The End of Public Ownership?
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by user CaptHowdy
Lately there has been a lot of discussion about the offer placed by David Asper of the Canwest Global media empire to purchase the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). His main selling point is that he will put up the majority of funds to build the Bombers a new (badly needed) stadium. The big question on everyone's mind is:
Is it worth losing public ownership of the team to get a new stadium for the city?
A lot of people have a romanticized feeling about the Blue Bombers being 'our' team. It's owned by the city, not some rich dude who patrols the sidelines, barks out a few orders to coaches when they aren't performing regardless of football experience, yadda, yadda, yadda. I am one of them.
After the loss of the Winnipeg Jets which was the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that moved to Phoenix, AZ, many people in Winnipeg expectantly would have an obvious concern about private ownership. I have my concerns as well, but as much as I favour public ownership it just will not work anymore.
Winnipeg, is not a rich city. It is a blue collar city. Perhaps if this was Calgary or some other well-to-do place we could afford to put up a new stadium every few years, but we do not. Heck, we finally got a new arena done AFTER the Winnipeg Jets left town. We need a new stadium, period. The Winnipeg Stadium (I refuse to call it the renamed CanadInns Stadium) is awful. Second only in awfulness to Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in Regina, and I haven't been to a game in Ottawa but that one doesn't seem to look much better...although they haven't had a regularly playing team there for years. The food is crap, the parking lot looks like a bombed out warzone, taking a leak in those troughs is disgusting, and have I mentioned the seating? They recently (well a few years ago just before the Pan-Am Games came to town) updated/upgraded the seating from metal benches to plastic seats. They are crammed in there so tightly, I feel bad for mid to larger people, there is no leg space whats-so-ever! I am not exaggerating! Your knees are pinned to your chest for the duration of the games. Many of my taller, larger friends who love football don't even go anymore because they can barely fit, at least not comfortably.
Winnipeg has recently been blessed with the creation of some really great new sport complexes. The MTS Centre as previously mentioned is our new hockey arena and it is a good size for our city. Probably too small for what the NHL aspires their teams to play in, and too large for our current American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Manitoba Moose. Still it is a great venue. Fresh, up-to-date, the amenities are nice, even if a twelve inch Subway sandwich will cost ya almost twenty bucks (at least we aren't FORCED to eat there). To get sidetracked now, many complain about the food at Bomber games, man, those hot dogs are AWFUL, but they are cheap. Would you be willing to pay $20 for a Sub at a new facility? I haven't. Back to facilities... The Winnipeg Goldeyes Baseball Club of the Northern Independent League have their new playground, CanWest Global Park... and it is a sweet playground, the Bomber's stadium now is the oldest, most run down place pro sports is played in. It wasn't SO bad when the Goldeyes were using a converted football field to play in, nor when hockey was played in the ancient barn (Winnipeg Arena). Now that all the other pro franchises have their new digs, it makes the Bomber's stadium look that much more awful. People have gotten used to nice new building for sports here now.
Of course the stadium was the best sports venue (can you believe that) of the three sports teams. Heck the Goldeyes had no place, the Jets/Moose had that ancient arena, so that placed the stadium on the bottom of the list for replacement, but now is the time. Unfortunately this city cannot afford it.
As much as hockey may rule is Canada, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the major team in Winnipeg. They have the largest support and the CFL is the largest pro league in the city. How can we ignore the team?
David Asper is the son of Izzy Asper of Global T.V. fame. For some weird reason they are hardcore Winnipeggers. Who bases their international offices in Winnipeg? They do. If anyone should own a pro team for a city, the Aspers should I suppose. I may not like private ownership but heck, we need a bloody stadium and he's willing to build it. Here's something I read in the Winnipeg Sun newspaper the other day... he's not just going to build one stadium... he's going to build TWO! Yes, he is going to build a small little stadium for the Manitoba Bisons of the CIS (University of Manitoba). That tipped the scales for me.
While I may not like owners, especially if they are the Jerry Jones type that feel they should call the shots when it comes to the on-field product, one cannot ignore when Asper may bring to the city. two new stadiums and perhaps deeper pockets to get some key players in here that public ownership just cannot afford. Perhaps with his keen business savvy he can even convince the CFL's elite board of Governors who have been held hostage by a small group of rich owners to do some good things for the league. You never know.
Yes, the end of an era, but at league we can get more out of team in the future with Asper owning the team.
