MLSE & Bon Jovi to Pursue NFL/Buffalo Bills

[GenerationW]

Nonsense, you haven't given any reason to believe that Toronto viewers are responsible for those numbers, it's entirely possible that prairie viewers are responsible. Argos games are viewed in the low hundreds of thousands, still no evidence that more than a tiny trickle is coming from Toronto viewers. Who cares about prairie viewership of Argos games, the fact remains that there's hardly any fanbase for Argos here compared to the other MLSE properties. To be frank, most of us want the best for Argos under normal circumstances but the sense of entitlement from CFL fanboys and outright hostility to an NFL push for Toronto is annoying at best and bitter at worst, turns even more people away from the CFL and destroys whatever goodwill is left. There's even a CFL guy on the Bills forum proudly stating "F**k Toronto!" So who are the real 'wannabe Americans'?

Let's talk ratings, and fan bases for the other MLSE properties (and it's entirely possible the Argos will be an MLSE property in the near future).

This week's ratings, Aug 11-17:

1. CFL, Lions at Argonauts, Sunday, TSN: 820,000 (just a bit higher than "in the low hundreds of thousands")
2. CFL, Alouettes at Roughriders, Saturday, TSN: 737,000
3. MLB, Blue Jays at White Sox, Sunday, Sportsnet: 633,000
4. MLB, Blue Jays at White Sox, Friday, Sportsnet: 583,000
5. MLB, Blue Jays at White Sox, Saturday, Sportsnet: 580,000
6. CFL, Eskimos at RedBlacks, Friday, TSN: 547,000
7. CFL, Stampeders at Ticats, Saturday, TSN: 490,000

2014 TFC opening season games ratings (according to redpatchboys.ca):

Seattle vs. TFC on TSN - 299,000

TFC vs. DC on TSN - 352,000 (Highest TV ratings for MLS game on English Canadian network)

RSL vs TFC on TSN2 - 74,000

CLB vs TFC on Sportsnet 360 - 53,000

TFC vs COL on TSN - 101,000

DAL vs TFC on Sportsnet One - 35,000

Game Seven: ?

TFC vs NYRB on TSN - 91,000

Sporting Kansas City vs TFC on TSN - Less than 114,000 (no official # out there besides knowing TFC didn't get more than 114,000 viewers)

TFC vs CLB on TSN - 97,000

TFC vs SJ on TSN - 109,000

It doesn't get much better after that -- a July game against Kansas City drew 22,000.

Season opening ratings in the 2013 calendar year:

Leafs CBC 2.3 million
Jays Sportsnet 1.4 mil
Argos TSN 673,000
Raptors TSN2 54,000

From a January 2014 Star story on Raptor ratings:

On TSN, Raptors games are averaging 240,000 viewers — up 64 per cent since the Gay trade. The four games in January are averaging 268,000, and for the season to date the average is 197,000, which is up 17 per cent from last year. TSN is on pace for the highest Raptors regular season average since 2009-10 — when they missed the playoffs by one game.

On Sportsnet, the gains are much more modest, but they have improved. Since the trade, viewership is up to 148,000, up 2 per cent from the pre-trade period.

 

[mistercorporate]

Still doesn't change the circumstances mentioned in my comments. Prairie based viewers are not a reflection of the popularity of the club, Raptors and TFC have more grassroots support in Toronto based on turnout and all around visibility in the city (people wearing the gear, attending the games, social media photos or talking about the teams). Plus a lot of Toronto FC fans watch it on MLS Live, not on cable (I stream through MLS Live eventhough I have TSN/TSN2, etc., just an amazing fan experience with live stats and other features).

 

[GenerationW]

If the Argos have little GTA viewership and have mostly "Prairie" based viewers, then ratings should be close to double when a "Prairie" team faces someone other than the Argos. But since that isn't the case, logic dictates that there is a large GTA audience for Argo games.

MLS Live? Seriously? Isn't the game itself more than enough for you?

 

[mistercorporate]

It allows me to watch game from anywhere I have internet/wifi access (on tablet or phone) and I can rewatch previous games from the same season at any time with a fast HD stream. There are options for a condensed game, etc. (20 minutes or so with just the highlights), hearing the commentary from the opposing team's pundits also gives some good insights, I tried using Sportsnet World to watch EPL games too but the standard is not in the same league and their app is very limited.

 

[pw20]

The length of a season has a huge impact

Total Raptors viewership over 40 home games at an average of 200,000 viewers is 8M; total viewership of the Argos over a 20 week season is 16M. Larger, yes - but that's home games versus total CFL season

For the Jays - they completely outside the Argos audience over 80 home games...

There are obviously people who watch more than one game, some watch all 80 home games etc... Basically I don't see how you can use TV viewership to compare aggregate audience in Toronto/Canada. I bet a one-off cricket match televised in Canada could attract bofo audience. Doesn't mean there is a larger audience for Cricket in Canada (in total) than other sports.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

Per Darren Rovell

Bills offers, according to @Forbes: Terry Pegula ($890M), Bon Jovi/MLSE ($820M), Trump ($809M)

 

[Long Island Mike]

A "Buffalo Rising" Proposal to bring the Bills back to the City of Buffalo...

Everyone: I found a proposal written by Lance Sabo at the "Buffalo Rising" web site which would bring the
Buffalo Bills back inside the City of Buffalo to a East Side stadium in the vicinity of the old Central Terminal...

What this could accomplish is to revitalize a dying neighborhood but the lack of road and transit access are
other problems that would need to be worked out to allow any thought of a East Buffalo stadium...

One access route could be a eastward LRRT route that could serve this arena and the Buffalo Niagara
International Airport from Downtown Buffalo and other points...

Opinions anyone? LI MIKE

Links:
www.buffalorising.com/2014/08/stadium-prospectus-location-accessibility-is-the-key/
www.buffalorising.com/2014/08/new-s...l-east-ide-progress-stagnation-and-potential/

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Things got interestinger today. Bon Jovi's been turfed from the Tanenbaum bid.
http://nypost.com/2014/08/29/bon-jovi-out-of-group-bidding-for-bills/

Apparently the Toronto group thinks this makes their bid stronger than it was with him and the fans on the Bills fan boards are in a bit of a tizzy, calling it a doomsday scenario etc. I gather that because the principal owner had to account for a certain %, Bon Jovi's "limited" wealth was holding them back. Now they can submit a higher bid, basically.
I'm still skeptical about the Toronto group coming out on tip but who knows what's going on down there.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

I wasn't aware that people actually thought Jon Bon Jovi would be the primary owner.

He would have been the figurehead of the for sure - but Ed Rogers III would have been the main owner in any ownership bid

 

[GenerationW]

I wasn't aware that people actually thought Jon Bon Jovi would be the primary owner.

He would have been the figurehead of the for sure - but Ed Rogers III would have been the main owner in any ownership bid

No he wouldn't. The principal owner represents the team at NFL board meetings and has complete power over team operations. That was Bon Jovi in this group until this development.

Bon Jovi's close relationships with a number of NFL owners was the reason Tannenbaum and Rogers sought him out in the first place.

 

[ChesterCopperpot]

No he wouldn't. The principal owner represents the team at NFL board meetings and has complete power over team operations. That was Bon Jovi in this group until this development.

Bon Jovi's close relationships with a number of NFL owners was the reason Tannenbaum and Rogers sought him out in the first place.

Really? Any proof of that?

JBJ was the "name" behind a bid - nothing more.

And I'd love to hear more about these close relationships he had with other NFL owners besides Robert Kraft

The main money was coming from MLSE and Rogers. Anyone who couldn't see that is an idiot.

 

[GenerationW]

Really? Any proof of that?

JBJ was the "name" behind a bid - nothing more.

And I'd love to hear more about these close relationships he had with other NFL owners besides Robert Kraft

The main money was coming from MLSE and Rogers. Anyone who couldn't see that is an idiot.

I know Bon Jovi is also close to Jerry Jones. Jones and Kraft are both big shots in the NFL inner circle.

If there's one thing the NFL doesn't do, it's accept bidders with no money. Bon Jovi had to legitimately put up his minimum 30% or else the bid wouldn't have come this far. At a reported $800 million bid (give or take), his share would have been at least $240 million, and I believe his net worth has been reported in the range of $300-500 million.

It's reasonable to assume that Tannenbaum and Rogers are dropping Bon Jovi because he can't afford a higher bid.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Really? Any proof of that?

JBJ was the "name" behind a bid - nothing more.

And I'd love to hear more about these close relationships he had with other NFL owners besides Robert Kraft

The main money was coming from MLSE and Rogers. Anyone who couldn't see that is an idiot.

You're all fired up about something you're totally wrong about, so just settle down.

Here's some proof...
http://nesn.com/2013/11/report-jon-...o-bills-becoming-principal-owner-of-nfl-team/
http://www.buffalorumblings.com/bil...ale-jon-bon-jovi-jeremy-jacobs-mark-poloncarz


If you want more, just google his name and "principal owner" until you're bored, like I did.

It's been long established that:
a) He wanted to be principal owner
b) He only had $300M, give or take
c) The team would go for $1B, give or take

A principal owner has to have at least a 30% stake and the Canucks were providing the other 70%. But as they realized they wanted to bid more (and that JBJ was both holding them back financially and getting them all sorts of bad PR in Buffalo) they decided to ditch him. I suppose you could argue that's all just spin (though, again, plenty of old articles establishing JBJ's aims) and who knows what REALLY went on behind close doors but the math lays out pretty simply.

 

[GenerationW]

There's a story in the Sun today questioning the "Bon Jovi got booted out" story.

Hard to know what to believe any more with so many twists in this saga.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Rumour control....So, Bon Jovi may or may not still be in and the Toronto group may or may not still think they're a dark horse that' s going to surprise everyone...

...but the big rumour in Buffalo now is that Pegula has won and the announcement could come later today and, sadly, that would probably be the end of this thread for a long while:
http://www.buffalorumblings.com/buf...s-sale-terry-pegula-sabres-owner-jon-bon-jovi