CFL to Saskatoon?

[JayM]

Originally Posted by Migs

Actually you are wrong. It was the intention of this 'Business Group' to relocate the Riders to Saskatoon (Gormely said it himself yesterday as well as the dude from the Stoon Chamber of Commerce). Unfortunately for you guys, CEO of the Riders Jim Hopson made them look like idiots for not actually involving the Riders (or even asking) in any such endeavor. Once again, Saskatoon gets egg on its face (ie downtown Casino, Universiade, Saskplace closer to Warman than downtown Saskatoon). Some people never learn.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarp...a406b8&k=57623

i think idea is a good one, but clearly stated it would divide the support, leaving both teams dead. also noted the fan base, its either the entire population of the province of 1 million to support the team, or a city damn near to a million.

[JayM]

Current CMA Populations 2007
Source Stats Canada - http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepu...tablelist1.htm

Current CFL Teams
Toronto-5,509,874(12,803,861)
Montreal-3,695,790(7,700,807)
Vancouver-2,285,893(4,380,256)
Calgary-1,139,126(3,473,984)
Edmonton-1,081,275(3,473,984)
Hamilton-720,426(12,803,861)
Winnipeg-712,671(1,186,679)
Regina-201,514(996,869)

Other Cities
Ottawa-1,168,788(12,803,861)
Quebec-728,924(7,700,807)
Halifax-385,457(934,147)
Saskatoon-241,439(996,869)

Not included would be London and Kitchener whos population is near the half million mark, already being close to Hamilton and Toronto would be conflicting. Saskatchewan population is over million mark but current figure represted by fact sheet is used for more accurate information.


If anyone should see teams in the CFL it would be the 4 ive listed under Other Cities, expanding in that order, any other info is available on the link as far as population data.

I would find it hard for a team to be placed in a small city and be supported by the city alone. I think it would need that million mark of people to support the fan base plus also to fill the seats, depending on stadium capacity. What i really like is the shared effort by Universities and some of the CFL Teams, by adding that level, working on Professional and Amateur football programs. I would suggest that that one particular way could more helpful in a smaller market.

In the end i think Saskatoon is a long way from getting a team, not untill Ottawa, Quebec, and Halifax have teams there.

[JayM]

Maybe Saskatoon could get a NFL Team? lol

[Jerry]

Daring to dream boldly

John Gormley, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, February 15, 2008

How "Saskatchewan" are the Saskatchewan Roughriders? If some Saskatoon business people have their way that question is going to be hotly debated.

In fact, the debate is already underway on my radio show. And it started from a conversation with a friend who is advancing the idea of professional football for Saskatoon.

My buddy is not someone to be taken lightly. He's made a fortune by being a "can-do" person, the type of optimistic and progressive entrepreneur this province has always had too few of.

Along with some interested Saskatoon business types, my pal is exploring the idea of either moving the Saskatchewan Roughriders to Saskatoon (he argues the Riders have been in Regina for a hundred years and now it's time to change things up a bit) or going after a CFL team of our own.

As a life-long Rider fan, I know three things: I love this football team and I love its fans, but I hate where they play. Taylor Field, or Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field as it's properly called, is a well-equipped, 1960s-era football stadium.

And it just doesn't do the job any more -- at least not in the new Saskatchewan that recognizes we are judged by how we look and by the entertainment experience that customers receive.

No Lambeau Field of Green Bay, at the moment Mosaic has more failings than Jack Layton on Afghanistan.

Poor access and egress take longer for 25,000 people to leave than modern stadiums three times the size. Throw in inadequate washrooms, food and beverage service reminiscent of small town fairgrounds in the 1960s and unsuitable retail space for Rider gear, the list goes on.

So, the Saskatoon idea -- still just a brainstorm at this point -- is to build in or near downtown a modern 32,000-seat stadium like the Asper family is building in Winnipeg.

There is talk about proposing the football field in what is now the city yards, close to downtown and near housing, shopping and entertainment.

The idea would be to entice the Riders north to a larger city with a bigger and more vibrant business community and a lot more people willing to buy season tickets.

The stadium, at a rough cost of $150 million to $175 million (nearly double if it has an all-season dome) would need big sponsor money and government involvement.

But it would become Saskatchewan's premier large events facility, attracting sports and entertainment acts.

In the words of my friend, "it's not a crazy idea but it's an expensive one." And, he argues, in the evolution of a booming Saskatoon it is the right time for expensive ideas to be turned into reality.

There's only one problem. The Saskatchewan Roughriders will never leave Regina.

The thousands of loyal Queen City season ticket holders and volunteers whose families have spent three generations at Taylor Field just won't allow it.

And the board of directors, which is carefully and deliberately Regina-centric, would never go along with the idea. How could they and lose 100 years of history?

What the Saskatoon musing might do, as a warning shot across the bow, is to wake up Regina's government and business community to the reality that a 21st century Grey Cup championship team needs a stadium that looks as good and worthy as its team.

Along with some interested Saskatoon business types, my pal is exploring the idea of either moving the Saskatchewan Roughriders to Saskatoon (he argues the Riders have been in Regina for a hundred years and now it's time to change things up a bit) or going after a CFL team of our own.

As a life-long Rider fan, I know three things: I love this football team and I love its fans, but I hate where they play. Taylor Field, or Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field as it's properly called, is a well-equipped, 1960s-era football stadium.

And it just doesn't do the job any more -- at least not in the new Saskatchewan that recognizes we are judged by how we look and by the entertainment experience that customers receive.

No Lambeau Field of Green Bay, at the moment Mosaic has more failings than Jack Layton on Afghanistan.

Poor access and egress take longer for 25,000 people to leave than modern stadiums three times the size. Throw in inadequate washrooms, food and beverage service reminiscent of small town fairgrounds in the 1960s and unsuitable retail space for Rider gear, the list goes on.

So, the Saskatoon idea -- still just a brainstorm at this point -- is to build in or near downtown a modern 32,000-seat stadium like the Asper family is building in Winnipeg.

There is talk about proposing the football field in what is now the city yards, close to downtown and near housing, shopping and entertainment.

The idea would be to entice the Riders north to a larger city with a bigger and more vibrant business community and a lot more people willing to buy season tickets.

The stadium, at a rough cost of $150 million to $175 million (nearly double if it has an all-season dome) would need big sponsor money and government involvement.

But it would become Saskatchewan's premier large events facility, attracting sports and entertainment acts.

In the words of my friend, "it's not a crazy idea but it's an expensive one." And, he argues, in the evolution of a booming Saskatoon it is the right time for expensive ideas to be turned into reality.

There's only one problem. The Saskatchewan Roughriders will never leave Regina.

The thousands of loyal Queen City season ticket holders and volunteers whose families have spent three generations at Taylor Field just won't allow it.

And the board of directors, which is carefully and deliberately Regina-centric, would never go along with the idea. How could they and lose 100 years of history?

What the Saskatoon musing might do, as a warning shot across the bow, is to wake up Regina's government and business community to the reality that a 21st century Grey Cup championship team needs a stadium that looks as good and worthy as its team.

So this presents the second possibility. Should Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan go after our own CFL team?

With only an eight-team league in a salary cap world, it's not like there's an NFL- or NHL-style franchise buy-in fee or exorbitant entry requirement. If the financial projections and guarantees make sense, a new entrant could probably negotiate favourable terms.

But can a population of only one million justify two pro football teams?
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Given this province's devoted love of football, it wouldn't be unreasonable to contemplate 20,000 season ticket holders from the market of 400,000 people in the area bounded by Lloydminster, Prince Albert, Humboldt and Kindersley, with Saskatoon at the centre.

And, with an annual operating budget of under $20 million, a football club could bring sports entertainment in Saskatoon to levels we've never seen before.

At this point it's all speculation -- perhaps no more than the fanciful thoughts of football fans in mid-winter.

But just imagine what kind of Labour Day Classic rivalry would emerge if this plan ever became reality.

- - -

Gormley can be heard Monday to Friday at 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

on NewsTalk 650

Posted just for those who take an avid interest in Sask. sports. I for one do not fall under that category but can certainly see some great economic spin off from our own football or baseball stadium surrounded by towers of steel and glass.

[JayM]

Originally Posted by Jerry

Daring to dream boldly

John Gormley, The StarPhoenix
Published: Friday, February 15, 2008

I think its obvious that Regina needs to pump up the volume so to speak and get cracking on a new Stadium in order to keep the people, fans, and everyone in the province a reason why Regina is the Home of the Roughriders. Not Saskatoon or anywhere, i have to say if those business dudes can get it done hooray to them and shame on Regina. Either way it will end up a 1 team province, atleast for the moment, even with the 19.57% expected increase in population in Saskatoon for the 2007/2008 estimated growth.

[Only The Lonely..]

Call them the Saskatoon Rough Riders. Personally, I miss the old Roughriders Vs. Rough Riders games.

I'd be even better if both teams of the same name hailed from the same province.

[midnightrambler]

I didn't realize that this thread was going on. Here's what I posted yesterday...


I think that this province would have no trouble supporting two teams.

I never went to a game last year because I didn't want or have the desire to blow 500 bucks on a ticket, booze, hotel room, meals... in Regina... Let's face it, most of the people that attend games in Regina are from the Southern areas of the province and places like Moose Jaw, Estevan and Swift Current, as well as, say maybe 10% of fans from Saskatoon and north. I think Saskatoon would be able to have a team on its own, if the Roughriders get less attendence so be it. But I think it might work the other way where you see people from Saskatoon make the trip to see the rivalry. You could market that in a way that would be unbelievable. I mean I like going to rider games, but I can only do it once a year with time constraints and such. If a team was in my own backyard it would be more likely... hell I bet if Saskatoon had their own CFL team you would see season ticket holders in the 15-20,000 range whether we draw from Battleford, Prince Albert, etc...

Hopson is wrong, the Roughriders do not have the support of the whole province. Many Saskatoonians have been looking for an excuse to cheer for another team for years. I am frankly getting deathly sick of all the Sasktel commercials. The Roughriders are a Regina centric team, they will always be. I can imagine a league in 10 years where the football games between the Regina and Saskatoon are so intense and overcrowded with people that they'll need to be thinking of adding seats instead of worrying about a loss of revenue.

On another note, I have found that it is just as easy to drive from Saskatoon to Edmonton to watch a football game as it is to drive to Regina, you still have to stay over night, the drive is a tad longer, and you don't ever have to worry about getting those crappy seats in taylor field's endzone on labor day.

On another note, lets build a fricken dome and do it right.

[Ruckus]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

Honest question....In the last, say, 25 years, how many of those years did the riders make money...or break even?

Anyone have an answer to that question?

[midnightrambler]

I imagine that they have lost money 95% of the time because it's only $504 for Season tickets in the very best seats in Taylor Field. And if you want good players you have to fork over the dough most of the time.

For example
$504 x say 21,000 = Roughly 10 Million per season if there is 21,000 season ticket holders.
That is a high estimate. But all in all, That is a very cheap form of entertainment. $50 a game for the best seats in Taylor Field. It's more like $30 most of the time.

There is no question Saskatoon can afford a team. Do we have the people? Probably. Can we afford a Stadium? Well I guess that's the only question left.

[midnightrambler]

East
Montreal
Hamilton
Toronto
Winnipeg
Possible
Ottawa
Halifax
Quebec City
Kitchener
Windsor
West
Regina (Saskatchewan)
Edmonton
Calgary
Vancouver
Possible
Saskatoon
Victoria

I think that the league should really consider expanding within Canada. I think the Federal government should fork over Millions to cities wanting to build a Stadium. Done in the name of national unity.

[Migs]

Are you guys still talking about this????

http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpo...f1e55f&k=58657

Toon-town Riders? I don't think so

Bob Hughes, The Leader-Post
Published: Friday, February 15, 2008

The snow was piled high as the city tried to recover from still another winter lacing.

The warning lights on the treacherous Ring Road, the ever treacherous Ring Road, shone brightly even as the sun came into the blue winter sky. In this winter of bitter cold, one wave after the other, the people of Regina could, at the very least, take solace in one fact.

They don't live in the frozen burg of Saskatoon, hard by a river north of here.

They say that on a clear day you can go up the tallest building in Regina and see the people in Saskatoon looking south, turning green with envy.

And on clear nights, the north wind will carry their wailing voices all the way down to Regina. Ah, pity that.

Saskatoon has long tried to shake this inferiority complex about Regina. Regina had so much more than Saskatoon.

Regina is the provincial capital, which makes it big league in the country.

Regina has the man-made Wascana Park right smack in the middle of town, which makes it the envy of North America.

Regina has the Saskatchewan Roughriders, which enhances even more its national profile.

Regina has the wonderful Royal Saskatchewan Museum that attracts people the world over.

It has the MacKenzie Art Gallery, which right now is showcasing the Andy Warhol exhibit that will likely break attendance records. It is only one of three Canadian cities who will get to stage the Warhol exhibit.

Saskatoon, sigh, isn't one of the other two.

Saskatoon has had many problems to deal with over the years. It was known as the Temperance City because the demon booze was too much for its citizens to handle. Witness the recent episodes of public drunkenness when the Saskatchewan Roughriders won the West Final and the Grey Cup, sending thousands to the streets and then to the jail.

Regina has a casino, another big tourist attraction. Saskatoon turned down the chance to build one, and now one has opened outside of town at Dakota Dunes.

Saskatoon tries so very hard to catch up to Regina in national popularity. When its population went past that of Regina, they thought they had it made. Nuthin' changed.

They stay up late in that city trying to figure out ways to catch Regina. The latest scheme has just come out. Saskatoon is planning a sneak attack. This must have come out of a night when the locals weren't adhering to the fabled teachings of the Temperance City Gospel meetings. Saskatoon is examining this plan to build a 32,000-seat stadium, then sneak down to Regina, and kidnap the Saskatchewan Roughriders, moving them to, of all places, Saskatoon. "Well," sniff the people of Saskatoon, "Regina has had the Riders for 100 years." The Kings of Pout reason, "We should get them for the next 100 years."

Of course, it will never happen.

Why would the Roughriders even think of moving up there for even a second when they've got it made in Regina.

Oh, yes, Mosaic Stadium has its flaws and badly needs some serious upgrading. And, perhaps it should even be torn down with a new stadium built in its place. But that is for another day.

The problem is, Saskatoon has never bothered Regina. In fact, we've always looked at Saskatoon the way you would look at a younger brother. Somebody to cuff around once in a while, but mostly to tolerate, nurture and hope that some day he will grow up. Until then, what the heck?

The Roughriders would never survive in Saskatoon. Whatever Saskatoon is, and it is a lot of good things, it has never really impressed as a "big league" kind of city. It supports the Hilltops, but not to the extent the Rams were supported here when they were a junior football team. It backs the Huskies, but does so in big numbers only when they are winning. It manages to ignore the Blades.

They built a beautiful 9,000-seat arena up there, and there are times when the Blades can't outdraw the Moose Jaw Warriors. In fact, the Blades have never won a Memorial Cup.

So, Saskatoon, go ahead and build your 32,000-seat stadium, and keep craning your neck to see if anybody from Regina is paying attention. But don't expect to see the Roughriders playing out of it for at least another 100 years. Sorry, but once again, you're showing off your short-comings. By the way, what is your population now anyway?

[midnightrambler]

I was a rider fan for a lot of years. I turned against them during the Danny Barrett years. I don't envy Regina, I don't mind Regina, and Regina thinks they can't do it without us. The question is: Can Saskatoon support a football team without Regina?

I don't go to that many Blade Games because a) they build the Arena in the wrong spot. b) they are 16-20 year old kids c) they are notoriously bad this year. People don't go because it is not interesting. The majority of sports watched in this city are on the television screen.

Give us a bit of a break for wanting to change that.

[Migs]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

I was a rider fan for a lot of years. I turned against them during the Danny Barrett years. I don't envy Regina, I don't mind Regina, and Regina thinks they can't do it without us. The question is: Can Saskatoon support a football team without Regina?

I don't go to that many Blade Games because a) they build the Arena in the wrong spot. b) they are 16-20 year old kids c) they are notoriously bad this year. People don't go because it is not interesting. The majority of sports watched in this city are on the television screen.

Give us a bit of a break for wanting to change that.

.
You pretty much just described the typical Saskatoon sports fan which is exactly why this wouldn't fly. Part-time fans that cheer for teams 'with conditions' is not a good recipe when trying to acquire a professional football team. Good luck however.......

[midnightrambler]

The Blades are not in the same league as the Roughriders. People do not go to games because there isn't much interest there. We desperately want to be a big league city, and have a tendency to boycott anything that isn't big league. I am a die hard Huskie fan. I went to the Vanier when it was -35.

Get off your Regina high horse and honestly understand our situation here. As far as proffesional sports, it isn't good. Maybe your right and we shouldn't have a team, but all in all, the possibility of building a domed facility would be in the interest of the city, because when we are 400,000 people 10-15 years from now, it will have made sense to make that investment now

[yorktonite]

A sketch from NewsTalk980 site..

http://www.newstalk980.com/incoming/...-breaking-news

[wild wild west]

The entire province of Saskatchewan claims ownership to the Riders and I think a second Sask franchise would either get paltry support compared to the Riders or, worse, split the market and destabilize both teams. A better idea would be to have the Riders play a couple games a season in Toontown.

[midnightrambler]

[/QUOTE]

You see, now we are talking. A centre like that would serve as much more than a football stadium. People are waaaaaaaaaaay to quick to say "your dreaming." This seems possible.

[Stephen LaRose]

Originally Posted by midnightrambler

You see, now we are talking. A centre like that would serve as much more than a football stadium. People are waaaaaaaaaaay to quick to say "your dreaming." This seems possible.[/QUOTE]

Good grief man, you don't realize a joke when you see one? That's actually a drawing of the new Wembley Stadium in London, with the City of Saskatoon's corporate logo photoshopped on top ...

http://www.abtn.co.uk/ON_TOUR__Wembley_National_Stadium

somebody's pulling your leg so hard you're going to have to live on the hillside.

[ReginaGuy]

wow, they took an existing 90,000 seat soccer stadium and used MS Paint to paste in a picture of Saskatoon's skyline in the background.

These guys are really serious!!!! We might as well give up the riders now!

[babo]

^^ As much as the Riders being herded off to Saskatoon so they can not pay taxes there would be a dream come true, I'll put my money on the Earth falling out of orbit and crashing into the Sun.