Ottawa getting another CFL Team

[Superflyer]

Why oh why are they putting another one in Ottawa, sure it is the capital but still. Maybe 3rd time is the charm but I don't think so. Hopefully the owners will be better then the last ones, that may be the diffrence. But why put one back in Ottawa after it has failed twice already in the last 10 years. I would like to see one in a place like Halifax or something, I am not 100% sure that it might survive but Ottawa has dropped the ball twice already.
http://tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=232749&hubname=

[ken0042]

Hopefully they let them use the name "Rough Riders" again.

[Sample00]

I think the east coast should have a team as well. Halifax would get my nod.
maybe Edmonton should get a team..oh wait!

[Resolute 14]

Well, give Ottawa a team with decent ownership and a playoff appearance, and it might do alright. Incompetent ownership killed the last two Ottawa teams.

[worth]

Ottawa hasn't had a winning football team in over 30 years. You need to win to be successful. And you need ownership that actually cares about the team and the city.

With this you have one piece of the puzzel. Jeff Hunt is a local guy and is well respected in the community. He's not going to give up on the team, and he is going to do his best to put the best product on the field.

I think the people of Ottawa realize that this time around they have stable ownership and with that will come success.

Ottawa has a rich history and deserves to be in the League. I guess recent memories are tainted a bit since they've had a rough go the last little while.

Bring the team back with stable ownership and the ability to put a winning team on the field due to the SMS and the fans will come.

[Bobblehead]

Worth hit the nail on the head, but I don't think this team will do it on the reputation of Jeff Hunt. It is going to take a few years of stability before fans can trust any franchise there. First whisper of "needing" a new stadium and the fans will fear to invest anything of themselves in the team for fear of being let down (again).

A few years of stability, some exciting teams (they don't need to win, but at least be competitive) and fans will come back.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Superflyer

Why oh why are they putting another one in Ottawa, sure it is the capital but still. Maybe 3rd time is the charm but I don't think so. Hopefully the owners will be better then the last ones, that may be the diffrence. But why put one back in Ottawa after it has failed twice already in the last 10 years. I would like to see one in a place like Halifax or something, I am not 100% sure that it might survive but Ottawa has dropped the ball twice already.
http://tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=232749&hubname=

I think they'd love to put a team in Halifax, but they don't have a stadium. The biggest stadium in the Halifax area has a maximum capacity of 11,000 (Huskies Stadium at St. Mary's University).

If Halifax had continued its bid and won the rights to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games, a new stadium would have been built, and I'm sure a CFL franchise would have started playing there ASAP.

Until someone is willing to put forward the money to build a stadium in the Atlantic Provinces somewhere, the CFL can't expand there.


Speaking of stadiums, Frank Claire Stadium in Ottawa was closed last year after structural damage was found, so obviously work will need to be done to improve the facilities there as well. If the team will start play in 2010, that gives them 2 years to get things in order, and they could conceivably build an entirely new stadium in that time, given the simplicity of the design.

[worth]

Yeah, another viable market would be Quebec City, but again, the stadium issue comes up. I agree, if they had a stadium in Halifax, they'd have a CFL team. It only makes sense, and the league wants to introduce the vision of a league that stretches across the country, from ocean to ocean. And that would be pretty cool.

And if Ottawa does indeed return to the league, that would mean Winnipeg would move over to the West division again where they belong!

[ken0042]

I think more than anything Winnipeg is tired of being shuffled about; and would rather remain in the East. That way when the next eastern team folds; they don't have to shuffle yet again. Because let's face it; the teams in the West are pretty solid. The only team in the East that is currently in good shape is Montreal; and they have folded once already in the last 25 years.

[underGRADFlame]

I vote for the Ottawa Silly-Nannies

[arloiginla]

How about the Ottawa MP's?? Hey they already have the Senators

[Prototype]

Ottawa Rough Renegades... horrible idea, I'm well aware... but it needed to be posted.

[albertGQ]

To spur interest in the new football team, they should have a Mardi Gras night

[worth]

Originally Posted by albertGQ

To spur interest in the new football team, they should have a Mardi Gras night

What a great idea!

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Superflyer

Why oh why are they putting another one in Ottawa, sure it is the capital but still. Maybe 3rd time is the charm but I don't think so. Hopefully the owners will be better then the last ones, that may be the diffrence. But why put one back in Ottawa after it has failed twice already in the last 10 years. I would like to see one in a place like Halifax or something, I am not 100% sure that it might survive but Ottawa has dropped the ball twice already.
http://tsn.ca/cfl/news_story/?ID=232749&hubname=

Why? There is over 1 million people in metro Ottawa. No other market in Canada comes close. Quebec City would be the next largest market IIRC. I think OTT would support a well-managed team. I'd like a team in the Maritimes too, but there isn't the population there like OTT and QUE.

[Cowboy89]

Originally Posted by troutman

Why? There is over 1 million people in metro Ottawa. No other market in Canada comes close. Quebec City would be the next largest market IIRC. I think OTT would support a well-managed team. I'd like a team in the Maritimes too, but there isn't the population there like OTT and QUE.

I think it's a culture thing in Ottawa more than anything else. Ottawans as a whole will support anything if it's free, but should the price be even of moderate expense they'll stay away like the plague. Just look at Senators tickets, even the past two seasons, which should be considered the pinnacle of the entire franchise's profitability, my Uncle there can easily get tickets and take his family of 5 out to a game for $120 with little more than a few weeks notice and we're talking better than sport chek zone sightlines. Good luck on even acquiring 5 tickets in the same row at any price in the primary or secondary market in any other Canadian NHL city. In fact they haven't even sold out every game this season.

[GreenTeaFrapp]

Originally Posted by Cowboy89

I think it's a culture thing in Ottawa more than anything else. Ottawans as a whole will support anything if it's free, but should the price be even of moderate expense they'll stay away like the plague.

What a load of garbage.

Just look at Senators tickets, even the past two seasons, which should be considered the pinnacle of the entire franchise's profitability, my Uncle there can easily get tickets and take his family of 5 out to a game for $120 with little more than a few weeks notice and we're talking better than sport chek zone sightlines.

I think he got lucky more then anything. The only tickets he could have bought at that price are the Coca-cola family fun zone which are Ottawa's equivalent of the Sport Chek Zone.

Good luck on even acquiring 5 tickets in the same row at any price in the primary or secondary market in any other Canadian NHL city. In fact they haven't even sold out every game this season.

It has more to do with the Senators having a smaller season ticket base then the other teams who have had a 10 to 80 year head start on the Senators in creating their season ticket base.

Regardless Ottawa has still sold the second most NHL tickets in Canada this season. And they've done it without a red hot Alberta economy or a population base that's two to five times bigger.

Meanwhile it was the 67's success at drawing fans that led teams to being put in other Canadian NHL cities.

[Julio]

Originally Posted by GreenTeaFrapp

Meanwhile it was the 67's success at drawing fans that led teams to being put in other Canadian NHL cities.

Before Hunt bought the 67's (3 years after the Hitmen were established here in Calgary) they were drawing 2300 people a year and were near extinction. Not exactly the shining light that caused teams to come to NHL cities, at least not to this one.

[edn88]

Originally Posted by worth

Yeah, another viable market would be Quebec City, but again, the stadium issue comes up. I agree, if they had a stadium in Halifax, they'd have a CFL team. It only makes sense, and the league wants to introduce the vision of a league that stretches across the country, from ocean to ocean. And that would be pretty cool.

And if Ottawa does indeed return to the league, that would mean Winnipeg would move over to the West division again where they belong!

Not a big CFL fan, but if the league is going to have long term viability post-NFL (should it ever make it to TO), then a team in Quebec City and Halifax would make sense - I wonder if there is there no option to play in a smaller college facility like the Als do in Montreal

[troutman]

There could be a big problem finding enough good Canadian players to stock 10 teams. The CFL will have to raise the import ratio.