It’s been a day of confusion on the would be franchise front in the National capital today, early reports this morning had the third of the once three bidders for a CFL franchise in Ottawa calling it quits. Apparently, the American investors were scared off by the asking price by the league for the right to set up shop in Ottawa.
But by mid-day those early reports were being dismissed as premature, with the front man for the American investors Bill Palmer claiming his group was still in the game and nothing really had changed all that much from recent developments.
A scenario which in short means that not much has really happened at all. The CFL of course is presently without a leader, the reign of Tom Wright having come to an end with the Grey Cup game and the league is apparently not in any great hurry to replace him. The expansion committee is said to still be intact and considering the application, though their work so far seems to have only resulted in chasing one candidate away and having another back off due to health concerns.
In the process they seemed to miss the opportunity to tie their league with one of Ottawa’s most knowledgeable sports owners Jeff Hunt, who is owner of the Ottawa 67’s junior hockey club and was the local face on a Toronto groups bid for the team, a group that only a few months ago were considered the shoo in favourites to claim the franchise and return the CFL to glory in Ottawa-Gatineau.
Less than a month after the Grey Cup, the league has gone from the euphoria of a city hopeful to be allowed back into the fraternity and one apparently in great demand, to one now stepping gingerly around the landmines hoping not to blow anything up. No doubt the league governors are hopeful that it’s still only a matter of time, until they can announce that they have secured a deal to return the game to what was once a steadfast home.
The CFL never really seemed to understand the Ottawa market, from the Horn Chen era, through the Gliebermen days and on to the most recent distressing end, ownership never seemed to understand the market they were entering into. To make it work, the CFL needs to make sure they get it right, finding a way to make sure that Hunt is involved in any new attempt to bring football back is imperative.
Fumbling the ball would be a rather discouraging turn of events, so whoever is guiding the ship while they look for a new captain needs to find a way to keep the Ottawa option alive. For the league to increase it’s value and ensure growth, returning to Ottawa is a major step not to be missed, so far they seem to be stumbling around the opportunity, it would be a shame if they let the chance to return slip through their fingers.
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Showing posts with label Ottawa franchise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ottawa franchise. Show all posts
Friday, December 08, 2006
Monday, November 06, 2006
Beer Baron Brush off
The CFL is apparently not in any hurry to hand over the keys to a franchise to the Beer Baron of Ontario Frank D’Angelo. The owner and face of Steelback Beer and Cheetah power drinks to name a few, has been told by the CFL, thanks but no thanks to his quest to buy the dormant Ottawa Renegades franchise.
Which when you consider the lack of many monied applicants for the franchise is a bit of a surprise. D’Angelo who is a rather brash self promoter, was the first one into the franchise pool earlier this year when the Rens folded, going so far as to having designed his own uniforms and proffered up the name Steelbacks as a prospective franchise name.
He appeared this afternoon on Bob McCown’s Prime Time Sports program on TheFan and Sportsnet, and sounded a bit bewildered at why his application had been tossed aside without what even seems was a serious look.
His entry into the mix, certainly raised a few eyebrows (not to mention alarm bells) as many looked at the bid as just another loopy promotion for his beer brand, similar to his legends of hockey television commercials and those strange little televised sessions with Ben Johnson.
However, D’Angelo held to his course, talking the talk of wanting to bring back football to the nation’s capital, suggesting that he was just what the capital needed to make football work again in Ottawa.
When he first outlined his bid, the franchise derby consisted of three participants, one fronted by Ottawa 67 owner Jeff Hunt which was considered the favourite and subsequently ended up withdrawn when the money man behind the bid at Golden Gate Capital, developed a serious illness, leaving Hunt with a bid but no money behind it.
The other option for the CFL was a bid prepared by Jesse Palmer’s Dad, Bill Palmer who is fronting an application on behalf of a group of American investors. Now with D’Angelo’s bid being dismissed out of hand, that Palmer bid may be the only one left on the table for the CFL, leaving them to dictate terms and not the league. In effect the CFL has gone from feast to famine in only a few short months.
While you could possibly understand the fear that the self promoting D’Angelo might have struck among the fellow lodge members of the CFL (a group with more than a few large egos, each one thinking they are bigger than the next) but the last time we checked Canadians still drank beer, so if anyone was going to be flush in cash, it would be this guy.
If nothing else, if they didn’t want him for Ottawa, they should have at least given him the opportunity to work out a business plan for any other city that might wish to join the CFL brand. While Halifax and Quebec City probably would be out, since he would want to be in the business of selling beer, perhaps the perennial entry of London or Windsor to the CFL could get a boost with a booster like D’Angelo.
It would have been a risk letting his brand of marketing run its course in building up a football team, (check out his video page dedicated to his travelling rock band) but considering the way things have gone in Ottawa with the last number of hucksters of the game, the league has done worse than a Frank D’Angelo.
Maybe he would have been the worst thing the CFL ever saw, or perhaps, he would have been the kick in the backside the league occasionally needs. Lord knows their going backwards in the franchise department these days, not many seem to want to step forward to sign up and bring some cash.
D’Angelo said he would. The CFL will have a lot of explaining to do if Ottawa somehow falls through the cracks again, especially if there is someone looking for an excuse to throw his hard earned money in with the rest of the gang of eight. From three solid possibilities to one, and one we know the least about, only in the CFL it seems.
As usual the CFL once again leaves itself open to criticism over its inner workings, just as it prepares to head into the best two weeks of its schedule and the always popular Grey Cup Week.
Just once we’d like to see this group find a way to bring some positive news to Grey Cup week and not the strange and worrisome missives that seem to spring up each year.
Which when you consider the lack of many monied applicants for the franchise is a bit of a surprise. D’Angelo who is a rather brash self promoter, was the first one into the franchise pool earlier this year when the Rens folded, going so far as to having designed his own uniforms and proffered up the name Steelbacks as a prospective franchise name.
He appeared this afternoon on Bob McCown’s Prime Time Sports program on TheFan and Sportsnet, and sounded a bit bewildered at why his application had been tossed aside without what even seems was a serious look.
His entry into the mix, certainly raised a few eyebrows (not to mention alarm bells) as many looked at the bid as just another loopy promotion for his beer brand, similar to his legends of hockey television commercials and those strange little televised sessions with Ben Johnson.
However, D’Angelo held to his course, talking the talk of wanting to bring back football to the nation’s capital, suggesting that he was just what the capital needed to make football work again in Ottawa.
When he first outlined his bid, the franchise derby consisted of three participants, one fronted by Ottawa 67 owner Jeff Hunt which was considered the favourite and subsequently ended up withdrawn when the money man behind the bid at Golden Gate Capital, developed a serious illness, leaving Hunt with a bid but no money behind it.
The other option for the CFL was a bid prepared by Jesse Palmer’s Dad, Bill Palmer who is fronting an application on behalf of a group of American investors. Now with D’Angelo’s bid being dismissed out of hand, that Palmer bid may be the only one left on the table for the CFL, leaving them to dictate terms and not the league. In effect the CFL has gone from feast to famine in only a few short months.
While you could possibly understand the fear that the self promoting D’Angelo might have struck among the fellow lodge members of the CFL (a group with more than a few large egos, each one thinking they are bigger than the next) but the last time we checked Canadians still drank beer, so if anyone was going to be flush in cash, it would be this guy.
If nothing else, if they didn’t want him for Ottawa, they should have at least given him the opportunity to work out a business plan for any other city that might wish to join the CFL brand. While Halifax and Quebec City probably would be out, since he would want to be in the business of selling beer, perhaps the perennial entry of London or Windsor to the CFL could get a boost with a booster like D’Angelo.
It would have been a risk letting his brand of marketing run its course in building up a football team, (check out his video page dedicated to his travelling rock band) but considering the way things have gone in Ottawa with the last number of hucksters of the game, the league has done worse than a Frank D’Angelo.
Maybe he would have been the worst thing the CFL ever saw, or perhaps, he would have been the kick in the backside the league occasionally needs. Lord knows their going backwards in the franchise department these days, not many seem to want to step forward to sign up and bring some cash.
D’Angelo said he would. The CFL will have a lot of explaining to do if Ottawa somehow falls through the cracks again, especially if there is someone looking for an excuse to throw his hard earned money in with the rest of the gang of eight. From three solid possibilities to one, and one we know the least about, only in the CFL it seems.
As usual the CFL once again leaves itself open to criticism over its inner workings, just as it prepares to head into the best two weeks of its schedule and the always popular Grey Cup Week.
Just once we’d like to see this group find a way to bring some positive news to Grey Cup week and not the strange and worrisome missives that seem to spring up each year.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Three steps forward, one step back
Ottawa’s bid to return to the CFL fold, took a bit of a detour on Tuesday, as Golden Gate Capital pulled out of the running for a CFL franchise in the nations capital.
Considered by many as the front runner for the bid, Golden Gate which had lined up Ottawa 67’s owner Jeff Hunt as their local point guy, had to pull their bid when one of their main investors become suddenly ill, reportedly with cancer.
The dynamic of the Ottawa bit now changes, with two current applicants still in the running and rumours of yet another group preparing to join in on the chase.
For Ottawa residents it’s just another twit in the seemingly haunted road that football in Ottawa must take. Many had hoped that Hunt and his fellow participants would be the lucky bidder, allowing Hunt to bring some local business acumen to a CFL team in Ottawa, something that had been missing in far too many owners over the years.
The loss of the Golden Gate group is considered a setback for the cause of football in the capital, so highly thought of was their bid by the locals. They now must turn their attention to the two others in the process, the ever colourful Frank D’Angelo and an American group fronted by Bill Palmer, father of former NFL visitor and current Alouette Jesse.
Neither of which at the moment is finding as much support as the Golden Gate bid had found in Ottawa. Having been burned by out of town investors in the past, the local tie in of Hunt to the Toronto based Golden Capital Bid seemed like the best of all worlds.
As for Hunt, left at the altar so to speak, he having invested quite a bit of energy into the project, is hoping to somehow stay involved in the process. A wise investor into the Ottawa market would take advantage of what he has to offer, it could very well be the difference between a success or yet another disappointing and potentially fatal failure.
Considered by many as the front runner for the bid, Golden Gate which had lined up Ottawa 67’s owner Jeff Hunt as their local point guy, had to pull their bid when one of their main investors become suddenly ill, reportedly with cancer.
The dynamic of the Ottawa bit now changes, with two current applicants still in the running and rumours of yet another group preparing to join in on the chase.
For Ottawa residents it’s just another twit in the seemingly haunted road that football in Ottawa must take. Many had hoped that Hunt and his fellow participants would be the lucky bidder, allowing Hunt to bring some local business acumen to a CFL team in Ottawa, something that had been missing in far too many owners over the years.
The loss of the Golden Gate group is considered a setback for the cause of football in the capital, so highly thought of was their bid by the locals. They now must turn their attention to the two others in the process, the ever colourful Frank D’Angelo and an American group fronted by Bill Palmer, father of former NFL visitor and current Alouette Jesse.
Neither of which at the moment is finding as much support as the Golden Gate bid had found in Ottawa. Having been burned by out of town investors in the past, the local tie in of Hunt to the Toronto based Golden Capital Bid seemed like the best of all worlds.
As for Hunt, left at the altar so to speak, he having invested quite a bit of energy into the project, is hoping to somehow stay involved in the process. A wise investor into the Ottawa market would take advantage of what he has to offer, it could very well be the difference between a success or yet another disappointing and potentially fatal failure.
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