NFL Franchise in Toronto?

[Clawson]

Well if the NFL does come to Toronto and the CFL chise has to be folded then the NFL better be Double Blue or heads will roll.

[Ananas]

Getting back to the original topic, Howard Bloom has a great article up on the front page of sportsbusinessnews.com explaining why he thinks a team WILL head to Toronto.

And Beatnik, the CFL both can and will survive without a Toronto team. Maybe TSN will back out of its coverage, and rights fees will definitely go down, but the CBC would gladly take an opportunity to show a sport that will still get high ratings without a Toronto team (aside from massive hype jobs like Ricky Williams or Damon Allen breaking a meaningless record, the Argos don't get great ratings, and they easily have the least loyal fanbase in the league).

Cable rights could then go to Sportsnet (which is TRYING to get regional properties like an Argo-less CFL) or The Score.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

Ad revenue from huge national companies disappears, Mom & Pop Variety in Saskatoon can suddenly advertise at a Rider game. Grassroots community interest grows. It'll take time, but the CFL would rebound.

[livid]

It's true that the NFL doesn't need a team in LA, but it's the second biggest market in and they don't have a team there. Now, the NFL does fine and dandy, but who's to say that they can't make even more money by going to LA?

The first two tries weren't enough evidence for you then?

[NobBe Nobbs]

Thus proving that Be knows nothing about the business of American sports.

The NFL won't expand to Las Vegas as long as they allow betting on football. And besides that, placing a team in a tourism-oriented city is never a good idea. The CFL tried Las Vegas, and it bombed even more than the other American markets.

Delaware's not big enough to support a team, and Utah's happy with the Broncos.

I would say put a team in LA (although don't be surprised if you need a contingency plan), and one in Toronto (from the league's standpoint).

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

They have screen door factories. And that's about it.

[TheSqauredCircleMessiah]

Roger Goodell recently said he doesn't see the NFL expanding beyond 32 teams, except maybe for putting a new team in LA. The league wants a team in LA. So I'd say Toronto is way down on the list.

[Ananas]

Ad revenue from huge national companies disappears, Mom & Pop Variety in Saskatoon can suddenly advertise at a Rider game. Grassroots community interest grows. It'll take time, but the CFL would rebound.

[ACCBiggz]

Why they would even try is stupid to me. Once, shame on us, Twice, shame on them. LA is UCLA and USC, bottom line.

[livid]

Why they would even try is stupid to me. Once, shame on us, Twice, shame on them. LA is UCLA and USC, bottom line.

[ACCBiggz]

No one is doubting what they want to do, just everyone knows it doesn't work. But apprently you soemhow misinterpreted what I was saying... somehow you took offense to it all, lol.

[livid]

Yeah, sorry about that. It came across as you just denying the fact that LA's a big market, while concentrating on your opinion that it won't work. It can work, the NFL just needs to try and make it work and not let it just happen.

[DMN in the House]

It won't work.

Hell, people were leaving early when the Dodgers where in the fucking World Series in '88, watch any tape of Gibson's home run, you can see the tail lights.

Los Angeles supports 5 teams. USC football or UCLA football, its a pretty even split, UCLA basketball, the Lakers, and the Dodgers (when they win). Everyone else means fuck all, and the ONLY team they support when they aren't winning is the Lakers.

Football won't work here, because everyone has their team. You'd have to get the younger generation, and kids just don't buy tickets.