[Translude15]

What's the obsession with the NFL? It's the most boring professional sports league. Out of a 60 minute game there's an average of 8 actual minutes of play, the rest is wasted on huddles. And Americans think soccer is boring, heh.

Pardon my french but are you %^&*?! I'm going to assume that you've never had the joy of observing a live NFL game. Beyond the fact that a significant number of Canadians enjoy watching the NFL, think about how many Canadians played football at some point in their lives. Most high schools in this country have a football program. It isn't some foreign concept to people. This whole "un-Canadian" harping on NFL football is ridiculous.

 

[Earth Heals Herself]

Pardon my french but are you %^&*?! I'm going to assume that you've never had the joy of observing a live NFL game. Beyond the fact that a significant number of Canadians enjoy watching the NFL, think about how many Canadians played football at some point in their lives. Most high schools in this country have a football program. It isn't some foreign concept to people. This whole "un-Canadian" harping on NFL football is ridiculous.

No, I haven't. I think football is even more boring than baseball and that's pretty bad. I'm not one of the anti-American types by the way. I love Americans, I just think football is bloody boring and it's even worse to watch live in my opinion. You're so far from the action no matter where you sit. I think the game would be a lot more entertaining if the play clock was cut down from 40 seconds to 20, 25. There's too much stalling in between plays, considering the same 3 or 4 plays are repeated over and over. There are dozens of plays that are never utilized. It's too predictable.

 

[MapleLeafs]

$23 million dollars that the citizens of Toronto would have to account for. The stadium wouldn't cost the public a dime, so you can't compare the two. I agree, the stadium prospect is useless, but if the private sector is willing to pay for it I have no problem.

In the words of Bender from the TV show Futurama, "HAHAHA... oh wait... your serious.... let me laugh even harder.... HAHAHAAHAHAHA!"

Forbes estimates that the least expensive NFL team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, is worth $725 million. As dbailey mentioned, recent top of the line NFL stadiums have been built at a cost ranging between $720 million and $1.6 billion. That means any potential owner is in the absolute best case scenario, needs $1.425 billion. That ignores the fact that construction costs are generally more expensive in Canada then the United States. That ignores the fact that even if the Jaguars were bought, you would likely be looking at a hefty relocation fee. At the end of the day, it very likely that the entire investment would run close to or over $2 billion.

Do you know of anybody who has $2 billion lying around to make this happen? Tanenbaum certainly doesn't and Rogers cannot legally own an NFL franchise. Open your eyes, the only way this happens is if significant public funds are devoted to it.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Do you know of anybody who has $2 billion lying around to make this happen? Tanenbaum certainly doesn't and Rogers cannot legally own an NFL franchise. Open your eyes, the only way this happens is if significant public funds are devoted to it.

So i assume your saying this might be illegal..

Meeting with Rogers

The Globe has learned that NFL football in Toronto was discussed in a March meeting between Rogers officials and Doug Ford.

According to the city’s lobbyist registry, Councillor Ford in mid-March met with three Rogers executives, including Rogers Media president Keith Pelly, who oversees the company’s sports assets, including the Rogers Centre and the Blue Jays.

The registry indicates the three officials sought the meeting to discuss “cell towers.†But Rogers spokesperson Jan Innes said they also discussed the “Bills in Toronto†series with the mayor’s brother.

The communications giant in recent years has drawn huge crowds to regular season matches at the Rogers Centre between the Buffalo Bills and other NFL teams. Ms. Innes stressed the meeting was purely an “informational session.â€

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news.../?utm_medium=Feeds: RSS/Atom&utm_source=Toron to&utm_content=2003068

 

[freshcutgrass]

The cornerstone of national sovereignty is having a well equipped military capable of responding to threats against our security and well being.

Except there are no threats to Canada's sovereignty. The last time there was (WW2), we quickly built and successfully used a war-fighting military. And when the war was over...we dismantled it. That's what civilized nations do. The only reason to maintain an actual war-fighting machine when you aren't at war, is to screw around with the sovereignty of other nations that are not a threat to yours. And if you want to cultivate a threat to your sovereignty, this is the best way to do it.


An NFL stadium????

How much more proof of the simplicity of mind for Rob Ford do you need? Rob Ford likes football. Rob Ford's answer to every question ever asked of him...."I coach football". Therefore, naturally, the priority for the City of Toronto should be....football.

 

[gei]

A cheapo stadium isn't going to cut it in the NFL. If you want to associate with the big boys, you've got to try and look like the big boys too and that means something like New Meadowlands Stadium (cost $1.6 Billion) or Cowboys Stadium (cost $1.3 Billion).

Granted, these are the absolute top of the line facilities and certainly it can be done cheaper ie the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis which cost only $720 Million.

I was posting in reply to post #48 who was thinking that an NFL stadium could be built on the cheap (my words not his). The truth is that it cannot be done (as I think you understand).

Seriously? Cowboys stadium is the largest domed stadium on the planet, and is one of the most grandiose stadiums built in the history of the world. Do we really need a state-of-the-art retractable roof with 4 of the largest screens ever made? And even with all that it 'only' cost $1.3 billion.

I'm still confident we can build one for significantly less.

 

[Big Daddy]

So i assume your saying this might be illegal..

Meeting with Rogers

The Globe has learned that NFL football in Toronto was discussed in a March meeting between Rogers officials and Doug Ford.

According to the city’s lobbyist registry, Councillor Ford in mid-March met with three Rogers executives, including Rogers Media president Keith Pelly, who oversees the company’s sports assets, including the Rogers Centre and the Blue Jays.

The registry indicates the three officials sought the meeting to discuss “cell towers.†But Rogers spokesperson Jan Innes said they also discussed the “Bills in Toronto†series with the mayor’s brother.

The communications giant in recent years has drawn huge crowds to regular season matches at the Rogers Centre between the Buffalo Bills and other NFL teams. Ms. Innes stressed the meeting was purely an “informational session.â€

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news.../?utm_medium=Feeds: RSS/Atom&utm_source=Toron to&utm_content=2003068

Well so what? Doug Ford brought up the idea with Rogers. It was a given he would do that. The problem is the magnitude of the cost and the potential risks.

If There were a group say Rogers, Jim Basillie and Teachers Pension Fund, combined with some incentives, (say the land is sold to them cheap - or taxes are deferred for a period of time) you might pull it off but no individual company is big enough to swallow that much risk - they all have a boards of directors to respond to.

Maybe the Fords (or someone with significant political influence) could architect such a scheme, I don't know - but that sort of packaging will be required to make this sort of thing come together.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Rogers, Jim Basillie and Teachers Pension Fund... Why so many..The Teachers Pension Fund alone can buy an NFL team and half of Toronto. LOL they are estimated to be worth 110 billion dollars.

 

[Tewder]

Except there are no threats to Canada's sovereignty. The last time there was (WW2), we quickly built and successfully used a war-fighting military. And when the war was over...we dismantled it. That's what civilized nations do. The only reason to maintain an actual war-fighting machine when you aren't at war, is to screw around with the sovereignty of other nations that are not a threat to yours. And if you want to cultivate a threat to your sovereignty, this is the best way to do it.

I've only ever heard a Canadian make such silly comments, which is likely a reflection of our protected position next to the USA. Even the neutral Swiss understand the crucial importance of a national force, and the last time I checked the Swiss are not seen to be 'screwing around' with the sovereignty of other nations. The fact is there are all kinds of claims against Canada's arctic borders and our armed services are constantly protecting Canadian economic and political policy, whether participating in international operations, fulfilling its duties to its allies or enforcing trade and border issues the armed forces play an important roll... not to mention participating in disaster relief, search and rescue and all kinds of other domestic commitments.

Sorry mods, please move to a different thread if need be.

 

[TOareaFan]

It'd be amazing if the private sector paid for it. My worry is that stadiums don't often get built without huge subsidization. Take the Skydome for instance.

Yes....let's always take SkyDome as the example that shows that all stadiums require "huge subsidization" while ignoring, say, the ACC which required, and received, no public funds!!!

Fun game this! Kinda like saying the Montreal Olympics lost a lot of money therefore all Olympics do/did (conveniently ignoring the examples of the games that made money).

 

[TOareaFan]

Id rather it be at wilson station... Still on Subway... Still close to 401... Still lots of land....

Downsview has a chance to be redeveloped for 365 days a year use... Id hate to see that good land be wasted for 8 home games a year... WILSON works just as well.

Then we could just pick up the Bills, move them in and tell the folks in Buffalo that they will just have to drive a bit farther to (Ralph) Wilson Stadium!

 

[rdaner]

^Provided they have a valid passport and no outstanding warrants.

 

[TOareaFan]

Rogers, Jim Basillie and Teachers Pension Fund... Why so many..The Teachers Pension Fund alone can buy an NFL team and half of Toronto. LOL they are estimated to be worth 110 billion dollars.

Of the three you mention....only JB meets the NFL rules regarding ownership (ie. they do not allow corporations or "funds" to own teams....only individuals or small groups of individuals).....the GB Packers are the lone, grandfathered exception being a community owned team......not sure JB has enough wealth to commit $1B or so to owning an NFL team.

 

[Automation Gallery]

Of the three you mention....only JB meets the NFL rules regarding ownership (ie. they do not allow corporations or "funds" to own teams....only individuals or small groups of individuals).....the GB Packers are the lone, grandfathered exception being a community owned team......not sure JB has enough wealth to commit $1B or so to owning an NFL team.

For goodness sake, i get the impression that you are trying to say that there is no canadian that has the bucks to own a team,
who is to stop foreign ownership partnering up.
Come-on, sooner or later the NFL will come to Canada.. like it or not.

 

[TOareaFan]

For goodness sake, i get the impression that you are trying to say that there is no canadian that has the bucks to own a team,
who is to stop foreign ownership partnering up.
Come-on, sooner or later the NFL will come to Canada.. like it or not.

Not sure what impression you are getting but my posts are, generally, not meant to say anything more than they say....in this case that, of the three you mentioned, only 1 would meet NFL ownership rules and I don't think he has the money to do it alone.

I will say that I have been hearing the "NFL in Toronto is inevitable" story for a long long time....and yet it has never happened.