OT: New (CFL) Stadium Deal In Winnipeg

[saskganesh]

The scale of those two leagues are not comparable. CFL rosters are about $8 million in salary, while NHL teams are 5-8 times more. I can't see a future NHL team in Winnipeg sucking out all the sponsorship oxygen.

As noted, CFL is in a vigorous position. Even in Toronto, there's enough interest to get 20K fans a game ... and they are now matching the MLB Blue Jays in attendence.

 

[Melrose Munch]

I'm sure two of those lost money, Hamilton and Toronto. Winnipeg will be pretty close to break even.

Last year the Bombers had a slightly lower average attendance and lost $1.2 million although $800,000 of that was to pay off Mike Kelly and his coaching staff to get lost. I suspect with the slight increase attendance, coupled with increased revenues from other sources (ie. advertising) the Bombers might have broken even.

I suspect that BC lost money given that they only averaged 24,000 per game and did not benefit from a home playoff game. Again, that will be easily offset next year with the move back into the refurbished stadium coupled with a Grey Cup and the secondary events that it brings.

Three teams losing money in the league is not a big deal especially when you are talking about great owners (Braley and Young) incurring those losses. After all, there are what, 12-16 teams in the NHL losing money. PUt's things in perspective.

Thats all I was saying!

 

[Jeremy Hronek]

I'm sure two of those lost money, Hamilton and Toronto. Winnipeg will be pretty close to break even.

Last year the Bombers had a slightly lower average attendance and lost $1.2 million although $800,000 of that was to pay off Mike Kelly and his coaching staff to get lost. I suspect with the slight increase attendance, coupled with increased revenues from other sources (ie. advertising) the Bombers might have broken even.

I suspect that BC lost money given that they only averaged 24,000 per game and did not benefit from a home playoff game. Again, that will be easily offset next year with the move back into the refurbished stadium coupled with a Grey Cup and the secondary events that it brings.

Three teams losing money in the league is not a big deal especially when you are talking about great owners (Braley and Young) incurring those losses. After all, there are what, 12-16 teams in the NHL losing money. PUt's things in perspective.

I wouldn't be so sure, I had to pay 60 bucks for one endzone seat.

 

[AllByDesign]

Toronto is losing money
Hamilton is losing money.
I'm pretty sure Winnipeg is too as of now.

Theres three.

My sources say otherwise, any link to back that up?

Edit: 1.2 Million as mentioned was for 2009, 2010 financials haven't been released as of yet.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

I wouldn't be so sure, I had to pay 60 bucks for one endzone seat.

My bad...I was just speculating. Who knows...maybe they did break even. Regardless, next year should be a good one for the lions.

 

[peter sullivan]

I agree. Its slowly marching out of Quebec, Ontario, the Prairies, across the Rockies & right on into the Pacific.

killion, did you get this CFL information off a floppy disk on your apple 2e?....it aint 1992 anymore dorothy.

the CFL boasts the 7th highest average attendance of any sports league on earth.

it has a 5 year tv deal worth $80m, its most lucrative ever.

television ratings have been growing every year and are at their highest level ever....higher than the NFL in canada...

the last 2 grey cups had the highest viewership ever....with a total of 14m canadians watching some part of it, averaging 6.1m over the full game....the final game of the stanley cup finals in the last 2 years only drew 3 million viewers in canada.

5 of the 8 teams are undertaking the construction of new facilities or major renovations to their existing ones...including the half billion dollar BC place project.

the allouettes are not losing millions as you claim....they recently expanded their stadium by 20% and added 25 luxury suites....they have had several seasons in a row of complete sellouts and the popularity of football in the province of quebec (see laval rouge et or) has never been higher.

there are no teams hemmoraging money....they all hover around break even....3 or 4 are quite profitable.

the future of the CFL has never been brighter.....if anything in 5 years the league will be 20% larger....hopefully with 100% more roughriders.

 

[berklon]

I don't think the stadium is going to happen in Hamilton. It costs too much money and no-one really cares about the Pan-Am games either. I hope it doesn't get built.

I'd rather watch the NFL anyways.

 

[He Lied to Mario]

I mean fan support. Montreal has only had fan support recently. I cannot believe I had to clarify that! I know Montreal came back in 1996, I have the article from the TO Star in my room! Holy! They werent doing well in the big O. Hamilton just had a funding shortfall. I live here, it was in the news.

If you consider 12 years to be recently. The Alouettes have been at Molson Stadium full time since 1998 and have sold out every game. Now that they finally expanded their stadium, they gross more money than any team in the league.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...ave-never-looked-better/article1800024/page2/

 

[Jeffrey93]

I don't think the stadium is going to happen in Hamilton. It costs too much money and no-one really cares about the Pan-Am games either. I hope it doesn't get built.

I'd rather watch the NFL anyways.

Cost is a factor...that and a City Council intent on taking orders from the Tiger-Cats.

If these teams did get their new stadiums revenues would rise instantly.

I really have no idea what this has to do with hockey....not even a little bit. Both cities in Canada that are NHL candidates have their arenas already. One needs renovations but seems more lucrative (so paying for them wouldn't be a hurdle) while the other is new.

What on earth does Winnipeg's on-again/off-again stadium plans have to do with hockey??? Unless this is a 'how can Quebec City get an arena built' thread....the answer to that is 'Olympic Bid'. Short of that....private interests pay up.

 

[Free Edler]

I suspect that BC lost money given that they only averaged 24,000 per game and did not benefit from a home playoff game.

The Lions averaged 24,300 per game, but they also played in a (temporary) stadium which had a capacity of only 27,000, so it's not like interest is waning in the Lions brand. The team also had a poor - by their standards - season, and frustration is growing with the management team, but neither of those factors are large enough to put the franchise in jeopardy financially.

Add to it that the temporary field wasn't particularly accessible by public transit and a parking situation that probably ranked among the worst in the league, which decimated a good number of the walk-up crowd, so attendance slipped a bit overall, but as you mentioned, it's probably not a trend and things should be back to normal when BC Place is re-opened.

 

[mouser]

Mod note: This thread is about the construction of a new stadium in Winnipeg, the primary Business of Hockey relevance being the funding agreement between the Bombers and Manitoba government.

While there is some room in this topic to discuss aspects of the CFL, this isn't the place to debate the merits of the CFL or other details that don't relate to the stadium agreement. Please stay on topic.

 

[AllByDesign]

Winnipeg Free Press

Here is the latest on the breakdown of the stadium deal. There is also a link within the article to a commentary by Gary Lawless.

From my vantage point it looks like a deal with risk, but more of a co-operative spirit between the club and different levels of government.

My question to the masses is as such...

Can you replicate this deal with larger numbers to NHL hockey? Why/Why not.

Let's examine the next clubs in line for a new facility. Does their ownership scenario make this feasable or is that club ownership stable enough to just build their own facilty sans help from government?

Thanks guys/gals.

 

[17*]

My concern is not that different levels of govenment spend money on stadia/arenas, it's that they then sell the buildings at a loss to the rich billionaires. (Skydome)

Or, the rich billionaires get the naming rights money. (BMO Field)

In Hamilton, Bob Young wants the money from parking, but why should he get it if the stadium is mostly funded by tax dollars? I think he also wants the money for the naming rights.

If anything gets built with tax dollars, there should be a way for some of that money to be made back.

For the CFL, community owned teams and stadia may be the way to go. Saskatchewan is making money with this model.

 

[King Woodballs]

I am pissed that my taxes are going towards this and not to fixing the roads that have shortend my spine by an inch or two in recent years.

My philosophy is... if the owner wants the arena/stadium pay for themselves

 

[dkehler]

I am pissed that my taxes are going towards this and not to fixing the roads that have shortend my spine by an inch or two in recent years.

My philosophy is... if the owner wants the arena/stadium pay for themselves

Umm ... you (and I) are the owners ...

 

[razorsedge]

I am pissed that my taxes are going towards this and not to fixing the roads that have shortend my spine by an inch or two in recent years.

My philosophy is... if the owner wants the arena/stadium pay for themselves

Your tax dollars are not being used to build it. The Government is taking out a loan just like any other corporation/person does to pay for something. The tax money generated from having a new stadium will pay for the construction loan itself and along with saving your spine...er I mean fix the roads you drive on.

And aparently the Bomber BOD who will manage the stadium operations believe they can pay off their portion over 44 years. I guess you could say the community owned Bombers will be the owners, which means you are a silent owner.

Government built facility's all work on the same principle. The build it, believing it will increase tax revenue from development around the facility along with having a lease with a major tenant to pay it off. Other events will be gravy.

Glendale did the same thing but the difference between the two is that there are multiple venues with similar capacity in Arizona that makes it tough to fill Jobing.com outside of their one full time tenant. Where as the new stadium in Winnipeg will the be ONLY facility that can host large concerts and events requiring 30 000+ attandees.

The CFL will always be around. The government will bale the league out if times ever become tough again. Heck, even the NFL loaned the league money a while back to keep the league afloat.