OT: Jon Bon Jovi, MLSE give Toronto inside track on Buffalo Bills: Kelly

[paulster2626]

Is it just me or does anybody see the new improved tomorrow ain't what it used to be.

 

[Avec Fromage*]

Just like with the Jays and Raptors, it will be difficult to attract any real talent from the USA; i.e., a NFL team in Toronto would be perpetually bad.

 

[paulster2626]

This is the problem with the CFL in Toronto. No one really cares. To wit, it was the East Final, and the only reason there were so many people is because Ticat fans (of which I am one) made up 35 or 40 percent of the gate, give or take.

Toronto was a CFL town up to the '80's and perhaps even when Flutie was here and Gretzky/McNall/Candy owned them. Since then, not so much.

More people attend Argos games than Leafs games. Say whaaat!!

Push your luck - say your prayers. Make believe you don't care.

 

[Khobahi]

i hope we don't get an NFL team..... seriously screw football.... don't take attention away from hockey =)

 

[New Liskeard]

More people attend Argos games than Leafs games. Say whaaat!!

Push your luck - say your prayers. Make believe you don't care.

The Argo's were the big ticket in Toronto many years ago, far more than the Leafs or any other professional team at that time,

 

[morrielly]

But, yeah an NFL team in Toronto would probably become my second team.

 

[Hurt]

There's a thread regarding this about 5 posts down on the first page.

 

[Stats01]

So Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star was on TSN radio earlier today and explained how this all would work.

First off he says that Bon Jovi and Tim Leiweke are best friends, citing that Bon Jovi were recently at Leiweke's daughter's wedding. Kelly goes on to explain that Leiweke's main reason for taking the job with MLSE was this purpose, to get an NFL team in Toronto more importantly to broker a deal for a new stadium. Leiweke's background is more about business not sports. Remember he was the one behind trying to get a new stadium and a new team in LA.

So basically he goes on to explain that Bon Jovi are approximately worth 300 million dollars in which they would throw 100 million towards the team, MLSE front man Larry Tanenbaum has approx. 700 million in MLSE stock so he would basically be selling out company. This is where Rogers comes in. For this plan to work Jovi, and Tanenbaum still need a new stadium..Rogers says sure we'll front the money for a new stadium as long as we get to own the stadium. It would take approximately 10 years to start making money off of it. Now people will say why would MLSE do this, MLSE does this because they would run the stadium and running new state of the art stadiums can make you money very quickly. So although at first they would be taking a huge hit, eventually down the road they'd be making money off everything.

I probably have messed up somewhere here but this is the jist of what Kelly said.

(Bon Jovi - knows and has ties within the NFL has approx. 300 million)
(Tim Lieweke - buisness man, specializes in stadiums, has ties within the NFL)
(Tanenbaum - Approx. 700 million dollars in stock and liquidity)
(Rogers - approx a billion dollars put into a new stadium)

Ohh and another point on this, this is why MLSE is interested in buying the Argos and putting them in BMO Field, it avoids issues with the government and anti-trust laws who will say they want to protect the CFL and the CFL team. They buy the team and move them to BMO and for the most part everyone is happy.

 

[Rants Mulliniks]

Am I the only one that would find it a touch weird to have my "best friend" putting up banners of me?