2017 CFL Season

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by UrbanClimate

I don't think a crowd of +30,000 in the middle of summer reflects any level of apathy at all. Quite the opposite, really. +30,000 would surely be considered a good turnout for any Major League Baseball game in any North American city. It would be considered a HUGE turnout for any Major League Soccer game. So why the double standard for a CFL game in Calgary?

I think a lot of it is predicated on stadium capacity. In Europe, outside of the BIG teams many of the teams play in 60-70 capacity stadiums but pack them in for games against cross town rivals or when the Man U's of the world come in. If Calgary gets 30K a game and sold out on Labour Day and against Edmonton or Saskatchewan later in the season, I think they are doing cartwheels

[cjones2451]

Anyone have any idea of crowd size for the Argos game?

They have been promoting the heck out of it, CHEAP tickets, but weekday game and the Blue Jays are coming back into town (although they just got swept and are but out of it at this point).

I think the Argos deserve better than what they are going to get

[tomthumb2]

Originally Posted by esquire

How long of a leash does Chris Jones have at this point? There are no signs of an imminent turnaround in Sask... this is definitely a full on rebuilding year.

What say you, Rider fans? Give him another season to sort things out and see what happens in 2018, or axe him now?

(Personally I tend to give coaches the benefit of the doubt, but there is something about Jones that almost makes one root for him getting fired)

And oh yeah, Monday nighter tonight, Ottawa @ Toronto. Key matchup in the eastern division turtle derby. There will be some nice warm and fuzzy nostalgia too as they induct Doug Flutie as an all time Argo and salute the dominant 96/97 Grey Cup teams. I expect Toronto to win this one handily over the exhausted and depleted RBs.

Bang on.

[esquire]

Eskies announced they have Sean Paul doing the halftime show at their game Friday night... didn't they have Flo Rida a couple of years ago? (EDIT: I checked and Flo Rida was last season)

Cripes I can't remember the last time the Bombers did something interesting like that for halftime, beyond the seemingly neverending salutes to alumni supposedly meant to remind the fanbase of better times.

Gotta give the Eskimos credit, between the in-game entertainment, the bloated 50/50 pots and oh yeah, the unbeaten team, they do a lot to make the fans happy.

[tomthumb2]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

Anyone have any idea of crowd size for the Argos game?

They have been promoting the heck out of it, CHEAP tickets, but weekday game and the Blue Jays are coming back into town (although they just got swept and are but out of it at this point).

I think the Argos deserve better than what they are going to get

Met two actual Argo fans at the Stamps Riders game Sat night. They were on the last leg of country wide tour of all 4 games this weekend, plus the one tonight in TO of course. They don't have any problem with Monday night games, afternoon games in the blazing heat, etc. They just love the CFL and their Argos. Too bad they don't have 25,000 friends. I told them God Bless You and wished them good luck.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by UrbanClimate

It would be considered a HUGE turnout for any Major League Soccer game. So why the double standard for a CFL game in Calgary?

Because for the CFL haterz (the TFC and NFL crowd) it always behooves them to move the goal posts.

If CFL TV ratings went from 600k to 500k the league is dying but if MLS ratings went from 38k to 50k (10 times less) it's a giant leap for mankind.

[esquire]

Argos steal one from Ottawa last night... seems like so many games this season are coming down to the final 30 seconds and this one was no different. You have to wonder what the outcome would have been if the RBs weren't playing their third game in what, 11 nights? Although then again, Toronto lost several players too including Woods and Butler on the defence.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

Anyone have any idea of crowd size for the Argos game?

They have been promoting the heck out of it, CHEAP tickets, but weekday game and the Blue Jays are coming back into town (although they just got swept and are but out of it at this point).

I think the Argos deserve better than what they are going to get

Reported attendance for last night was 15,801

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by Horus

Reported attendance for last night was 15,801

Its a step in the right direction considering it was a Monday, Jays were playing, but still a ways to go

Looks like the ticket promo for $19.97 worked as those sections seemed pretty full but the regular priced tix are too expensive still (especially sideline, premium etc.). It is not going to fix itself overnight but they only need 10-11K more fans per game which i think can do done over the next few years

[tomthumb2]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

Its a step in the right direction considering it was a Monday, Jays were playing, but still a ways to go

Looks like the ticket promo for $19.97 worked as those sections seemed pretty full but the regular priced tix are too expensive still (especially sideline, premium etc.). It is not going to fix itself overnight but they only need 10-11K more fans per game which i think can do done over the next few years

Are you saying that's all they need per game to break even? Seems pretty low to me.

15k is still pretty weak but agree that its at least a step forward. Really wish TO would embrace the Argos again, especially when you see a great game like last night.

CFL has been on fire this year as far as entertainment value goes. Only one team wasn't competitive but I think that team is going to have a huge game against the Argos this coming Saturday.

[lrt's friend]

The Argos need to focus on filling the stadium. They certainly seem to have a pretty good team. I am sure last night was a crowd pleaser for Argo fans.

The CFL in general has been very entertaining so far this year. Even my friends from South Carolina watched the game last night. I am still kicking myself that I didn't buy them tickets when they were here in Ottawa 2 years ago. It was a fabulous CFL game that was decided in overtime and demonstrated all the quirks of the Canadian game.

[cjones2451]

Originally Posted by tomthumb2

Are you saying that's all they need per game to break even? Seems pretty low to me.

15k is still pretty weak but agree that its at least a step forward. Really wish TO would embrace the Argos again, especially when you see a great game like last night.

CFL has been on fire this year as far as entertainment value goes. Only one team wasn't competitive but I think that team is going to have a huge game against the Argos this coming Saturday.

I have heard the break even number is 18-20K at regular tiered pricing. I am saying 10-11K more on top of the 15,801 last night and BMO is full for the Argos, but you can't do that at $19.97 for a pair of tickets so I think they need to do what they are doing but adjust the tickets on a better scale, no one is going to pay $150 per game for sideline tickets, so get creative there...

Next home game is a Thursday so it is going to be a challenge again. Jays don't play, TFC doesn't play, so they need to market their a$$es off again, maybe try to come up with hotel deal, go to the game, stay at a hotel DT for $XX.

[lrt's friend]

One of the problems I noticed is that GO Transit operates extra trains for Blue Jays and Toronto FC games but not Argo games. This needs to change.

[Calgarian]

30 000 for a game in Calgary is pretty good, can't really expect much more than that...

[elly63]

Originally Posted by tomthumb2

Are you saying that's all they need per game to break even? Seems pretty low to me.

15k is still pretty weak but agree that its at least a step forward. Really wish TO would embrace the Argos again, especially when you see a great game like last night.

CFL has been on fire this year as far as entertainment value goes. Only one team wasn't competitive but I think that team is going to have a huge game against the Argos this coming Saturday.

18k to break even according to CFL "superfan" Arash Madani

[thurmas]

I don't believe that 18k number. The Als have been loosing money the past few seasons at 20k avg per game. 22K seems to me the break even point.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by thurmas

I don't believe that 18k number. The Als have been loosing money the past few seasons at 20k avg per game. 22K seems to me the break even point.

Who says they are losing money? Wetenhall crying poverty? He wouldn't be still owning it if they were losing money. At one time they had probably the best sponsorship deals in the league.

Before the TV contract, 22-24k was the break even point.

[esquire]

Montreal must also have the highest ticket price point in the league... Pricing is clearly aimed at maximizing profit as opposed to attendance.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by esquire

Montreal must also have the highest ticket price point in the league... Pricing is clearly aimed at maximizing profit as opposed to attendance.

Yup

[elly63]

Source unknown (to me)
Argos vs Ottawa July 24 2017