Braley sells the Argos to Bell and Kilmer

[Toppy Vann]

Owners with the right flare for marketing the team and GROWING the CFL game as well as their unique understanding of the market there (which I hope they have) will hopefully get the good ship Argo back on track as one of the premier franchises in the CFL.

That soccer fans don't like is not surprising but there is enough room for all if all market the right way.

The CFL has to keep focused on growing the game and expanding the fan base into other communities.

[WestCoastJoe]

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/05/20/ne ... ld-in-2016

Newly sold Argos moving to BMO Field in 2016 24

By Bill Lankhof, Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 02:01 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 09:56 PM EDT

TORONTO - It’s all in the family now.

That’s a good thing for the Toronto Argonauts. Even if the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment family can sometimes be as much Corleone as it is Little House On The Prairie.

Let’s just say that Wednesday’s marriage of the Argonauts with such MLSE stalwarts as the Raptors, Leafs and the Major League Soccer Reds has its controversial aspects, as well as its happy coincidences.

For the Argonauts, it is their road to salvation. Mention was made of another Grey Cup in Toronto for 2016. For the CFL, it is a deep-pocketed Sugar Daddy to run what Toronto mayor John Tory described as “the most venerable franchise in Canadian sports.”

A little hyperbole never hurts, though the CFL bubble of happiness did suffer leakage halfway through the press conference when a reporter cheekily asked whether that tweet about Mike Babcock coming to the Leafs had any legs. To which the assembled MLSE representatives could only mutter: “Mike Who?” Cue laughs.

Anyway, after years of negotiation, stalemate and not a little in-fighting, MLSE (or at least that part of it owned by Larry Tanenbaum and Bell Canada) announced it was taking control of the team from care-taker owner David Braley.

The team will move into the MLSE-controlled BMO Field in 2016. What has been a soccer-only stadium will reopen with a new roof to cover the spectator area, new retractable seats in extended end zones, new stronger hybrid grass, and old grudges by TFC soccer fans.

“It’s critical ... a new era for the CFL,” said league commissioner Jeffrey Orridge, of the sale and move to BMO. “Toronto is the biggest media market. It’s the biggest commercial market. So it’s critical from a fan base but also from a (CFL) partner base for advertising and sponsorship to have a vibrant team here.”

There have been times when it appeared there would be no team. Braley and MLSE couldn’t get it together. How to fit a CFL team into BMO was an issue. Soccer fans raged at the takeover of their home.

But all that became background noise Wednesday. A huge balloon depicting an Argonaut player graced BMO’s main entrance. “It looks like a mini-Commonwealth Stadium,” quipped CFL commentator Chris Schultz as dozens of media members descended.

Inside, 10 TV cameras rolled. At the front: three rows of seating — and that was just for the VIPs. Entire Argonauts games have been played with less fanfare. Monitors gleamed in Double Blue. One guy showed up sporting an Argos jersey — with not a single soccer hooligan there to pitch rotten veggies (or naughty words).

It was the day soccer fans feared.

Also absent was Rogers, the third partner with Bell and Tanenbaum, in MLSE.

“I grew up as a fan of the Argos and the Canadian Football League. I’ve watched and hoped that one day I could play a role in its success. I’m glad that day has arrived,” said Tanenbaum, sporting a baby-blue tie. But while Tanenbaum, Bell and its TSN affiliate (which has CFL broadcast rights) always wanted this deal, Rogers’ (owners of TSN’s competitor, Sportsnet) desire not to be involved had been a sticking point.

It turned Braley’s two-year stewardship into five years of expectations, rumour, false hopes and a franchise living in purgatory. “I think,” said Braley, “you could say it did slow things down while they sorted out the lease with MLSE and whether they were going to be involved or not.”

In the end, “not” won out. But in a family compromise that would make a Godfather proud, Tanenbaum, Rogers and Bell finally found a peaceable solution.

Tanenbaum and MLSE president Tim Leiweke also extended an olive branch to soccer fans who rue what this day will do to a cosy home that will be made expandable to 40,000 seats. MLSE is spending “about $3 million on grass” said Leiweke. “We made that commitment to TFC fans and we’ll stick by that. It’ll be a hybrid system. It can handle a lot of activity. The owners are putting in a $1-million lighting system so the grass will grow quicker and stay stronger.

“I know a lot has been made of this. We’ve done an enormous amount of work to find why it’s as big a deal as it is. I think it has more to do with the hype than the science of growing grass. Next week we play three soccer games on this field and it will be just fine. We will have more games in the next two months than we will see next year with the ... Argos games. We’re devoted to making sure both teams will enjoy the pitch in its current condition.

“Similar to what we see with the Raptors and the Leafs at the ACC it’s going to be a unique place both TFC and Argos’ fans will enjoy.”

Seats in the end zone will become retractable to accommodate the 20-yard deep CFL end zones.

“There are no compromises that were made either for the Argos or the TFC,” insisted Tanenbaum. “That field will be equally as good for both sports.”

The media then was shepherded onto the field — Argonauts signage everywhere, not a disgrunted soccer fan anywhere. Chad Owens played on the grass. Coach Scott Milanovich spoke about how sweet it is to have a home that doesn’t have goose droppings on the field, or offices decorated with sheet-rock walls.

“It’s a great afternoon,” said Orridge. Well, except for maybe that hockey coach thingy stealing the Argos’ thunder. “How does that happen,” he said, laughing. “There’s 365 days of the year. Any other day! How does that happen?”

Hey. It’s the Argonauts.

Call it the Argo Bounce. Some things never change.

[sj-roc]

Argos move to BMO Field and TFC fans see red

Move helps the Argos but prompts concern that under increased traffic BMO’s grass field will deteriorate to less than soccer quality.

After months of tough negotiations, David Braley has sold the Toronto Argonauts to Bell and Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. Next summer the Toronto Argonauts will play on BMO field. Morgan Campbell explains.

Tim Leiweke, CEO of MLSE, talks to the media Wednesday at an official announcement of the Argo's move to BMO field. Leiweke stressed that stadiums can host multiple events without losing soccer-specificity.

By: Morgan Campbell Staff Reporter, Published on Wed May 20 2015

Tim Leiweke, CEO of MLSE, talks to the media Wednesday at an official announcement of the Argo's move to BMO field. Leiweke stressed that stadiums can host multiple events without losing soccer-specificity.

When CFL officials and Argos ownership held a news conference Wednesday to officially announce the football team’s move to BMO Field, “thank yous” flowed profusely.

MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum, part of a group buying the Argos, thanked the city and the CFL. He thanked current owner David Braley, seated nearby on the dais at BMO Field’s Tunnel Club, and thanked Argo fans.

But nearly 30 minutes into the event nobody had thanked, or even mentioned, Toronto FC – strange given the soccer club is the stadium’s main tenant. TFC fans were already worried the Argos would damage the stadium’s playing surface, and the CFL-centric news conference didn’t calm concerns the club had become an afterthought in a stadium originally built for soccer.

“It feels like a slap in the face,” says Ryerson student and TFC fan Michael Norton. “This could be the first step of TFC being pushed out of its own stadium.”

Tension between the Argos and TFC fans began soon after original speculation that the CFL team would move to BMO Field when their lease at Rogers Centre expired. Over the last two years the “No Argos at BMO” movement has grown to include a blog, a Twitter account, and a banner hanging in the stadium’s south end during home games.

The anti-Argos sentiment dovetails with Major League Soccer’s stated preference that teams play in soccer-specific stadiums. Of the league’s 20 teams only four play in football stadiums retrofitted for soccer, while New York City FC plays in Yankee Stadium.

TFC season ticket holder Chris Greidanus has been skeptical of the plan since he first heard the rumour, and worries Leiweke underestimates the importance soccer fans and players place on a pristine pitch. He says that soccer games played on fields with leftover football yard lines will turn off purists and discourage them from renewing season tickets.

“If it starts to affect the integrity of the game, that’s my concern,” Greidanus says. “When you have a playing surface that looks bush league, that’s not helping a league that’s trying to make headway in this market.”

While acknowledging the league’s desires, outgoing MLSE president Tim Leiweke stressed that stadiums can host multiple events without losing soccer-specificity.

“Every stadium that I’ve been a part of, they’re a multi-venue facility,” Leiweke said. “This is not unique. It is not new. It is not different. These are not new problems. There are other people that have solved these problems.”

He points to Houston’s BBVA Compass Stadium as an example of an MLS club, the Houston Dynamo, sharing construction costs and a playing field with a football team, the University of Houston Cougars, and co-existing happily.

Leiweke said the ongoing $120 million renovation of BMO Field would include changes to accommodate the Argos.

He said MLSE, which manages the city-owned stadium, would spend about $3 million planting a sturdier hybrid grass. And seating at the north and south ends of the stadium will become retractable, coming out during soccer games and rolling back to make room for a CFL field that, including end zones, is 35 yards longer than TFC’s pitch.

“There are no compromises,” Tanenbaum said during the news conference. “That field will be equally good for both sports.”

Despite those assurances, fans remain concerned. If Argos games gouge grass from the middle of the field, the stadium becomes less appealing to star players and to European teams scheduling friendlies, Norton says.

And while Greidanus says the BMO move would improve the game-day experience for Argo fans, he says fans of the stadium’s main tenant should take precedence.

“The Argos do deserve a field,” he says. “But it probably shouldn’t be BMO.”

Soccer fans concerned.

But it sounds like Braley came out OK, as he usually does.

Being a CFL fan, I am glad for the stability it presents to the Argos.

The Argos bullying around the other team with whom they share their home venue?

That's a switch.

At a location where they've already built plenty of history, no less.

[Toppy Vann]

Rogers out of the deal is not a surprise. TSN has football and they are a competitor.

I don't go to TSN's site any more as it is no longer fan friendly and their suck layout sucks. Another good website revised to fit a mobile phone application leaving those coming from their computers with a horrid site.

I love soccer but the fans - not so much - and I can understand only a fear that the turf suffers. That is the only thing they have a point on.

Braley must believe that these new owners can move the market to come to the games. At least I hope he sees it that way.

[sj-roc]

Classic CFL bad luck having the Babcock deal take the spotlight.

During the Q & A a member of the media said he'd just received a tweet that the Babcock deal had been reached, and asked for a reaction. One of the MLSE people (I forgot who) joked "Who is that" then said there would likely be an announcement about 2:30, in the meantime they were moving on with the Argos announcement.

Then there were a few more questions mainly about reactions from concerned/angry Toronto FC supporters; (which Leiweke dealt with explaining that the new turf will be more durable than what they have now, and heat will make it grow earlier and stronger in the spring. It's going to be the same system in use at new Wembley Stadium).

Ricky Foley reacted in a series of tweets with displeasure toward the Leafs' supposedly stealing the Argos thunder with the Babcock story. Also ripped the Raptors for their "We the North" sloganeering.

Dick move announcing Babcock news the day #Argos r finally sold. Guess some people still jealous we the only team who wins in this city @CFL
12:13 PM - 20 May 2015

I feel sorry 4T.O sports fans...Every yr hype 4teams who don't EVER win...Spending $ 2come see mostly Foreigners play with no heart/effort
12:22 PM - 20 May 2015

I'll tell you one thing these CDN #CFL boys don't claim 'wetheNORTH' then head home to the south during off seasons... #NBA
12:27 PM - 20 May 2015

And our Captains and vet leaders don't play like a bunch of soft ass punks with no emotion or passion for the game or its fans... #NHL
12:29 PM - 20 May 2015

So congrats on Ur new coach @MapleLeafs...Hopefully 50mil & sky high ticket prices r enough 2give Ur players heart & a compete level #CFL
12:35 PM - 20 May 2015

Did he have any discernable point there? Perhaps. Should he have voiced it the way he did, or even at all? I don't think so. Keep it classy, let your fans — who aren't held to the same standard — be the ones voicing these views. Besides, the timing was mostly coincidence and it wasn't even clear until today that Babcock was coming to Tor. I heard reports over the weekend that Babcock would be making his decision around Wednesday at the latest. The Argos spent a year hammering out the sale and the move. What difference would moving that up (or back) a few days have made, if they really wanted to avoid that conflict?

They're actually lucky in that Babcock's initial press conference as Leafs HC isn't until tomorrow and didn't conflict with the one the Argos had today. As for "we the only team who wins in this city", he must have forgotten they missed the playoffs themselves last year. Also adding to the questionability of his comments are his team's new owners also having a stake in the Leafs & Raptors.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/05/20/ar ... coach-news

Argos' Ricky Foley rips timing of Leafs coach news
Toronto Sun
First posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 03:41 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, May 20, 2015 04:03 PM EDT

At least one member of the Toronto Argonauts isn't happy the Maple Leafs stole his team's thunder.

Shortly after the CFL team announced it had new ownership in Bell and Larry Tanenbaum and was moving to BMO Field in 2016, the Maple Leafs ended weeks of speculation and revealed Mike Babcock is their new head coach.

Ricky Foley, a defensive end for the Argos from Courtice, Ont., took to Twitter to blast the Leafs for choosing Wednesday as their reveal day, and to rip the hockey team's top players for lack of heart.

"Dick move announcing Babcock news the day #Argos r finally sold. Guess some people still jealous we the only team who wins in this city @CFL," Foley tweeted.

"I feel sorry 4T.O sports fans...Every yr hype 4teams who don't EVER win...Spending $ 2come see mostly Foreigners play with no heart/effort"

He also took a shot at the Raptors.

"I'll tell you one thing these CDN #CFL boys don't claim 'wetheNORTH' then head home to the south during off seasons... #NBA"

"And our Captains and vet leaders don't play like a bunch of soft ass punks with no emotion or passion for the game or its fans... #NHL"

"So congrats on Ur new coach @MapleLeafs...Hopefully 50mil & sky high ticket prices r enough 2give Ur players heart & a compete level #CFL"

[sj-roc]

Classic CFL bad luck having the Babcock deal take the spotlight.

During the Q & A a member of the media said he'd just received a tweet that the Babcock deal had been reached, and asked for a reaction. One of the MLSE people (I forgot who) joked "Who is that" then said there would likely be an announcement about 2:30, in the meantime they were moving on with the Argos announcement.

Then there were a few more questions mainly about reactions from concerned/angry Toronto FC supporters; (which Leiweke dealt with explaining that the new turf will be more durable than what they have now, and heat will make it grow earlier and stronger in the spring. It's going to be the same system in use at new Wembley Stadium).

Watching Sportsnet Central, their 10pm nightly highlights package tonight to see where the Argos rank. Stories covered in order:

• Tease of Babcock hiring
• NHL NYR-TBL playoff highlights
• Babcock hiring
• NBA Cavs-Hawks playoff highlights
• Ad bumper: (a) Tease of (a) Argos sale and move to BMO, (b) MLB Blue Jays highlights
• MLB Blue Jays-Angels highlights
• MLB Mariners-Orioles highlights
• MLB Rangers-Red Sox highlights
• MLB Yankees-Nationals highlights
• Argos sale and move to BMO
• Ricky Foley twitter comments
• more NHL, NYR-TBL coverage
• NHL Chi-Ana off-day coverage
• more NHL coverage: transactions of other non-playoff teams
• auto racing coverage
• more Babcock coverage: reaction from Don Cherry and hockey panel
• Gretzky comments on state of Oilers re:Connor McDavid
• MLS highlights
• CHL playoff highlights
• best of David Letterman's sports moments
• top 5 headlines of the night (Argos barely squeaked in at #5)

Their Argos story played up the TFC fan conflict angle with comments from (apparently) a TFC fan who commented that the move is making enemies out of people who should be allies.

[B.C.FAN]

I think Ricky Foley's Twitter comments were tongue-in-cheek and meant to be humorous. I got a chuckle out of them. He has a good point. The Argos seemingly can't win when it comes to getting Toronto media attention but they're the only team in that city that wins championships.

[sj-roc]

I think Ricky Foley's Twitter comments were tongue-in-cheek and meant to be humorous. I got a chuckle out of them. He has a good point. The Argos seemingly can't win when it comes to getting Toronto media attention but they're the only team in that city that wins championships.

He came off sounding rather bitter to me, using phrases like "dick move", "soft ass punks", sneering at "Foreigners". The Tor Sun article also read it that way. IMHO he should leave that sort of commentary to outsiders.

Hmm, here's an interesting comment on the argofans board, from someone who goes by "Rich":

The Foley Tweets: First MLSE Marketing Initiative?

Part of me is thinking this whole Babcock timing was planned to coincide with the Argo announcement. If you saw the press conference Larry and Bell didn't have a lot of answers about a lot of details -- there was nothing when they were asked about tickets, season ticket holders, prices, Grey Cups etc.

My guess is that they still don't have all of this stuff worked out yet. But they knew they had to make the announcement anyway. So what's the best way to avoid too many probing questions about the new Argo ownership? Announce a new coach for the Leafs.

So maybe the MLSE social media guy says let's make some hay anyway, and get the Argo with the biggest mouth to start tweeting about it. It's about time we tried to get some of these Argos players known to the public.

I know this sounds far-fetched but the truth is that it all worked out well for the Argos today. Foley's tweets gained a lot of traction, especially among people who are sick of all these promises of glory from the Maple Leafs. A lot of people discovered who Ricky Foley was today, and they saw a scrappy guy sticking up for the underdog, and they liked it. The Babcock announcement killed two birds with one stone for the new Argos owners.

Here are some more Foley tweets on this matter I missed in my other post:

4the record been a HUGE Leaf/Raptor 4ever...Just sick of SOME players lack of heart/effort yet WE fans pay big$ 2C them &treat #CFL like poo
1:02 PM - 20 May 2015

Bottom line I will always love/cheer the @MapleLeafs Just want 2C my $/support respected by players in their effort/community work don't u?
1:32 PM - 20 May 2015

Wake up Leave U.S mansion board flight 2 Toronto stay 6months play soft collect millions of CDN fans $ leave 2go back to U.S mansion repeat
2:08 PM - 20 May 2015

[DanoT]

Foley needs a little truth in advertizing such as admitting that he is the insincere flake that once agreed to a contract verbally and then reneged and signed elsewhere showing that he is not a man of his word. Come clean Ricky before you criticize others.

[aklawitter]

meh, he's saying everything that we all say

[sj-roc]

meh, he's saying everything that we all say

But RF should be held to a higher standard than the fans. He's a paid pro athlete, and in this case he's even dissing his bosses (basically). Fans are the ones who spend the money supporting the teams so you can cut them a little slack.

And there's this, too:

Foley needs a little truth in advertizing such as admitting that he is the insincere flake that once agreed to a contract verbally [also did a live radio interview about it with a station in that team's market — sj-r] and then reneged and signed elsewhere showing that he is not a man of his word. Come clean Ricky before you criticize others.

I see his rant was picked up by at least one US media outlet. It makes him look petty to hear the backstory explained to their foreign audience. Has any NHLer in the sunbelt complained that the local MLB/NBA/NFL team is stealing their thunder? That would be a big story in this country because hockey.

http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/eye-on-hoc ... ock-hiring

Toronto CFL player rants about timing of Mike Babcock news
By Adam Gretz | Hockey writer
May 20, 2015 5:23 pm ET

It turned out to be a huge sports day in Toronto on Wednesday that started with the sale of the local Canadian Football League team, the Toronto Argonauts, to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

The same group that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs had some big news of their own on Wednesday, and when the Maple Leafs do something significant, the rest of Toronto pays attention. Instantly.

Right around the same time that the Argonauts were holding a press conference to handle their sale, news was breaking that Mike Babcock would be joining the Maple Leafs after signing a record setting contract.

The news was so big that the Argonauts press conference was briefly sidetracked when David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail asked Larry Tanenbaum (MLSE chairman) and Tim Leiweke (MLSE CEO) about reports of Babcock joining the Maple Leafs.

The timing of this was not well received by one Argonauts player, defensive end Ricky Foley.

So he did what any frustrated athlete would do when another team overshadowed his team's big news.

He went to Twitter.

Be warned ahead of time, there is some harsh language in a couple of these Tweets: [axed, they already appear in previous posts here — sj-r]

Having said all this, I also found the conduct of David Shoalts in this story — he basically became the story or at least part of it, which is never good as a member of the media — rather wanting. Check out his G&M article on the sale/move (he got plenty of criticism in the reader comments while Foley got some kudos), and his tweets on same from yesterday, including the ones where he interacted with fans and other media members. His tweet this morning linking to his G&M article sarcastically noting: "The Toronto Argos held a press conference, then Mike Babcock and some really rude guy ruined everything."

The both of them come off petty, though I'd cut Shoalts less slack as the instigator.

[WestCoastJoe]

Having said all this, I also found the conduct of David Shoalts in this story — he basically became the story or at least part of it, which is never good as a member of the media — rather wanting. Check out his G&M article on the sale/move (he got plenty of criticism in the reader comments while Foley got some kudos), and his tweets on same from yesterday, including the ones where he interacted with fans and other media members. His tweet this morning linking to his G&M article sarcastically noting: "The Toronto Argos held a press conference, then Mike Babcock and some really rude guy ruined everything."

Thumbs down to Shoalts.

Balmy Beacher 1 day ago
Shoalts should have waited until the presser was over and THEN approached the Leafs officials for comment. It's a matter of showing some basic respect so that as a journalist you can command some respect. And thank you Ricky Foley for your comments. I couldn't agree more. Can hardly wait until the Argos leave the stadium formerly known as SkyDome to go back to the Exhibition grounds where they enjoyed their greatest ever level of fan support and where I watched games with my father for 20 years.

LeFleuve 2 days ago
Shoalts, even by the obsequious, over-reported level of hockey coverage in this town, your pipe-up diversion was poorly-timed, rude, and really kind of embarrassing. You were there to report on a football event, and in a Q&A you felt it necessary to quote another member of the Canadian Hockey Illuminati in a completely unrelated question. Glad you owned up to it in this column, but jeez scribe - stay on track. Oh, and yes, today was a great moment for the Toronto Argonauts, and by contrast not you.

[sj-roc]

The only bit of slack I'd cut Shoalts is that maybe his G&M superiors assigned him to the event specifically to dig into the Babcock story, based on the presence of some of the Leafs' management principals at the Argo event. I don't know how much say newspaper writers have in which stories they cover, or how they cover them. His twitter account says he's a hockey writer, so he probably only seldom writes about football, with this being one of those times. I don't read the G&M enough to know for sure. But he never seemed to play this card in his responses to others about his conduct, and the fact that he ended up writing an Argos article doesn't square with this, either.

[David]

Before everyone gets too outraged by this, I could all but guarantee that if this were to happen in Vancouver (i.e. Braley handing over ownership to the Aquilini Group and playing at a new outdoor stadium) on the same day that Friedman had just tweeted that Babcock had just signed to coach the Canucks, SOMEONE would have asked the same question at the presser. Guaranteed.


DH

[Tighthead]

Before everyone gets too outraged by this, I could all but guarantee that if this were to happen in Vancouver (i.e. Braley handing over ownership to the Aquilini Group and playing at a new outdoor stadium) on the same day that Friedman had just tweeted that Babcock had just signed to coach the Canucks, SOMEONE would have asked the same question at the presser. Guaranteed.


DH

You are almost remiss if you don't ask the question. The subject may not want the question posed, and may ask that questions be confined to the matter at hand, but it is topical. It isn't the media's job to help the Argos.

I will say I heard Shoalts ask a question in a silly and idiotic way, which I didn't care for. It wasn't the subject matter, it was the wording.