OT: David Braley has Passed Away at the age 79
- Thread starter canuckfan75
- Start date
RIP. Great Lions owner. Kept the CFL afloat for years. I wonder how close he was to ever selling the Lions.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I wonder what happens with the team now. Does he have kids that it would pass to? Because this isn't exactly the best timing to find someone who will want to invest in a CFL franchise.
Jumptheshark
Rebooting myself
Singlehandedly kept the league from going under on more than one occasion. There will likely never be such a devoted CFL owner again. He will be missed by many.
I'm feeling a little nostalgic, remembering when the CFL was a quality league for fans and players. When we were kids (early sixties), we used to get the $2.00 uncovered end zone seats at PNE stadium, sponsored by one of the local radio stations. If it rained, the stadium attendants would distribute black plastic rain coverings with hoods to the kids. Watching Joe Kapp, Willie Fleming, Pat Claridge, Sonny Homer, and the "headhunters" on defense.
What a time it was. So glad I got to see that, and the Lions first Grey Cup win.
What a time it was. So glad I got to see that, and the Lions first Grey Cup win.
He was always holding out for a certain price. With Covid the estate likely won’t ever get what he was asking for.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I'm not really concerned with them getting their money, more that it's a niche thing to find ownership that really wants to be invested in and care about the CFL and the fact that the league faces extreme uncertainty having had to cancel this season and not knowing what next season will look like is going to make it hard to get someone for the foreseeable future. But how will it be run in the mean time with ownership passing onto his estate and whoever inherits it? Whoever it is won't have nearly the passion and connection to the league and franchise that he did.
I don't think for a second that the league is going to be in serious danger the way some people do. It's survived for basically 60 years in its current form and it will likely continue to survive. It's just... I dunno... somewhat concerning?
I'm no big CFL fan but in the current global situation and uncertainty, it definitely can't be good to lose your owner, especially in a league as volatile as the CFL.
I can't imagine there are many people with deep enough pockets who think that investing in sports teams playing in empty stadiums is a good idea right now.
I can't imagine there are many people with deep enough pockets who think that investing in sports teams playing in empty stadiums is a good idea right now.
Agreed. I'll take it another step further and say that not only is this bad news for the team but I don't think the league as a whole is in a good spot. Now I'm not suggesting the league is going to fold but they are in a very bad spot unlike any other time in history. This is the time where Braley would be so important to the health and future but with him gone I don't know what to think. I don't see anyone in the league today with the same desire and checkbook Braley had to step up and "save" the league. The CFL is in a very difficult time in their history.
In regards to the estate, im thinking they are willing to take much less than David was holding out for. Probably just want to liquidate it as this point.
cfl in Vancouver is a tough sell. Stadium is way too big for them. I was always pushing for tearing bc place down and building something smaller like around 30k capacity that was expandable for larger events.
If they tore it down it opens up other potential locations for them to play. Whitecaps and Lions seem to have different demographics. Caps a more young professional crowd where’s Lions are more older people or families. So them playing in the same stadium both would need to compromise on a new location of downtown was not the place for them.
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
Well, I got part of my answer:
David Braley, Canadian Football Hall of Famer and owner of Lions, dead at 79 - Sportsnet.ca
That's really cool of him to have done.
David Braley, Canadian Football Hall of Famer and owner of Lions, dead at 79 - Sportsnet.ca
That's really cool of him to have done.
Hit the post
I have your gold medal Zippy!
Just one of the things he's done for the franchise (and the league as well as to my knowledge he helped keep at least one other CFL team afloat in the past). If anybody deserves a street to be named after him around the arena - it's his.
