Meanwhile, in non-Coyotes news... (LeBlanc's CFL Efforts)

Stumbledore

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Jan 1, 2018
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Halifax council takes first step toward stadium for potential new CFL team

Behind a paywall, but the most interesting part reads:

"Anthony LeBlanc, founding partner of Maritime Football, said he felt good about council's 15-0 vote to move the process along. LeBlanc said he felt confident his group would be able to continue to work with city staff, the province, landowner Canada Lands Company, and the Millbrook First Nation.

"Ultimately there's optimism that we can do this as long as everybody is at the table understanding what the shared risk is."

LeBlanc said the city has made it clear it is not interested in owning the stadium, which would be the responsibility of his group."
 

cheswick

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Mar 17, 2010
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Dont follow the CFL, but adding more teams would really be a great thing that's long overdue. I always wished the league could stretch to 12 teams with an 8 team playoff format.

Not sure where you could locate another 3 teams. If maritimes gets one, I assume Quebec City would be next logical bet. But where else? The way Toronto struggles would another CFL team in the golden horseshoe really work? That's where the population is. Could Saskatoon support a team on its own?
 

No Fun Shogun

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May 1, 2011
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Not sure where you could locate another 3 teams. If maritimes gets one, I assume Quebec City would be next logical bet. But where else? The way Toronto struggles would another CFL team in the golden horseshoe really work? That's where the population is. Could Saskatoon support a team on its own?

CFL is in a bind. Quebec City is obvious, but that being said nobody seems interested in being an owner. Newfoundland sounds nice, but that's a staggeringly small population and corporate support base. Riders honestly need all of Saskatchewan, so that's a no go for Saskatoon. I don't think there's a demand for a second team anywhere, so all they've got left would be a second CFL USA experiment, though targeted at smaller northern markets that don't have pro teams, like Rochester, Boise, or Anchorage, and I'm not sure that there's a demand there from either the CFL or the local markets, and of those NFL/NCAA demand would 100% overshadow the CFL except for maybe Anchorage.

10 is probably their limit for the time being.
 
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Tom ServoMST3K

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Nov 2, 2010
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CFL is in a bind. Quebec City is obvious, but that being said nobody seems interested in being an owner. Newfoundland sounds nice, but that's a staggeringly small population and corporate support base. Riders honestly need all of Saskatchewan, so that's a no go for Saskatoon. I don't think there's a demand for a second team anywhere, so all they've got left would be a second CFL USA experiment, though targeted at smaller northern markets that don't have pro teams, like Rochester, Boise, or Anchorage, and I'm not sure that there's a demand there from either the CFL or the local markets, and of those NFL/NCAA demand would 100% overshadow the CFL except for maybe Anchorage.

10 is probably their limit for the time being.

10 is fine.
 
Aug 25, 2009
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CFL is in a bind. Quebec City is obvious, but that being said nobody seems interested in being an owner. Newfoundland sounds nice, but that's a staggeringly small population and corporate support base. Riders honestly need all of Saskatchewan, so that's a no go for Saskatoon. I don't think there's a demand for a second team anywhere, so all they've got left would be a second CFL USA experiment, though targeted at smaller northern markets that don't have pro teams, like Rochester, Boise, or Anchorage, and I'm not sure that there's a demand there from either the CFL or the local markets, and of those NFL/NCAA demand would 100% overshadow the CFL except for maybe Anchorage.

10 is probably their limit for the time being.
Could there be two teams in British Columbia? One in Surrey, one in Vancouver?
 

Tom ServoMST3K

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Could there be two teams in British Columbia? One in Surrey, one in Vancouver?

It's not like the Lions are setting attendance records.

10 teams is the perfect amount for the CFL.

Maybe you'd fit one in Quebec, and another one in Western Canada, but IMO Western Canada is tapped out - And that's your money making engine. If you ignored history, Saskatoon would be perfect, but at this point you can't compete with the riders.
 

Stumbledore

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While the discussion so far is interesting, I thought more people would focus on the infamous LeBlanc. After displaying such staggering ineptitude in the land of the desert dogs, I'm amazed that no one in the Maritimes wants to question the hockey hustler's qualifications to shepherd a new arena into being.
 

Llama19

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Jan 19, 2013
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While the discussion so far is interesting, I thought more people would focus on the infamous LeBlanc. After displaying such staggering ineptitude in the land of the desert dogs, I'm amazed that no one in the Maritimes wants to question the hockey hustler's qualifications to shepherd a new arena into being.
Flim-Flam artists, regardless of which country they operate in, are never asked the hard questions...

I would expect the same outcome up north...as occurred...here in Arizona...no arena nor stadium will be...
 

GuelphStormer

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Mar 20, 2012
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"Ultimately there's optimism that we can do this as long as everybody is at the table understanding what the shared risk is."

what risk?

s126410235876078815_p145_i1_w640.jpeg
 

Tom ServoMST3K

In search of a Steinbach Hero
Nov 2, 2010
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What's your excuse?
While the discussion so far is interesting, I thought more people would focus on the infamous LeBlanc. After displaying such staggering ineptitude in the land of the desert dogs, I'm amazed that no one in the Maritimes wants to question the hockey hustler's qualifications to shepherd a new arena into being.

Wasn't Leblanc the brainchild behind the Thunder Bay Arena thing that fell through too?

Or am I getting my Ice Edge people confused again?

I'm not really optimistic about it, but I really want a Maritime CFL team. It has to be done right, and I'm not sure it's being done right, but we really can't tell from here.
 
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cutchemist42

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Apr 7, 2011
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I think CFL at 10 for a long time is fine. Schedule can now be perfectly balanced.

Quebec City has picked university over CFL as that acts as a quasi professional French national team in football. The university would be too hostile to deal with.

After that, there's just no real population base big enough in Canada. As someone who lives in Saskatoon, it's kinda known Regina is the dump of the provincial major cities but there's just not enough population for 2 teams. Really wish the Riders were in the better city.

I think Alliance football likely takes the remaining major football markets in NA in the South.

I've always admired the St Paul Saints for being such a good draw in the Twins backyard, with some even saying a Saints game is more fun than a Twins game. Not sure you could get the same effect with CFL. What other American cities would even take a look if the chance was opened up?
 

Tom ServoMST3K

In search of a Steinbach Hero
Nov 2, 2010
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I think CFL at 10 for a long time is fine. Schedule can now be perfectly balanced.

Quebec City has picked university over CFL as that acts as a quasi professional French national team in football. The university would be too hostile to deal with.

After that, there's just no real population base big enough in Canada. As someone who lives in Saskatoon, it's kinda known Regina is the dump of the provincial major cities but there's just not enough population for 2 teams. Really wish the Riders were in the better city.

I think Alliance football likely takes the remaining major football markets in NA in the South.

I've always admired the St Paul Saints for being such a good draw in the Twins backyard, with some even saying a Saints game is more fun than a Twins game. Not sure you could get the same effect with CFL. What other American cities would even take a look if the chance was opened up?

Rochester, NY?
 

Killion

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Feb 19, 2010
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Wasn't Leblanc the brainchild behind the Thunder Bay Arena thing that fell through too?

Or am I getting my Ice Edge people confused again?

I'm not really optimistic about it, but I really want a Maritime CFL team. It has to be done right, and I'm not sure it's being done right, but we really can't tell from here.

Yes he was, along with Darrel Jones (also of IceEdge & Coyotes "Ownership" infamy) I believe.... run out of town on a rail basically & that was his "hometown". Ran for a seat in the Provincial Legislature up there as well and got totally hammered. Real popular guy with those who know him uh?... Spotty career, history & track record and thats being extremely kind, polite. Last I heard, he'd entered into some kinda crazy "cannabis distribution" dealeo, publicly traded of course, pump n' dump, big plans to open up stores across Canada or some such.... So just guessin, but he may well be thinkin that if he ply's enough people with weed they just might believe in him & his fantastical plans & shell out while forgetting he's a complete & utter Weasel.
 

Mightygoose

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Nov 5, 2012
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The biggest issue with putting teams in the US is the ratio. When they had the Ill fated US expansion in the 90s, it wasn't allowed as it would have violated labour laws.

As a result there was a competitive advantage for the US based clubs having a wider pool to recuit from. Baltimore was the only team that had competent management along with no ratio hence they were good right off the back.

If there's a way to get around that, then it comes down to ownership, stadium etc...

10 would be a good number
 

StreetHawk

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Sep 30, 2017
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There is more competition coming for the CFL. The AAFL is starting in the spring and some of the NFL cuts opted not to sign in the CFL due to that league starting in the spring. Don't blame them. Salary is expected to be around $60-$70K USD for a 10 game regular season. You'd have to translate that to over $100K USD for the 18 games the CFL plays.

CFL realistically needs to cut down the games. If you have 10 teams, 2 divisions of 5 teams. Home and away within division to get 8 games. Play all 5 of the other division 1 time to get to 13. Last game will be a rematch of the Grey Cup, then all other teams play best to worst. 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, etc.

Give 2 bye weeks that are taken between weeks 4 - 13. Season ends after week 16. Start on Canada Day. Can still play the Grey Cup in middle part of November.
 

TheLegend

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Aug 30, 2009
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Halifax council takes first step toward stadium for potential new CFL team

Behind a paywall, but the most interesting part reads:

"Anthony LeBlanc, founding partner of Maritime Football, said he felt good about council's 15-0 vote to move the process along. LeBlanc said he felt confident his group would be able to continue to work with city staff, the province, landowner Canada Lands Company, and the Millbrook First Nation.

"Ultimately there's optimism that we can do this as long as everybody is at the table understanding what the shared risk is."

LeBlanc said the city has made it clear it is not interested in owning the stadium, which would be the responsibility of his group."


I see what you did there Moose... inserting click bait in the thread title. :laugh:

This is probably a LeBlanc/Drummond production no doubt.
 
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