Last week, the idea of a possible expansion of the NFL made its way in various American media. The situation has been talked about in Canada, since the league would see Toronto in a favorable light if it were to expand its roster. The idea is attractive, but it is far from being done.
For decades, the idea of an NFL franchise in Toronto has cropped up from time to time. From 2008 to 2013, the Bills played one regular season game per year in the Queen City.
The league hasn’t set foot there since, but both commissioner Roger Goodell and a few influential owners have publicly mentioned that Toronto would be an ideal market for the NFL.
Jerry Jones (Cowboys), Arthur Blank (Falcons), John Mara (Giants) and Clark Hunt (Chiefs) are just a few of the select members of the inner circle of billionaire owners who have sung Toronto’s praises.
Obviously! The greater Toronto metropolitan area, with a population of around six million, is the largest in North America without an NFL team. The pool is big enough to support a team, as is the case with the NBA and Major League Baseball.
Toronto would be a central market, with many teams within a reasonable radius. It would be much easier logistically than the NFL’s London dream.
Exorbitant costs
Goes for the bright side of the coin, but an NFL team in Toronto would represent pharaonic investments.
“Forbes” pegged the average value of NFL franchises at $3.5 billion (US) in its most recent valuation. This is already a significant sum in itself, but that’s not to mention the biggest obstacle between dream and reality for the Goodell circuit to establish itself in the Ontario metropolis.
Toronto does not have a stadium that meets the high standards of the NFL. The most recent stadiums, those in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, were built at a cost of $1.8 billion and $5.5 billion, respectively. To this must be added several hundred million for a training site up to date.
And Buffalo?
Another factor to consider is that the Buffalo Bills probably wouldn’t be keen on welcoming new neighbors.
Buffalo, despite the unparalleled fervor of fans, remains a small market in the NFL. The Bills are currently negotiating with New York State to build a new stadium that could cost up to $1.7 billion.
The proportion of their season ticket holders coming from Ontario would be 15 to 20%. How much desire do they have to share the pie?
Canadian fans are already committed to the cause of the NFL, which has more to gain by extending its tentacles in the European market that it continues to develop or in other markets in the United States.
The idea of expanding to Toronto one day is not far-fetched. The NFL seems to see a real opportunity there, which is a fundamental element.
The league will do everything in its power in the next few years to ram an 18-game season down players’ throats. In its insatiable thirst for additional revenue, a vast expansion in several cities is far from impossible. Toronto will no doubt be in the plans. It remains to be seen whether the obstacles can be overcome.
5 POINTS TO WATCH
1. A big week
Including the games that took place on Thursday, Week 12 in the NFL offers a very tempting menu. No less than nine games oppose teams with records of .500 or better. In all NFL history, this is the highest total of such games in Week 12 or later in the schedule. Enjoy!
2. Two potential “MVPs”
The Colts-Buccaneers duel features two strong MVP contenders. Colts rusher Jonathan Taylor became the third rusher in history to have eight straight games with at least 100 yards from the line of scrimmage and a touchdown. Bucs quarterback Tom Brady has just passed the 3,000 passing yard mark for the 19th time, breaking the tie for the record he shared with Brett Favre.
3. The student against the master
The game between the Titans and the Patriots will be the third between coaches Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel. The latter had been recruited in 2001 by Belichick as a linebacker and he had helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl three times. At the helm of the Titans, his record is 2-0 against Belichick. Both victories came at Foxborough, the venue for today’s clash.
4. Series Revenge
The most intoxicating confrontation of the week is likely to be between the Rams (7-3) and the Packers (8-3), at the North Pole, in Green Bay. It will be a rematch of the last playoffs, which the Packers won. This season, seven recent playoff rematches have taken place and the team that lost last January is 5-2.
5. A strong division
The AFC North Division is the only one in the NFL whose four clubs show a winning record. Precisely, the Ravens (7-3) will be opposed to the Browns (6-5), while the Bengals (6-4) will rub shoulders with the Steelers (5-4-1). It is only the fifth time since 1970 that all clubs in a division have posted winning records in week 12. This was also the case in this same division, in 2014.
