Until there’s a football stadium constructed in the Maritimes, the name-the-team campaign is strictly a diversion from the real task of building a new CFL franchise.
There’s been interest in an east-coast CFL team since the 1980s, when the proposed franchise was christened the Atlantic Schooners. That’s one of four terrific names being considered for the Atlantic squad, along with Storm, Admirals and Convoy. In a league that allowed two teams to share a nickname and the newest to capitalize its team-coloured moniker, it’s good to know they won’t be dubbed the Roughriders or the BLUEGREENS.
The CFL needs a 10th team. And considering how they support their regional university squads, the Atlantic provinces seem to be the best site. People living in Halifax and the surrounding region, in conjunction with the reputable owners, can pick any name they want. Now they have to show the money, starting with ticket purchases and carrying through to the big-ticket item, a fully-funded stadium that should hold 25,000 fans and cost a couple-hundred million bucks.