OT: Other possible Canadian sports franchises

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
I don't see how NFL could ever work in climate. People can barely handle November football games, not sure December and January games would go over to well.

Not sure what NFLers would think about living in Canada either. I do think it would be easier than convincing basketball players though.

Green Bay, Chicago and New England are basically the same climate.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
I admit its a stretch, especially considering we are rivals. Edmonton people probably wouldn't cheer for an NBA team in Calgary just out of spite. Still though they aren't that far apart. They are getting close to being in the same area. We know tons of people in the North West Territories watch the Oilers. IT isn't so much distance as having no other teams in between. If you could get Edmonton and Calgary to support the same team, it isn't' crazy to think of them as the same population. It is a 3-hour drive, not 10.

It's just not viable though.
People simply arent going to drive 6 hours round trip in winter weather to support a Basketball team in the other city.
In all honesty the NBA would have to be incredibly hard up to even consider such a ridiculous plan.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Something like an Alberta team could work though.

The is no cogent argument to support this. Even if the cites were closer and the weather was better there are a lot of other more desirable markets for the NBA to consider.
It really is a pipe dream.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lepardi

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
The is no cogent argument to support this. Even if the cites were closer and the weather was better there are a lot of other more desirable markets for the NBA to consider.
It really is a pipe dream.

Not specifically referring to the NBA.

A NFL team is possible, especially with the hard cap and revenue sharing in that league.

It'd have to start in Toronto first though.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Not specifically referring to the NBA.

A NFL team is possible, especially with the hard cap and revenue sharing in that league.

It'd have to start in Toronto first though.

Another pipe dream IMO.
Most of the NFL schedule in played during the winter months.
Most importantly...like the NBA...the NFL has dozens of better markets to choose from.

An MLS team might work though and not as a shared entity. Edmonton may be able to support that.
 

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
Another pipe dream IMO.
Most of the NFL schedule in played during the winter months.
Most importantly...like the NBA...the NFL has dozens of better markets to choose from.

Eh, if they ever consider Canadian expansion it's a real possibility. It's not like Minnesota and Green Bay are huge markets in terms of population either, and like I said Green Bay and New England basically play in the same weather conditions as Edmonton for the year.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Eh, if they ever consider Canadian expansion it's a real possibility. It's not like Minnesota and Green Bay are huge markets in terms of population either, and like I said Green Bay and New England basically play in the same weather conditions as Edmonton for the year.

Its not a real posibility. It just isnt especially with the CFL stil operating. If the CFL folded Toronto and Montreal would be given teams long before Edmonton.
As for the weather... I mentioned Edmonton has at least 6 weeks additional winter weather compared to a city 800 kms south.
 

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
Its not a real posibility. It just isnt especially with the CFL stil operating. If the CFL folded Toronto and Montreal would be given teams long before Edmonton.
As for the weather... I mentioned Edmonton has at least 6 weeks additional winter weather compared to a city 800 kms south.

Like I said again, it'd have to start in Toronto first.

I've addressed each one of these points already.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Does it really matter though? It's not exactly warm in Green Bay in October either.

Warmer than Edmonton. I have been there for the start of football season....they actually have a fall that lasts well into late November. Also...their winters arent as consistently brutally cold like it is in Edmonton.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Like I said again, it'd have to start in Toronto first.

I've addressed each one of these points already.

Except for the fact that Edmonton/Calgary are not getting NFL teams in our lifetime...lol

MLS...thats a far more realistic conversation IMO.
 

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
Warmer than Edmonton. I have been there for the start of football season....they actually have a fall that lasts well into late November. Also...their winters arent as consistently brutally cold like it is in Edmonton.

There are games played in Chicago, New England, and Green Bay in what is basically -20 to -25C weather with snow. It's not that huge of a difference. IIRC the Oilers actually asked both the Esks and Green Bay how to stage a big event outdoors in freezing weather when they hosted the Heritage Classic.
 

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
Except for the fact that Edmonton/Calgary are not getting NFL teams in our lifetime...lol

MLS...thats a far more realistic conversation IMO.

Lifetime is pretty subjective though, depending on how ancient you are. ;)

I could see a NFL team in Toronto within 10 years and a NFL team in other Canadian markets (including Alberta) within 20.
 

Messrules11

6 Cups, elbows up.
Nov 23, 2018
4,507
4,247
Lifetime is pretty subjective though, depending on how ancient you are. ;)

I could see a NFL team in Toronto within 10 years and a NFL team in other Canadian markets (including Alberta) within 20.
There are 28 states without an NFL team and you think Alberta could have one within 20 years? There’s already 32 teams, Toronto maybe, Alberta? Forget about it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MessierII

Soundwave

Registered User
Mar 1, 2007
72,141
27,826
Maybe an NFL team in Toronto and a NHL team in Quebec but that's about it any time soon.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
There are games played in Chicago, New England, and Green Bay in what is basically -20 to -25C weather with snow. It's not that huge of a difference. IIRC the Oilers actually asked both the Esks and Green Bay how to stage a big event outdoors in freezing weather when they hosted the Heritage Classic.

It actually is a huge difference. Those kind of days last for weeks on end in Edmonton starting in November...it doesnt work like that down there.
Add to that the fact that Edmontons winters start weeks earlier and end weeks later it makes a big overall difference.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Lifetime is pretty subjective though, depending on how ancient you are. ;)

I could see a NFL team in Toronto within 10 years and a NFL team in other Canadian markets (including Alberta) within 20.

Alberta isnt happening.
 

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
It actually is a huge difference. Those kind of days last for weeks on end in Edmonton starting in November...it doesnt work like that down there.
Add to that the fact that Edmontons winters start weeks earlier and end weeks later it makes a big overall difference.

Eh, you're talking about a difference of about 2 degrees on average between Green Bay and Edmonton. They're even in the same climate classification.

And if we're being honest, an Alberta shared team probably gets a brand new stadium built with the ability to close the roof.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
Eh, you're talking about a difference of about 2 degrees on average between Green Bay and Edmonton. They're even in the same climate classification.

And if we're being honest, an Alberta shared team probably gets a brand new stadium built with the ability to close the roof.

You clearly havent been down in the NE in the fall. Its not the same weather no matter how hard Northern Albertans want to believe it is. Same goes for spring. Their winter season is shorter.

As for Alberta having an NFL team its a pipe dream. A feel good pipe dream but a pipe dream none the less. :nod:
 

Cloned

Begging for Bega
Aug 25, 2003
78,946
64,126
You clearly havent been down in the NE in the fall. Its not the same weather no matter how hard Northern Albertans want to believe it is. Same goes for spring. Their winter season is shorter.

As for Alberta having an NFL team its a pipe dream. A feel good pipe dream but a pipe dream none the less. :nod:

The numbers bear it out. Green Bay is on average about 2 degrees warmer in the fall/winter months than Edmonton. I'm not sure that's a huge enough difference that it would be the primary reason a NFL team doesn't work here.

I'd list fan interest and market sustainability as higher on that list of reasons than weather. But a lot can change there in 20 years.
 

Messrules11

6 Cups, elbows up.
Nov 23, 2018
4,507
4,247
The numbers bear it out. Green Bay is on average about 2 degrees warmer in the fall/winter months than Edmonton. I'm not sure that's a huge enough difference that it would be the primary reason a NFL team doesn't work here.

I'd list fan interest and market sustainability as higher on that list of reasons than weather. But a lot can change there in 20 years.
An NFL team won’t happen here for a lot more reasons than weather. The NFL is big money. A new stadium, expansion fee, and look how hard it is to get hockey players to come here, nevermind star American football players. Not happening, not ever.
 

MettleMcOiler

5-14-6-1
Mar 9, 2011
4,235
5,227
Edmonton
Sure, but they didn't fail due to a lack of population. I still don't get your point. Canada has a higher population to a sports team than does the states. Simply Canada is under-represented in terms of population. If all you were looking at is population Canada would have more teams not less.

From what I read the problems for the Expos were a terrible owner, the attendance was lackluster, and the city shut the down the funding to new a stadium and used the taxpayers money elsewhere. Developed talent was difficult to keep (which oilers fans know to well). The Grizzlies also suffered similar issues and declining attendance. I'm saying that a larger population has more of chance to fill those seats, when you have more people that may have interest in the sport. Plus the NBA and MLB also got involved and it just wasn't looking good all around.
Higher population will garner a higher surplus of taxes to spend on something extra like a stadium (if the a city approves it), but Montreal used it for the hospitals instead.
Look how much the City of Edmonton had to dish out for Rogers place.
Total tax revenue for U.S for a fiscal year is about 3.18 trillion. Canada from reports since 2015 is 28.2 billion. This difference is population.
I'm not saying the canadian cities can't handle major sports franchises, I'm saying because of the low population, it is more difficult to sustain it unless you have unprecedented interest. Edmonton has been a below average team for the past decade and yet the support still remains encouragingly strong.
More teams would be awesome, but someone has to pay for them.
 

guymez

The Seldom Seen Kid
Mar 3, 2004
32,644
12,153
The numbers bear it out. Green Bay is on average about 2 degrees warmer in the fall/winter months than Edmonton. I'm not sure that's a huge enough difference that it would be the primary reason a NFL team doesn't work here.

I'd list fan interest and market sustainability as higher on that list of reasons than weather. But a lot can change there in 20 years.

The NFL isnt coming to Edmonton Cloned. :D
 
Last edited:

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->