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  #861  
Old Posted May 18, 2012, 8:35 PM
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I think the situation is pretty much unchanged. Stadium aside, Halifax would work far better as a CFL city because it is much larger. If it did get a CFL-sized stadium then Moncton would be dropped, but until there is a stadium Halifax is a non-starter.

Moncton could get a team but it still needs a CFL-capable stadium and team owners with money. Moncton's current stadium and games do constitute a head start of sorts but the reality is that if Halifax builds any stadium it will probably leapfrog what Moncton has, because the budget is in the $60M+ range. It is a binary situation where either Halifax will build the stadium or not. The only advantage Moncton has is that it is better positioned in the future to build the full-sized stadium. Halifax doesn't necessarily need to follow the same sequence of steps.

Halifax hasn't built a stadium because there's been approximately zero political leadership on the issue. HRM regional council often makes bad decisions and the different councillors all pull in different directions so they are not very good at seeing substantial projects through to completion. Back in 2005 or so there was more direction for the Commonwealth Games but since that was bungled nobody has really taken ownership of the stadium issue. More recently, the women's FIFA tournament thing was a joke. We may see things change in October when a new mayor and a new, smaller council are voted in.
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  #862  
Old Posted Jun 9, 2012, 1:51 PM
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According to "the Sleuth" in the T&T, a deal to have a portion of the Hamilton Tiger Cats 2013 season played at McMaster Stadium has fallen through. The majority of the 2013 Ti-Cats home games therefore will be played in London, but the odds that two (or more) Ti-Cats home games will be played in Moncton has suddenly significantly improved!

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  #863  
Old Posted Jun 10, 2012, 7:49 PM
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I imagine the Tiger-Cats would likely want to stay as close to their fanbase as possible, but it looks as though they will not be able to play in Hamilton at McMaster University.
http://www.cbc.ca/sports/football/cf...ome-games.html
This might help Moncton.
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  #864  
Old Posted Jun 11, 2012, 12:41 AM
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The smart thing for the Ti-Cats would obviously be to keep their Hamilton fan base as happy as possible, so I'm sure they will want to play the vast majority of the season out of a nearby stadium like in London.

Still, this is probably the best opportunity the CFL will have to test the sustainability of a Maritime franchise. This could be done by giving Moncton two (or three) back to back games over a month long period to see if the fan interest persists over the duration of the testing period.

My guess is that fan interest will persist, or possibly even become stronger. A series of games such as this would help to strengthen the fan perception of the Ti-Cats being the "home" team.
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  #865  
Old Posted Jul 1, 2012, 8:49 PM
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It now seems more likely that the Tiger-Cats are going to play most of their 2013 home schedule at Guelph University, which is closer to Hamilton than London's University of Western Ontario.
I'm sure that Moncton will get to host at least one game, or maybe two if lucky.
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  #866  
Old Posted Jul 8, 2012, 11:37 PM
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Not CFL related, but just a note to let you all know that the 2013 Under 18 Football Canada Cup will be held in Moncton next summer. This is one of the principle recruiting events for the CIS every year.

The Canada Cup this year will be in London, Ontario in one weeks time. My youngest son will be a defensive back on the New Brunswick provincial team this year.

Go Team NB!
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  #867  
Old Posted Jul 27, 2012, 12:48 PM
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from CBC
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-br...p-moncton.html

Football Canada Cup coming to Moncton
CBC News Posted: Jul 27, 2012 6:02 AM AT Last Updated: Jul 27, 2012 7:31 AM AT


NB football players at the 2012 Football Canada Cup. (Football New Brunswick) Facebook

Moncton will host the 2013 Football Canada Cup, marking the first time any city in New Brunswick has hosted the event.

The tournament will feature eight under 18-teams from across the country vying for the national title.

Organizers say the event solidifies Moncton's growing reputation as a football friendly city. The city has already hosted CFL games and the Uteck Bowl.

Now, Norval McConnell, the chairperson of the event, says the city is really running with its reputation as a football community with the Canada Cup.

"It's another one of those steps as far as showing that football has played such an important role in people's lives in our community,” McConnell said.

New Brunswick's provincial football program was on hold for eight years and then came back last year, he said.

That's the same summer Moncton is hoping for another CFL game after an idle 2012 while the Grey Cup's 100th anniversary is celebrated.

But next year, the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be looking for home turf options as their field goes through renovations.

Moncton Mayor George LeBlanc says talks are still in the works with the CFL.

"That's still in discussion and we don't have any commitment yet at this point in time but I'm certainly very optimistic that we're going to have a game here in Moncton in 2013 with the CFL," he said.

All games in the week-long Canada Cup tournament will be held at Rocky Stone Field.

The tournament starts July

personal note - that's my son in the green helmet at the 2012 Football Canada Cup in London Ontario
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  #868  
Old Posted Aug 24, 2012, 3:06 PM
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CANADA RIPE FOR PRO SPORTS EXPANSION
from CBC

Canada appears ripe for major league sports expansion over the next two decades, says a new report from the Conference Board of Canada.

Economic and demographic trends suggest the country could support three new NHL teams, the return of major league baseball to Montreal and the NBA to Vancouver, and as many as three, new Major League Soccer teams.

The study, released Thursday, also suggests that by the year 2035, another seven cities could support Canadian Football League franchises.

"The professional sports scene in Canada will continue to expand over the next 25 years," write Glen Hodgson and Mario Lefebvre.

"The conditions for growth are right — the Canadian dollar will likely remain strong and the taxation gap with the U.S. is expected to continue to narrow. This will allow existing franchises to prosper and offer a better chance for new franchises to succeed."

The study looked at population growth trends in specific markets, the effects of an aging population, the strength of the Canadian dollar, the movement of corporate head offices, and income growth to predict which cities will be able to support big-league sports.

The study found that all Canada's existing major league sports teams are on a sound market footing, and suggests that Toronto could support a second National Hockey League team, along with Quebec City and Hamilton — bringing the Canadian total to 10.

Quebec City is set to begin construction of an NHL-sized arena, while various Hamilton proposals have been jilted by the NHL over the last 15 years.

The report suggests that while Toronto could support a rival team to the Maple Leafs, the front-end cost of the new franchise could approach $1 billion, including franchise rights, a new rink and paying off the Leafs' territorial exemption. Moreover, with Bell and Rogers now owning the Leafs, muscling into the Toronto media market would require any new team to find an accommodation with the media giants, the authors write.

Montreal lost its beloved Expos in 2004 but the authors say the city "already possesses the basic market conditions required to support a MLB franchise and will strengthen its position over our forecast horizon."

Vancouver, which saw its NBA Grizzlies relocate to Memphis, Tenn., in 2001, could also support another pro basketball team one day, says the report.

"With a population of 3.5 million in 2035, the Vancouver market will be large enough to sustain franchises in the NHL, CFL, Major League Soccer and the NBA — but not [Major League Baseball]," states the study.

The report's authors are also bullish on pro soccer, suggesting Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa will all be able to support Major League Soccer teams by 2035, in addition to the existing teams in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

As for the venerable CFL, new football franchises could stretch from Moncton and Halifax to Saskatoon, based on population and market trends. The wild card, say the authors, is the potential for a National Football League team in Toronto which would have "direct ramifications for the CFL's Argonauts and for the entire CFL" — not to mention impacting any proposed second NHL team for the city.

"The professional sports scene could, and likely will, change significantly over the next 23 years," says the report.

It notes that mixed martial arts didn't exist a quarter century ago and soccer was barely on North America's radar, while boxing and horse racing were big mainstream draws.

Predicting the future of sports development is problematic, but certain economic pillars can be established that allow projections for current sports trends.

"In short, the future is bright for pro sports in Canada," the report concludes.

this is the link to the Conference Board report:
http://www.conferenceboard.ca/report...iefing-14.aspx
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  #869  
Old Posted Oct 14, 2012, 7:47 PM
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The Grey Cup 100th Anniversary train was at the VIA station in Moncton today. Unfortunately it was a very cold and drizzly day, but despite this there seemed to be a good crowd out for the exhibit and the festiviities.

I unfortunately couldn't go as I am working today, but I drove by and the (outdoor) display seemed impressive and the train was decorated in CFL colours and insignias quite nicely.

The train was in Halifax yesterday.
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  #870  
Old Posted Nov 3, 2012, 1:12 PM
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Interesting article in the Montreal Gazette today about the economics of the NHL, CFL and MLS. Although focused on Montreal, it offered this interesting thought on CFL team viability:

Quote:
By their reckoning, for a team to make a go of it, a community needs to be large enough to fill all the seats at every home game. For CFL teams, that means a local population of at least 250,000 — 25,000 seats at nine home and one pre-season game.

Here's the full story.
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  #871  
Old Posted Nov 3, 2012, 2:48 PM
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Interesting article.

I don't dispute the economics and the estimated base population needed to support a CFL franchise (250,000).

By most measures, Halifax should be well placed for a franchise (if you guys could ever finally build a stadium and get an ownership group organized). I have never said that Halifax shouldn't have a franchise.

A Halifax franchise however should not necessarily preclude a Moncton franchise. I think the two cities are far enough apart that their catchment populations do not necessarily overlap. There might be room for both, and the synergies of a natural rivalry between the two cities would be great for the game. Halifax should not be frightened by the possibility of a Moncton franchise.

Moncton of course has substantial hurdles to overcome. There is a passion for Canadian football in southern NB, but substantial upgrades to the current Moncton Stadium (or even a new stadium) would be required. We face the same issues with getting an ownership group organized and questions remain about the adequacy of our population base.

The Moncton CMA is approaching 145,000 in population and is growing by roughly 2,500 per year. In 20 years time, if current growth remains stable, the Moncton CMA should be nearing 200,000 people. This is still less than what the article feels is necessary to support a team, but it remains a moot point as to what actually constitutes a "local" population. The Moncton Economic Region as defined by Stats Canada is already more than 200,000 and there are nearly 300,000 people living within an hour of Moncton now.

Personally, I feel that the CFL needs to grow to remain relevant to the country and to ensure it's long term viability. There should be a "local" CFL team within a couple of hours drive of 90% of Canadians. If this were to happen, then all Canadians would have a "home team" to root for. This would really help to build the popularity of the league and the sport of Canadian football.

An eight team CFL is not enough. I would like to see a 16 team CFL, in four regionally based divisions.

East
- Halifax
- Moncton
- Quebec City
- Montreal

Central
- Ottawa
- Toronto
- Hamilton
- London

Prairie
- Winnipeg
- Saskatoon
- Regina
- Edmonton

Pacific
- Calgary
- Kelowna
- Vancouver
- Victoria

I firmly believe that growing the CFL so that it becomes a truly national league is key to it's survival. The CHL is a national league now. One day I hope the NBL (Canada) will be a truly national league by adding teams in the west. The CFL needs to be a national league too.
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Last edited by MonctonRad; Nov 3, 2012 at 3:05 PM.
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  #872  
Old Posted Nov 3, 2012, 3:35 PM
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I'm ready to buy a season ticket. 24,999 to go.
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  #873  
Old Posted Nov 3, 2012, 3:56 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post
Personally, I feel that the CFL needs to grow to remain relevant to the country and to ensure it's long term viability. There should be a "local" CFL team within a couple of hours drive of 90% of Canadians. If this were to happen, then all Canadians would have a "home team" to root for. This would really help to build the popularity of the league and the sport of Canadian football.

An eight team CFL is not enough. I would like to see a 16 team CFL, in four regionally based divisions.

I firmly believe that growing the CFL so that it becomes a truly national league is key to it's survival. The CHL is a national league now. One day I hope the NBL (Canada) will be a truly national league by adding teams in the west. The CFL needs to be a national league too.
I think you are right in the long term (maybe not 16 teams, but 12 should be a doable goal), however the league has to be very careful how they expand. With such a small league a couple of weak franchises could be huge trouble. Ottawa may have been slow to get a team back, but they will have a new stadium and what appears to be an excellent ownership group. Everything is in place to succeed in Ottawa. If you look at the last Ottawa ownership group is was a disaster and fairly embarrassing.

I think growth of football at the grass routes is also very key. More interest and players in 3 down football is the way to go. The CIS seems to be making some progress, especially in Quebec. Hopefully this translates into more CFL interest.

And I agree - it's not necessarily a Halifax or Moncton situation. Each market should be judged on it's own merits. As a Haligonian I wouldn't feel much connection to a Moncton team no matter what they were named, and I assume Monctonians would say the same thing about a Halifax team.
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  #874  
Old Posted Nov 3, 2012, 4:10 PM
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A 16 team CFL is a long, LONG, LONG term goal. I will likely not be alive to see it.

A go slow approach is certainly prudent. I'm glad to see Ottawa doing it right. As far as I'm concerned, the next priority after Ottawa should be Quebec City (maybe in 2018).

I would really like to see a Maritime team by 2020. Of course, my preference is that the first Maritime team be in Moncton.

A 16 team CFL might be doable by 2035 or so.
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  #875  
Old Posted Nov 4, 2012, 1:10 PM
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Only time will tell. I like to think I think long term but you've got me beat by a decade or so. Quebec seems to be the next logical location if they get a stadium together. The size is right and they love CIS football so you've got a great head start. After that it would be Halifax and you'd have a true coast to coast league. Having teams in every region would be important for the national broadcast numbers.

Amazing how we are talking about expansion - fifteen years ago every Grey Cup we were talking about whether the league would be around in 2 years. Simply amazing turn around - several franchises are hugely profitable and all seem to be stable and viable.
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  #876  
Old Posted Nov 10, 2012, 11:51 PM
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Not CFL related, but I am currently watching the Calgary/Regina CIS playoff game on TV right now. There can't be any more than 300-400 fans in the stands. Meanwhile, I was at the NB High School Championship Football Game at Rocky Stone Field here in Moncton earlier this afternoon and there were about 3,500 in attendance. The same game last year had 4,000 attendees.

It was cold in Calgary to be sure, but it was a cool 3 degrees at game time, dropping to 1 degree by the end of the game in Moncton too, so weather shouldn't be a huge consideration here. Are we just tougher in the Maritimes?

Who says we don't have a football culture here in the Maritimes!
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  #877  
Old Posted Nov 11, 2012, 2:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonRad View Post
Not CFL related, but I am currently watching the Calgary/Regina CIS playoff game on TV right now. There can't be any more than 300-400 fans in the stands. Meanwhile, I was at the NB High School Championship Football Game at Rocky Stone Field here in Moncton earlier this afternoon and there were about 3,500 in attendance. The same game last year had 4,000 attendees.

It was cold in Calgary to be sure, but it was a cool 3 degrees at game time, dropping to 1 degree by the end of the game in Moncton too, so weather shouldn't be a huge consideration here. Are we just tougher in the Maritimes?

Who says we don't have a football culture here in the Maritimes!
A winter storm just blew through the prairies with with more than 30cm dumped along the trans Canada from the Rockies all the way into Manitoba over the last 2 days, and the first of it was sleet/freezing rain (i.e. roads are terrible). Kickoff temperature in Calgary was -16 with a windchill of -23, not a comparably balmy 3, although yes, it was a poor showing. There is also the fact that most of the attention is currently on the Riders/Stamps game tomorrow, so unfortunately, the CIS game gets the back seat.

I did read something today though about the mayor of Halifax wanting to push for some sort of stadium. Not much was really said except that they think it is an important piece of sporting infrastructure. I'd love for Atlantic Canada to have representation in the league. Getting up to 10 teams so quickly after adding a 9th again (assuming a 2014 start for Ottawa) would be absolutely fantastic.
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  #878  
Old Posted Nov 11, 2012, 3:25 AM
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I did read something today though about the mayor of Halifax wanting to push for some sort of stadium. Not much was really said except that they think it is an important piece of sporting infrastructure.
Unfortunately a lot of past stadium planning in Halifax was poorly managed and lacked direction. The last 2 sports event bidding processes were absolute train wrecks. The Commonwealth Games bid for example would have included a stadium and there were even funding commitments of around $700M, but for some reason the bid committee started to plan $2B games and then (I think the province) freaked out, pulled the plug, and everything started back from the beginning. No Halifax/NS politicians would touch sporting events with a ten foot pole and we started to hear about Moncton. More recently city council was interested in bidding on the women's FIFA tournament even though they had no clue where they would even put a stadium and had little hope of building one on time for the games. Note that this started largely because people wanted a CFL stadium and ended with a half-baked plan for a soccer facility.

This is all basically the story of a poorly-run city shooting itself in the foot over and over.

We will see if things change over the next few months. I think a modest CFL-sized stadium is a perfectly reasonable and achievable goal, but it has to be championed by somebody with influence (like the mayor) and it has to proceed in a sane way. They need to pick a site and carefully plan an appropriate design that maximizes the use of the facility. Once that's done they can go after sporting events, maybe see if there is interest in a CFL franchise, etc.
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  #879  
Old Posted Nov 11, 2012, 3:41 AM
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Here are some old Commonwealth Games bid renderings of the planned stadium and athlees' village in Shannon Park, abandoned surplus military land near the MacKay bridge. I don't think the same plan would be implemented without the games, but the site is still a relatively good option and it is interesting to see the old renderings:





Report: http://www.halifax.ca/halifax2014arc...esSep06_06.pdf
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  #880  
Old Posted Nov 11, 2012, 3:49 AM
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If only Canada wasn't the cheapest nation on earth. Anything over a billion we flip out.
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