Should Windsor have been given more of a fair shake by the CFL?

Question

The mayor of Windsor, Eddie Francis, publically announced an intention to bring CFL football to Windsor a couple years ago. He felt certain they could upgrade UWindsor's stadium to CFL level 25-30K. He met with CFL Commissioner Wright last year and then nothing. (I am sure there is more news, but darned if I can find it.) This spring Windsor announced they are building a $62M 7200 seat semi-pro hockey arena.

Was that the money they were going to use to upgrade UW's stadium? Is Windsor expansion dead for now? If so was it the right idea of the CFL to blow off Windsor for Moncton or Halifax?

Windsor has a population of 216K. It is in Essex county, population 393K. Just outside of essex county is Chatham-Kent, population 109K--- just over 1 hour away from Windsor. London, metro population 457,720, is 2 hours away.

Windsor borders Detroit (5,405,918 in the CSA). The Detroit/Windor area has a total of 5,900,000. The Lions are nearby but always lose.

Answer 1

It seems like a team might fly there. There would definitely be a core of Canadian fans and it would stoke the interest of Americans.

Answer 2

I think that Ottawa, Quebec City, Moncton, Halifax - and probably some western cities deserved a team before Windsor

For Americans, CFL football is less than their college leagues (NCAA), and some Americans will prefer high school football to CFL (I am not agreeing with that though)

They don't like CFL rules (3 downs, the field) - but let's have a runner-back American player playing CFL rules and he will be more than tired at the end of half-time....

Answer 3

I'd love to see the CFL expand.

Answer 4

We should first get a team back in Ottawa and then Quebec or the Maritimes. Once that is done we can start talking about Windsor.

Answer 5

Honestly, do you really think that a Windsor ownership group could sell Americans on CFL football?  The league tried US expansion in the 90's, and failed miserably.  And, as you mentioned, Detroit already has an NFL football team.

Without support from Detroit, you're putting a 25 thousand seat stadium in a city with a population of 200 thousand, and hoping that people will drive two hours to see the game.  Doesn't sound like a solid success plan to me.

Besides, with Ottawa almost guaranteed the next CFL franchise, I can't picture the league putting a fourth team in Ontario.  If they expand further, I think that the Maritimes will be the place to go.

How many people show up to watch Windsor University football games, anyways?  And isn't Windsor's OHL area 80 years old, or something like that?  I think that building a new hockey rink is a better move for Windsor than trying to attract a CFL franchise with a football stadium renovation.