NFL in toronto?

[canabiz]

yeah about that. i think that the canadians who love nfl football have become die hard fans of another team. if the nfl came to toronto, i wouldnt stop going for the eagles. im too big of a fan now, and theyre my team now. a toronto team would not change anything for me, and i think anything for alot of people. so games like Toronto Vs houston.... i would estimate that 15000 people would go watch it. the nfl wont work in toronto

I disagree with you regarding a possible lack of attendance if there is an NFL team in Toronto, kevin01

What people fail to realize is each NFL team only play once a week, some week they don't even play at all (bye week). Unlike baseball or hockey or basketball when there are at least a few games on any given week.

That's what makes the NFL more special than the other sports. Look at the Raptors, they are actually winning but they can't put asses in the seats (from Marty York report that I read in the papers)

[pegger06]

I disagree with you regarding a possible lack of attendance if there is an NFL team in Toronto, kevin01

What people fail to realize is each NFL team only play once a week, some week they don't even play at all (bye week). Unlike baseball or hockey or basketball when there are at least a few games on any given week.

That's what makes the NFL more special than the other sports. Look at the Raptors, they are actually winning but they can't put asses in the seats (from Marty York report that I read in the papers)

The Raptors are averaging 17,000 and some change, so they are putting asses in the seats. Just because they don't sell out every game anymore doesn't mean their attendance is attrocious. The two games with bad attendance were against to really bad teams in the midweek. Last night they had 18,000+ during a bad storm I hear. They just started winning now, as far as I'm concerned. Also you shouldn't read Marty York, the guy is not a credible writer for any sport.

[Jacob Ortiz]

I disagree with you regarding a possible lack of attendance if there is an NFL team in Toronto, kevin01

What people fail to realize is each NFL team only play once a week, some week they don't even play at all (bye week). Unlike baseball or hockey or basketball when there are at least a few games on any given week.

That's what makes the NFL more special than the other sports. Look at the Raptors, they are actually winning but they can't put asses in the seats (from Marty York report that I read in the papers)

Playing so little games makes the NFL more special than the other sports? Is that something to be bragging about? I'm a fan of the NFL but one thing that has always got me was how they play so little games. 16 games, plus playoffs then you are the "world champions".

Please if you are going to consider yourself the world champions you are going to have to play a little more games than that.

[canabiz]

Playing so little games makes the NFL more special than the other sports? Is that something to be bragging about? I'm a fan of the NFL but one thing that has always got me was how they play so little games. 16 games, plus playoffs then you are the "world champions".

Please if you are going to consider yourself the world champions you are going to have to play a little more games than that.

No you missed my points entirely Jacob.

Kevin01 was saying how he foresees a lack of attendance at NFL games. I told him i don't think that is the case because NFL teams only play once a week so it's not gonna like they will make people less excited, the way baseball and basketball teams sometimes do, playing so many games in any given week...

Would you say you can *look forward* to going to a Raps game on Thursday when you have been there on Monday ? I don't think so buddy...or a Jays game on Friday when you just went to see them on Tuesday ? I beg to differ.

and yes playing so few games do deserve special mention, because you know the players will give their best shot weeks in and weeks out, not like some b-ball players who don't even bother showing up (re: Vinsanity!)...they have to play 3 games in 4 nights on the road at times, who can blame them if they don't give 100% efforts ?

[kevin01]

No you missed my points entirely Jacob.

Kevin01 was saying how he foresees a lack of attendance at NFL games. I told him i don't think that is the case because NFL teams only play once a week so it's not gonna like they will make people less excited, the way baseball and basketball teams sometimes do, playing so many games in any given week...

Would you say you can *look forward* to going to a Raps game on Thursday when you have been there on Monday ? I don't think so buddy...or a Jays game on Friday when you just went to see them on Tuesday ? I beg to differ.

and yes playing so few games do deserve special mention, because you know the players will give their best shot weeks in and weeks out, not like some b-ball players who don't even bother showing up (re: Vinsanity!)...they have to play 3 games in 4 nights on the road at times, who can blame them if they don't give 100% efforts ?

i was reffereing to the team that toronto would be playing on that day... houston... how many houston texan fans are there in toronto? The only way people would come is if they do what they do with the jays, give aways for $1 tickets.

and football once a week is great. I hate this 82 game schedule in the nhl and nba, and 162 games in the mlb. its like your mad because of one loss one day, and your team loses again the next day. in the mlb it can be twice a day. plus football players put their lives more at risk injury wise. playing football can cause many injuries to many players, and imagine they had 2 games a week. That would be 32 games for each team, and about 100 injured players.

[KennyX]

Cleveland and New England played at Skydome before a less then packed house of 33,000.

And that's a bad thing? These were 2 crappy teams with losing records, with little to no stars... and absolutely no affiliation with the city of Toronto or Canada.
(not to mention the NFL has increased its popularity by leaps and bounds since then).

Now lets see. Suppose the Ottawa Renegades and Saskatchewan Roughriders came to Toronto to play a meaningless exhibition game at the Rogers center... how many do you think would attend?
Or how about if the Florida Panthers and the LA Kings came to play a meaningless exhibition game at the ACC?
OR, how about if the KC Royals and the TB Devil Rays came to the Rogers Center to play a meaningless exhibition game?

Let's take it a step further... The Toronto Argos, who are obviously affiliated with Toronto, had attendance of about only 30k... which is still less than those numbers you provided (based on the early 1990's) and for teams who are not affiliated with Toronto.

I'd like to take it another step further... Why are people in Toronto and surrounding areas fans of the Jays, Raptors and Leafs? (rather than fans of other teams?). I'd be willing to bet it's because they associate themselves with being part of that franchise...I mean, how many people in the area would really be fans of the NBA or MLB if we didnt have a team? Yet the Toronto Argos only have marginal attendance, and there are still a plethora of NFL fans in the area. It's because of this, -in my opinion, the NFL would thrive in Toronto more so than the CFL.

[canabiz]

i was reffereing to the team that toronto would be playing on that day... houston... how many houston texan fans are there in toronto? The only way people would come is if they do what they do with the jays, give aways for $1 tickets.

and football once a week is great. I hate this 82 game schedule in the nhl and nba, and 162 games in the mlb. its like your mad because of one loss one day, and your team loses again the next day. in the mlb it can be twice a day. plus football players put their lives more at risk injury wise. playing football can cause many injuries to many players, and imagine they had 2 games a week. That would be 32 games for each team, and about 100 injured players.

Kevin, I think you are seriously under-estimating the passion and the desire of Canadian NFL Fans here man. I can say for certain that the Buffalo Bills would not have sold out their games if it weren't for a good chunks of Canadian fans coming down weeks in and weeks out when the NFL season is in.

Add to that the people outside the Big Smoke...Windsor, Burlington, Hamilton, the K-W area so on and so forth. I personally am from Ottawa and I can guarantee you that if Toronto ever got an NFL franchise, I would make a concerted effort to attend at least 1 game each season. I can't say the same thing about the Raps since I have no real interest in b-ball. I have been to 1 Jays game in my life and not sure when I would come back, just a tad boring for me.

On top of that, we have the folks from other cities outside Ontario, namely Montreal, Winnipeg, Regina etc. Are you going to sit here and tell me that nobody from those cities would make an attempt to check out an NFL game in Canada ? especially when there are only 16 games for a year (not counting the playoff ?)

Yes I got your point about Houston being a crappy team and frankly nobody in his right mind would pay to see them play but explain to me how people in Houston continue to show up for the games weeks in and weeks out ? Even when they play other crappy teams like Oakland or Cleveland or Detroit ? To me it's not a *game* per se, it's an *experience* in itself, the tailgating, the after parties etc, all of the above, that's what makes it all worthwhile.

Peace.

[canabiz]

If anyone has doubts about the NFL Fans in Canada in general and to a certain extent, Ontario, please take the time to read this article

http://www.cliftonhill.com/falls_blo...buffalo-bills/

In short, it is estimated that about 7,000 to 8,000 Canadian NFL fans regulary travel to the Buffalo Bills home game from southern Ontario. Now I am not going to bury my head in the sand and say that these guys will stay in Toronto to watch the Toronto NFL team play but this is just to show you guys that there is no shortage of NFL fans in Ontario and Canada.

I have said it before and I will say it again: This is a free country, let the NFL come into our house and establish itself, let it go ahead and compete with other sports franchises. There is only so much entertainment dollar going around...if people don't like what they see, ultimately it will be up to them to decide if they want to show support...may the best team win, that's all.

[kevin01]

If anyone has doubts about the NFL Fans in Canada in general and to a certain extent, Ontario, please take the time to read this article

http://www.cliftonhill.com/falls_blo...buffalo-bills/

In short, it is estimated that about 7,000 to 8,000 Canadian NFL fans regulary travel to the Buffalo Bills home game from southern Ontario. Now I am not going to bury my head in the sand and say that these guys will stay in Toronto to watch the Toronto NFL team play but this is just to show you guys that there is no shortage of NFL fans in Ontario and Canada.

I have said it before and I will say it again: This is a free country, let the NFL come into our house and establish itself, let it go ahead and compete with other sports franchises. There is only so much entertainment dollar going around...if people don't like what they see, ultimately it will be up to them to decide if they want to show support...may the best team win, that's all.

i know alot of people would come to games, but you cannot say that the stadium will be over half full when a team like houston would play.

a lot of real canadian fans have chosen buffalo as the team to root for since it is close and buffalo can compare to their own city. lol do you think that goodell(sp?) is going to expand into toronto so soon? i think tagliabue wouldve done it sooner or later, but i think goodell would go to vegas before toronto. believe me im all for a toronto nfl team, but i dont see it happening in the next few years. low tv contracts, the need for stadium expansion, player salary taxes would play a big role. But i hope im wrong and toronto gets a team asap. i wish they would

[EZman]

We all can agree that that IF NFL does come to Torotno it will be at least a few years. But the anticipation is a little exciting, we will just have to see when Los Angeles gets a team and what's gonna happen from there on.

[gordholio]

I don't believe you can say never to a Canadian franchise, but I think it will be at least 10 more years until it may happen.