CFL in the Maritimes

[JHikka]

Good luck with the stadium.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by JHikka

Good luck with the stadium.

Indeed, the CBC article today indicates that Mayor Savage is still adamant that no public funding be directed towards construction of a stadium.

Still, this thread has been dormant for three years, so I'm glad to see it resurrected.

I wish Halifax well, but there are many hurdles to be passed, mostly political.......

[MonctonRad]

Commissioner, prospective Halifax owners meet with Moncton

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie and representatives of the prospective Halifax team ownership group are meeting with the Premier of New Brunswick and Mayor of Moncton Wednesday about the impact of a regional Atlantic team and possibility of playing games in Moncton while a Halifax stadium is being built.

https://www.tsn.ca/commissioner-pros...cton-1.1104836

Interesting.

First the CFL gets Moncton to host three Touchdown Atlantic games in order to prod Halifax into making a bid for a franchise. Now they want Moncton to serve as the temporary home of the CFL franchise while Halifax builds their stadium. This is no doubt an attempt by the league to embarrass the City of Halifax into getting off their asses and actually make a commitment towards a stadium.

I'm glad to see this renewed interest by the CFL towards Moncton, but I must admit to feeling a little used by the league..........

[CodiacCanuck]

I would much prefer a team in Moncton, but I understand them wanting it based out of the largest city in the region.
I will still support the team, but obviously would attend less games than if it were centrally located.

[Monctoncore]

Originally Posted by CodiacCanuck

I would much prefer a team in Moncton, but I understand them wanting it based out of the largest city in the region.
I will still support the team, but obviously would attend less games than if it were centrally located.

This may be a good thing though, because they could test the market and then the Halifax team could play a game or two in Moncton each season.

[MonctonRad]

The T&T article (which will appear tomorrow) indicates that after the meeting with the CFL Commissioner and the Halifax ownership group, although discussions are still very preliminary, that Mayor Dawn Arnold indicated that the new Maritime CFL team could play a season (or two) in Moncton while Halifax prepares it's new stadium........

Greg Turner stated that exhibition or pre season games and training camps in Moncton could be part of the longer term future.

It will be very interesting to see how this all pans out.

Moncton could be the CFL's 10th city for two years......

If this transpires, and if Moncton does a good job, then this could give impetus sometime down the road towards a Moncton franchise.


Touchdown Atlantic in Moncton

[L'homard]

If - and it's still a big IF - Halifax scores a franchise Via Rail needs to institute a run between Saint Joh (through Moncton) and Halifax to accommodate fans. With the right promotion, I'm confident a few hundred of us NB fans would make the odd weekend trip by train to a few games a year. I'm not a fan of trains or of Via, but would take advantage as would my buddies. No need to drive and can you just imagine the party on the train?

[CodiacCanuck]

My sons and I were at all three Touchdown Atlantic games in Moncton. The first two were very well marketed with very enjoyable, high intensity football. New sponsorship came on board for the third one and really dropped the ball. Non-existent advertising, no visibility leading up to the game, and ultimately a lower than expected turnout. But the game was fantastic. I would love to see more games in Moncton, even if it is only for a couple years.

[L'homard]

I was also there for all three games and you have it exactly right. Downtown on the night before game day of Game 3 was the deadest I've seen it on a summer night. It was quite astounding. Talked to some fans who came from out west. They were headed back to their hotels at, like, 9 pm, it was so dead.
The contrast between the party atmosphere of the first two games and don't GAF attitude of Game 3 was remarkable. I have no doubt the handling of Game 3 played a big role in Moncton being ruled out for a franchise.

[q12]

CFL commissioner, group behind franchise bid set to make ‘special announcement’ in Halifax

By Alexander Quon
Online Producer/Reporter Global News

The commissioner of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the organization hoping to bring a franchise to Canada’s East Coast are set to make “a special announcement” in Halifax on Wednesday.

There are no details on what Randy Ambroisie and the Maritime Football Limited Partnership are planning to announce. However, staff members with municipality revealed last week that they expect CFL to award a conditional franchise to Maritime Football within the next month.

The announcement comes on the heels of a unanimous vote by Halifax Regional Council to direct staff to conduct a “thorough” business case analysis on a 24,000-seat proposed stadium by Maritime Football.
A deal on a stadium, which Ambrosie has called a critical part of any expansion bid, is far from complete but the timing of the announcement would seem to indicate that Maritime Football and the CFL have some faith that a stadium is moving along as planned.

The report voted on by council last week indicated that Maritime Football — an organization composed of business executives and former owners of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes — has proposed Shannon Park, a 38-hectare swath of land on the east side of Halifax harbour formerly used by the Department of Defence for housing, as the preferred location for the multi-purpose stadium.

The group is in talks with Canada Lands Company to buy up to eight hectares of land for the stadium, a parking structure and “associated uses,” the staff report says.

A new CFL team would be the anchor tenant of the stadium, which comes with an estimated price tag of up to $190 million.

The meeting of regional council also revealed that Maritime Football has been talking to Saint Mary’s University and Dalhousie University about making the stadium a full-time ice surface in the winter as well as other partnership possibilities.

The announcement, set for Nov. 7 at Saint Mary’s University is scheduled for 1 p.m.

https://globalnews.ca/news/4634472/c...medium=Twitter

[drewber]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cf...ifax-cfl-team/

Ticket drive to gauge interest so hopefully Haligonians come out in record numbers

[CodiacCanuck]

[L'homard]

Originally Posted by CodiacCanuck

Greatest team ever, in any sport, anywhere!
In all these years, they've never lost a game.

[MonctonRad]

I see in that Sportsnet article above, they're still muttering about putting the franchise in Moncton for the first 1-2 years while they build the stadium in Halifax.

While this would be fantastic, I wonder if the political situation in NB will not have soured towards this possibility in the last week or two.

Dawn Arnold is on board, and so was Brian Gallant, but Blaine Higgs has his eye fixed solidly to the bottom line, and the Moncton Stadium would probably require millions of dollars in upgrades even if it were only a temporary home to a CFL team.

While this would ultimately be a good investment in the long run, I don't think Higgs would buy it.

I can't imagine the CFL making a temporary home in Moncton........

[felip_ars]

Maybe I'm the only one here, but I don't get the "let them play in Moncton a year or two if the stadium is not ready." Instead of just waiting for Halifax to be ready.

Put yourself in the shoes of the Halifax residents. Imagine putting a good chunk of money to build a stadium, to bring the first CFL team in Atlantic Canada, only to have Moncton get the Inaugural season

At least the Ottawa Senators played in Ottawa while the Palladium/Corel Centre was being build.

On the Moncton side, in addition of paying millions for one season, they'll end up watching a not so good expansion team, who will probably get a whole lot better once then get to Halifax (Redblacks went from 2-16 to 12-6 in seasons 1&2)

[CodiacCanuck]

Taking into account the valid statements above, playing the first season or two in Moncton could have a positive effect for this team. Remember, it is being labelled as an "Atlantic" team, not a "Halifax" team. Although the HRM will definitely take up a large percentage of the fanbase, they will need to draw on the Maritimes as a whole for this to work. Playing the first season in a more centralized area would pique the interest of fans from Saint John, Fredericton, Charlottetetown, etc... which would increase the chances of those fans wanting to make the trip to Dartmouth in following seasons.

[stephan.richard]

Originally Posted by felip_ars

Maybe I'm the only one here, but I don't get the "let them play in Moncton a year or two if the stadium is not ready." Instead of just waiting for Halifax to be ready.

Put yourself in the shoes of the Halifax residents. Imagine putting a good chunk of money to build a stadium, to bring the first CFL team in Atlantic Canada, only to have Moncton get the Inaugural season

At least the Ottawa Senators played in Ottawa while the Palladium/Corel Centre was being build.

On the Moncton side, in addition of paying millions for one season, they'll end up watching a not so good expansion team, who will probably get a whole lot better once then get to Halifax (Redblacks went from 2-16 to 12-6 in seasons 1&2)

To answer this post I moved from Moncton to Regina in March and I like the business model that the Roughriders have here in Saskatchewan. The team here is a provincial team where the team is based out of Regina but the team holds their training camp in Saskatoon. I find the possibility of the team rotating their training camp between the major centers in the maritimes,hold their Pre season games in Moncton also have all the regular season games in Halifax. The key for success for this team will be to build a loyal maritime fanbase and not make it the "HALIFAX" team.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by stephan.richard

The key for success for this team will be to build a loyal maritime fanbase and not make it the "HALIFAX" team.

Or, more likely, to call it the "Maritime team" or "Atlantic team", but make it a de facto HALIFAX TEAM which never ventures beyond city limits.

That would be dishonest and disingenuous. If it is truly going to be just a Halifax team, then call it the "Halifax Schooners" and be done with it.

There's nothing that irks me more than to equate Halifax with all of Atlantic Canada. They are two entirely different entities........

[L'homard]

Of course you are correct, it's Halifax's team. I hope Moncton doesn't invest in hosting one or two seasons. The cost would be HUGE.
I like the product and I would pay out of my own pocket for season tickets if they were to play here. But I don't expect taxpayers to subsidize my football tickets in what would surely be a substantial way.

[q12]

"Within the first really I think 2 or 3 hours we were already in the thousands of season tickets deposits"

https://twitter.com/globalhalifax/st...12758238720000