Lionbackers.com

David wrote:

JohnHenry wrote:Two candidates are: the "Rock" who recently tweeted some favourable comments about the CFL and Wally Buono...and Jon Bon Jovi who was part owner of an Arena team and the front-man for Toronto's Buffalo Bills bid (with T. Rogers and L. Tannenbaum).

Dwayne Johnson (aka "The Rock") seems to be the logical short-term choice while Wally is still part of the club. He briefly played for Wally and has indeed tweeted a couple of favourable comments about him. He's not likely to be offered a piece of the team under Braley's ownership of course (not sure if he'd even want it - being the highest paid actor in Hollywood right now and all), but he could create some decent buzz by coming out to practice this summer and making an appearance at a game (Cam Wake could too on a smaller scale).

Not sure about JBJ - he attempted to front a group to bring the NFL to Toronto. I'm uncertain if he'd want to align with the CFL or what the optics would look like if did, but he does have an interest in sports ownership.


DH

Ever watch Ballers? Pretty fun series. I watched every episode of both seasons. I gather there's a Season 3 in the works, this time based in LA.

David wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 04, 2017 12:28 pm

Not sure who would be a good fit (Pamela Anderson seems inexorably linked to this team as her face on the Jumbotron was the spring board for her career), but whoever they could get on board might be a smart, strategic partnership. Just spit-balling an idea in the dead month of March.

B.C.FAN wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 04, 2017 1:05 pm

As for Pamela Anderson, she attracted some good publicity when she served as grand marshal of the Grey Cup parade but I don't want her involved in high-level team decision-making. And I especially don't want to see an all-vegan menu at B.C. Place concession stands.

Pamela Anderson's claim to fame is through her late former boss who I'm sure she's very eternally grateful and indebted to.

R.I.P. Hugh Hefner (April 9, 1926 – September 27, 2017)

Celebrities are not usually a bad thing when they're pumping your product but it doesn't always translate to success at the gate or in the standings. Even if they come to games will it bring in fans?

The real item in the mix should be sports marketing understanding that will engage the community and get fans back to the games. A tough thing to do given TV coverage excellence.

The Most Critical Success Factors for a CFL team start with the owner:

1. Stable ownership with financial wealth who will make a long term commitment to the league and the team and not just a decision on the balance sheet and cash flow.
Example: David Braley

2. Success in identifying, selecting and keeping the right leadership group at the top of the club (business, marketing, GM/HC )to get to early and sustained success onfield and at the gate. The owner can't be interfering all the time. Oversight, strategy, direction and performance, yes (unlike in Montreal now).
Best Examples: David Braley, BC Lions. Jeff Hunt, Ottawa Redblacks

3. The owner has to understand the sports market and how to engage with fans and build for the future. Sports marketing in this new era has to be understood. Ideally they'd bring something that's been lacking in BC since Bobby Ackles passed away.

BC ownership situation:

The right owner for the time was David Braley who put his faith in the people (Wally and Bobby Ackles) and provided oversight.

David Braley's health and the distance has impacted his ability to provide the oversight he was in the past and quite frankly, Wally's pretty much on his own in the running of this club and being the face of the franchise.

When I met Buck Pierce's dad through Mightybuck his dad reiterated the view that in football the back up QB is often the most popular QB on the team as he's not doing anything but watch.

Right now the most popular owner with some fans is the next owner and that owner (or group) is only popular until they screw it up and the CFL has seen their share of those guys.

I'm confident that Braley would not just sell to anyone but would try to find the kind of owners they have in Ottawa and Hamilton to take on the challenge here in BC. Here in BC there's not a lot of candidates.

BC Lions team situation:

Wally got the club and team into the current situation by making a poor choice in Mike B as HC as he has no selection process and this seems to include assistants (not that they are bad coaches but it's the lack of what seems to be a process).

When Wally lucked into Jeff Tedford it was like Toronto bringing Marc Trestman back to the CFL. It looked like he pulled a rabbit out of the hat. He just wasn't what anyone thought they were getting. As one media pundit said, it was likely Tedford interviewing Wally as this was so fantastic a choice. They say Trestman had to go thru a process but I suspect not. I suspect Toronto might have not wanted Popp but to get MT, Popp had to be his GM. Popp is football, not marketing so they're still lacking in the latter.

Returning to HC was a good decision that has turned bad with QB injury and again compounded by the fact that so many coaches know BC too well it seems.
If the team were executing we'd not be as focused on the situation.

The Western Div has really come on strong and it was never going to be a cake walk.

We don't want to run Wally and the gang out of town as there's no guarantee that the next group is going to be as good as Lion fans have found it to now.

Wally is terrific in facing the media - good or bad - he does a lot in that regard and never hides his team.

What he's been guilty of - if that is a right way to say it - has been the lack of a credible selection process when it comes to finding a HC and assistants.

Famous Vancouverites and how they elevate the Leos in the public eye....or what passes for elevate in my mind

Seth Rogen and have him lead the Coffee Cup Shuffle and other on-field distractions. Maybe formulate a section vs. section feel to it and make it slightly risque so Rogen can lob double-entendres. So have fans from Section 240 vs. 204 in a game of twister or massive jenga or life-size operation.... Maybe see who can roll the biggest doobie competition in the end zone after the 1st quarter...

The Odds (or some other power-pop group) can be the house band. Sorry MC Trouble but my age is showing......

Ryan Reynolds can lead a DeadPool night. Fans dress up as their favourite super-hero and can get in free. Ryan judges the best costume at half....

Michael Buble can bring his fellow vocalists and they can lead a massive sing-along of "Roar You Lions Roar" during the 3-minute warning. Kinda like the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley Field...

Steve Nash and fellow NBA alums can play the Globetrotters at half-time....

George Clooney can bring his dog to participate in the "Adventure Dogs" half-time show or whatever that is....

Instead of "If I weren't a football player, I would be....." have various celebs show up and do "If I weren't a famous singer/actor/actress/director/etc, I would be a ......"

Have a draw for the fan in seat such-and-such to be an extra in some kick-ass Hollywood movie filming locally...

Just trying to maintain a degree of humour in these trying times......

Day after day i am reading great informed post after great informed post on this forum and am very impressed by the level of CFL acumen. Perhaps a west coast rarity but excellent to see.

Great post Toppy on the Braley situation from all sides. Really hoping for some good things to come. The Ottawa situation does seem good although will be interesting to watch the fan support moving forward. Was one game earlier in the year where it looked a lot like Toronto on tv. Seems they all went out and bought the dumb lumberjack shirts so that might keep them coming back but until Ottawa steps up and proves itself as a sports town I remain leery.


Cardiac Kid great ideas to make the game fun. Would love to see every one. Come up with something for the Orca and you'll be set.

Thanks again guys. Enjoy the games this weekend.