Miami Manatees (CFL)
Encyclopedia
The Miami Manatees was a proposed Canadian Football League
team scheduled to begin play in the 1996 season
, and had plans to play out of the Miami Orange Bowl
in Miami
, Florida
. After looking at a possible expansion franchise, the decision to relocate the Las Vegas Posse
to Miami became the preferred choice to land a CFL team in Miami. The team never came to fruition as the CFL suspended its U.S. operations in spring 1996.
franchise announced their intention to pursue an expansion franchise to begin play in the 1996 season
. At this time the name Miami Manatees was officially submitted to the CFL, and the team announced that a portion ticket sales would go to a fund to help save Florida's manatee
s. The team even adopted a manatee named Gamzo. To be coached by Ron Meyer
, the team needed to sell 20,000 to 25,000 tickets per game to break even.
Although previously stating that an expansion franchise would be preferred, the Miami ownership group sought to purchase the Las Vegas team after deals to relocate to Jackson
, Mississippi
, and Los Angeles
, California
, fell through. The cost of buying the Las Vegas franchise was estimated at $1.45 million as opposed to a $3 million expansion fee. Following an exhibition at the Orange Bowl between the Baltimore Stallions
and the Birmingham Barracudas
that drew an announced 20,250 spectators, the ownership group continued its pursuit to relocate the Posse franchise. The pursuit of the franchise would end in Spring 1996 when the CFL suspended its U.S. operations thus ending the prospect of the CFL playing in Miami.
Had the league gone forward with American teams in the 1996 season, the Manatees would have been the only CFL team to compete directly in an NFL market (the Baltimore Stallions
refused to do so and moved to Montreal to become the revived Montreal Alouettes
).
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
team scheduled to begin play in the 1996 season
1996 CFL season
The 1996 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 43rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 39th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1996:...
, and had plans to play out of the Miami Orange Bowl
Miami Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl, formerly Burdine Stadium, was an outdoor athletic stadium in Miami, Florida, west of downtown in Little Havana. Considered a landmark, it was the home stadium for the Miami Hurricanes college football team...
in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. After looking at a possible expansion franchise, the decision to relocate the Las Vegas Posse
Las Vegas Posse
The Las Vegas Posse was a Canadian Football League team that played the 1994 season as part of the CFL's short-lived American expansion. The Posse was one of the least successful CFL teams, both on the field and off.-On the field:...
to Miami became the preferred choice to land a CFL team in Miami. The team never came to fruition as the CFL suspended its U.S. operations in spring 1996.
History
By March 1995, an investment group that originally sought to relocate the defunct Las Vegas PosseLas Vegas Posse
The Las Vegas Posse was a Canadian Football League team that played the 1994 season as part of the CFL's short-lived American expansion. The Posse was one of the least successful CFL teams, both on the field and off.-On the field:...
franchise announced their intention to pursue an expansion franchise to begin play in the 1996 season
1996 CFL season
The 1996 Canadian Football League season is considered to be the 43rd season in modern-day Canadian football, although it is officially the 39th Canadian Football League season.-CFL News in 1996:...
. At this time the name Miami Manatees was officially submitted to the CFL, and the team announced that a portion ticket sales would go to a fund to help save Florida's manatee
Manatee
Manatees are large, fully aquatic, mostly herbivorous marine mammals sometimes known as sea cows...
s. The team even adopted a manatee named Gamzo. To be coached by Ron Meyer
Ron Meyer
-References:...
, the team needed to sell 20,000 to 25,000 tickets per game to break even.
Although previously stating that an expansion franchise would be preferred, the Miami ownership group sought to purchase the Las Vegas team after deals to relocate to Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, fell through. The cost of buying the Las Vegas franchise was estimated at $1.45 million as opposed to a $3 million expansion fee. Following an exhibition at the Orange Bowl between the Baltimore Stallions
Baltimore Stallions
The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
and the Birmingham Barracudas
Birmingham Barracudas
The Birmingham Barracudas were a Canadian football team that played the 1995 season in the Canadian Football League. The Barracudas were part of a failed attempt to expand the CFL into the United States.-In the beginning:...
that drew an announced 20,250 spectators, the ownership group continued its pursuit to relocate the Posse franchise. The pursuit of the franchise would end in Spring 1996 when the CFL suspended its U.S. operations thus ending the prospect of the CFL playing in Miami.
Had the league gone forward with American teams in the 1996 season, the Manatees would have been the only CFL team to compete directly in an NFL market (the Baltimore Stallions
Baltimore Stallions
The Baltimore Stallions were a Canadian Football League team based in Baltimore, Maryland, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. They were the most successful American team in the Canadian Football League, having two winning seasons and a division title. In 1995 they became the only American team...
refused to do so and moved to Montreal to become the revived Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
).
See also
- Canadian Football Hall of FameCanadian Football Hall of FameThe Canadian Football Hall of Fame is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is an open to the public institution. It includes displays about the Canadian Football League, Canadian university football and Canadian...
- Canadian footballCanadian footballCanadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
- List of Canadian Football League seasons
- Atlantic SchoonersAtlantic SchoonersThe Atlantic Schooners were a conditional Canadian Football League expansion team that was to begin play in 1984 out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.On May 13, 1982, Maritime Professional Football Club Ltd. was granted a conditional expansion franchise...
, the only other CFL team to fold before playing