Globe and Mail: Jays look to install grass at Rogers Centre

[polo007]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/f ... le7903345/

With some 50,000 seats, the Rogers Centre is too big for Argonauts football in this day and age, and it’s a struggle to schedule their games around the Jays’ home schedule. The Blue Jays have stated their desire to install real grass to attract top players, the logistics of which would make it impossible to keep converting between the two sports. The clubs share a good working relationship, and the Jays don’t want to kick the Argos out or damage the CFL in a tricky Southwestern Ontario market. But as one of just two major-league teams not playing on grass, the Jays want – and need – a baseball-only facility with grass if they want to continue attracting top talent.

“It’s tough to co-exist. It’s tough for them, too. They’ve got to get dates in there,” Blue Jays president Paul Beeston said during an interview this week with The Globe and Mail. “The conversion – it isn’t like we play tonight and they can play tomorrow night. We play tonight, they can play two nights from then.”

Beeston added: “We can’t turn it around for football mode quickly enough for them to play on Monday. I feel badly about it. That’s their tradition, but we can’t deliver.”

The Grey Cup-champion Argos are in the middle of re-negotiating a deal to remain at the Rogers Centre, since their contract expired at the end of 2012. Argos president Chris Rudge says the negotiations are going well, and he expects it will be more substantial than simply a year-to-year deal.

Rudge says his club is exploring options for a new home venue, stressing they would be silly not to. But he declines to say what they are right now. He says he and Beeston often discuss the notion of the Jays wanting to install grass. It’s no secret. But they have never been told it’s imminent or discussed a firm timeline for the Argos to move out.

[J-Roc]

I'm glad to hear conversation from official channels. But it still sounds so far away if the first step is finding a new home for the Argos.

[Jatt]

The fact that high schools in Texas can build their own 20,000 seat stadium and the Argos can't purchase and upgrade an existing field such as Lamport Stadium to suit their needs is pathetic. They screwed the pooch years ago when they couldn't work out a deal with U of T to play out of Varsity Stadium when they were re-configuring it, the Skydome is just way too big, and the football lines just won't work at BMO. Maybe they can work out a deal with York U for a partnership to build/upgrade their field. Please just GTFO of the Dome so it can become as close to a real ballpark as Rogers and the Jays can make it.

[Gibby]

Another reason not to watch Football

[Raps in 4]

The fact that high schools in Texas can build their own 20,000 seat stadium and the Argos can't purchase and upgrade an existing field such as Lamport Stadium to suit their needs is pathetic. They screwed the pooch years ago when they couldn't work out a deal with U of T to play out of Varsity Stadium when they were re-configuring it, the Skydome is just way too big, and the football lines just won't work at BMO. Maybe they can work out a deal with York U for a partnership to build/upgrade their field. Please just GTFO of the Dome so it can become as close to a real ballpark as Rogers and the Jays can make it.

+1

[ghuytro]

Any reason why the Argos couldn't play at BMO Field? Dimensions too small?

[LittleOzzy]

Any reason why the Argos couldn't play at BMO Field? Dimensions too small?

Too small, they measured two seasons ago.

TFC is very against the idea anyway as they would ruin the turf.

[Mak]

Any reason why the Argos couldn't play at BMO Field? Dimensions too small?

Too small, they measured two seasons ago.

TFC is very against the idea anyway as they would ruin the turf.

Yeah, they made it too small for CFL on purpose.

[LittleOzzy]

Any reason why the Argos couldn't play at BMO Field? Dimensions too small?

Too small, they measured two seasons ago.

TFC is very against the idea anyway as they would ruin the turf.

Yeah, they made it too small for CFL on purpose.

Smart move really.

Argos screwed themselves by not hitching on with U of T and the stadium they wanted to build.

[DrSteveBrule]

It cost $100,000 to put in sod for the footy match sometime back. If they put in sod for each homestand it would cost $1.3 Million per season. 13 homestands, changing from football configuration each time.

I wonder if the sod could stand up to 9 or 12 games in a row? There must be some logistical reason why it won't work. Cuz it would be the price of a relief pitcher to have sod placed and replaced all season long.

[Randle McMurphy]

If the Jays were actually serious about this, they'd tell the Argos to leave and get it done. They'd actually have done it years ago. But they're not serious about this.

[Looogie]

Paul Beeston just took over last year, he's the driving force behind it. You can't just pull the trigger on something like this overnight, takes a bit of time.

[sule]

They really just need to go play at York.

With the subway and transit system expanding there, it makes sense to the university and the city.

Rogers Centre will become solely for the Jays and other events that wouldn't ruin the grass, and the Argos will get their own stadium. The transit system to York would get more use. The University would get money out of it through parking, concessions, and rental, and the city would get a little bit of extra money out it through more transit use to the north end of the city.

[Randle McMurphy]

Paul Beeston just took over last year, he's the driving force behind it. You can't just pull the trigger on something like this overnight, takes a bit of time.

No, Paul Beeston returned in 2008. He's brought this up every so often since then, but talk is all it has ever been (and likely will continue to be).

[LittleOzzy]

Rebuilding Bills will continue to play in Toronto

The Buffalo Bills and Rogers Media announced a new agreement Friday that will keep Rogers Centre as the team's second home.

Buffalo will play one regular-season game at the home of the Toronto Blue Jays for the next five years, and the new contract also includes one preseason game in 2015.

The existing five-year deal - which was worth $78 million - expired when Seattle posted a 50-17 win over Buffalo Dec. 16. But an extension had long been expected despite lingering attendance problems. Only 40,770 fans attended the Seahawks' win, far short of a sellout. Some 53,000 fans had been expected.

It was not a good day for the Bills, all around. With 5:20 left in the game, fans in one end zone began chanting ''Let's Go Blue Jays!'' Of course, it was fine by Seattle, which rolled to its third of what would be six consecutive wins.

''This was exciting for us,'' Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said at the time. ''We looked at it like a little bit of a bowl-game situation.''

Buffalo, which finished 6-10 and underwent a coaching change this month, is just 1-4 in regular-season games in Toronto, and some players have spoken out about the deal, worried that taking away a home game from the Buffalo region is somewhat counterproductive.

''Yeah, I did call it a joke,'' Bills center Wood said at the time. ''It stunk that we were up there. And I was heated when I said it was a joke. And I'm not going to sit here and retract all my statements because that's what I meant and what I felt.

''Those non-Bills fans that go to the game are just cheering for plays as opposed to cheering for a team. And that kills you.''

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/Rebu ... o-04990823

The Bills will continue to play 1 game at Skydome each season for the next five years.

I guess they could simply bring in turf for the one game.

[ForeverTFC]

Keep the Argos as far away from BMO as possible.

They should really expand and play at Lamport or something.

[overdose]

Looks like we're getting grass

It’s now a matter of when, not if the Toronto Blue Jays will be playing home games on natural grass.

Keith Pelley, president of Rogers Media, joined Prime Time Sports on Tuesday where he addressed the company’s future plans for the Rogers Centre.

"If we decide to put natural grass in the Rogers Centre, our plan would be to give the (Toronto) Argonauts ample warning and time to find another location," Pelley told PTS. "There is no question you’ve seen the commitment we’ve made to the Toronto Blue Jays and I think every player would want natural grass in the (Rogers Centre). Long term, we’ll have to find a way to put grass in there."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2013/01/29/keith_pelley_blue_jays_rogers_plans_to_put_in_natural_grass/

[turtle_15]

Even though the Bills signed on for 5 more years this doesn't affect getting grass in for the Jays, as the Bills games are played after the baseball season. Gives the grounds crew plenty of time to fix whatever damage may be done to the grass during the game.

[Santoki]

Even though the Bills signed on for 5 more years this doesn't affect getting grass in for the Jays, as the Bills games are played after the baseball season. Gives the grounds crew plenty of time to fix whatever damage may be done to the grass during the game.

This year the Bills game was played in mid-December. Has that always been the case?

[Raps in 4]

Looks like we're getting grass

It’s now a matter of when, not if the Toronto Blue Jays will be playing home games on natural grass.

Keith Pelley, president of Rogers Media, joined Prime Time Sports on Tuesday where he addressed the company’s future plans for the Rogers Centre.

"If we decide to put natural grass in the Rogers Centre, our plan would be to give the (Toronto) Argonauts ample warning and time to find another location," Pelley told PTS. "There is no question you’ve seen the commitment we’ve made to the Toronto Blue Jays and I think every player would want natural grass in the (Rogers Centre). Long term, we’ll have to find a way to put grass in there."

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2013/01/29/keith_pelley_blue_jays_rogers_plans_to_put_in_natural_grass/

"If we decide to put natural grass in the Rogers Centre"