Argos make Moncton second home
Published Friday October 16th, 2009
Toronto excited about next year's historic CFL game here
By NEIL HODGE
TIMES & TRANSCRIPT STAFF
The Toronto Argonauts are leaving the Rogers Centre for one home game next season to be part of a history making event.
RON WARD/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
The CFL is coming to Moncton in September 2010 for a regular season game.
They will be the home team when the Canadian Football League stages a regular season game next year in Moncton. The contest will be played in September, but the date and Toronto's opponent won't be known until the league finalizes its schedule in early 2010.
"We don't know yet how our fans are going to react to it," said Argonauts president and CEO Bob Nicholson in reference to playing a home game outside Toronto.
"We could also potentially give up some competitive edge playing in what may be a neutral stadium. Obviously, we have to win the fans over here to make them Toronto Argonauts fans. I think the atmosphere is going to be phenomenal so that's what we're excited about.''
The first-ever CFL regular season game in Atlantic Canada will be played at the Stade Moncton 2010 Stadium on the Universite de Moncton campus. The new 10,000-seat venue will host the 2010 IAAF Moncton World Junior Track and Field Championships and it will be expanded to 20,000 seats for football with the addition of temporary bleachers.
"I think it's great for the game that the CFL is coming to Atlantic Canada for a regular season game," said Nicholson. "We're very honoured to be selected as the home team.
"I think the players will love the community in Moncton. They will be impressed when they come here. It's something new and I think it can be very refreshing to have a change of pace during the middle of the season. We checked out the field. The complex is looking great."
Toronto had two players, wide receivers Andre Talbot and Obed Cetoute, at yesterday's news conference.
"It will be CFL history when we come here to play so it's great to be part of that," said Talbot. "The players in the CFL are all fans of the CFL. It's going to be a league celebration in Moncton with lots of events around the game. We're going to have a lot of fun with it."
Talbot, a Toronto native, visited the Atlantic region for the first time when the Argonauts played the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in a CFL exhibition game in Halifax in 2005.
"I'm sure the guys will be excited about coming to Moncton for a regular season game," he said. "I think there will be a lot of talk leading up to it. Particularly for the guys who haven't been to the east coast, it will be something to get excited about."
Talbot is also certain that many Argonauts players will be looking for a map.
"Lots of guys will be saying 'Moncton? Where is that?,'" he said. "It's great that we're coming here. It's part of Canada and it will be great to come to this city for a regular season game to get connected with the fans here."
Moncton is looking to stage one CFL regular season game per year for the next five years. There's some talk this could possibly lead to a franchise here some day.
"I've always felt like we need a team on the east coast," said Talbot. "We're making steps to play out here now and that's huge. I'm a total supporter of playing on the east coast.
"I hope in the long term we will get a team out here. It's a part of Canada and to not have a CFL team out here is a shame. It can work here. It's got to be the right ownership and the right stadium.''
Argos make Moncton second home
