NFL - Bills Move to Toronto?
Earlier this year it was announced that over the next few seasons the Buffalo Bills would play some regular seasons games at the Skydome (I refuse to call it the Rogers Center). This is seen as a move to test how well the NFL would do in Toronto and to see if it would be viable to move the team to the great white north permanently.
Of the new idea Bills team officials had this to say, “[B]eginning in 2008, the team plans to increase its focus on the northern sector of its market. “The support of the Canadian fan base has led to the Bills’ recent sellout streak which has enabled the Bills’ games to be televised locally in the Western New York market. This extension of the regionalization effort is designed to enhance the viability and competitiveness of the franchise in Western New York.”
Now some people have argued that this move is impossible due to money constraints and the simple fact that no NFL team has ever been based outside of the USA. However recent changes have occurred that are starting to make the deal look more realistic. With the Canadian dollar being more on par with the US dollar the move makes more sense financially and there have been reports that a Toronto based group has offered to pay US$900-million for the team and the promise of a new stadium at Downs-view for another $500-million.
There is one other massive issues standing in the way however and that is the NFL itself. The NFL has been wanting to have a team back in Los Angeles for years and if they want a team there belive me a team will be put there. There is also the CFL to consider in all of this. Does the NFL want to basically put the nail in the CFL coffin by moving an NFL team to Canada.
I think that the NFL would thrive in Canada and could become one of the most proftiable teams in the NFL. It would become Canada’s team and not simply Toronto’s. Hopefully the Bills do decide to come to Canada and finally we could have a football team to be proud of as right now the Argos and the rest of the CFL just aren’t cutting it.
