishing how well Canada does in rugby given the status of that sport in this country. I bet most Canadians have never watched a game in their life let alone know we have a national team. This is akin to England playing for a WBC title or Olympic gold in hockey.

Chadillaccc · #**2005** Posted **Aug 14, 2014, 2:48 PM**

It really is.

I just find this Womens World Cup to be awesome though. Regardless of what happens, this will be the first cup New Zealand hasn't won since its inception. Not only that, but Canada could potentially win it. I don't know if it will really have an effect on the popularity of the sport here, but it's still a huge deal to the rugby community. Rugby is actually fairly big in Alberta and BC.

Last year, our mens team came third in the USA Invitational Mens Rugby 7s. That may not seem like a big deal, but it shows that Team Canada has a realistic possibility of winning a medal for Rugby in the 2016 Rio Olympics

That could be very big for the sport at the national level.

Riise · #**2006** Posted **Aug 14, 2014, 4:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

It's astonishing how well Canada does in rugby given the status of that sport in this country.

I think it shows that a sport doesn't need massive numbers and can do well once the people involved are dedicated to the sport and you have a solid development system in place.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

It really is.

I just find this Womens World Cup to be awesome though.

I find International Rugby to be awesome in general, very watchable and enjoyable.

Acajack · #**2007** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mistercorporate

I believe it has something to do with the direction that NFL is going nowadays. Goodell and the NFL head office is putting a lot of pressure on the city of Buffalo, stating that the Bills must get a new stadium to remain viable in that city/market (even after the nominal renovations the current stadium has had). I believe all current bids may still eventually leave the city if a new stadium is not forthcoming. This is why the Wilson family are probably just going to sell to the highest bidder now they're comfortable that all bids will keep the team locally if they get a stadium. The current stadium is considered to be shabby and family-unfriendly. Regardless, it is highly unlikely that the state or local government will pay for a new stadium according to folks on the various Bills forums/blogs.
The 4 most likely scenarios are either:
- Pegula puts forth the highest bid and then proceeds to build the stadium, keeping the team in the city.
- Pegula makes the highest bid, keeps the team in the city till he finds out theres no stadium coming from the city, washes his hands, says I did my part and the city/state gov let me down then sells it to another bidder at a handsome profit.
- Jon Bonjovi's group buys it and keeps it in the city for a few years till either the fans stop showing up or the city refuses to pay for a new stadium then moves in 2020 to a richer market.
-Jon Bonjovi's group makes the largest bid, gets a new stadium courtesy of WNY taxpayers and stays in the city while they bide their time for the market to shrink, then moves it in 2020 or later anyway.

There is a line of thinking according to some in the main Bills blogs/forums that the pressure tactics regarding a new stadium may just be a smokescreen preparing the fans for what will ultimately be a financial decision. Owners are unlikely to move against a decision by the Wilson family since in a similar situation they are likely to want the most money for their own families. The schmoozing by Bon Jovi with Goodell and owners may have paid off.
Ultimately, if Ralph Wilson wanted to guaranteed the team staying he would have overseen a sale during his lifetime, he wasnt even able to attend games the last couple years.

Regardless, with so many factors and so many emotions involved, anything can happ n...

If I connect this to the possible motives of the Toronto bidders then, it would be a highly cynical and even Machiavellian plan to tell the NFL and Western New York whatever they want to hear with respect to the Bills staying in Buffalo, while waiting patiently for the situation to eventually change (as they expect it to), thereby allowing them to renege on their supposedly strong commitment to not move the team, and simply relocate to Toronto.

esquire · #**2008** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 2:59 PM**

^ The NFL is not exactly an easily hoodwinked mom and pop outfit... whatever happens with the Bills will only happen with the full and enthusiastic approval of the league.

isaidso · #**2009** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chadillaccc

Last year, our mens team came third in the USA Invitational Mens Rugby 7s. That may not seem like a big deal, but it shows that Team Canada has a realistic possibility of winning a medal for Rugby in the 2016 Rio Olympics

That could be very big for the sport at the national level.

Rugby is in the Olympics now?

isaidso · #**2010** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 3:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riise

I think it shows that a sport doesn't need massive numbers and can do well once the people involved are dedicated to the sport and you have a solid development system in place.

Quite right. Now if only we could win in basketball and bring Olympic gold back to where it belongs. Canadians gave the world basketball, it's time for Canadians to reclaim ownership of this sport and bring it back home.

mistercorporate · #**2011** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 3:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

If I connect this to the possible motives of the Toronto bidders then, it would be a highly cynical and even Machiavellian plan to tell the NFL and Western New York whatever they want to hear with respect to the Bills staying in Buffalo, while waiting patiently for the situation to eventually change (as they expect it to), thereby allowing them to renege on their supposedly strong commitment to not move the team, and simply relocate to Toronto.

I don't believe the NFL has a problem with it, Bills fans on their forums seem to think the front office is neutral at best and that the team owners want the highest possible valuation for the franchise as it will have an impact on the valuation of their own franchises. Similar circumstances have occured previously in other franchise relocations in the league. The recent Clippers sale seems to have rattled some people, the legal aspect only kicking in with relation to the timing and circumstances of a relocation. Ultimately, the local requirement is more or less just a public relations issue in that city and the Wilson family trust will be selling to the highest bidder. This is no slam dunk for any of the parties concerned.

isaidso · #**2012** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 3:53 PM**

Are there any parallels between Buffalo and Green Bay in terms of pressures to re-locate? Surely if people in southern Ontario continue to flock to Buffalo, the Bills can stay in Buffalo and just claim southern Ontario as part of their market? I imagine the valuation on the Bills already factors that in. Likewise, Wisconsin in Green Bay territory, but they're not moving to Milwaukee.

FrankieFlowerpot · #**2013** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 3:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Rugby is in the Olympics now?

Rugby 7's are - and at the Pan Am Games next summer

isaidso · #**2014** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 4:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrankieFlowerpot

Rugby 7's are - and at the Pan Am Games next summer

Hhhmm, I smell medals for Canada at the Pan Ams. It's largely a Commonwealth sport I think.

esquire · #**2015** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 4:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Are there any parallels between Buffalo and Green Bay in terms of pressures to re-locate? Surely if people in southern Ontario continue to flock to Buffalo, the Bills can stay in Buffalo and just claim southern Ontario as part of their market? I imagine the valuation on the Bills already factors that in. Likewise, Wisconsin in Green Bay territory, but they're not moving to Milwaukee.

The difference is GB's ownership is solid and would never allow the team to relocate.

Acajack · #**2016** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 4:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Are there any parallels between Buffalo and Green Bay in terms of pressures to re-locate? Surely if people in southern Ontario continue to flock to Buffalo, the Bills can stay in Buffalo and just claim southern Ontario as part of their market? I imagine the valuation on the Bills already factors that in. Likewise, Wisconsin in Green Bay territory, but they're not moving to Milwaukee.

I believe that Packers fandom extends all across the state of Wisconsin, which has just under 6 million people. And also to other parts of neighbouring states and beyond. By this measure the Packers are not really a small market team. Or at least a lot less than one might think.

Western New York from Rochester to Buffalo has less than three million people. Add perhaps a million people in southern Ontario to the Bills' market and it's still a smaller potential fan base than the Packers have.

esquire · #**2017** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 4:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I believe that Packers fandom extends all across the state of Wisconsin, which has just under 6 million people. And also to other parts of neighbouring states and beyond. By this measure the Packers are not really a small market team. Or at least a lot less than one might think.

The conventional wisdom for a long time has been that roughly 1/2 of GB's season ticket base is drawn from the Milwaukee area.

While the notion of a NFL team playing in what is basically a small town by NFL standards is quaint, the simple fact is that the Packers wouldn't exist if it wasn't for the support it has received over the years from Milwaukee. For many lean years when the Packers were an iffy financial proposition, they played a split schedule - the games at County Stadium arguably kept the team afloat for a good chunk of the 60s and 70s.

FrankieFlowerpot · #**2018** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 5:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

Hhhmm, I smell medals for Canada at the Pan Ams. It's largely a Commonwealth sport I think.

Canada are ranked #6 in the World 7's rankings, Argentina are #9 and the US are #13

JHikka · #**2019** Posted **Aug 15, 2014, 9:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

It's astonishing how well Canada does in rugby given the status of that sport in this country. I bet most Canadians have never watched a game in their life let alone know we have a national team. This is akin to England playing for a WBC title or Olympic gold in hockey.

Cricket.

elly63 · #**2020** Posted **Aug 16, 2014, 1:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaidso

It's astonishing how well Canada does in rugby given the status of that sport in this country. This is akin to England playing for a WBC title or Olympic gold in hockey.

I wouldn't go that far, the Canadian women have finished fourth three times in the World Cup (1998, 2002, 2006 and at least 2nd in 2014) and only NZ, Eng, US and France have placed better (Australia had one 3rd place finish).

As an aside, GB is not ranked in the top 20 in hockey.