New Toronto Sports Franchises: NHL vs. NFL

     I was listening to TSN 1050 radio one day with my best friend and there was a debate as to whether it would be better for Toronto to have a second NHL team, or an NFL franchise. I thought that was a pretty intriguing question, so I'm going to give you my take on that debate. It is obvious that Toronto is one of the biggest sports cities in North America and has the capability to support either a second NHL team or an NFL team. There are both positive and negative factors that would go into the decision for either team. Ultimately it depends on what the fans want more, and how the addition of such teams would change their respective sports, and the teams surrounding them.

 

     Another NHL team in Toronto would definitely be something that hockey fans would love, while also adding another rivalry to the already existent Toronto Maple Leafs. This rivalry would definitely be intense, similar to that of the two NFL New York franchises, which are the Giants and the Jets. However, it is important to understand the the Leafs already have many regional rivalries, such as the Montreal Canadians, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and the Detroit Red Wings. Therefore I believe that creating another rival for the Leafs would not only put a strain on the players since they would have to play more intense hockey games, but it would ruin a tradition the Maple Leafs have built since the birth of the league with their relationships with already existing regional teams. Also, it is obvious that the Leafs already sell out every single game, ever year, so the addition of a second team in Toronto would hurt the Maple Leafs with regards to revenue. And finally, this second team would also split fans between those hardcore Leafs and this new franchise, where in such case there would be division between sports fans within the city. The main point I'm trying to argue is that adding this second NHL team in Toronto would generally have a negative effect on the sport, and it would endanger the team that is already in the city (despite the fact they can't ever make the playoffs anymore).

     Now with regards to having a NFL team in Toronto, I have contrary views. I truly believe that hockey is the greatest sport in the world, however, I also think that the NFL is the best professional league, and would have a lot to contribute to not only Toronto, but all of Canada. Adding a professional football league would add a whole new dimension to sports in Canada. It was stated on TSN radio (although I forget who) that sporting operations in Canada is very tight with regards to rules and regulations. By that I mean there are laws against being able to tailgate before football games in the CFL, and it was said that through the addition of this team that these rules would have to be changed so that this dynamic of the sport would be allowed. I would personally be in favor of this, because it is clear that one of the main reasons for even attending a football game is the tailgating parties that people have before. This experience would bring the people of Toronto together as a whole where they can relate to each other and create friendships. Also, this changed rule for tailgating would also expand into the CFL, where fans throughout the nation could also enjoy the same experience. Another point I want to make is, through the addition of this NFL team, Canada would gain much more hard currency, and by that I mean American dollars. This would have a good effect on the nation with regard to economics since the American dollar is stronger than the Canadian dollar for the majority of the time. However, there is one downside to this, and that would be the ultimate decline of the Canadian Football League. It is obvious that if there was a NFL team in Toronto then the Argonaughts would be kaput. And, seeing that the Toronto Argonaughts are such a big market, the end of that team would eventually lead to the end of the CFL. With this end brings the death of long living traditions, and more importantly, jobs for these players. But, it is important to realize that the players in the CFL have to find alternate jobs anyway considering the low salaries they earn playing for teams like the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (unless you're Anthony Calvillo), therefore I don't believe that these players would have a difficult time making a living.

     In the end, you have to base your answer on which team would have more to offer to Toronto, their leagues, and Canada as a nation. Ultimately I believe that having an NFL team would be a better investment, because the National Football League simply operates more efficiently than the National Hockey League. Also, the amount of football fans in Canada is outstanding, and would rally around this one team, potentially leading to a second, or even a third team in the country sometime in the future. Essentially, with a new NHL team you're basically getting a lesser Toronto Maple Leafs (if that's even possible), and by establishing a NFL franchise you're adding a new dimension to sports in Canada.

Vince Cianciolo