Vancouver to host 2014 Grey Cup

[Balraj]

As per LU mentioning in his fifth quarter blog. The lions will host the 2014 grey cup for the 2nd time in 4 years.

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/03/07 ... -grey-cup/

[zark]

Done deal: Lions get ’14 Grey Cup

It will never be enough times for the Grey Cup to be held here IMO, because we do such a great job.I don't know if there's ever been a poll done, but I bet Vancouver comes in # 1 as THE place to be for Grey Cup action.
Party on the Pacific.

Go Lions

[274always]

Just as well cuz there probably be won't be another there for a while.

[Toppy Vann]

This is something I did not know. Kind of adds to my point on another thread about valuing your sponsors.

B.C. officials got wind of the fact the game could come available several months ago and approached the provincial government for funding in order to stage the event.

The government pledged $2.7 million in its most recent budget to help cover costs, having put up $2.01 million to stage the 2011 game. Club president Dennis Skulsky told The Province last month that the local economy more than benefitted by the funds, with some $118 million coming back from out-of-town visitors.

The game was originally ticketed to be played in Winnipeg, which is opening Investors Group Field this summer. Winnipeg officials denied that finances played a factor in deferring the game, suggesting the club wanted to get through a first season of operation.

http://blogs.theprovince.com/2013/03/07 ... -grey-cup/

[Rammer]

With the current extra costs added to the fanbase of the hosting GC team, this three year separation may be the minimum amount of time for a return to hosting a GC by any team. Since 2000 the rule of thumb has been or it is just coincidence, but the hosting team has been a solid contender for making the GC, thus pushing a great emphasize to the hosting teams fanbase to buy up multiple GC tickets before they hit the open market. I can only hope that the Lions have that same scenario offered up for the 2014 GC season, as it will help for sales, but more importantly it will mean we have some good teams to look forward to until then.

It is an awesome stadium for the league to showcase the premium game of the season, and having the knowledge of viewing the game in comfort certainly helps both the onfield product and the production of the event. Only TO and Vancouver can truly guarantee that to the paying customer 6 - 7 months in advance purchasing, which makes it an easy decision for the league to offer the GC to either/or city once again.

Now the big question is does Braley remain the owner until afterwards reaping the windfall that is GC, or does he try to capitalize on the lucrative GC revenue to boost his asking price?

[Blue In BC]

Yea!!! Love the activities surrounding the event in Vancouver.

[Robbie]

Official now on: http://www.cfl.ca/article/back-to-bc-10 ... -vancouver

It looks like the image of no-fun-city is finally over.

This certainly reminds me of the time when the city hosted it in short intervals 1983, 1986, 1987, and 1990. And each time though, the Lions couldn't capitalize with the GC until 1994. May the Lions repeat 1994 and 2011 at home in 2014!

It will be played on the last possible day - November 30.
1972 was the last time the GC was played in December.

[TheLionKing]

Wonder if Scott Ackles be the Chairman of the Grey Cup Committee. He did an outstanding job the last two Grey Cups held in Vancouver

[notahomer]

Wonder if Scott Ackles be the Chairman of the Grey Cup Committee. He did an outstanding job the last two Grey Cups held in Vancouver

I wonder the exact same thing. He was a key cog in the last Calgary hosted Grey Cup too, IIRC......

[David]

My first reaction was that it's not a good idea, but would love to be proven wrong.

3 reasons why it will work:
1) Vancouver is an "event" town. An otherwise unremarkable sports city invariably gets amped up whenever something important comes to town.
2) Now that Vancouver has 'proven' itself with a couple of really successful Cups, it may attract even more out-of-towners as word of mouth has spread that it's a good host city (especially getting the spill-over from those that has to miss Regina 2013 due to accomodation shortage)
3) Right now the Lions are a good team, and selling 54,000+ seats is always an easier sell when there's a better-than-even-chance that the host city will be playing in the game.

3 challenges that can't be overlooked:
1) Grey Cup fatigue. 2011 worked because the last Grey Cup was 6 years prior. This is almost like your neighbours inviting you to two Christmas parties. The first one was fun, but....
This cannot have a whiff of simply rebooting the last one. It has to feel fresh and original.
2) The counterpoint to my second point (above) is that some out-of-towners may pass on this Grey Cup, feeling like they were just here, and instead opt for someplace that feels new and different - such as Winnipeg (2015) or Ottawa/Hamilton(2016).
3) 20 months might seem like a lot of time to organize but there are a hell of lot of pieces to put in place in that time, starting with a Grey Cup Committee. As Lowell Ullrich writes,

First up will be to find a committee chairperson and perhaps a general manager. Past chairman Moray Keith wasn’t in attendance, though it is impossible not to think he won’t be involved, and 2011 GM Scott Ackles has a nice career change going as CEO of viaSport, the provincial government amateur sport body. It’s perhaps why Skulsky said he would take his time naming someone to pull it all together.

DH

[sj-roc]

challenge that can't be overlooked:
20 months might seem like a lot of time to organize but there are a hell of lot of pieces to put in place in that time, starting with a Grey Cup Committee. As Lowell Ullrich writes,

First up will be to find a committee chairperson and perhaps a general manager. Past chairman Moray Keith wasn’t in attendance, though it is impossible not to think he won’t be involved, and 2011 GM Scott Ackles has a nice career change going as CEO of viaSport, the provincial government amateur sport body. It’s perhaps why Skulsky said he would take his time naming someone to pull it all together.

I don't recall this first hand but according to this Sun article the 2011 Grey Cup Committee had 33 months of lead time preparation. I wonder if a lot of that might have been needed on account of the fact that BCP was newly refurbished — which might have necessitated a great deal of logistical heavy lifting that wouldn't be necessary next time around. The article also echoes LU's comments on Scott Ackles.

Excerpt:

Skulsky said he is confident the Lions organization has enough lead time to raise the bar even higher than the previous Grey Cup game and festival, which ended with a crowning touch — a sixth Grey Cup title for the home team.

Last time, however, the awarding of the 99th Grey Cup game was announced 33 months before the actual event. The 102nd edition will have to be organized and set in motion in a more compacted schedule.

Scott Ackles, who has an extensive background in event management, was general manager of the 2005 and 2011 Grey Cups in Vancouver and the 2009 Grey Cup in Calgary, when he was president of the Stampeders. He’s now the CEO of viaSport, a not-for-profit organization that oversees legacies from the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympics.

“The structure might look a little bit different than last time,” Skulsky said. “The CFL is also playing a more active role. We’re not sure about titles or needs just yet. We’ll have to name somebody (GM) over the next few months. We’ve got to start building the organization, because the game is not that far away.”

“The business plan, the game plan, are all in place,” Braley added.

It is estimated the Lions’ owner made a profit of around $7 million from the 99th Grey Cup game.

[TheLionKing]

I don't think the CFL or the Lions are going to invite Angelo Mosca and Joe Kapp

[Rammer]

I don't think the CFL or the Lions are going to invite Angelo Mosca and Joe Kapp

Think of the interest that would draw to any event they attend...money in the bank, if you ask me.

[TheLionKing]

I don't think the CFL or the Lions are going to invite Angelo Mosca and Joe Kapp

Think of the interest that would draw to any event they attend...money in the bank, if you ask me.

True, it would certainly garner a lot of media attention.