ATE oh hosted 5

From page 14

This has been a problem for 25
years, ever since they took the grass
out of Empire Stadium and replaced
it with artificial turf. And, of course,
there is no way to go back to grass
because what was Empire Stadium
is now a PNE parking lot.

The need for a proper home base,
if the two sports are to progress and
become more decently competitive
on the world scene. is more apparent
now than ever. That's because
Rugby Union, for more than a centu-
ry the most simon-pure of all team
sports, has gone all-out professional.

It had to happen once it decided
to get into the World Cup business.
That was 1987. As well as new
highs in gate receipts, the three
World Cup tournaments staged to
date have brought in hundreds of
millions in TV revenue. In such cir-
cumstances, could the people who
tun the sport expect the players to
remain amateur? Don't be silly.

If there’s big money to be made
overseas, the B.C. players who mea-
sure up to international standards
will be there, just as they have been
for several years in soccer. Indeed,
at this moment, there are about a
dozen Canadians engaged in play-
for-pay rugby in Japan, the UK and
Europe. :

Their number will grow, because
professionalism will mean more
teams, more opportunities. And if
. Canadian rugby is to compete, it

must have the lolly to bring back
these players on a regular basis to
play in intemationals; and a place to

- Stage regular international play so
that these still at home and coming
up can improve by playing against |
better competition. ;

_The idea of a well-paid profes-

. Sional league in Canada is not in the
books, just as it isn't for soccer. But
reaping a harvest from TV networks

‘in countries where the sport is a
national passion is not only a possi-
bility, but a probability. ;

Case in point: Germany played

_ Benjamin 4

Moore,

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Hi Decorative, Practical &
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Latex Pearl Finish Enamel.
Excellent adhesion.
Excellent for the kitchen or
bathroom. ;

Canada in a 1994 international soc-
cer match at Toronto, staged there
because the old Varsity Stadium still
has 25,000 seats and real grass. It
wasn't an earth-shaking event for
Blue Jays-mad Torontonians, but it
was for soccer-mad German sports
TV. It paid the Canadian Soccer
Association a cool $! million for the
broudcast rights to a game that
turned out to be the 12th most
watched sports event on German
television that year.

There's a lesson there that should
be fairly obvious. Other people's TV
money is available and can be used

baths.

(Tinting charges may apply)

Latex Semigloss Enamel.
Durable and washable.
Perfect for kitchens &

ghts of footy fancy

to finance and improve both games
in Canada, Alt — and a very big all
— that's missing is a national stadi-
um. Government money? Forget it.
Those days are gone. But if a munic-
ipality could provide some land and
the soccer and rugby people could
get together and organize a truly pro-
fessional money-raising effort,
maybe it could be done.

Meanwhile, your agent has
learned that the Meralomas rugby
club is contemplating paying its
players $75 4 game as a tentative
step into the brave new professional
future. ’

Low Lustre Finish. Perfect

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95

lean
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5s4436_limit 4

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Fresh,

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533109

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cracked
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986612 ‘ each

Catelli, assorted, 900 g

pasta

753186F limit 1

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210427

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. _.. We reserve the right to limit quantities. 4, :

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