CFL Tiger-Cats Withhold Support For NFL Games In Toronto

MORE DETAILS, PLEASE: Mitchell said that CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "have been working on a larger framework agreement, which would cover joint marketing initiatives and player-transfer provisions, and that his franchise wanted to see the completion of that document before pledging its support to other NFL partnerships." In Toronto, Matthew Sekeres notes the two leagues had "a previous agreement along those lines" that expired last year. Ticats Owner Bob Young said in a statement, "We feel that bringing NFL games to stadiums in Canada without a comprehensive agreement between the CFL and the NFL will lead to unintended consequences." A source said, "What you have here is a major problem internally with the CFL. ... The problem with anybody who has been the commissioner of the CFL, they've got eight acting commissioners, one in each city" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 2/5). In Hamilton, Steve Milton writes the Ticats' decision "was the correct one." Milton notes the language in the proposed agreement between the Ticats, CFL Toronto Argonauts and Rogers Stadium Limited Partnership "was indeed far too vague. And in business, 'vague' can turn to 'deadly' in a real hurry." Milton: "What they're rejecting is the group which wants to bring the NFL to town and doesn't care about running the CFL out. And that ... would be the inevitable result" (HAMILTON SPECTATOR, 2/5).

WILL FANS CARE? Young said that he "did not think Ticat fans would be upset at not being able to be part" of getting tickets for the Toronto games. Young: "We're only 50 minutes in the other direction from (Ralph Wilson) stadium and our fans can go to all seven or eight games if they want to. I'm highly supportive of the Buffalo Bills." Young added, "I'd like to see them succeed in Buffalo," stressing the word "in" (TORONTO STAR, 2/5).

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