It's like turning MSG into a A&P. Or Yankee Stadium into a Costco. It just shouldn't be done. When I saw the headline yesterday, the idea of the Garden turning into a grocery didn't even cross my mind, that's how out of whack this decision is. Hopefully, there will be a public outcry loud enough to change the plans.
Look, sports is a business. We're the consumers, and for the most part, we have no say. I see your point though, Weedy, and agree that it sucks. I think Fenway is a couple decates older than MLG, but if the fans up there have the same kind of passion for hockey that Boston fans have for Baseball, I doubt the people of Toronto will put up with this.
Actually Sammy, it's that very passion for the Leafs (like the Sox) that will result in nothing changing. If the Sox tore down Fenway, put up a better park (ACC is WAY better for fans, players and the like) and ignored the flurry of hate mail, would they really suffer at the gate? Would rabid Sox fans tune out the team? Not likely. Same in T.O. - loving, hating, yelling and screaming at the Leafs is in the blood and the drinking water. They will get away with this without any difficulty - unless the government steps in and prevents it, but they won't (nor, I guess, should they). As it stands right now MLG is a recognized historical building - but that just means that the owner has to keep a certain percentage of the original facade and other stuff when gutting it and rebuilding. It's going to happen.
I agree that it is a sad thing for the city. MLG is an important piece of Toronto sports history. On the other hand, grocery shopping downtown is damn near impossible, and the area could really stand to have a decent store. I'm not sure if the end justifies the means though. As for protesting, Maple Leaf fans aren't willing to protest. They haven't protested a thing in years. For all the screaming over management foibles, why are the seats still full?
It's like turning MSG into a A&P. The current MSG is the fourth building in Manhattan to wear the name (opened in 1968) and it's my understanding--though Google is not helping me find anything confirming to link--that plans are well underway to build a new Garden. The current building will not be preserved at all once the replacement is ready if the past is prologue; the first three were torn down.
Bill, the Boston Garden was also initally known as the Boston Madison Square Garden before they realized that was totally lame. No kidding.
I guess MSG was a bad example...great link, btw.
I can't believe you all would complain about tearing down an empty building and not be upset by this.
Well, I've had memories within that building, and around that building... and it is a recognizable landmark in the city. Which is even more important in Toronto, an architecturally dull and boring core with, mostly, no personality. I don't think that jerseys are comparable. Does the board of directors answer directly to Satan Satan? No, worse: the Ontario Teachers Pension Fund.
Bum-bum-bum.
Considering the Air Canada Centre is a refurbished Canada Post building, and the Hockey Hall of Fame is a refurbished Bank of Montreal, I really don't see anything wrong with the reverse happening to old hockey arenas. It's better than being torn down. Besides, my wife is a teacher and anything that adds to her pension so I...er...she can live off it later is fine by me.
