Tor-Buf-Chester Sports
*It would be a nice gesture for the Raptors to indeed play a game or two a year at the HSBC Arena in downtown Buffalo. Certainly they couldn’t expect to get many season ticket holders from the region, but any sports team would love to expand its market and there certainly is little to no interest in the NBA and more specifically the Toronto Raptors.
Make us feel like we’re involved and are a part of the organization’s outreach with a few games here and there and this sports-obsessed area will be all over it-at least when there in town if nothing else.
*I also like the idea of having the Blue Jays (inevtiable new major league affiliate of the Bisons) play one or two games a year at Dunn Tire Park. The Jays don’t usually draw that well anyways, having a sold out 18,000 seat stadium would be a step up from what they usually draw at the Rogers Center during the work week.
*Of course its a give and take. We’ve already offered Toronto our Bills. Perhaps Hamilton will ask us to give them a Sabres game…
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Sabers should give Hamilton a few games. It is a no brainer and an easy drive to Buffalo. They could easily be woooed into Buffalo’s fan base
July 9th, 2008 at 8:23 am
I think the idea of regionally supported sports is a fantastic idea. It reinforces the idea that this Toronto - Buffalo corridor is a single area with a huge economic impact and global connection. It also reinforces the cultural identity of the area one that is built on cross border cooperation and friendship. Peace Bridge, Crystal Beach, Ferries, accent, food, flags etc. We are a multinational region and bringing sports into the mix as a part of it would be great.
I think if sports did have a larger cross border connection you would find a growing support for other important social / economic initiatives. A new bridge one way or the other would get done, the QEW is already getting expanded and planned to stop right at Fort Erie. Support for commuter or high speed rail lines to Buffalo / Niagara, better or more reliable ways of border checks etc would all find a new base of support and money that would come from fans and businesses associated with the sports teams. We shall see. Rapters might be an easy start but I feel that the blue jays would draw a larger crowd.