175 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

As you know, I am not a fan of taxpayers subsidizing private sports teams. 

 

What about the performing arts?  They are much less popular and seem to get continuous taxpayer funding.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 23 October 2024 - 07:15 AM.

[Mike K.]

Same idea, that’s right.

[Victoria Watcher]

Festivals and events?  All should be self-supporting?  No free public events?

[Mike K.]

If there is an entrance fee, then no, taxpayers should not be subsidizing private businesses, whether they’re for profit or NFP. NFP rewards the executives, and awaits more funding from the taxpayer, that profit would have paid for, had they retained a portion of income.

I’m talking in generalities here but I see a lot of NFP executives making far more money than business owners. It’s quite lucrative to be an exec of an NFP, if you play it right. You’re also more highly regarded in our community to be working for an NFP.

[LJ]

Festivals and events?  All should be self-supporting?  No free public events?

There is no such thing as a "free" public event.

[Victoria Watcher]

BC will not be in the Grey Cup in Vancouver.

[Victoria Watcher]

BC will not be in the Grey Cup in Vancouver.

 

Seats left:

 

[Victoria Watcher]

From the day the deal was announced, the City of Victoria maintained its only contribution to putting on the Touchdown Pacific game would take the form of in-kind supports. Now, the city has admitted in a report to council that it paid the BC Lions $210,000 to reimburse the team’s costs to stage the Aug. 31 game at Royal Athletic Park.

 

That information, along with a public release of an in-camera council decision in October, contradicts what the city had told the public prior to the game.

 

When Touchdown Pacific was first announced, the City of Victoria said it would be making a $350,000 contribution to the event, which at the time, was understood by reporters at CHEK, and reported by Times Colonist and Capital Daily, to be entirely in-kind supports.

 

This was due to Marianne Alto, the mayor of Victoria, telling reporters, “We’re not writing any cheques, we’re actually providing important support services to make sure that the event goes well.”

 

At a Nov. 7, 2024 committee of the whole meeting, a post-event review of costs related to the event included a line item “Cash to BCL for Event Overhead,” which revealed the city gave the BC Lions $210,000 in cash.

 

CHEK News has since learned the original motion discussed on Nov. 16, 2023 to approve expenses for the event, which was discussed at an in camera meeting, meaning closed to the public, approved “up to $350,000 of in-kind and cash support.”

 

Alto says her quote about “not writing any cheques” was in response to a question she interpreted to be asking if the city was paying the BC Lions to come.

 

“The answer was, ‘no,” Alto said. “Would we, of course, compensate a partner for something they purchased on our behalf? Absolutely.”

 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...n-kind-1222991/

 

 

 

 

However, CHEK News has been unable to find – and the communications department with the City of Victoria has been unable to provide – any notice that was accessible to the public prior to the event that indicated the city’s contribution to the Touchdown Pacific event would be a mixture of cash and in-kind.

 

Additionally, CHEK News reached out to the City of Victoria on July 9, 2024, as it received information that the city would be paying money to the BC Lions for the event, at which point a staff member with the communications department sent the following email.

“It sounds like there may be some crossed wires,” the email said. 

 

“Mayor Alto spoke about the City providing in-kind funding last November at the announcement event. The public notice is legislatively required and serves as the legal mechanism to finalize the in-kind funding agreement. For comparison, the City spent the same amount on Canada Day festivities.”

 

The email also pointed CHEK in the direction of the reporting by Times Colonist and Capital Daily which said the contribution was in-kind.

 

Alto says the $210,000 in cash given to the BC Lions was to reimburse costs the team incurred to buy permanent upgrades to Royal Athletic Park.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 07 November 2024 - 06:53 PM.

[Mike K.]

Council said today they couldn't dare lower parking costs to help downtown businesses, because they have budget obligations.

[Ismo07]

 

Alto says the $210,000 in cash given to the BC Lions was to reimburse costs the team incurred to buy permanent upgrades to Royal Athletic Park.

 

 

Is it just football posts?

[Ismo07]

Council said today they couldn't dare lower parking costs to help downtown businesses, because they have budget obligations.

 

Sounds like the improvements were already planned for. I would imagine in the 5 year plan maybe?  Curious to see the improvements when Harbour Cats start.

[Victoria Watcher]

Buck Pierce is back where his CFL career began. 

 

It’s been about 20 years since the quarterback from Crescent City, Cali., hopped into the car with his dad and took the long, winding drive up the West Coast to a B.C. Lions’ free agent camp in Portland, Ore., hoping to land a role with the team. 

 

This week, Pierce was named the Lions’ head coach. 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...pierce-1227515/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 December 2024 - 07:29 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

On a snowy day here in February, the big news came that the BC Lions will play their first pre-season game at Starlight Stadium in Langford.

 

BC Lions will hit the turf against the Calgary Stampeders.

 

Game day is Monday May 19 (on the Victoria Day long weekend), starting at 1 pm.

 

A general public ticket sale will begin on Tuesday March 11 available through Ticketmaster. The average ticket price will be $40.

 

 

https://islandsocial...rlight-stadium/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 February 2025 - 12:48 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Vienneau said even though it’s pre-season, Lions head coach Buck Pierce has guaranteed Rourke will play in the Langford game.

 

Rourke, who was at Starlight Stadium when the Lions held an open practice there last August ahead of the Touchdown Pacific game, said: “The fans are right on top of you and it’s really intimate.”

 

Langford Mayor Scott Goodmanson said at Thursday’s event that many of the Lions players said they loved Starlight Stadium’s intimate feel during last year’s open practice.

 

Goodmanson was asked about the financials of Langford’s involvement in the Lions-Stampeders pre-season contest and said he didn’t have exact details. “It’s not a significant amount. We are working with partners.”

 

Yari Nielsen, director of parks, recreation and facilities for the City of Langford, called it a “redemption game,” citing disappointment that Starlight Stadium did not get to host Touchdown Pacific.

 

Goodmanson added that the game will have a “full festival feel,” with planned events for fans including musical entertainment, food trucks and kids’ games.

 

 

 

https://www.timescol...tadium-10197266

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 February 2025 - 04:41 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Football fans wasted no time to snap up tickets for a B.C. Lions' pre-season game against the Calgary Stampeders at Langford's Starlight Stadium

 

Tickets sold out in 12 minutes after they went on sale to the general public on Tuesday (March 11).

 

“Following the success of Touchdown Pacific, which saw a sellout in under an hour, and our quick public sale for Langford, it’s evident the region is jacked up for B.C. Lions football,” said Lions president Duane Vienneau in an online statement.

 

 

https://www.vicnews....minutes-7874820

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 March 2025 - 06:28 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Football fans in a frenzy: Langford becomes Lion country ahead of CFL kickoff

With Nathan Rourke at QB and tickets gone in minutes, the West Shore is all in on CFL action slated for Victoria Day