Should the Canadian Government upgrade more stadiums to be possible CFL homes?

Question

It seems to me that there are a lot of potentially suitable homes for CFL teams in Canada if there were seating for 25-30,000 fans.

More teams mean more games per week, giving TV more content and more competitive games. Increased content and more regional diversity could lead to more demand which could add much needed American TV revenue. More teams mean more regions selling CFL merchandise, which means more sales per team. More teams mean more fans travelling which helps teams and communities.

While building top of the line stadia is expensive, should the Canadian Government upgrade stadiums at Canadian Universities (in the most inexpensive manner possible) and public parks to help out the CFL? (Say metal bleachers, restrooms, and concession stands surrounding existing feilds.)

I think in a worst case scenario, the stadiums could be a financial positive for university teams and could help improve football in canada overall.

Answer 1

There is just no room to expand at Huskies Stadium. Moncton is slated to get a new stadium, but UdeM doesn't have a football team. I could see Western or Laval sharing a stadium with the CFL. However I think nowadays an expansion CFL team would like to have lots of room for tailgating, but universities don't want acres of parking on campus.

The area behind Huskies stadium which would be on your right if you looking from the end-zone at the SUB end is some of what little on-campus parking SMU has. There's just no way a larger structure could go there-the entrance to the Layola building would end up under the stands! When the Tower building on the left was constructed on a rugby pitch some people pointed out that it would preclude expansion of Huskies stadium. The SMU RFC didn't much like the idea either-trust me on this!

However that was in the eighties when it was thought that a new CFL stadium would be built in the Magazine Hill area of Dartmouth. In any case the SMU campus vicinity just does not have the parking/access to accomodate a crowd of 30000 football fans. Politically it would be impossible because the most expensive homes in Halifax are nearby. Everyone from eco-warriors to tycoons would freak if one single tree had to be cut down to build a multi-story parking garage in the south end of Halifax!

Answer 2

I'm Canadian and I think that the government should stay out of any professional sport. It's not right to use public money to finance privately owned teams. There's far more urgent things to invest in if you ask me.

Answer 3

This would be wonderful program not necessarily to build a larger CFL but a secondary league for Canadian teams would make the game more a part of the Canadian Lifestyle.

Answer 4

I think this is up to the cities to raise that money, some cities just don't have enough people who are interested to have a football team running, because you have probably heard what has been going on in Ottowa, so if you are adding a team you have to make sure that there would be people interested, I don't think the goverment should fund for this. The fans money should do that.

Answer 5

I think CIS should help build the CFL from the bottom up. In the US the NCAA has developed the American game to make the NFL such a profitable and popular endeavor. I think CIS should upgrade participating University stadiums.

Answer 6

Absolutely not.  There are far more important and pressing needs in this country.  The Government should not under any circumstances be using taxpayer money to build/improve football stadiums.

Answer 7

the CFL needs more teams! simple as that. many people dont give the CFL a chance because of the fact it only has 8 teams. the only way the league will continue to grow is with more teams

Answer 8

Yes. Its a Canadian league it deserves more than 8 teams