Lions ownership discussion thread (Topics merged into here)

[The_Pauser]

I'm perfectly fine with that. Yes we need Braley to sell the team but I don't want Aquilini anywhere near the Lions.

[WestCoastJoe]

Not exactly earth-shattering news here. I've suspected for some time that La Familia Aquilini lost interest in buying the Lions. Francesco confirmed it this morning on Sportsnet 650 radio.





It looks more and more like the Waterboys consortium if Braley (or his estate) ever sell.


DH

2030 10 15 (twelve years from now)

CFL News report.

David Braley tells TSN that he has 3 parties interested in buying the B.C. Lions.

His family has no interest in managing the team. Some family members have expressed concern about the complications of a transition of ownership, as Mr. Braley is slowing down somewhat, having given over management of his other business interests.

His club President, Wally Buono, who still takes a close interest in the day to day football operations, says negotiations for a sale of the team are relatively quiet.

Buono watches practice usually from his office, and still enjoys sitting with the coaches, when they draw up game plans. He feels his input is beneficial to the young coaching staff he has mentored. Buono reminisces and says he misses being on the sideline as Head Coach. He does get out there, however, to mingle with the players and staff towards game end.

The Lions are currently at 6 wins, 8 losses, with a thin ray of hope of getting in to the playoffs through the crossover. It's been over a decade since the team was in the playoffs.

No local groups have publicly expressed any interest in buying the team.

Sorry. Talk of ownership got my attention.

[David]

Good one WCJ. Very amusing, because there is a grain of truth to it. Far-fetched to be sure, but we have to keep a little levity around here when the team is :500 and the stands are half-full every game.

In fact, the last paragraph could read, "The Lions are instituting something new for the 2030 season. Fan introductions. In an effort to speed up the games and honour their tiny but loyal following, the club's front office decided it was quicker to introduce their season ticket holders at each home game than the starting offence or defence."


DH

[jwbavalon]

Touche, David

[TheLionKing]

Good one WCJ. Very amusing, because there is a grain of truth to it. Far-fetched to be sure, but we have to keep a little levity around here when the team is :500 and the stands are half-full every game.

In fact, the last paragraph could read, "The Lions are instituting something new for the 2030 season. Fan introductions. In an effort to speed up the games and honour their tiny but loyal following, the club's front office decided it was quicker to introduce their season ticket holders at each home game than the starting offence or defence."


DH

Good one David

[Gridiron Ernie]

Thanks for the laugh guys (WCJ & David)! A dose of levity is almost always guaranteed good medicine.

[DanoT]

Reading between the lines of Aquilini's statement: "I have no interest in the BC Lions right now" translates into "the price is too high".

With sagging attendance all Braley has to sell is potential to grow the popularity of the team in Vancouver and an astute businessman is not going to pay the top dollar that Braley wants.

[Hambone]

Reading between the lines of Aquilini's statement: "I have no interest in the BC Lions right now" translates into "the price is too high".

With sagging attendance all Braley has to sell is potential to grow the popularity of the team in Vancouver and an astute businessman is not going to pay the top dollar that Braley wants.

If either Aquilini owned BC Place or could get the Lions to play out of Rogers Arena he would be all over Braley to buy them.

[WestCoastJoe]

Thanks, David and Ernie.

I will be shocked if he sells within a year or two. He is very, very attached to his team. I cannot believe it is just about money or business. Good luck charm? He must know that the value that might have been there at times, after his rescue of the organization, is not there now, nor likely to be, no matter the results on the field.

[CONNECTICUT YANKEE]

Mr Braley's not selling and this is his goal.

1.Grey Cup rights for Vancouver in 2021.
2.Expansion fee for the Halifax team (1 million per team) in 2021.

The speculation is that Saskatchewan will be given the rights for 2020 in November.Hamilton will
probably be told to wait till 2022.So this should happen next year in Calgary.
The CFL's business practices are changing in regards to awarding Grey Cups 2 years in advance
to ensure smoother planning for the big game. The article below will give you a better understanding on
the logistical challenges involved.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ ... sf_globefb

[CardiacKid]

Mr Braley's not selling and this is his goal.

1.Grey Cup rights for Vancouver in 2021.
2.Expansion fee for the Halifax team (1 million per team) in 2021.

The speculation is that Saskatchewan will be given the rights for 2020 in November.Hamilton will
probably be told to wait till 2022.So this should happen next year in Calgary.
The CFL's business practices are changing in regards to awarding Grey Cups 2 years in advance
to ensure smoother planning for the big game. The article below will give you a better understanding on
the logistical challenges involved.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ ... sf_globefb

Dollars to donairs he is going to move the team to Halifax AND get the expansion fee.....

[Hambone]

The expansion fee is chump change and IMO insignificant in any decision to sell. Ottawa got in for $7M. IF the league bumps it to $10M and IF it gets split 10 years (9 teams + CFL's share) then it amounts to $1M. Unfortunately I don't have any of the financial reports for the community team info prior to the 2011 season to see how the Ottawa fees were divided up assuming they paid prior to 2011. They were awarded a conditional franchise in 2008. I don't think it was formally awarded until they put together the deal for Lansdowne and the stadium in 2010. The Bomber 2012 statement shows revenues from the CFL going back to 2008. There was no big spike along the way to indicate something like the share of Ottawa's fee. It is possible though that the league doles it out in installments over a few years. There is nothing in the Constitution or Bylaws that discusses disbursement of expansion fees either. If BC keeps averaging under 19K they likely stand to lose a lot more than they would gain between now and whenever a possible expansion fee would be paid and disbursed.

[Hambone]

Mr Braley's not selling and this is his goal.

1.Grey Cup rights for Vancouver in 2021.
2.Expansion fee for the Halifax team (1 million per team) in 2021.

The speculation is that Saskatchewan will be given the rights for 2020 in November.Hamilton will
probably be told to wait till 2022.So this should happen next year in Calgary.
The CFL's business practices are changing in regards to awarding Grey Cups 2 years in advance
to ensure smoother planning for the big game. The article below will give you a better understanding on
the logistical challenges involved.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/ ... sf_globefb

Dollars to donairs he is going to move the team to Halifax AND get the expansion fee.....

Apparently Montreal is now preparing a bid to host the 2020 GC. I know they will be doing major upgrades (replacing it I believe) to the roof of the Big Owe but I don't believe they were to be completed until 2023. The biggest concern about the Big Owe in recent years has been a safety factor if it is under a heavy snow load. Maybe they've come up with a way to easily remove snow loads as they occur? Regardless I'm excited about the news and hope it happens. Montreal is my favourite GC destination outside of Vancouver. In some ways it's my favourite of all because road GC trips are always way more fun than going to one in your own back yard IMO.

As for Grey Cup rights being a factor for Braley I don't believe that matters any more. Seems to me the CFL has recently changed to a profit-sharing model for Grey Cups where all teams share in the profits regardless of who hosts. This ensures that all teams benefit from the grand old game as opposed to only those who host; some who get to host more frequently than others.

[JohnnyMusso]

According to Ed Willis, very soon David Braley will soon put up the For Sale sign for the BC Lions. That is a must and Lions need to be sold in the off season. The apathy around the team is too high and Lions needs ownership that will be front and centre, not far away as if they don't exist.

Good article by Willis in the Province today about the ownership issue.

[This has been an ongoing topic for a very long time. Might be best to keep it in one thread. Threads merged by Mod Staff.]

[The_Pauser]

Just as long as it's not Aquilini I'm fine.