2023/2024 CFL (Non Bombers) Off Season News

[Noeller]

I don't hate Commonwealth, as a stadium. Certainly a far cry better than McMahon. The biggest issue with it, again just IMO, is that damn track, which sets the fans even further back from the field. It's also far too big for the CFL. I know they like having it for big events, but it can be cavernous for a CFL game. 

[Captain Blue]

I actually think more "community owned" teams would be beneficial for the CFL. Private ownership has its own issues, as we have seen terrible owners and also complete lack of good candidates in some cases. 

[wbbfan]

It would be hilarious if victor cui bought the elks and fired every one. 

[JCon]

Just now, wbbfan said:

It would be hilarious if victor cui bought the elks and fired every one. 

[Jesse]

2 hours ago, Rich said:

Article doesn't lead me to believe they are in debt with $7M in reserves.

What they are saying is:

1. They don't know how to restore the season ticket base
2. They don't know how to restore the standing in the community
3. Improve infrastructure

Rather then sell, get rid of the board and bring in people who can fix points 1 and 2.  Don't need to sell the club to do that.   For point 3, I find it unlikely a private owner is going to invest a bunch of their own money in infrastructure.  

The article also mentions they are looking for someone who would invest in the club more than someone who would pay bigger money for the team. 

[SpeedFlex27]

2 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Geeze elks going private feels like a blow to the league...

It'd be a bigger blow if they ceased operations.

 

1 hour ago, Captain Blue said:

I actually think more "community owned" teams would be beneficial for the CFL. Private ownership has its own issues, as we have seen terrible owners and also complete lack of good candidates in some cases. 

Every team in the West used to be community owned.

[Stickem]

2 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

It'd be a bigger blow if they ceased operations.

 

like in 'cease' to exist

[WBBFanWest]

2 hours ago, Rich said:

Who would even get the money when a non profit is sold privately?

The article talks about how the club is in rough times financially, some due to the pandemic, some due to the record.  Club success is cyclical and that should not be reason to sell the club.

The other they give is they need a new stadium.  If we've learned anything over the last 20 years, private owners aren't typically willing to put down a lot of their own capital to build stadiums / arenas.  Like it or not, this inevitably comes from the tax payer.

So why sell the club to a private owner to reap that potential benefit?

Don't like this one bit.

There would be by-laws in place that would lay out what would happen.  In many cases, the money goes into some sort of charitable organization.

[SpeedFlex27]

23 minutes ago, WBBFanWest said:

There would be by-laws in place that would lay out what would happen.  In many cases, the money goes into some sort of charitable organization.

There is talk about building a new 30,000 seat stadium for both the Elks & Edmonton's Canadian Soccer League team. It would require government money to get it done. I just shake my head thinking they'd actually tear CWS down. Couldn't they renovate it? Reduce capacity to it's original 40,000? Fix the concourses, washrooms & concessions areas to bring it up to modern standards? Add more private suites. I'm not a civil engineer so I don't know if that is possible. However, it's almost 50 years old. So, maybe it is time to get rid of it. The demolition cost would be a pretty hefty bill all on its own.

I think it tells you about the tale of 2 cities if Edmonton built a new stadium for the Elks while in Calgary, the Stampeders are still stuck in that shithole of a facility called McMahon Stadium because the politicians down here just don't give a **** about the CFL.

[17to85]

3 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

There is talk about building a new 30,000 seat stadium for both the Elks & Edmonton's Canadian Soccer League team. It would require government money to get it done

Well then that won't happen. Danielle Smith only spends money on things like that to buy votes, like in calgary. Edmonton didn't vote for her so they get cut off.

[SpeedFlex27]

15 hours ago, 17to85 said:

Well then that won't happen. Danielle Smith only spends money on things like that to buy votes, like in calgary. Edmonton didn't vote for her so they get cut off.

Just an aside but former CTV sportscaster Peter Young in his online commentary today Just A Minute said he'd heard the Elks are valued at $11 million but the Directors want $20 million for the team. So, we'll see. 

[WinnipegGordo]

On 2024-03-13 at 6:24 PM, WinnipegGordo said:

As of today we dont know if the CFL is even seriously considering changes to the kickoff rules. Meanwhile, the NFL has full transparency for prospective rule changes.

 

I wonder where does 3Down gets their ideas for articles.

 

[SpeedFlex27]

On 2024-03-14 at 1:52 PM, Noeller said:

I don't hate Commonwealth, as a stadium. Certainly a far cry better than McMahon. The biggest issue with it, again just IMO, is that damn track, which sets the fans even further back from the field. It's also far too big for the CFL. I know they like having it for big events, but it can be cavernous for a CFL game. 

They originally built it to hold 42,000 but expanded it for the World Student Games to 60,000 which was ludicrous. I went to the 78 CWG & really liked the place at that size. They should have kept it at 42000. It is Gi-Normous now. 

Edited March 15 by SpeedFlex27

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Speaking of EDM

https://3downnation.com/2024/03/17/canadian-qb-tre-ford-not-ready-to-be-leader-of-an-organization-elks-assistant-gm-geroy-simon/

Hey Kyle...Kyle Walters!

[GCn20]

16 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Speaking of EDM

https://3downnation.com/2024/03/17/canadian-qb-tre-ford-not-ready-to-be-leader-of-an-organization-elks-assistant-gm-geroy-simon/

Hey Kyle...Kyle Walters!

Are you requesting that KW trade for Ford?

[17to85]

We already got the Ford that can help us back.

[rebusrankin]

Do we need Ford as our 3rd QB? I say no.

[JCon]

Just now, rebusrankin said:

Do we need Ford as our 3rd QB? I say no.

Unless he's converting to another position, I'm not sure how (or why???) we would want him. 

[Noeller]

 

[JCon]

Just now, Noeller said:

 

Finally, he can pee in peace. 

[HardCoreBlue]

21 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Speaking of EDM

https://3downnation.com/2024/03/17/canadian-qb-tre-ford-not-ready-to-be-leader-of-an-organization-elks-assistant-gm-geroy-simon/

Hey Kyle...Kyle Walters!

One would think that if the ELKS, at the bare minimum, don't make the post season this coming season, Jones, Simon and company will all be shown the door.

How many mulligans can one get?

[Rod Black]

2 hours ago, JCon said:

Finally, he can pee in peace. 

His body is 98% bladder. 

[bb1]

[Noeller]

for any of you combine/draft nerds...

 

[BigBlue]

On 2024-03-15 at 5:33 PM, SpeedFlex27 said:

They originally built it to hold 42,000 but expanded it for the World Student Games to 60,000 which was ludicrous. I went to the 78 CWG & really liked the place at that size. They should have kept it at 42000. It is Gi-Normous now. 

Take a look at the stadium photograph above.

Maybe just tear down half the stands, get rid of the track, and build the opposite side with new stands filled with private boxes. In a government town like Edmonton they would find ways of filling those boxes without violating some sense of propriety. The old stands that remain could be discounted relative to the new stands on the opposite side, which would help bring in families at prices they could afford. Yes, renew the refreshment stands and washrooms in the old sections. Meanwhile the new stands would be able to handle more premium food and drink sales. There is a lot of money in Edmonton that would want premium seating, higher end refreshments and all that kind of stuff. The private boxes could add in luxury amenities.

This is not hard to figure out; it's just hard to get past the little fiefdoms that exist in the political arena; they bow to the big money in that city. Some leading figure/s would somehow have to sponsor such.

Leadership would have to go beyond the old boys club that tends to dominate the Board of Directors in cities like Edmonton and Winnipeg. Wade Miller did it here. Such a leader needs good background in both marketing and applicable business skills. That's how community-based teams can continue. In Regina they got Mosaic Stadium done but they've gone backwards in football operations.

In Calgary, the CFL does not have the sex appeal that the status minded have for the Flames. That's more politics and a lack of civic leadership in Canada's leading business city. Calgary's mayor's office has a disproportionate amount of power while the business people are too focused on making lots of money. Again football needs a civic champion in that community.