The Hamilton Tiger-Cats defeated the Calgary Stampeders
32-21 yesterday before 45,118 fans at B.C. Place to win the
CFL Grey Cup (EDMONTON SUN, 11/29). In Vancouver, John
MacKie reported that the economic impact of the Grey Cup is
"estimated" to be between C$18-25M (VANCOUVER SUN, 11/27).
NOT STANDING STILL: On Friday, CFL execs offered their
state of the league address, and in Vancouver, Iain
MacIntyre reported that CFL President Jeff Giles' "new
vision" included "another attempt at expansion" in possibly
Ottawa and Quebec City. Giles: "We need to expand to Canada
in the next three to four years ... We need to broaden our
reach, expand our television market. We need to grow the
game because standing still is going backwards. ... I
believe there is support for expansion in Canada. There is
no support for expansion in the U.S." (VANCOUVER SUN,
11/27). In Toronto, Mark Harding called the expansion plans
"somewhat of a surprise" and a "risky venture" (TORONTO
STAR, 11/27). Talk of expansion came as CFL Commissioner
John Tory "estimated" that Calgary and Edmonton "were likely
to be the only two" teams to show "slim profits" in '99.
Tory "predicted" that Hamilton will "break even" and that
Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Winnipeg and Saskatchewan
"will run deficits." Tory: "We're a little disappointed the
league hasn't progressed as far as we'd hoped this season,
but the overall net loss (for the league's eight teams) will
be insignificant relative to other professional sports
leagues. The signs, generally, are very positive." Giles
said that the CFL "has realized" a 400% increase in
corporate partnerships the past two seasons, with TV ratings
"up" by 200,000 viewers. Giles: "We're on the verge of
profitability now. The next two-year phase will be the last
mile" (Calgary HERALD, 11/27). In Toronto, Stephen Brunt
wrote that the CFL's joint marketing efforts with the NFL
"have been a modest success, as have efforts to spur
grassroots interest in playing the sport." Tory: "The
league has had a reasonable year." Brunt asked, "How do you
build a CFL where you can give every owner at least a chance
to make a profit? ... Player salaries must be held down,
since that's the one structural advantage the CFL enjoys
over just about any other sport" (GLOBE & MAIL, 11/27).
