Argos to become homeless

[ping]

It seems the Argos just might be moving or folding in the next couple of years. CFL officials are not too concerned as with Ottawa coming back the schedule will be even again. The Blue Jays have announced they may install natural grass and permanently anchor some seats making it impossible to play CFL games in the dome. BMO field can not be used for so many reasons which have already been stated like the new stands built on the North etc etc. They may have to move to London or possibly Monton for a few years untill the demand comes back and-or a new home is found!!
So long Double Blue,we will miss you!!!

[argonaut11xx]

Ping...you have seriously lost your mind.....this aint gonna happen.

BMO could be changed to hold a PROFESSIONAL sports team (The Argo's)...

and there are LOTS of other options....

PLUS Mr Braley has put up a pretty neat temporary stadium before...

[Cool]

Skybore will always be home. Already looking forward to the 150th Grey Cup to be played there...

[cromartie]

I find a couple of things interesting.

First, the Jays and Argos, according to the article in the Star, have approximately the same number of season ticket holders. So I find the persistent perception that the Argos are small time and the Jays are big time and Skydome needs to be rebuilt around the fans to be even funnier in that light.

Second, let's assume the worst case scenario for a second here. Skydome gets grass. BMO isn't available. You cannot tell me that there is no city anywhere in the GTA that doesn't have a plot of land for a football stadium. This isn't an NFL situation where you're looking at an infrastructure investment of $500 million to a billion dollars. Empire was renovated and rebuilt for use by Nussli for $15 million. You could quadruple that and, at worst, have something along the lines of what Ivor Wynne is now.

And that's the worst case scenario. There is no reason the team needs to either shut down or relocate outside of the GTA. In a way, having the club not in the Skydome anymore may not entirely be a bad thing. BMO Field was $63 million, and I would imagine a club/province partnership could scrounge up at least that much.

No need to panic.

[ping]

Im not panicing, however very concerned as its 100% out of the question that we could ever use BMO. A fesibility report stated that and then they added new permanent stand just to make sure! What other options will we have if they put this reported grass in the skydome?

[cromartie]

Braley will build something. In a way, a move to a more intimate outdoor setting in a venue that caters to a more focused geographic portion of the GTA might be the best thing that ever happens to the Argos.

[prairiedog]

The Argos will get a new home in the GTA and be the envy of the sports market.

[Entropy19]

I don't think the Argo's are going anywhere... but with that being said, they need to start supporting Argo Football out there! There is no reason that center shouldn't sell out every game. However, moving from the Dome is probably a blessing in disguise! PS we need to start allowing tailgate parties at the stadiums (like in the US).

[Ron]

The biggest roadblock to any new Argo stadium has been real $$$ coming from the Argos to make it happen for real. Lots of talk and promise but no results when push comes to shove.

[cromartie]

I don't think the Argo's are going anywhere... but with that being said, they need to start supporting Argo Football out there! There is no reason that center shouldn't sell out every game. .

Perhaps you missed the part where the Argos and Jays have the same number of season ticket holders.

Compared to 12 years ago, the city has started supporting Argo football, despite the on the field product over the years.

Location works against Skydome, IMHO. If you're a local, a 7 p.m. weeknight start, beyond a certain geographic range, is difficult to impossible to make.

[Cool]

I don't think the Argo's are going anywhere... but with that being said, they need to start supporting Argo Football out there! There is no reason that center shouldn't sell out every game. .

Perhaps you missed the part where the Argos and Jays have the same number of season ticket holders.

Compared to 12 years ago, the city has started supporting Argo football, despite the on the field product over the years.

Location works against Skydome, IMHO. If you're a local, a 7 p.m. weeknight start, beyond a certain geographic range, is difficult to impossible to make.

True, but that area does have a million people. You'd hope that 1% of them would come out... then you only need another 1% from the outlying areas, and you'd have your average attendance.
Have 1.5% come out from both groups, and you're laughing...

[Ron]

I don't think the Argo's are going anywhere... but with that being said, they need to start supporting Argo Football out there! There is no reason that center shouldn't sell out every game. .

Perhaps you missed the part where the Argos and Jays have the same number of season ticket holders.

Compared to 12 years ago, the city has started supporting Argo football, despite the on the field product over the years.

Location works against Skydome, IMHO. If you're a local, a 7 p.m. weeknight start, beyond a certain geographic range, is difficult to impossible to make.

The Blue Jays will probably get a sold out Dome for their home opener. 50,000 on a mid week game.

TFC is holding a game on Wednesday in the Dome. They'll have well over 40,000 on a mid week game.

19,000 make it to Leaf games no matter the night of the week .. and to the same location as the bad location Dome.

15-19,000 make it to Raptor games no matter the night of the week ... and to the same location as the bad location Dome.

Give people a reason to want to come to an Argo game and they will. And they only have 10 spread out dates to fill. (not like the Jays who have 80+ home dates to fill, Leafs 40+, Raptors 35+)

[294life]

Should be an als fan train for sunday oct. 14. Hope we get more folk than last year. We had our lowest turnout for the labor day game in hamilton.

[mikem24]

I don't think the Argo's are going anywhere... but with that being said, they need to start supporting Argo Football out there! There is no reason that center shouldn't sell out every game. .

Perhaps you missed the part where the Argos and Jays have the same number of season ticket holders.

Compared to 12 years ago, the city has started supporting Argo football, despite the on the field product over the years.

Location works against Skydome, IMHO. If you're a local, a 7 p.m. weeknight start, beyond a certain geographic range, is difficult to impossible to make.

How is it possible to have the same number of season ticket holders? You are comparing apples and oranges. The Jays season ticket holders account for 1 MILLION total to the Rogers Centre, (they play 80 games) the Argo season ticket holders account for only around 80,000 or so. Even if the Jays averaged 20,000 fans a game they have 80 home games!! that's a lot of ticket sales.

As for location, there isn't a stadium in Canada that is more accessible and has better central location than the Rogers Centre - you can get there by subway, streetcar, VIA Rail, GO train, taxi, walk from hotels in the downtown, there is a highway that runs beside it and you can park underneath or close by, you can even fly to the Island airport.

[argonaut11xx]

Ricky Ray and the mighty Argonauts WILL be the toast of the Town this season...just watch as the bombers BOMB..the Ticats underachieve ...and the Al's simply get old...

No team in the east can match the Ricky Ray Argo's......Burris is toast as he proved last year...the Bombers were pretenders last year, and will be exposed this season,.... while Calvillo will be a one man show in Montreal...

So its ARGO'S...winning the first of 3 or 4 STRAIGHT Grey Cups under the guidance of Ricky "The Gunslinger" Ray