And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

[Nermal]

Reports of ticket giveaways are starting up. Fans are POed. Nalyor has been an aggressive promoter of the NFL in Toronto, to the point where he's been telling straight lies about the level of passing and offense in the NFL vs. the CFL, and here again he's working very hard to manufacture excuses for NFL in Toronto people, but even the NFL fans are having none of it now.
http://www.globesports.com/servlet/s...sFootball/home

[Steve Vale]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

That is quite a turd of an article. And colour me surprised that they're having problems selling out.

I can definitely see Ralph Wilson giving Ted the screw when he passes on - finding some "bedside" buyer. Bills fans will fight tooth and nail to keep the team.

I figure this is as good a place as any to repost the great Our League video.

[Opus]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I find it interesting reading some of the comments.....

what a mess of egos in TO's sports fan community......

*There are of course the Leafs, at the forefront of the picture in terms of history and interest in that town as well as exposure...but still run by the mess of suits and the OT pension fund buggers that look at the bottom line more than a winning product after 40 years sans championship...

*The Argos, who were there before any other and until the 70's was the only other real player in the Area before the Jays came to town with MLB....constantly overlooked and dubbed inferior by the neo-upsnoot wannabes in that town, but continue to press on in their humble fashion as good paying tenants at Rogers taxpayer financed dome.

* The Jays who were once the toast of the town and have been given every large concession imaginable it would seem in that town despite not being a contender now for over a decade.....and once led the majors every year in attendance, now draw less than half of what they did in their hay-day.....

* The Raptors, whose fans seem subdued compared to all the rest....but are also a part of the MLSE conglomerate.

* Those who really look down their noses at the CFL as minor league, and believe the NFL is the only future that Toronto deserves.

* ...and the worst of the lot it seems...the TFC fans. Boorish pigs, who throw stuff at opposition teams and seem angry and pissed at any inference that some minor ball team like the Argos move into "their" park at BMO......(nevermind the fact that the Argos could have and should have been major players in it's construction and operation since day 1, as well as the fact that BMO has been basically given to the TFC all on the taxpayers dime and still is without rent).....

* Finally, the media, who in vast majority covering the sports scene there tend to follow where the money is at.....

[Rayminator]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I find it interesting reading some of the comments.....

what a mess of egos in TO's sports fan community......

*There are of course the Leafs, at the forefront of the picture in terms of history and interest in that town as well as exposure...but still run by the mess of suits and the OT pension fund buggers that look at the bottom line more than a winning product after 40 years sans championship...

*The Argos, who were there before any other and until the 70's was the only other real player in the Area before the Jays came to town with MLB....constantly overlooked and dubbed inferior by the neo-upsnoot wannabes in that town, but continue to press on in their humble fashion as good paying tenants at Rogers taxpayer financed dome.

* The Jays who were once the toast of the town and have been given every large concession imaginable it would seem in that town despite not being a contender now for over a decade.....and once led the majors every year in attendance, now draw less than half of what they did in their hay-day.....

* The Raptors, whose fans seem subdued compared to all the rest....but are also a part of the MLSE conglomerate.

* Those who really look down their noses at the CFL as minor league, and believe the NFL is the only future that Toronto deserves.

* ...and the worst of the lot it seems...the TFC fans. Boorish pigs, who throw stuff at opposition teams and seem angry and pissed at any inference that some minor ball team like the Argos move into "their" park at BMO......(nevermind the fact that the Argos could have and should have been major players in it's construction and operation since day 1, as well as the fact that BMO has been basically given to the TFC all on the taxpayers dime and still is without rent).....

* Finally, the media, who in vast majority covering the sports scene there tend to follow where the money is at.....

Yeah, I love that....they'd rather have a bunch of overpaid junkies and wife beaters than the Argos in town.....

[Steve Vale]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I find it interesting reading some of the comments.....

what a mess of egos in TO's sports fan community......

*There are of course the Leafs, at the forefront of the picture in terms of history and interest in that town as well as exposure...but still run by the mess of suits and the OT pension fund buggers that look at the bottom line more than a winning product after 40 years sans championship...

*The Argos, who were there before any other and until the 70's was the only other real player in the Area before the Jays came to town with MLB....constantly overlooked and dubbed inferior by the neo-upsnoot wannabes in that town, but continue to press on in their humble fashion as good paying tenants at Rogers taxpayer financed dome.

* The Jays who were once the toast of the town and have been given every large concession imaginable it would seem in that town despite not being a contender now for over a decade.....and once led the majors every year in attendance, now draw less than half of what they did in their hay-day.....

* The Raptors, whose fans seem subdued compared to all the rest....but are also a part of the MLSE conglomerate.

* Those who really look down their noses at the CFL as minor league, and believe the NFL is the only future that Toronto deserves.

* ...and the worst of the lot it seems...the TFC fans. Boorish pigs, who throw stuff at opposition teams and seem angry and pissed at any inference that some minor ball team like the Argos move into "their" park at BMO......(nevermind the fact that the Argos could have and should have been major players in it's construction and operation since day 1, as well as the fact that BMO has been basically given to the TFC all on the taxpayers dime and still is without rent).....

* Finally, the media, who in vast majority covering the sports scene there tend to follow where the money is at.....

That pretty much sums it up. The only other thing I'd add is that it's the Argos vs 2 behemoths MLSE & Rogers.

I'm still pissed that the Argos didn't jump at the chance to refurbish the old Varsity Stadium at the UofT. It would have had everything they'd want - cozy atmosphere like Stade Molson, across the street from a junction of 2 subway lines, and right along Bloor St. for food and drinks pre- or post-game, and parking at the UofT.

Anyway...

[Steve Vale]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I really liked this guy's comment though (2nd from the top) - emphasis is mine.

Hap Stokes from Canada writes: The report of the (impending) death
Of the CFL has been greatly exaggerated for the last 25 years.

The CFL was here half a century before the copy cat NFL
And it will still be here 100 yrs after the last NFLer gets out of prison.

[Rayminator]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

That pretty much sums it up. The only other thing I'd add is that it's the Argos vs 2 behemoths MLSE & Rogers.

I'm still pissed that the Argos didn't jump at the chance to refurbish the old Varsity Stadium at the UofT. It would have had everything they'd want - cozy atmosphere like Stade Molson, across the street from a junction of 2 subway lines, and right along Bloor St. for food and drinks pre- or post-game, and parking at the UofT.

Anyway...

Good point. Worked wonders for the Als at Mcgill in Montreal.....

[Opus]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

That pretty much sums it up. The only other thing I'd add is that it's the Argos vs 2 behemoths MLSE & Rogers.

I'm still pissed that the Argos didn't jump at the chance to refurbish the old Varsity Stadium at the UofT. It would have had everything they'd want - cozy atmosphere like Stade Molson, across the street from a junction of 2 subway lines, and right along Bloor St. for food and drinks pre- or post-game, and parking at the UofT.

Anyway...

I was under the impression that the Argos were full steam ahead at the Varsity location plan, but because of local Nimby's and the Soccer feds they backed out when the location was moved to the present site of BMO....?

[Nermal]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

* The Jays who were once the toast of the town and have been given every large concession imaginable it would seem in that town despite not being a contender now for over a decade.....and once led the majors every year in attendance, now draw less than half of what they did in their hay-day.....

The Jays shamelessly lie about their attendance numbers too, and I'm sure that their paid attendance is much smaller than their reported attendance. They have all kinds of $2 Tuesdays and 2 for 1 days as well, so even the tickets people pay for they often don't pay much for. If Rogers didn't own a cable sports channel that he could force to carry the games I don't think the Jays would be viable.

* The Raptors, whose fans seem subdued compared to all the rest....but are also a part of the MLSE conglomerate.

The Raptors draw tiny television audiences. A lot of their games are on the Score. I think their fans know that they are a niche market team that most Canadian sports fans couldn't care less about.

* Those who really look down their noses at the CFL as minor league, and believe the NFL is the only future that Toronto deserves.

They may look down their noses, but they're not opening their wallets to buy tickets for the NFL games. They're not putting their money were their mouths are.

* ...and the worst of the lot it seems...the TFC fans. Boorish pigs, who throw stuff at opposition teams and seem angry and pissed at any inference that some minor ball team like the Argos move into "their" park at BMO......(nevermind the fact that the Argos could have and should have been major players in it's construction and operation since day 1, as well as the fact that BMO has been basically given to the TFC all on the taxpayers dime and still is without rent).....

TFC draws even lower numbers than the Raptors, under 100,000 on Sportsnet.

* Finally, the media, who in vast majority covering the sports scene there tend to follow where the money is at.....

The Toronto media is backing their friend in the Toronto media, Ted Rogers, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if people like Naylor and Brunt were getting a little consideration in return. Their support is really over the top, and more than a few times I've seen them clearly telling lies to make the NFL look good and the CFL look bad, and you have to wonder what's in it for them to do that.

[Nermal]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

That pretty much sums it up. The only other thing I'd add is that it's the Argos vs 2 behemoths MLSE & Rogers.

They're not big enough to make a go of it if the stadium is only half full of paying customers, though. And MLSE is more than half owned by Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, remember. The comment on that Globesports page about the freebee tickets was very interesting. The wannabes in Toronto like to talk, but I think most if it is just talk. I would love to know how money was generated from ticket sales for this game.

[Inquiring Mind]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I was under the impression that the Argos were full steam ahead at the Varsity location plan, but because of local Nimby's and the Soccer feds they backed out when the location was moved to the present site of BMO....?

Actually, iirc, the Argos withdrawing had more to do with Skydome sweetening the pot after Rogers bought control of it. I don't think they had reached the stage of BMO being located at it's current locale. I'm pretty sure York U was the site du jour at that point.

They changed their tune quite drastically concerning Skydome as soon as Rogers gave them a sweet deal.

[Cynegetic Dawg]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I wish Edmonton could get an NFL team, or at least a game.

[glenvb]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I don't mind an NFL game in Edmonton, but as for a team...I'm quite happy with the Eskimos and the CFL, thank you very much!

[mullet]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

Total scam job. I won the lottery?? and bought the tickets but you had to buy for 3 games or 8 then they charge regular season price for all tickets. I paid 295 per seat (4 seats) and only managed to recover $400 for my 1180. Talk about a beating. The guy I sold them to said they could drive to buffalo for the next home game and get the best seat in the house for $51. How to treat the fans. Then they follow that up with a game against the fish (to bad favre wasn't traded there so I could get some $$ back). Who knows who is playing next year. Not impressed with this deal at all so far.

[Opus]

Re: And the Bills in Toronto fiasco begins ...

I wish Edmonton could get an NFL team, or at least a game.

I'd love a single game here, just to show all the local NFL hypers (who base their love strictly on the TV product) what a boring game it is live by comparison to the CFL.