There are a couple of other cities that can sustain a CFL team like Halifax, Quebec City. The main reason why Halifax does not have a team is because they don't have a proper stadium. I'm not quite sure why quebec doesn't have one it could be the same reason. I really don't see population as a decisive factor in determining the viability of pro sports in a particular, you really have to look at the marketability of the area in question. A lot of people have commented that Ottawa's metropolitan population is not big enough for MLS, but you really need to take into account the entire National Capital Region, I believe that a lot of people are willing to make the trek to see professional sports if they are well marketed (unlike the previous football team and the AAA baseball team). The majority of the professional sport target audience in Ottawa are suburbanites so it is absolutely necessary to take the entire NCR into account.
Quebec city and Halifax would already be in the CFL if they had a 25 000+ seat stadium to play in. But the CFL is clear, they want Ottawa first (and with over a million people in the area, that makes sense). City population is secondary, if you can pack 30 000+ at every game that is all you need. Otherwise cities like Green bay (NFL) or Regina (CFL) would not exist. But they are small cities with a complete addiction to a particular sport.
Ottawa is definitely the frontrunner in the CFL race. Quebec City and Halifax might come on board sometime but it isn't a priority for the league right now. It isn't a bidding war like MLS expansion is.
I know I was just stating that there are more cities than just Ottawa that are capable of sustaining a CFL team.
It's frustrating but I think that the biggest obstacle to an MLS franchise in Ottawa is now the city council and not whether MLS would award the team. I feel that the momentum is with soccer over CFL among the fans,but I am not convinced the the council will listen.
To be honest both sides think they are ahead... It's unfortunate we have to wait until April (I guess city council is hoping the CFL and MLS will make the decision for them).... I just wish they could go for both... Ottawa is large enough to get a soccer specific facitily in one place and a more general purpose stadium downtown.
They could work up something for the Ottawa Fury name maybe. Actually, Ottawa United would be great IMO. Not that there's a uniting of two football clubs, but it could represent the people of Ottawa uniting together. Ottawa is such a mish-mash collective of opinions that it's hard to get everyone united and on the same page.
Something nasty... The Ottawa CFL killers... ouch! Seriously, I hope that Ottawa is picked for MLS and that we manage to get the CFL also... Somehow...
I hope not too. Sounds too much like that Simpson's episode where Homer went to Capital City as the baseball mascot. Anything with Ottawa in the name would be better.
Ottawa Capital FC Capital FC Royal Ottawa reorder the words however you may like, I think they might work. I personally don't now much about ottawa other than Ottawa Traders is traders traders or Ottawa Ottawa in some First Nation language
These are good points that seem to have slipped through the cracks on most discussions on the merits of the proposed Landsdowne Park redevelopment.
Good to know I just thought the fact that a Queen of England deemed Ottawa's importance was worthy of a team. but in retrospect it's much more worthy of a Mental Institution Although I'd love to work O-Train into the name
Technically that's the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. There's also the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. You could have the Royal Ottawa Football Club or Royal Ottawa Soccer Club, it's a rather nice club name...... but unlike you Americans we can't just call a club Royal. The title has to be given by the Queen "As a matter of honour, the Canadian monarch may bestow on an organization the right to use the prefix royal before its name; this may be done for any type of constituted group, from Royal Ottawa Golf Club to the Royal Canadian Regiment. The granting of this distinction falls within the Royal Prerogative, and thus is conferred by the monarch through the office of her viceroy, with input from the Department of Canadian Heritage on whether or not the institution meets the criteria of having been in existence for at least 25 years, being financially secure, and a non-profit organization, amongst others."
This is a good tennis match between CFL and MLS. CFL hits the ball; CFL came up with a conditional franchise, MLS returns MLS countered with the anouncement of the new propposed stadium in Kanata CFL We got Lansdowne Live propposal MLS then a bunch of pro-soccer surveys, and a "If you build it, they will come" CFL Pro Lansdowne surveys, CFL comissioner in Ottawa to say they would not mind soccer at Lansdowne now MLS fires back: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Homes/Melnyk+plans+entertainment+village/1293588/story.html
Run as fast as you can. We were promised one of those in St. Louis with our new Busch Stadium. Here it is today: Still just a run down vacant lot with a big puddle in it.. http://www.insidestl.com/STLCardina...eId/1729/Field-Trip-to-Ball-Park-Village.aspx When people start promising this crap, it's time to go the other way. Developers never come through on this stuff. "Thanks for our new stadium. Isn't beautiful? What to you mean surrounding developments? Oh that? Well the stadium cost a little more than we expected. We're going to have to down grade the plans for the surrounding areas. We'll get to work on that in a few years. It's a certain sign of desperation - believe me. We've been through it - twice.
That really sucks. So they built the surrounding hotels/condo's/stores but not the stadium? That's getting the shaft. I'm not sure what the developers are like for the St. Louis bid but both the CFL and MLS bid groups already have sport franchises in Ottawa and the CFL group has very strong local ties. I can't forsee them giving the city the shaft, though I could see MLS giving Ottawa the shaft even with an approved stadium. http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Homes/Melnyk+plans+entertainment+village/1293588/story.html "Melnyk plans 'entertainment village'" If MLS is going to be in Kanata, they may as well make the most of it. Lots of retail, condo's, and office space planned. Particularly liked this part: "Mr. Leeder says that all of the building of transportation links to Scotiabank Place — including the current expansion of the Queensway, the building of an extra highway interchange and Palladium Drive — amounts to $150 million worth of roadwork that should be used for more than just trips to hockey games and other events at Scotiabank Place."
No, you misunderstood - that picture is taken from the stadium. They built their stadium and then bailed on the whole "entertainment village." No bars, shops, restaurants, etc. We just have an area the size of two soccer fields full of nothing but some grass, some broken concrete, and a low spot that fills with water. The plan was just like the one Melnyk is proposing - just once the stadium was built, they backed out of the "village".
What ever happened to the *prime farmland* that was so important when they were trying to build the arena for the Senators?
Oh, ok. That makes the area nicely unattractive. Bad ownership. Just like the developers in St. Louis Sport Billy is talking about. Like I said, I (reasonably) trust BOTH ownership groups to follow through on their plans. The development is usually more lucrative than the sports team anyway. That's the bottom line. It would be nice for the area around the attractive and to catch a bite to eat after the game though.