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Montreal Alouettes General Manager Danny Maciocia firmly believes that Quebec City eventually deserves a spot in the Canadian Football League.
While visiting the PEPS at Laval University as part of the Alouettes' training camp, Maciocia spoke nostalgically about the famous college rivalry between the Rouge et Or and the Montreal Carabins, a rivalry he would like to see carried over to the professional level one day.
“I am convinced that Quebec City is a market for the Canadian Football League,” Maciocia stated during an interview with Radio-Canada Sports.
A rivalry that has shaped Quebec football
Before coaching the Alouettes, Danny Maciocia experienced several memorable matchups as head coach of the University of Montreal Carabins.
The matchups against the Rouge et Or at Telus Stadium in Quebec City helped forge one of the greatest rivalries in Canadian college sports.
Today, several former players from both programs have joined the Alouettes, creating a natural continuity between Quebec university football and the professional scene.
Maciocia says, however, that he wants to maintain some distance from past rivalries, stating that he now sees himself more as “an ambassador for football in Quebec.”
Quebec City Seen as a Viable Market for the CFL
While the CFL commissioner still hopes to add a tenth franchise to the league by 2030, Quebec City regularly appears among the cities mentioned as potential candidates.
For Maciocia, the arguments in favor of Quebec City are numerous.
He highlights, in particular, the quality of Laval University's facilities as well as the football tradition already firmly established in the provincial capital.
According to him, the Rouge et Or remains “the benchmark in Canada” when it comes to college football.
The popular success of the Laval program, the large crowds at Telus Stadium, and the passion of football fans in the region have fueled discussions about a potential professional franchise for several years.
A project still far from being confirmed
Although Danny Maciocia publicly supports the idea of an expansion to Quebec City, no official project has yet been announced by the league.
The Alouettes executive has acknowledged that he has no inside information on the matter, stating that he is following developments like everyone else through the media and the commissioner's statements.
The idea of a CFL team in Quebec City continues, however, to spark the imagination of many Quebec football fans, who would welcome the emergence of a true professional rivalry between Montreal and Quebec City.
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