CFL in Ottawa: Ottawa RedBlacks

[eemy]

And O-Town Hockey's comment was in response to the point that an Ottawa CFL franchise would envy the attendance Laval gets, which is silly since they have less attendance than past incarnations of the CFL in Ottawa.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Zach6668

Yeah, it doesn't work like that. It's not linear.

I've never been to Quebec City, but I'd wager there are far fewer comparable/substitutable entities competing for your entertainment dollars than there are in Ottawa.

There is a lot of stuff going on in Quebec City. It punches above its weight.

The Rouge et Or draw well because Quebecers in general like to support "local" stuff in general, and sports is a part of that.

[KHOOLE]

Originally Posted by Acajack

There is a lot of stuff going on in Quebec City. It punches above its weight.

The Rouge et Or draw well because Quebecers in general like to support "local" stuff in general, and sports is a part of that.

The same argument goes for the City of Gatineau and western Quebec. If CFL is to succeed in the area, it has to attract the quarter million or more that live on the left bank of the Ottawa River and that means to provide a package that is appealing to everyone in the Central Canada area, just like the Ottawa Ex used to be.

A team name like Raftsmen and a few French names in the administration, even if token names, would help a lot in the public perception of things.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

The same argument goes for the City of Gatineau and western Quebec. If CFL is to succeed in the area, it has to attract the quarter million or more that live on the left bank of the Ottawa River and that means to provide a package that is appealing to everyone in the Central Canada area, just like the Ottawa Ex used to be.

A team name like Raftsmen and a few French names in the administration, even if token names, would help a lot in the public perception of things.

Yeah, the challenge for the Ottawa CFL club in Gatineau will be for it to be perceived as "local".

[Shinook]

Hopefully the third time's a charm, guys!

[KHOOLE]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yeah, the challenge for the Ottawa CFL club in Gatineau will be for it to be perceived as "local".

I'm pretty sure that if Jeff Hunt and his boys do not play their cards right and do not try to attract the "local" fans as well working through the Ottawa changing demographics of the past 20 years, the CFL team will be a bust after 4-5 years and we will be stuck with a stadium that our grandkids will be still be paying for in 2052.

The Gatineau crowd of whatever language love football and always did. Their preference for the Alouettes versus the Argonauts may very much have to do with the fact that the Rough Riders no longer exist and Montreal is closer.

Has any market research been done by OSEG?

[lrt's friend]

To those who favour Raftsmen, exactly how would we abbreviate it and cheer?

Go Rafts Go is awkward to say and makes you think of an inflatable boat and worse may lead to Go Rats Go

[Kitchissippi]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

To those who favour Raftsmen, exactly how would we abbreviate it and cheer?

Like the Montreal Canadiens who are known as the "Habs" (short for habitant), the Raftsmen could be known as the "Dravs" for draveur which actually comes from log driver. So, "Go Dravs Go!"

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

I'm pretty sure that if Jeff Hunt and his boys do not play their cards right and do not try to attract the "local" fans as well working through the Ottawa changing demographics of the past 20 years, the CFL team will be a bust after 4-5 years and we will be stuck with a stadium that our grandkids will be still be paying for in 2052.

Well, Ottawa and environs in Ontario have a million people, so a CFL team can survive there with little or no support from the Outaouais side. Of course, it would still be a shame to have a market of 300,000+ right next door and not capitalize on it.

Originally Posted by KHOOLE

The Gatineau crowd of whatever language love football and always did. Their preference for the Alouettes versus the Argonauts may very much have to do with the fact that the Rough Riders no longer exist and Montreal is closer.
Has any market research been done by OSEG?

It has more to do with language and identity issues than geographic proximity. The Senators are much closer to Gatineau than the Canadiens and yet the Habs are more popular than the Sens by a two-to-one margin at least, maybe even 3-to-1.

Even when the Rough Riders (and Renegades) were there the Outaouais region was always much more Alouettes territory than Rough Riders territory. The games where the Riders sold the most tickets on the Quebec side by far were those against Montreal, and there was a good chunk of the crowd at Lansdowne cheering for the Alouettes.

[MountainView]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

To those who favour Raftsmen, exactly how would we abbreviate it and cheer?

Go Rafts Go is awkward to say and makes you think of an inflatable boat and worse may lead to Go Rats Go

Let's Go Raftsmen!!!

Here we go Raftsmen here we go!

Although I do prefer the GO *insert team name* GO chant. I think most chants will be football oriented like "Defense! Defense!"

[McC]

Ottawa 'Rush' in contention as CFL team name

CBC News
Posted: Dec 14, 2012 7:56 AM ET
Last Updated: Dec 14, 2012 7:51 AM ET

The Ottawa Rush is in the running as a possible name for the capital's new Canadian Football League team, but one of the owners of the team said it's only one of a number of names in contention.

Variations on the "Rush" name were submitted for trademark before the launch of a public contest to name the team.

But Ottawa 67's owner and Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group partner Jeff Hunt said the team has registered a number of names as part of the process.

"In our name-the-team campaign it was a name submitted multiple times, and one of the things you have to be concerned about when you are looking at new names is getting web domains and making sure trademarks are clear," said Hunt.

"So it's not just about finding a name that's appropriate but finding a name we can register and trademark," he said, who said the team began registering names weeks before the campaign launched.

Hunt said thousands of potential names have been submitted to the website. The naming contest runs until Sunday.

The Ottawa Rush name could potentially preserve the legendary 'R' that once adorned the helmets of the Ottawa Rough Riders — the longtime franchise that folded in 1996.

Hunt said many of the names submitted had also tried to preserve the R, including names like River Rats and Raftsman.

The new team name is expected to be decided and announced early in the new year.

Ottawa's latest CFL franchise will take the field in the 2014 season.
What do you think of 'The Ottawa Rush' as a potential name for the city's CFL franchise?

o Hate it.
o I'm indifferent.
o Love it.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa...team-name.html

Blerg.

Rally team Raftsmen!

[McC]

although I did like this tweet in response to the article:

"@gmacofglebe: The Ottawa "Rush Rush" as a salute to the oeuvre of one Paula Abdul?"

[Acajack]

I like the locally-flavoured names better but "Rush" isn't that bad either.

It's fairly original as far as I can see - no other known teams use it.

It makes sense in football terms: rushing yards, pass rush, etc.

It also doesn't evoke something stupid or illogical in French.

[McC]

Originally Posted by Acajack

It also doesn't evoke something stupid or illogical in French.

au bureau on demande des réponses "RushRush" de temps en temps.

[J.OT13]

"Rush", reminds me too much if the band. I don't like it (the name that is, the band is fine).

[KHOOLE]

Originally Posted by McC

au bureau on demande des réponses "RushRush" de temps en temps.

et pi y'a toujours les têtes de roches!

i fô pas trop se "rusher" sur un nom qui a ni queue ni tête en français

[Acajack]

Je savais qu'il y en avait quelques uns mais je suis tout de même surpris par le nombre de gens qui peuvent écrire en français ici...

[McC]

Originally Posted by khoole

i fô pas trop se "rusher" sur un nom qui a ni queue ni tête en français

+1000

[JacquesGréber]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I like the locally-flavoured names better but "Rush" isn't that bad either.

It's fairly original as far as I can see - no other known teams use it.

The Chicago Rush Have used this name for the past 11 seasons. http://www.arenarush.com/

I think it's a strange name, as it doesn't evoke any sentiment of Ottawa.
I'm in favor of something at least relevant to the city. My favorite so far is Raftsman; could have a pretty cool Lumberjack like logo similar to Johnny canuk http://www.sportslogos.net/logos/vie...2007/Misc_Logo

Seriously tho, Ottawa a Rush? Nothing gets done quickly in this town.

Wanna stick to football lingo, how about The Ottawa Pass? I think it suits this town much better.

[kevinbottawa]

Originally Posted by JacquesGréber

I think it's a strange name, as it doesn't evoke any sentiment of Ottawa.
I'm in favor of something at least relevant to the city.

When I heard RUSH I immediately thought of rushing water which Ottawa has.