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

Habaneros

Habs Cup champs 2010
Oct 31, 2011
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Hell, I thought they were getting off cheap for $190Million (I assume) Canadian.

Things tend to go over budget in Nova Scotia,...like the recent rebuild of the schooner" Bluenose "
A wooden boat original estimate was $10 mill to rebuild it ...when they finished it, cost tax payers $24-25 millon ...lol

Expect that stadium if built ,to go way over..if they say it will cost 190 million ...it prob really will cost $250 -280 - $325 million when finished... maybe more..lol ...
 
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Mightygoose

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Nov 5, 2012
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Ajax, ON
Isn't there a temporary seasonal stadium being built on the Wanderers Grounds in the interim? Or is that only for the CPL?

That's correct, the CPL team will play there. It's a 3 year lease, I think if the CFL stadium gets approved, the city will want the soccer team to move into it.

If the Schooners launch early, they'll likely play in Moncton.
 

crobro

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Aug 8, 2008
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As historic as the Schooners name adds to the Franchise

Halifax Mooseheads just feels right
 

Howie Hodge

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Sep 16, 2017
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Good to see The CFL potentially grow, even if by only one team.

I don't follow The CFL anymore, but back in the day used to watch games at former CFL Quarterback Rick Cassata's Bistro just outside of Buffalo. (Tonawanda, where he attended High School)

Winnipeg 1969, Ottawa 1971 - 1974, BC 1976, and Hamilton in 1976.

Throw in a WFL stint in 1975 with The Hawaiians, and you have quite a well traveled player!
 

Holden Caulfield

Eternal Skeptic
Feb 15, 2006
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I understand the issue with eliminating games. But in light of the new AAFL league which will have a 10 game season and total pay is at or higher than the CFL That will impact the quality of players the cfl can attract. Even this past nfl camp, there were players cut who opted to go unsigned and sit for the new league to play.

Who would t opt for 10 vs 18 games in the regular season if you are a player? And for the same total money, not just the same per game pay?

Afl players will be making less, in some cases ALOT (like 200-300%) less than CFL players. The CFL min salary is just a little less than AFL salary. So sure once you include exchange rate your making better in AFL than CFL min, but only really unknown rookies are making league minimum.
 
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DoyleG

Reality sucks, Princesses!
Dec 29, 2008
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Afl players will be making less, in some cases ALOT (like 200-300%) less than CFL players. The CFL min salary is just a little less than AFL salary. So sure once you include exchange rate your making better in AFL than CFL min, but only really unknown rookies are making league minimum.

It should be noted that the AAFL see the CFL as a means to an end. They expect players that playin the AAFL to be scouted over by CFL teams as well.

The AAFL would see killing the CFL off the same as one cutting off the right hand with the left.
 

Mightygoose

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Nov 5, 2012
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LeBlanc and co. looking at a scaled back stadium plan that could be expanded at a later time.

Atlantic Schooners scale back CFL stadium plans - HalifaxToday.ca

To quote

Anthony LeBlanc with Atlantic Schooners Sports and Entertainment now says they are discussing the possibility of a $130 million stadium that could be expanded in the future.

He told NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show they're taking inspiration from Toronto's BMO Field.
"That facility intrigued us because that was built back in the early 2000s and when it opened, it was much more standard. Not a lot of bells and whistles, but a very functional stadium," LeBlanc said. "It had the capacity, it had some premium spaces, very good team spaces, but then they added to it as time went along"

They expect to know by mid-year if this plan is realistic or not.
 

Llama19

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LeBlanc and co. looking at a scaled back stadium plan that could be expanded at a later time.

Atlantic Schooners scale back CFL stadium plans - HalifaxToday.ca

To quote

Anthony LeBlanc with Atlantic Schooners Sports and Entertainment now says they are discussing the possibility of a $130 million stadium that could be expanded in the future.

He told NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show they're taking inspiration from Toronto's BMO Field.
"That facility intrigued us because that was built back in the early 2000s and when it opened, it was much more standard. Not a lot of bells and whistles, but a very functional stadium," LeBlanc said. "It had the capacity, it had some premium spaces, very good team spaces, but then they added to it as time went along"

They expect to know by mid-year if this plan is realistic or not.

From the article:

""All of us, including from what I can tell HRM and the province, we want to figure out if this is going to happen or not sometime this year," he said. "What we have indicated is, we feel that June is a reasonable time frame that we should all be aiming for to have some kind of definitive answers of if this is a go or not.""

Never change, AL...never change...
 

Llama19

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Jan 19, 2013
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What Halifax councillors think about backing a stadium

To quote:

"Earlier this week, [Anthony] LeBlanc said he hoped the team would begin play for the 2020 season, but he said the franchise could play in Moncton until the stadium was ready here.

[Halifax Regional Municipality Coun. Richard] Zurawski said he's not impressed with the lobbying effort for the stadium, which he views as pressuring council.

"Already, they have broken those two promises. They have engaged in a public relations exercise, sold advance tickets, naming of the proposed CFL team, and decided without consultation with council that Shannon Park is the site.""

Source: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-council-cfl-stadium-1.5010173

Hmmm...this all seems so familiar... ;)
 
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Tom ServoMST3K

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What Halifax councillors think about backing a stadium

To quote:

"Earlier this week, [Anthony] LeBlanc said he hoped the team would begin play for the 2020 season, but he said the franchise could play in Moncton until the stadium was ready here.

[Halifax Regional Municipality Coun. Richard] Zurawski said he's not impressed with the lobbying effort for the stadium, which he views as pressuring council.

"Already, they have broken those two promises. They have engaged in a public relations exercise, sold advance tickets, naming of the proposed CFL team, and decided without consultation with council that Shannon Park is the site.""

Source: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-council-cfl-stadium-1.5010173

Hmmm...this all seems so familiar... ;)

Who could have seen this coming?!?!?!?!

oh. right. everyone should have.
 

shmglsky

Registered User
Jul 10, 2012
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Maybe third time's the charm.

Or a strike out.

(Believe LeBlanc tried to bring an AHL team to Thunder Bay)
 

Mightygoose

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Nov 5, 2012
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Ajax, ON
LeBlanc announces they signed a letter of intent with Canada Lands for the site at Shannon Park for the stadium plan.

www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/group-behind-proposed-schooners-cfl-franchise-closer-land-deal/

Also announced a partnership with Sports Nova Scotia. A nonprofit organization that oversees 50 sports in the province to use the place over 300 dates a year....a key to get public $$$.

'Community' part of the stadium at 12K seats with SSE pitching in to increase another 10K permanent seats with an additional 4K temporary seats. 22-26K seats in total.
 

Llama19

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Jan 19, 2013
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LeBlanc announces they signed a letter of intent with Canada Lands for the site at Shannon Park for the stadium plan.

www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/group-behind-proposed-schooners-cfl-franchise-closer-land-deal/

Also announced a partnership with Sports Nova Scotia. A nonprofit organization that oversees 50 sports in the province to use the place over 300 dates a year....a key to get public $$$.

'Community' part of the stadium at 12K seats with SSE pitching in to increase another 10K permanent seats with an additional 4K temporary seats. 22-26K seats in total.

Shades of ASU! :laugh:
 

WingsFan95

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Mar 22, 2008
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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?

Maritime Team and Quebec City should be plausible scenarios. That 12th team is the issue but I think London Ontario would be the best bet. Financially that region can support a team and they really get the cold shoulder despite the population glut in a 100km area.

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.

The playoffs should stay at 6 teams even with a 10 team league and honestly even a 12 team league as those BYEs should be well deserved. The schedule has been structured for 9 teams except the Ottawa hiatuses. Having 4-5 team divisions however makes it awfully hard to keep an even schedule.

In a 10 team scenario where divisions are 5-5 it allows for an even schedule as so:

Option A: 8 in division games, 5 out of division games+1
Option B: 12 in division games, 5 out of division games+1

The 8-10 option seems counter-intuitive but would maintain the 18 game schedule. More to the point, with the playoff format as it is you need the cross-over seeing as how the East can't just be guaranteed 3 of 4 teams making playoffs however 3 of 5 doesn't sound as bad. I still think the cross-over has merit however. That said a 13 game schedule raises the importance of each game and for a 10 team league you should want that. This also means the total amount of games played is 16-17 depending on getting BYEs. For the amount the players make, this should be a foregone conclusion. I also think you get away with higher prices. Right now I'd say 4 if not 5 of the Argos home games can be had for embarrassingly low prices on resale. In the 8-6 format that takes away 2 games.
 

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