Argos' Future In Limbo

[The Unknown Poster]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/football/argos-on-the-outs-in-bmo-field-dispute-between-mlse-and-federal-government/article18862832/

 

The future of the CFL in Toronto has been thrown into renewed turmoil after a backroom fight between Ottawa and the country’s largest sports concern.

 

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment – owner of the Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC – has cancelled plans to include the Toronto Argonauts in their renovation of BMO Field.

 

As of 2018, this would leave one of the continent’s most historic sports franchises without a venue in which to play. Right now, they are caught in a next-level bargaining war between two much bigger players.

As ever, the issue is money.

 

MLSE had planned a phased, two-year renovation costing $120-million. They had hoped for financial help from all levels of government. That was to include a $10-million loan from the city, and $10-million grants from each of the provincial and federal governments.

 

As part of that agreement, room would be made to accommodate the larger dimensions of the CFL playing surface, as well as a promise to buy the flagging football team.

 

However, long after public announcements were made, Ottawa has yet to sign off on its part of the expenditure. Their apparent problem – the optics of funding sports stadiums.

 

MLSE provided several fig leaves to give the government cover – including parceling the money into grants for expected big events like the Winter Classic and the Grey Cup, planned for BMO Field.

 

MLSE argued that the construction taxes alone – an anticipated $18-million – made the deal watertight politically. The feds thought otherwise, and continued to delay.

 

As Ottawa dithered, MLSE lost patience. They will now go ahead without the federal money and, as a direct result, without the Argos.

 

There is an added element of urgency, as BMO Field must be ready to host rugby matches for next summer’s Pan-Am Games.

 

New architectural plans have been drawn. A $120-million reno becomes a $100-million one. The arena will be rebuilt to its current dimensions, meaning there will be no north-south extension and no room for football end zones. Ground will be broken in September.

 

The city is expected to sign off on the revised, soccer-only plan. MLSE has received assurances that the province will do likewise if the Liberal government of Kathleen Wynne survives a June 12th election. Wynne currently leads in the polls.

The decision has several roll-on effects.

 

Since there is no suitable alternative, it puts the Rogers Centre back in play as a football venue. That, in turn, creates a logistical problem for the arena’s plans to move to a grass field for baseball. The Argos were asked to leave at the end of the 2017 season because football is too hard on indoor grass.

 

It also ends MLSE’s interest in buying the Argos, putting them back on the market.

 

Within much of the MLSE hierarchy, buying the CFL team was seen as a favour being done in return for the opportunity to service the fans of Toronto FC. Without federal co-operation, no one feels the need to do any more favours.

 

It goes deeper than that. There is the strong sense within MLSE that Ottawa has let them off the hook. Supporters of the soccer club were deeply opposed to lengthening the field to accommodate the CFL. MLSE now gets to serve its base without taking the blame for a failed plan.

 

One voice within the corporation that will feel aggrieved is MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum. The minority owner is still on the hunt for an NFL franchise, possibly the Buffalo Bills. That team is in legal limbo following the death of founder Ralph Wilson, but is expected to hit the auction block in coming months.

 

While intrigued by the north-of-49 possibilities, the NFL does not want to be seen as undermining Canadian football. The league has made it clear that, if they were to allow a move to Toronto, they would prefer the prospective new owner also be in control of the Argonauts. As they see it, one owner for both teams guarantees the CFL’s long-term survival in Canada’s largest market.

 

Those are a great many reasons to find some sort of compromise, which MLSE has already provided on the back end.

BMO Field Renovation 2.0 is reversible. The north section of the structure will remain open, using only temporary stands, meaning that the arena can be adapted for the CFL at some future point.

 

That will now require the promised $10-million in federal money (easy to give) and a very public capitulation from Ottawa (somewhat more difficult).

 

In the end, this is no end at all. Instead, it is a shotgun clause by alternate means.

 

All this proving again that the business of sport is usually a good deal rougher than the playing of it.

 

[M.O.A.B.]

I hope we don't see a dispersal draft in the next 2-3 years.

[The Unknown Poster]

I cant imagine the Argo's folding.  It seems like such small numbers we're talking about it.  Looks like politics.

 

Feds dont want to directly fund a stadium.

 

MLSE doesnt want to own the Argos anyway.

 

MLSE wants the NFL but the NFL wants a potential NFL team to also own the Argos.

 

If the owner doesnt want to own the team, they wont support the team so I dont see the point in "forcing" MLSE to buy the Argos other than for the fact they are so rich they *might* convinced to hire a good person to run the franchise and then stay out of his way.

 

The CFL tried to convince Vince McMahon to buy the Argos once.  Maybe Vince would be interested again...

[Noeller]

Definite politics...everyone trying to play hardball, but it sounds like they just need to find a way to convince the Feds to cough up 10-mil as we did by putting the stadium near the UofM. They'll come up with something...

[Armchair GM]

Seems like there's much more to it than just the federal $10MM for MLSE.  It sounds like they never really wanted to buy the Argos, but have been lobbied to do so, likely by numerous bodies including the CFL, feds, and possibly even the NFL (as a potential future owner of the Bills).  If I had to guess, once it got closer to the Bills being sold, MLSE would rather take on the Argos (and the annual losses) then, and was only entertaining the thought at the behest of the feds to help them later when they'd require them later to buy the Bills.

 

Conspiracy theory sure, but MLSE's behavior over a $10MM grant that amounts to 8.3% of the project cost is curious.

[Jacquie]

I hope the City of Toronto and Province of Ontario will reconsider their loan/grant to MLSE if they go ahead with changing the plans. 

[bearpants]

Interesting that the Feds won't put up any money for a Pan-Am related expansion but they did for Timmy's field in Hammy... Or at least that was my interpretation, I don't have all the info

[Jpan85]

Too bad the Argos biggest champion in Ontario politics is in rehab

[mbrg]

My favourite takeaway from the article - the Argos have to get out because football is too hard on grass.  Yes, people running and doing athletic things will create a bigger impact than 9 guys standing around motionless for 4 hours.  In conclusion, the Skydome confirms baseball sucks.

[The Unknown Poster]

Good point about the feds not providing Pan-Am expansion funding.  There must be something in how it's being presented.  it could also be that MLSE just isnt enthuesiastically persuing the feds money because they dont want to own the Argo's.

 

If the Bills move to TO, maybe the league can move the Argos to Buffalo!  US expansion!

 

There has got to be some deep pockets in Canada that see the benefit in owning the Argos...anyone?

[IC Khari]

[iso_55]

Harper & stupid politics. 

[Tracker]

I wouldn't worry too much about this. There is a provincial election now in Ontario and a federal election next year, and politicians always like to hand out cash in these times. Or at least make promises- in the last federal election Harper promised $100,000,000 to Quebec city for a new arena if they got an NHL team.

[Stickem]

Harper and his gang of cons. have a policy, where they will not fund sporting venues. Seems we didn't have much of a problem getting them to cough up but then we had Vic Toews twisting some arms in the backroom. 10 mil. isn't a huge amount and this fed. bunch have wasted more on more trivial events. Guess the CFL doesn't quite cut it with the cons. I hope they can work something out or the argos are going to be behind the eight ball and voters in that area will be left with a bad taste in their mouth.

[The Unknown Poster]

Thats the thing, the policy is not to fund sports venues which is good policy.  At the civic and provincial level, I'm okay with it.  At the Federal level Im somewhat split.  I dont mind the feds giving Winnipeg money.  But in general, its not good policy to do so.

 

The key is getting money for something else and using it for the venue, like we did.  It sounds like options were presented buf it MLSE considers the government refusal to be a "favour" then I think you can see whats going on here.  MLSE "agrees" to buy the Argos and make the building usable for their needs if the Feds give them cash.  MLSE doesnt actually want this to work.  Feds refuse.  MLSE is happy while expressing disappointment...

[Jacquie]

But the Feds didn't give money to Winnipeg for the stadium. Their contribution went to building the fitness facility on campus that the Bombers can't use.

[Noeller]

But the Feds didn't give money to Winnipeg for the stadium. Their contribution went to building the fitness facility on campus that the Bombers can't use.

you know you could at least put quotes around "building a fitness facility that the Bombers can't use" so we know you're being sarcastic....

[Jacquie]

 

But the Feds didn't give money to Winnipeg for the stadium. Their contribution went to building the fitness facility on campus that the Bombers can't use.

you know you could at least put quotes around "building a fitness facility that the Bombers can't use" so we know you're being sarcastic....

 

 

I'm pretty sure you know I wasn't being sarcastic. The UoM facility was open before the work-out area in IGF was finished and the Bomber players weren't allowed to use.

[Guest]

Can't say that I'm surprised, this is MLSE we're talking about and unless it's the NFL or MLSE can make money off of it, they have no interest.

I really wish the Argos could finally have an owner that actually give a crap about the team and not only has the money but willing to spend money on the team.

IMO Candy was the last owner with a true passion for the team.

[iso_55]

Braley may have passion but he sure doesn't want to spend a penny to  build a new stadium himself. Unless it's ultimately BMO, the Argos may be totally effed. Love to hear Bluto's take on this...

[JuranBoldenRules]

This could end up being better for the Argos in the long run.  Avoid a "mistake by the lake."

 

Wonder if they'll be able to play a few cities/municipalities off each other to get some tax money.

[gbill2004]

This is just MLSE trying to get some extra government funding.

[Noeller]

word outta MLSE this morning, apparently, is that this thing is a long way from over...

[mbrg]

word outta MLSE this morning, apparently, is that this thing is a long way from over...

It looked like a turn the heat up tactic.  If it wasn't for the PanAm games they could probably let this sit another year until an election rolls around but the shovels have to be in the ground sooner than that.

[bearpants]

It seems to me MLSE owning the Argos is probably the best-case scenario... but in the long-run would an owner who cares about the team be more beneficial?... Maybe Rob Ford can take some photos of himself on the pipe, sell those photos to some tabloid magazine, and buy the team himself...