Down, Set, HUT!!

Wha-HOO!!! CFL Training camps are opening soon...some of them open this weekend!

Some of my friends roll their eyes but I'm gearing up for another season of 3-down football, here on the big, frozen turf. Longer, Wider, Faster, and all that jazz.

I'm really heartened to see a genuine increase in presence, interest and overall exposure for my Argonauts. The new owners, the lack of NHL stuff and the Grey Cup win really helps to get them back into the eye of the TO sports fan. For years, they didn't bother to disclose their Season's ticket numbers because they really were abysmal. Indifferent or inept ownership didn't help, to say nothing of a serious lack of marketing. Now, they've come back to around 10 000 tickets sold which is a huge improvement. Granted, places like Calgary can do 15 000 20 000 in their sleep, but the competition for the sports entertainment dollar is significantly less out in Cow-town.

The biggest revenue adjustment for them is the new tenancy deal they struck with the stadium. (yeah I know it has a new name, but it's still the SkyDome to me...) They used to pay something like $750,000 a season for rent....a crippling amount for a league where gate revenues are so critical. The new deal gives them pretty much free rent and an immediate bottom-line impact. Add to that the refurbishments made to the Dome as a whole and it should be a pretty good game day experience.

Yeah, I know...there are people who have all sorts of negative things to say about the Dome, but my only beef is that there's not enough people in attendance to get the atmosphere really going. I've been there when there were 30,000+ for a playoff game and the energy is like electricity. However, get a snoozer of a game with a low attendance and those empty blue seats really tend to gnaw at the hearts and minds fo the loyal fans.

We even see a subtle uniform redesign, courtesy of Reebok, which adds a little bit of panache to the game-day gear.

My DW and I are headed out east for the pre-season game in Halifax, crazy people that we are so we'll get an advance look at the Double Blue.

Will Michael Bishop return as Damon Allen's back-up QB, or will he stay in the Arena League if x-NFL QB Scott Covington grasps the subtleties of the Canadian game? Will Damon actually be able to get through the season intact at age 41? Will John Avery finally put up the Running Back numbers he seems capable of? Can the Argos actually knock off the Alouettes as the perennial East Division leaders? Ah yes...so many questions, and so little time.

Bring on the season!!

AAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS!!!!