[DerbyX]

Where should the CFL expand (if possible) next?

I have heard Halifax, St. Johns, Quebec city, London, Windsor, and Victoria offered as possibilities. I personally think that Halifax would make a good choice. Even though of a name; The Nova Scotia Highlanders. I think that there is a lot of scotish ancestery there but I'm not sure being as I'm not from that area. Any NS people here who would like to comment on the name and/or possible expansion. Would it work? Would it work in any of the aforementioned cities or any other I may have missed?

I'll keep a serperate paragraph for any possible expansion into the US. Can it be done, should it be done. As to where, there must be hundreads of possible places but where are the most CFL friendly US towns, Minnesota?

[Hester]

Here in Victoria we haven't heard a word about the CFL coming to town. I wouldn't rule us out... yes I would. I think that Halifax is the most likely, or, at least, the most talked about. Personally I'd like to see an east coast team.

[Streaker]

I think the CFL most wants to expand to Halifax. They're staging exhibition game there this season that has been well received and quickly sold out.

The big obstacle to expansion is finding the money to build a new stadium.

[D_T_M]

I think the CFL wants to get Halifax a CFL team in the next couple of years. But the exhibition game in Halifax this year was sold out quickly for a good reason, I've heard the stadiu they'll be using is only about a 10000 seat stadium. So yeah, Halifax would definitely need a new stadium built.

[devioustrevor]

I say Halifax, everything the CFL has been saying and doing seems to indicate it. Plus, Atlantic Canada is the only region of Canada the CFL isn't represented in.

If I had to rank the cities listed it would go:

Halifax -- Already given the reasons why
Quebec City -- Football seems to be growing in popularity in Quebec
London -- Quite unlikely. There isn't a stadium big enough and after the JLC the city won't want to be building anything else that expensive for awhile
St. Johns -- Don't see it happening, but still more likely than Victoria
Victoria -- I don't think the city has the population or economic base.

[Patrick_Ross]

St. John's, I think would be a good choice. They successfully supported the St. John's Maple Leafs for years before having them practically ripped out from under them, and I think they would support a CFL team just as well.
Regardless, the CFL NEEDS a East Cost team if it is to be considered to represent the whole country.

[Tman1]

Nahh I think Saskatoon should as Football seems to be pretty big around here especially with the University team.

[Tman1]

devioustrevor devioustrevor:

I say Halifax, everything the CFL has been saying and doing seems to indicate it. Plus, Atlantic Canada is the only region of Canada the CFL isn't represented in.

If I had to rank the cities listed it would go:

Halifax -- Already given the reasons why
Quebec City -- Football seems to be growing in popularity in Quebec
London -- Quite unlikely. There isn't a stadium big enough and after the JLC the city won't want to be building anything else that expensive for awhile
St. Johns -- Don't see it happening, but still more likely than Victoria
Victoria -- I don't think the city has the population or economic base.

Quebec City? Yah right.
St.Johns? Im not sure the population base is enough to even generate revenue for the team.

[canadian1971]

I heard the Irvings may be looking into a CFL team for Halifax....They got the cash for it!

[wpg241]

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I think out of all the cities, the CFL would opt to go with Quebec City. The fans in Montreal are great. They are about the only eastern division team that constantly has sell-outs.
The fans in Halifax deserve a team as well, but it would not last. While living down there for two years, I have heard a lot of discussion about a team in Halifax and many people just don't care. Plus they don't want the expense of building a stadium for them.
In Quebec the league has the best chance of a sell-out for every game. Plus it would make for a great rival for Montreal. It would be nice if the CFL could have a team in every area of Canada, but it is not realistic. The best chance I think is for Quebec City.

[DerbyX]

wpg241;

You are very right about Quebec city. Rivalries sell more tickets. Halifax would survive if they made the team a provincial team I think. AKA the "Nova Scotia Highlanders". Revenue sharing should also be taken into affect All teams in the CFL should share revenues b/c it often takes many years for a team to establish itself. I do believe that a team in NS with quickly endear itself to a province that should be represented in an elite league.

[wpg241]

Don't get me wrong, I would love nothing better then to see a team in the east as well. Halifax is the ideal local for the eastern provinces as it is not very far commute from the neighbouring provinces. I would love to see the league go from coast to coast. The league just has to think this through before committing itself fully, as it can't afford to make any bad choices about expansion.
Besides the exhibtion game is a novelty, the fans down there would by the tickets to finally get a chance to watch a game.
Maybe the league should hold a series of regular season games in the city to judge fan reaction. Just like MLB did with the Expos. Does anybody think that idea would fly or should the CFL just take the expanison money and hope for the best. Besides would revenue sharing work...when many teams are just breaking even.

[DerbyX]

You make a great deal of sense. A failed expansion would hurt the CFL's repuatation. I don't know all the leagues finances but know that recently the argos & ticats have had a rough go. I think the Renagades are stable now b/c Ottawa fans are very supportive. Its my belief that all of NS would support the team and possible NB as well (if they marketed the team right). The league is certainly growing stronger though and you have to strike while the "irons hot"

[Finiteman]

I think London would be the right move as far as a new 10th city as it has most of the criteria needed and would bump up Ontario fan support and give travelling fan bounces to Hamilton and Toronto, but the CFL BOG seems to pine for the Maritimes (specifically Halifax) to balance the conferences and give coast to coast appeal.

I think Moncton is too hard of a sell. New Moncton Stadium WITH the temp seats will only seat 18-20K. That means EVERY game will need to sell out. That might be very doable in a huge city like Montreal, but it is a tough sell with an expansion franchise in new territory in a small metro area. With it's small population it would have a tough time consistently selling out. If a bad team comes to town for a reglar season game, will fans drive 2 hours to watch or will they stay home? Lets say in year 2 and 3 ---while the team still sucks --- they sell out 7 games at 18,500 and have two dog games that draw 10K each. That means they average 16.6K per season and the team is in the red both years. Plus a late season storm could cut into the travelling home fan base. These scenarios are what potential owners are looking at and why they are not likely to back a team in Moncton.

That said the CFL is thrilled to have someone in the Maritimes welcoming them. I suspect they will put a game in Moncton maybe even yearly to put political pressure on Halifax politicians to build a CFL sized stadium. Halifax, IMO is still their pipe dream target.

I think the CFL blew it in blowing off the mayor of Windsor's idea to build a CFL stadium. That would have been a great 10th team that would have brought more value that anything else on the board. Quebec only has a 10,200 seat stadium, but is also a better site than Halifax and frankly Montreal might be a good site for a 2nd team. With their QB looking at retiring soon, the Alouettes could go into a nosedive. (Not saying they will, only that they could.) Would the fans still turn out in Montreal if the team is no good? The history of Montreal teams makes that an uncertain proposition. If The Alouettes attendance drops off, it could impact a team like Ottawa, that would likely hope to have one of its better draws vs. Montreal. The league COULD be looking at 2 struggling teams if everything breaks wrong.

A second team in montreal could help cover that scenario. Saputo is designed to be expandable to 20,000 in the near future and as one endzone is not built the feild could be expanded to fit a CFL field, if needed. (Eyeballing it via google maps it may already fit one.) If a second team was located in Montreal, the Alouettes and the new Ottawa team would have another couple of games with travelling fans. It could help those teams stay afloat. The Alouettes and the new team could play their head to head games in Olympic -- that would probably drag up attendance for both above breakeven. Ottawa would have home games vs. 2 Montreal teams and Toronto.

[Finiteman]

As far as American cities, there are plenty of US cities that could regularly sell the 20-30K tickets needed to support a CFL team, but IMO, CFL fans as a whole (and maybe the CFL BOG) do not seem to want to hear about them.