Saskatoon CFL Team under discussion

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

I call BS on 85% Regina tickets.

I lived in Regina for 18 years and am now studying in Saskatoon. The Riders are just as big if not bigger here then in Regina. I personally know over
20 season ticket holders in Saskatoon. I very much doubt people will switch support from the Riders.

It is far more likely that by 2020 we fall into another financial slump as a team then get another franchise.

Ottawa, QC and the Maritimes will get a team before Saskatoon is even on the radar.

We should be focusing on bringing the AHL to Saskatchewan instead of a second CFL team. We're the largest untapped market in the world for pro hockey

Regina Rider Pride does not equal Saskatoon Rider Pride. I am a native Saskatonian and within the circles I roam the connection to the team is weak. And it was weaker before the Rider's 2007 Grey Cup win. If the Riders want to lockup Saskatoon they must play regular season games here and we all know that will not happen.

Grant a team to the right people and Saskatoon will support them and their organization. If some Saskatonians continue to support the Riders they might as well be decked out in Bombers gear at Mosaic Stadium.

[jigglysquishy]

I'm not sure what circles you're roaming in, but are they even sports fans?

In my building alone there are Rider season tickets holders from Regina, Swift Current, Prince Albert, Craik, Lloydminster and La Ronge. My college sends busses of between 50-100 students down for every game. The University as a whole probably has over 1000 students at every Rider game.

[Ruckus]

Of course they are. They don't bleed green though.

The U of S student population is not representative of the general population. All you see is Rider fans because you're shacked up with fresh high school grads that are not from Saskatoon.

[micheal]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

Saskatoon had a CFL team?

Yup. Saskatoon did have a football team. It folded in 1948

http://www.cfl.ca/page/his_teams_sask

[jigglysquishy]

Originally Posted by Ruckus

Of course they are. They don't bleed green though.

The U of S student population is not representative of the general population. All you see is Rider fans because you're shacked up with fresh high school grads that are not from Saskatoon.

I'm shacked up with 20-25 year olds. Yes, none are from Saskatoon, but 95% are not from Regina either. Myself and another man are the only Regina people.

The fact that my building manager (Saskatoon his whole life) has a Riders tattoo speaks volumes.

If I'm not mistaken the merch sales in Saskatoon are larger than Regina for the Riders.

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by micheal

Yup. Saskatoon did have a football team. It folded in 1948

http://www.cfl.ca/page/his_teams_sask

That article didn't mention anything about a former Saskatoon CFL team. Even if there was one prior to 1948, it still doesn't make this situation similar to that in Winnipeg, which had different reasons for its "break" from the NHL and was only 16 years ago.

[micheal]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

I call BS on 85% Regina tickets.

I lived in Regina for 18 years and am now studying in Saskatoon. The Riders are just as big if not bigger here then in Regina. I personally know over
20 season ticket holders in Saskatoon. I very much doubt people will switch support from the Riders.

It is far more likely that by 2020 we fall into another financial slump as a team then get another franchise.

Ottawa, QC and the Maritimes will get a team before Saskatoon is even on the radar.

We should be focusing on bringing the AHL to Saskatchewan instead of a second CFL team. We're the largest untapped market in the world for pro hockey

Actually Jim hopson is quoted in this article saying that only 10% of season ticket sales are from saskatoon. thats 2500 season tickets.

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cfl...184826100.html

[micheal]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

That article didn't mention anything about a former Saskatoon CFL team. Even if there was one prior to 1948, it still doesn't make this situation similar to that in Winnipeg, which had different reasons for its "break" from the NHL and was only 16 years ago.

Yup its right here in the article.

"The year 1948 marked a milestone for the Roughriders. With the folding of both clubs in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, the Regina Roughriders became a provincially owned and operated club, surviving only on the undying support from the entire province. They became known as the Saskatchewan Roughriders."

[djforsberg]

Originally Posted by micheal

Yup its right here in the article.

"The year 1948 marked a milestone for the Roughriders. With the folding of both clubs in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, the Regina Roughriders became a provincially owned and operated club, surviving only on the undying support from the entire province. They became known as the Saskatchewan Roughriders."

Yes, I read that and to me it says Saskatoon had a football team, not a CFL team. If you can find me some historical CFL standings that include a Saskatoon CFL team, then please post it because I couldn't find any. Here is the 1947 season standings as an example, sans Saskatoon.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

I'm shacked up with 20-25 year olds. Yes, none are from Saskatoon, but 95% are not from Regina either. Myself and another man are the only Regina people.

The fact that my building manager (Saskatoon his whole life) has a Riders tattoo speaks volumes.

If I'm not mistaken the merch sales in Saskatoon are larger than Regina for the Riders.

haha I worked with a guy who had a Riders tattoo on his upper arm and he was from Regina. Your survey sample is still too narrow. Mine is not much better but I suspect it is a little broader than yours. On a related note. CTV Stoon conducted a survey last week. I think the question was "Should Saskatchewan have a second CFL team?" 75% said no, 25% said yes. Not a ringing endorsement, but it's early days and now that the seed has been planted all it takes is time.

[roccerfeller]

Originally Posted by jrm857

They also once said the Jets would never return to winnipeg . . .

Originally Posted by jrm857

While I agree it is probably unlikely Saskatoon will get a team, you never know they did say when the Jets left they would never return . . .

Not even remotely the same thing



But let's not derail this thread.


The CFL would need to focus on Ottawa, Potential Maritimes, Strengthening Southern Ontario along with maybe an additional team, and bringing the CFL to Quebec City, before Saskatoon would start getting serious thoughts.

They're the Saskatchewan RR's for a reason, and i was quite surprised to see them and how popular they were in toon town

[The S'toon Goon]

Count me as one who thinks that a CFL team would do well in Saskatoon. I've been a Rider fan for as long as I've been around, but I would have no problem being a turncoat and supporting a local franchise.

That being said:
- We need a suitable stadium
- We need a suitable owner
- The CFL has to have a desire to expand here

Sadly, that looks like a strike out to me!

Of course, who knows what the future holds....

[The S'toon Goon]

Also, if I ran the CFL my first 3 priorities for expansion would be:
1. Ottawa
2. Moncton/Halifax
3. Quebec City

After that it gets a little dicey.
In a perfect world, I think teams could work in London, the Okanagon and Saskatoon, but there are certainly hurdles to climb first.

[osmo]

What about Windsor? The CFL has always mused about the Windsor area as it would be the most direct access they could have to the USA.

I believe Windsor would be higher up than Saskatoon on the food chain, with London being ahead of both. With new advances in media you don't need a team in every City.

This is the same argument against another NHL team in Toronto. Toronto could easily support two teams but the NHL does not want to dilute its strongest market. It makes bad business sense to water down your kool-aid when all the owners are sharing the same jug.

[The S'toon Goon]

I suppose Windsor could be an option. It is a good sized city (although, apparently shrinking) far enough from other CFL markets (although if London came on board first that could hurt). I'm not sure how the Detroit sports franchises across the bridge would effect it though...?

Also, comparing the NHL adding another team to Toronto and the CFL adding a team to Saskatoon isn't really the same thing. I would say that it is closer to the league going to Quebec City with Montreal only a couple hours away, but really you can't compare the two leagues, because they are completely different...

[Arts]

I personally think this is a stupid idea. Every CFL team in the province (whom matters anyway ) already bleeds green.

HOWEVER! since it is getting discussed anyway, my interesting thought is how about expanding the Riders and having TWO SQUADS! Roughriders A and Roughriders B, preseason can be a battle to see which team earns which. Share merchandise revenues, share the fan base, twice as many games to go to. Imagine if one team crossed over in the playoffs and there was a genuine Roughrider vs Roughrider grey cup final?? (none of that Ottawa Rough Rider vs. us BS). Alternatively they could stack all the talent on squad A and cinch the cup.

It is a bit of an amateur idea (I remember BC high school basketball tournaments where some of the elite schools would have two teams in the same division), but many view the CFL as an amateurish league anyway, lets show them how we do it here

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by nook

Ottawa, Quebec City, and the putting a franchise in the Maritimes are the next steps for the CFL. Judging by how long it takes and how cautious they are in placing expansion teams, I doubt we'll see a team in Saskatoon anytime in the near future.

I doubt anyone is suggesting that a CFL team in Saskatoon is just around the corner. It's 20-30 years down the road once Ottawa, Quebec City, and a Maritime team is established. Saskatoon was the 3rd fastest growing CMA in Canada over the last 5 years. It's population increased 11.4% to 260,600. Projections aren't obviously set in stone, but another 25 years of similar growth would put Saskatoon at 447,096 or an increase of 186,496 people.

That's like increasing by the size of Regina in 25 years.

EAST
Toronto
Hamilton
Montreal
Ottawa (2014)
Halifax/Moncton (2018)
Quebec City (2022)

WEST
BC
Edmonton
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Winnipeg
Saskatoon (2037)

[The S'toon Goon]

^^^^^^ Seems pretty accurate to me but the years could maybe be a little more aggressive.

Something like...

Ottawa (2014)
Halifax/Moncton (2017)
Quebec City (2020)
London (2023)
Saskatoon (2027*)
Okanagon or Vancouver Island (2030)

I know 14 teams.... But why not think big?!

*In 15 years I think the Saskatoon metro population could be somewhere around 350k mark. Should be enough to warrant a team and I would guess that Regina's population won't be shrinking anytime soon, so if they hit 275k around the same time. The extra 65,000 people should easily make up for the fans that won't make the trip down the Louis Riel trail for Rider games....

[SHOFEAR]

The problem with saying in X years you will have the population to support a team is that in that same time every other city that currently has a team will also grow, thus raising salaries and operating costs.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

The problem with saying in X years you will have the population to support a team is that in that same time every other city that currently has a team will also grow, thus raising salaries and operating costs.

And ticket prices...by how much though? I can't imagine the population threshold for a CFL team increasing a whole lot over the next couple decades. Certainly not to the NHL's 750k threshold.