Lions ownership discussion thread (Topics merged into here)

[Matt Baker]

Under the norms of succession planning one would think if Buono stepped aside then it would almost be a no-brainer to promote McEvoy to GM with Simon moving up into McEvoy's role. If whomever is making that decision chose to overlook McEvoy then it would be best for him to leave be it voluntarily or via road map and apple. After all the time he's spent in the organization and the roles and responsibilities he's had if he's not ready to be GM now then he never will be. The only other reason for not promoting might be that he doesn't want the job. Some guys like to work a bit more behind the scenes as opposed to being the guy in the spotlight with cameras and mics in their face. I'm guessing he's mid 40s so the time is right to give it a shot.

I've met him and talked to him a few times. My first impression wasn't great, as he sounded like he preferred the NFL game to ours. And I guess that may still be true which gives me a bit of a bad impression, but personal preferences really don't mean much in the grand scheme of things. If he can do the job well that's all that matters, and by the looks of things he's done his current role very well. It seems like Wally is sort of offloading a lot of the work to him so there's probably a bit of a transition plan there.

From what I can tell I'd be surprised if he weren't interested in the GM role. To each their own I guess, but I think he would certainly be open to it.

I can't remember when I first met Neil. It was at a Grey Cup 2 or 3 years before Buono was hired so probably 2001 or 2002. I recall running into him in the concourse an hour or so before 2004 Grey Cup kickoff in Ottawa. We waved at each other as we passed and I hollered "Who's starting?". He said "12". So I knew well before kickoff that Printers wasn't getting the nod. Wally took him under his wing as soon as he arrived, probably at the suggestion of Bob Ackles as he'd already been doing some football ops stuff by then. Fairly early on under Wally Neil was already getting his feet wet with contract negotiations.

Not to burst your bubble, but I recall the news coming out the night before that Dickenson was starting.

[Toppy Vann]

I heard TSN 1040 and Lowell on the need to resolve the ownership one way or the other.

Led me to thinking that if the Lions were high flying into the playoffs right now, the ownership issue would be pretty much non-existent.

[Hambone]

Not to burst your bubble, but I recall the news coming out the night before that Dickenson was starting.

Then I guess the news didn't make it to the Spirit of Edmonton. Damned Communications Department falling down on the job again.

[Matt Baker]

Not to burst your bubble, but I recall the news coming out the night before that Dickenson was starting.

Then I guess the news didn't make it to the Spirit of Edmonton. Damned Communications Department falling down on the job again.

LOL no doubt! haha.. I recall seeing it on the Headline Sports/Score ticker. remember those days? When that was the main outlet for finding out breaking sports news?!

[Hambone]

Not to burst your bubble, but I recall the news coming out the night before that Dickenson was starting.

Then I guess the news didn't make it to the Spirit of Edmonton. Damned Communications Department falling down on the job again.

LOL no doubt! haha.. I recall seeing it on the Headline Sports/Score ticker. remember those days? When that was the main outlet for finding out breaking sports news?!

You bet. It's come along ways. Living in a north island logging camp I remember having to rely on Bernie Pascal on the evening news. We only had 2 channels. Radio signals often faded out by breakfast time and started coming back in late in the evening. I used to deliver the Vancouver Sun there. The papers came in on the bus which only came through from Gold River 3 days a week. I delivered the Monday paper with all the weekend sports news on Tuesday. The Tuesday and Wednesday papers didn't arrive until Thursday. The Thursday, Friday and Saturday papers all came in on the Sunday night bus. Most of the time it came in too late so the papers didn't get delivered until after school on Monday.

[WestCoastJoe]

Does David Braley sell the Lions by December of this year, or January or February of next year?

I think not. 55 - 45 against. Just a hunch.

Status quo.

Braley asks Wally to stay one more year. Wally says yes. Wally cans a coach or two. Makes some personnel changes. And we roll out the same philosophy on offence, defence and special teams. Same game planning approach. Wally keeps Dan Dorazio and Mark Washington.

Just a hunch. Braley has talked about selling for years. It has not happened. Buyers don't like the asking price. Braley no doubt thinks 2017 was a year that will not repeat itself or worsen.

Just a hunch. Just IMO.

If, somehow, Braley sells ... relief for some fans. But I think the odds are against it.

I will be very happy if my hunch is wrong.

[B.C.FAN]

I noticed Dennis Skulsky on the field talking with fans before the game. David Braley wasn't there but according to Ed Willes, he is expected to fly here in the next week to discuss the sale with the Waterboys group and anyone else who might be interested. The sale is expected to take up to 60 days to finalize but I hope they can at least announce a pending sale. Wally, Neil and the scouting staff can then go about the business of re-signing pending free agents and evaluating possible signings from other teams, knowing that there is a clear direction in place for the franchise. The hiring of a new president, GM and coach can happen afterwards.

Braley, the Hamilton industrialist who saved the franchise in the ‘90s and is theoretically trying to sell the team, wasn’t in attendance Saturday night, but the sense is he’ll fly into town next week when it’s presumed he’ll hold meetings with prospective buyers.

To recap, Braley has said there are three parties interested in the Lions. One of those is a local group headed by car magnate Moray Keith and insurance executive Mark Woodall, who’ve been involved with The Waterboys over the years.

They’re not as convinced there are two other entities competing for the team. They’ve also waited patiently as Braley worked his way through, ahem, the ‘process,’ but considering the magnitude of this deal and the many issues which need to be addressed, time is now of the essence.

For starters, the actual sale of the team is going to take 50 to 60 days to be finalized, and that’s if everything goes smoothly. The new owners will have to be vetted by the league. There are lawyers to be consulted and documents to be drawn up. The Lions’ lease with B.C. Place also expires at the end of this season, which means a new deal has to be negotiated with the landlords.

Ed Willes: As the season ends for the B.C. Lions, the real work begins

[WestCoastJoe]

Ed Willes: As the season ends for the B.C. Lions, the real work begins

Thank you for the link, BCFAN.

Some more excerpts ...

Buono, meanwhile, maintains he hasn’t fully made up his mind about next year. His contract as head coach and GM expires in February but there’s a provision to stay on as a consultant through August. He’s also left the door open about a possible return — you can never accuse Buono about painting himself into a corner — all of which raises more uncertainty.

If Braley stays and asks, I expect Wally will say yes.

Braley hasn’t helped there. The Lions have already restructured season-ticket prices for next year and sent out renewal forms. Maybe that qualifies as business as usual, but it’s not business as usual when Braley tells reporters he’s interviewed candidates for the Lions’ vacant presidency while he’s trying to sell the team.

Interviewing for a new president.

That’s, of course, if he’s trying to sell the team. On top of everything else, there’s some thought that Braley likes the idea of owning the Lions and won’t sell. Without putting too fine an edge on things, that would be a disaster for this franchise.

I get the impression that David Braley cannot separate himself from the franchise he saved and loves without an offer so high he just cannot refuse.

[CardiacKid]

Ed Willes: As the season ends for the B.C. Lions, the real work begins

Thank you for the link, BCFAN.

Some more excerpts ...

Buono, meanwhile, maintains he hasn’t fully made up his mind about next year. His contract as head coach and GM expires in February but there’s a provision to stay on as a consultant through August. He’s also left the door open about a possible return — you can never accuse Buono about painting himself into a corner — all of which raises more uncertainty.

If Braley stays and asks, I expect Wally will say yes.

Braley hasn’t helped there. The Lions have already restructured season-ticket prices for next year and sent out renewal forms. Maybe that qualifies as business as usual, but it’s not business as usual when Braley tells reporters he’s interviewed candidates for the Lions’ vacant presidency while he’s trying to sell the team.

Interviewing for a new president.

That’s, of course, if he’s trying to sell the team. On top of everything else, there’s some thought that Braley likes the idea of owning the Lions and won’t sell. Without putting too fine an edge on things, that would be a disaster for this franchise.

I get the impression that David Braley cannot separate himself from the franchise he saved and loves without an offer so high he just cannot refuse.

I suspect it will take some cajoling on the part of Ambrosie and the CFL to ultimately get the team sold. I still don’t think it will happen this year.

Braley tries to give the impression there is active progress with hiring a team president but in truth, the bulk of that work was done in 2016.

The Waterboys don’t think there are 2 other interested parties as suggested by the Braley team. This bit of supposed posturing can’t help maintain their sense of patience which has to be waning.

These local meetings that are to discuss the sale are not a done deal and may not occur at all according to one “source” I spoke with at the game. In Wiles’ article he uses the terms “presume” and “the sense is” when describing Braley’s move towards an actual sale. Not really words one would use when describing something definite......

Hate to say it but I am not holding my breathe.

[TheLionKing]

I would be pleasantly surprised if Braley actually sells the team. He's been talking about it for years............

[David]

Per Wally, Braley will be the owner of the BC Lions in 2018. The franchise sabotage continues....



(quote is at about the 2:44 mark. Had a call with Braley this morning).



DH

[Lion Guy]

Brutal. Fricken Braley. If the Lions don't fire the coaching staff I won't attend the games next season.

[Jim Mullin]

David Braley must have some environmentalist in him. By holding onto the BCLions for another year, he's returning the team to the state he found it.

In the wilderness with little human contact.

[CardiacKid]

Per Wally, Braley will be the owner of the BC Lions in 2018. The franchise sabotage continues....

(quote is at about the 2:44 mark. Had a call with Braley this morning).

DH

I have a lot of unkind words for Mr. Braley circling my brain at this moment but I will not repeat them here....

I will however say that I won't believe a single word that passes his lips from now on. I feel the fan-base and the folks who work for the Lions have been completely and utterly misled by him. His words are utterly worthless at this point.

I have never believed he was at all motivated to sell. He won't even hire a team president after a year. The CFL took a tenth of that amount of time to hire a commissioner.

He previously treated the Argos as a "red-headed step child", now I fear the Leos will be treated the same....

The Waterboys can hardly be blamed if they flip him the bird and tell him to naff off.....

Sad.

[CardiacKid]

David Braley must have some environmentalist in him. By holding onto the BCLions for another year, he's returning the team to the state he found it.

In the wilderness with little human contact.

I was thinking more Robber Baron or Carpetbagger....

So he couldn't even be bothered to come out west to attend those "meetings"...