B.C. Lions Town Hall with Amar Doman

[B.C.FAN]

I took in the B.C. Lions online town hall with Amar Doman tonight. He spent an hour answering general questions that he has faced before. One specific point he made was that he plans to make a strong bid to host the 2024 Grey Cup. It will be 10 years since the Lions last hosted, and every CFL city except Montreal has hosted at least once in the past decade.

[David]

I took in the B.C. Lions online town hall with Amar Doman tonight. He spent an hour answering general questions that he has faced before. One specific point he made was that he plans to make a strong bid to host the 2024 Grey Cup. It will be 10 years since the Lions last hosted, and every CFL city except Montreal has hosted at least once in the past decade.

Any other tidbits B.C.FAN? I think it's a given that he will try to be the next (available) Grey Cup host to recoup his (pandemic) losses. I was not able to attend due to work commitments.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

I heard a lot of general statements about engaging with fans and getting into schools and working with PavCo on the menu at B.C. Place (which the Lions have no control over) but nothing concrete.

He said there is a new uniform under development which he is sworn to secrecy about. Perhaps a new third jersey to appease the gun metal grey fans? That’s just my speculation. He gave no details.

He said he expects the Orange Shirt Day initiative to be an annual feature at a home game. Next year Sept. 30 falls on a Friday and he hopes to have a home game that day.

He said the Lions have had discussions with the City of Surrey about extending their lease on the current practice facility. The team expects to remain there for the next year or two but wants at least a five-year lease to justify some investment in the facility. Otherwise the team will look for new facilities.

He also said he is open to moving training camp around the province. He mentioned Prince George by name. The Lions have one year left on their contract with the City of Kamloops, which pays the team about $50,000 a year to host training camp. (As a Kamloops resident and training camp attendee, I am not in favour of moving elsewhere, and I know the facilities in Kamloops are hard to beat.)

[SammyGreene]

Good stuff BC FAN. Reviving the gun metal jerseys or working in the Indigenous logo into a new alternate. Really they can’t go wrong with either.

Wonder when he will start putting his own stamp on the team? Incoming new president?
How about an advisor on the state of the football operations? Most of their current payroll was structured by Hervey and it has hardly been terrific value.

A solo GM from within or outside the organization? At the very least lessen some of Campbell’s duties.

[David]

God, please not another set of jerseys. I am good with what we have. It's a great look (as long as we stick to black pants). Not a fan of switching looks every third year.

I am, however, on board with a special 3rd jersey (throwback) or a return to the gunmetals. I've always thought the gunmetals would look really cool with the new Indigenous logo as a helmet decal. Keep the paw prints on the shoulders and pants. That would look bad-ass.


DH

[Hambone]

He also said he is open to moving training camp around the province. He mentioned Prince George by name. The Lions have one year left on their contract with the City of Kamloops, which pays the team about $50,000 a year to host training camp. (As a Kamloops resident and training camp attendee, I am not in favour of moving elsewhere, and I know the facilities in Kamloops are hard to beat.)

The TRU set up is just about purrfect not just for the facilities but also the weather is as good as BC can offer in May.

As a Prince George resident I'd of course welcome a move to PG. We definitely have the facilities with UNBC, the Charles Jago Northern Sport Centre and Masich Place Stadium. TRU can't match the facilities of the 145,000 sq ft Sports Centre which is up on the hill with the main campus and residences and includes a fieldhouse with indoor field turf playing surface. However UNBC can't match the fact the TRU playing fields are a very short walk from the residences making it totally self-contained for all aspects of a training camp. On PG players would have to be bussed down the hill 4 or 5 km to Masich Place Stadium for practices.

[DanoT]

The other advantage that Kamloops has as a TC location is it's easy and relatively quick drive from Vancouver for team friends, family, and sports reporters.

[Hambone]

The other advantage that Kamloops has as a TC location is it's easy and relatively quick drive from Vancouver for team friends, family, and sports reporters.

Reporters want it to stay in Kamloops because there's more good golf options and better golfing weather.

[DanoT]

The other advantage that Kamloops has as a TC location is it's easy and relatively quick drive from Vancouver for team friends, family, and sports reporters.

Reporters want it to stay in Kamloops because there's more good golf options and better golfing weather.

Several years ago golf courses in Kamloop's rival, Kelowna (and presumably in the lower mainland) raised their green fees. However the Kamloop's golf course operators knew that if they raised their green fees, then all the Kamloops cheapskates that sit on their wallets would just stop playing golf.

So next thing you know, because of cheap green fees, Kamloops becomes a golf vacation destination centre when it wasn't really one before.

[B.C.FAN]

With no fulltime beat reporters left in B.C., it’s hard to get any reporters to Kamloops. I saw Farhan Lalji one day this year. Bob Marjanovich and Giulio Caravatta came for half a practice before camp was shut down early due to smoke. I don’t think daily media attendance in Surrey is much better.