John Tory, Naheed Nenshi trash talk on Twitter ahead of Grey Cup
Calgary mayor takes a shot at the Argonauts' low attendance numbers in Toronto
The Mayors of Toronto and Calgary exchanged words about the Grey Cup on Saturday, a day before the Argonauts and Stampeders face each other in the CFL's championship game.
CBC reporter Devin Heroux tweeted that Jim Watson, the mayor of Ottawa, which is hosting the Grey Cup, would be supporting the Toronto Argonauts after his hometown Ottawa Redblacks were eliminated in the CFL East's semifinal.
Ottawa Mayor <a href="https://twitter.com/JimWatsonOttawa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimWatsonOttawa</a> tells me he’s cheering for the <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoArgos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TorontoArgos</a> and says it’s a rare time to show a little love for Toronto. What say you, <a href="https://twitter.com/JohnTory?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JohnTory</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nenshi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nenshi</a>? <a href="https://t.co/HAo1uGMwll">pic.twitter.com/HAo1uGMwll</a>
—@Devin_HerouxToronto Mayor John Tory replied to the tweet, welcoming Watson to the Argonauts' fanbase.
Plenty of room on the <a href="https://twitter.com/TorontoArgos?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TorontoArgos</a> bandwagon for you, Mayor Watson. Glad to have the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GreyCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GreyCup</a> host city mayor advantage! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArgosFootball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArgosFootball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoodLuckArgos?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoodLuckArgos</a>
—@JohnToryCalgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi quoted Tory's tweet, taking a shot at the Argonauts' low attendance numbers in Toronto.
Of course there is plenty of room on that bandwagon, since there’s never been anyone actually on it. <a href="https://t.co/MsWn1PrBI1">https://t.co/MsWn1PrBI1</a>
—@nenshiNenshi had also quoted the original reporter's tweet, trying to bring Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger into the debate.
"(Watson) just doesn't like crowds. The real question: what does @FredEisenberger think?" said Nenshi.
The Argonauts struggled to fill BMO Field all season, filling an average of 13,914 seats in a stadium with a capacity of 27,000. That's 10,730 less than average attendance across the league. But attendance shot up to 24,929 for the CFL East final against the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Nov. 19.
Tory is no stranger to the CFL, having served as the league's chairman from 1992 to 1996, and as its commissioner from 1996 to 2000 before entering politics.