The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto

[Stephen]

Shouldn't the HHOF be in Montreal? Listening to different Canadian sports radio stations (via stream), I'd say Toronto is the least hockey crazed as the others. I honestly think that the size of Toronto alone is why the HHOF is in toronto and the reason the Leafs are always on HNIC. I swear, sometimes when I turn on the Fan 590 I hear more about the NFL than Hockey. I mean, you guys don't even have a NFL team why are you talking about the NFL so much???

Are you judging Toronto based on Mike Hogan and the Fan 590? If you listen to AM 640, you'd realize that there is 2 hours of Leafs Lunch all year round, even in the summertime. Maybe we don't hound our stars like they do in Edmonton, but Toronto fans are damn passionate.

 

[Stephen]

I agree Ranger. As a % of the population, Toronto has less hockey fans than many major Canadian cities. Plenty of immigrants who are not passionate hockey fans find their way to Toronto.

Ogopogo with his statistics again..

 

[Bluesfan1981]

I don't blame them for wanting the NFL though, the CFL is garbage.

Plus they're now the only ones to have an MLB team and an NBA team, so I can see why they think they should have an NFL team.

 

[jamiebez]

Plus they're now the only ones to have an MLB team and an NBA team, so I can see why they think they should have an NFL team.

The Skydome (Rogers Center, whatever) is too small for the NFL. Plus, the NFL values the CFL as a developmental/feeder league too much to squash it with a Toronto franchise. On top of that, there are several US markets that would be better options - LA foremost amongst them.

My take, anyway.

 

[arrbez]

The Skydome (Rogers Center, whatever) is too small for the NFL. Plus, the NFL values the CFL as a developmental/feeder league too much to squash it with a Toronto franchise. On top of that, there are several US markets that would be better options - LA foremost amongst them.

My take, anyway.

I believe the Dome can hold around 55 or 60,000 for a football game, which is certainly enough people.

If the CFL ever folded, it would only strengthen the NFL's actual feeder league, which is NFL Europe. Adding a team in Toronto would definitly cause a jump in NFL fans not only in Toronto, but across the country. There's Raptors and BlueJays fans from BC to Newfoundland, so there's certainly the groundwork for a "Canada's Team" type of scenario.

However, it would really cripple the Argos. And should they ever fold, it would really cripple the CFL to lose the corporate and media centre of the country. Which would suck.

So for now, I'm happy to cheer against the Bills from across the border.

But make no mistake, the NFL is going to take a good hard look at Toronto. It's the 6th biggest market in North America (IIRC only New York, LA, Chicago, Houston, and Mexico City are bigger), and has a proven record of supporting major-league sports through thick and thin.

 

[Flash Walken]

Springfiels was where he invented basketball.

I say shelbyville.

 

[Transported Upstater]

I bet there's less Yankee fans percentage-wise in New York than there are Red Sox fans in Boston. In fact, I've been to both cities recently, and can attest to that. But so what? New York is just as crazy about the Yankees as Boston is about the Red Sox. It's just a matter of a much larger city skewing the demographics.

You're exactly right.

 

[Northern Dancer]

The Skydome (Rogers Center, whatever) is too small for the NFL. Plus, the NFL values the CFL as a developmental/feeder league too much to squash it with a Toronto franchise. On top of that, there are several US markets that would be better options - LA foremost amongst them.

My take, anyway.

Your correct,no doubt L.A. would be first.
Re the Skydome, the seating capacity is a red herring, that is merely a "dress code" type policy of the NFL to keep the riff raff out. Toronto could get 58,000 in for football at much higher prices (and therefore much higher gate receipts) than 75,000 or even 80,000 in some U.S. markets.
I believe it is only a matter of time before Toronto gets an NFL franchise, more likely a move than an expansion team.

 

[driveforfive*]

I say shelbyville.

Canadian James Naismith, of Almonte, Ontario, created the game of basketball while he was a phys-Ed teacher in Springfield, Massachusetts. "But Mr. Naismith it sure is a pain in the a$$ climbing up and getting the ball each time out of this peach basket" by the participants. "Well then cut a hole in the bottom of the peach baskets." By the way I know where Winnipeg and Kenora (Rat Portage) are. I meant the Ottawa area and the Winnipeg/Kenora area were bigger in hockey at that time. Part of Montreal's culture is hockey but I agree in a commercial sense Toronto is a good spot for it. When I think of hockey I think of Montreal first.

 

[The Rocket]

Canadian James Naismith, of Almonte, Ontario, created the game of basketball while he was a phys-Ed teacher in Springfield, Massachusetts. "But Mr. Naismith it sure is a pain in the a$$ climbing up and getting the ball each time out of this peach basket" by the participants. "Well then cut a hole in the bottom of the peach baskets." By the way I know where Winnipeg and Kenora (Rat Portage) are. I meant the Ottawa area and the Winnipeg/Kenora area were bigger in hockey at that time. Part of Montreal's culture is hockey but I agree in a commercial sense Toronto is a good spot for it. When I think of hockey I think of Montreal first.

AS YOU SHOULD

 

[c-carp]

Just got back from Toronto. I went to the Hockey Hall of Fame for the first time today. It was pretty cool. Not quite as big as I expected but with a lot of stuff packed in. The best part was the trophy room where I saw all the trophies. Looks like they will need to make a new ring to add Carolina to the Stanley Cup.

Surprised that several of the trophies are in relatively ill repair. Oike the Art Ross where many of the names on the trophy which are in puck like discs are turned in incorrect ways on the trophy.

The store there is excellent with a ton of selection and really excellent prices on Jersey's shirts and other stuff. They probably have the cheapest prices around on most stuff there.

Love the Habs dressing room mock-up, seeing the trophies for minor and lower pro leagues and the WHA Avco Cup. Amazing that some of the players were so small and that old equipment is so antiquated. The Wool Jersey's must have been very heavy to wear. Yvan Cournyoyer wore a very small jersey that I might have problems fitting in and I am not a big guy.

I found that most of the game used jersey's on display of Hall of famers looked extremely worn. They must have only used one or a couple of Jersey's to play the whole season.

Have any of you been the the HHOF? What were your thoughts?

I went in 1998 and I just loved the city of Toronto and the HOF I was in there until the place closed that day and I hope to go back. I am sure they made a lot of changes between when I was there and when you were.

Skydome was also very cool I watched a Blue Jays game there.

I went to Missasauga to try and look for Don Cherry's bar and was suprised at how big that city was, Where is his bar at in Missasauga. I didnt have the common sence to stop at a gas station and ask. Are his Bars cool?

Thanks