2016 CFL Season

[25grapes]

Originally Posted by Andy6

McGill doesn't let them play other days during the school year. That's what I've heard, anyway.

That's correct. As a former Alouettes fan (before becoming a Redblacks STH) I can attest that Montreal generally plays Thursday nights before labour day and then Sunday afternoons in the fall. But I was still shocked to see that this will be a sellout, I'm thinking there were a lot of give aways.

[25grapes]

[QUOTE=esquire;7577425]Kent Austin gets his knuckles rapped by the league for his run in with an official... $10Gs and a one game suspension. Apparently it's the first time that a coach has been suspended by the league.

In fairness, the contact was probably unintentional but even still, he carelessly made contact with the ref and the league needs to set an example. Especially given that Austin has been in trouble for this kind of thing before with last year's run in with Stala.

Here's a clip of the $10,000 smack:

It's also not Kent's first time with this kind of incident as he made contact with an opposing player last year. The CFL's Tortorella.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by 25grapes

That's correct. As a former Alouettes fan (before becoming a Redblacks STH) I can attest that Montreal generally plays Thursday nights before labour day and then Sunday afternoons in the fall. But I was still shocked to see that this will be a sellout, I'm thinking there were a lot of give aways.

I think it's been beneficial for the Alouettes and their visibility to keep those Sunday afternoon games. I've always thought that it's good for fans of your sport or team to have the expectation that there will usually a game at a certain time and day. It's also good at cutting back on the "NFL drift" of casual football fans, as there is a large segment of the population in Quebec that has RDS as its "go-to" sports network. They take their cues from RDS as to what they should care about.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by 25grapes

It's also not Kent's first time with this kind of incident as he made contact with an opposing player last year. The CFL's Tortorella.

LOL... spot-on analogy!

I know every coach has to have a certain amount of "edge", but man oh man, I can only imagine what it must be like to be in Austin's doghouse if you're a player who had a bad game. Can you say anger management

[elly63]

CFL is building its fanbase

Re. “CFL needs to do much better job of marketing itself,” Sept. 21

In his Sept. 21st column, Jason Gregor gets several facts wrong and comes to a faulty conclusion.

The truth is the CFL is in its strongest position in years. And we are working hard to get even stronger by doing more to serve the fans we have and to attract the next generation of fans.

An aggressive marketing push has led to TV ratings this year that are up eight per cent overall, and up 15 per cent among viewers aged 18-49. New websites, a new app and exciting new digital content have led to a 102 per cent increase in web traffic and an 86 per cent increase in page views. We recently welcomed our one millionth fan this season through the turnstiles. We are on track, yet again, to have more than two million fans attend a CFL game this year.

We have work to do. Every league does. But this is a league of great players, new stadiums and a ton of positive momentum.

Christina Litz, senior VP, Content and Marketing, CFL

[esquire]

Gregor may have gotten some of the factual details wrong, but his point is still valid... the CFL always seems to be several years behind the curve of the other sports leagues when it comes to marketing and promotion. In some ways that can be endearing, but it's clear that isn't necessarily the greatest business strategy... of course, it may just be that this is the reality of being fairly lean operation.

FWIW does anyone else get the impression that any of the CFL people in Toronto (either league or Argos non-football ops management) have little or no clue about the league and its lore/traditions? Senra, the social media team, whoever else... I strongly suspect that if you asked them to name a total of 5 players on any Argos' Grey Cup winning team from the 1990s that they'd be unable to do it.

[25grapes]

I'm not overly concerned about the state of the league or it's marketing. Last Grey Cup Orridge made a point that the league was going to focus on it's online content (up 100%) and with 18-49 viewership (up 15%). So if the league decides to focus on a different means of advertising next year, I am optimistic that they can achieve similar milestones.

In stadium attendance is down in a lot of markets but that's a trend in every league in every sport in North America. 80" tv's and 2$ pints are hard to compete with. I'm hoping BC, Winnipeg, and Calgary can step up attendance with the play of each of their respective teams.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by 25grapes

In stadium attendance is down in a lot of markets but that's a trend in every league in every sport in North America. 80" tv's and 2$ pints are hard to compete with. I'm hoping BC, Winnipeg, and Calgary can step up attendance with the play of each of their respective teams.

I heard someone make a point that 30 years ago, a crap big screen TV was thousands of dollars (assuming the game you wanted to see was even televised) while you could get a decent seat for a sports event for under $20.

These days, you can get a big screen HDTV for a few hundred bucks and every game is on TV. Meanwhile, the decent seat for a sports event will be close to a hundred bucks, or well over a hundred bucks if you're talking a Canadian NHL team.

I still like to go to live pro sports events but I have to admit I feel like a bit of a sucker whenever I do. This is something the CFL has to contend with.

[25grapes]

^ And obviously they realise this and are trying to address it. I know in Ottawa they've added new things in the concourses every year to try and make the atmosphere and more lively and aesthetic, much like your rum hut in Winnipeg. The stadiums that have their hands tied with trying to do this such as BC which you really can only go to your seat and sit and watch the game other than a few bar area's seem to be having more difficulties attracting people, especially the desirable 18-49 age group.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

Gregor may have gotten some of the factual details wrong, but his point is still valid... the CFL always seems to be several years behind the curve of the other sports leagues when it comes to marketing and promotion. In some ways that can be endearing, but it's clear that isn't necessarily the greatest business strategy... of course, it may just be that this is the reality of being fairly lean operation.

FWIW does anyone else get the impression that any of the CFL people in Toronto (either league or Argos non-football ops management) have little or no clue about the league and its lore/traditions? Senra, the social media team, whoever else... I strongly suspect that if you asked them to name a total of 5 players on any Argos' Grey Cup winning team from the 1990s that they'd be unable to do it.

Yes, I have often gotten that impression about CFL staff, though I am not familiar with the current group to make that judgement specifically about them.

There aren't that many young people in Canada who have a deep personal CFL "culture". So when the league and even some of its clubs hire staff to do promotion and other work, they often approach it like they'd approach the promotion of Sealy mattresses, or the Lone Star Tex-Mex restaurant chain. They are full of good faith but don't know much, and will learn on the fly.

Back when I was a CFL geek and watched all of the games on TV, I used to pick up on stuff that even the analysts missed mentioned. Especially historical stuff.

Last year when Ottawa Redblacks won the eastern final against Hamilton on a last-second long bomb, I immediately thought of JC Watts to Pat Stoqua, against the Ticats in the 1981 eastern final, and a very similar play. Yet the analyst for TSN never mentioned it as he was likely unaware. And I paid attention to the Ottawa media and it took a few days for even one of them to make the link. (Pat Stoqua was actually at the game last year. Maybe he's the one who filled them in! I also mentioned it on SSP so maybe someone at the Citizen reads this forum.) Anyway, you can't even find a video link to the play from 1981 anywhere. I looked.

Can anyone imagine these plays being almost replicated by someone today and people in the media not making the link immediately?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3wTe-zqhlI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHNWHgpcd78

[lrt's friend]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Yes, I have often gotten that impression about CFL staff, though I am not familiar with the current group to make that judgement specifically about them.

There aren't that many young people in Canada who have a deep personal CFL "culture". So when the league and even some of its clubs hire staff to do promotion and other work, they often approach it like they'd approach the promotion of Sealy mattresses, or the Lone Star Tex-Mex restaurant chain. They are full of good faith but don't know much, and will learn on the fly.

Back when I was a CFL geek and watched all of the games on TV, I used to pick up on stuff that even the analysts missed mentioned. Especially historical stuff.

Last year when Ottawa Redblacks won the eastern final against Hamilton on a last-second long bomb, I immediately thought of JC Watts to Pat Stoqua, against the Ticats in the 1981 eastern final, and a very similar play. Yet the analyst for TSN never mentioned it as he was likely unaware. And I paid attention to the Ottawa media and it took a few days for even one of them to make the link. (Pat Stoqua was actually at the game last year. Maybe he's the one who filled them in! I also mentioned it on SSP so maybe someone at the Citizen reads this forum.) Anyway, you can't even find a video link to the play from 1981 anywhere. I looked.

Can anyone imagine these plays being almost replicated by someone today and people in the media not making the link immediately?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3wTe-zqhlI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHNWHgpcd78

I have noticed that a lot of CFL historic games have appeared on Youtube lately. Perhaps, the play or game that you referred to will be added at some point. I have recently watched the 1978 Eastern Conference Final, which I had attended. Lots of good memories.

I believe that I had mentioned that play from the 1981 Eastern Final last November but had forgotten the name of the receiver involved.

I do hope that the rich heritage of the league gets more play.

It is interesting how Canadian Football diverged from rugby over time and little snippets of film give you some inkling of how this happened. Even looking back to the 1960s and 1970s, you can see how the style of play has changed.

It is also interesting how all North American football had its beginnings in Montreal and not the United States. Canadians took it to the States and then the development of the game followed quite different paths to the present, with the obvious difference in the rules. It is quite interesting seeing the American perspective of a crazy CFL game ending in 2010 involving last play multiple kicks into and out of the end zone.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by esquire

FWIW does anyone else get the impression that any of the CFL people in Toronto (either league or Argos non-football ops management) have little or no clue about the league and its lore/traditions? Senra, the social media team, whoever else

I like Senra for one primary reason. He had the balls to call out Trash Madani for his Rogers and negative CFL agenda. The league allowed scummy "writers" to put the boot into the league in the 90s and they wouldn't let up and kept kicking the league while it was down. That's the worst of Canadian self loathing and the ol' inferiority complex. The league meekly allowed it to happen without fighting back and if you hear or read something often enough it becomes a self fullfilling prophecy.

Can't let that happen again especially when people are uninformed.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by elly63

Well, people complain that the league is only followed by 55 year old Prairie folk, we shouldn't complain when the league is appointing people to change that perception.

The problem is that filling key league positions with Toronto thirtysomethings who couldn't pick Danny McManus out of a lineup isn't a very solid counterargument either.

Then again, considering who the NHL is led by, I suppose Canadians are used to this sort of thing.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by esquire

The problem is that filling key league positions with Toronto thirtysomethings who couldn't pick Danny McManus out of a lineup isn't a very solid counterargument either.

Then again, considering who the NHL is led by, I suppose Canadians are used to this sort of thing.

Would I rather they have the ability to pick out Danny MacManus or have some understanding on what makes a millennial/hipster tick because I sure as hell don't.

These people will have to know how to market to a totally new audience. A market that that may feel much more entitled, politically correct to the point of inaction, used to not paying for services (downloading music/movies).

It was a lot easier in my day, I wouldn't want the job above

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by elly63

Would I rather they have the ability to pick out Danny MacManus or have some understanding on what makes a millennial/hipster tick because I sure as hell don't.

These people will have to know how to market to a totally new audience. A market that that may feel much more entitled, politically correct to the point of inaction, used to not paying for services (downloading music/movies).

It was a lot easier in my day, I wouldn't want the job above

Just wondering... have any of these youngsters committed any blunders? Like scrubbing Russ Jackson from the VIP list of a Grey Cup gala or something? (Can't say I've heard of anything...)

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Just wondering... have any of these youngsters committed any blunders? Like scrubbing Russ Jackson from the VIP list of a Grey Cup gala or something? (Can't say I've heard of anything...)

No blunders per se, but just a general lack of familiarity with the product that brings to mind things like the infamous Fox-tracker puck... only a non hockey fan could have conceived and endorsed something like that.

I'm not saying millennials shouldn't be hired to do this sort of marketing, but considering that the CFL is essentially the main bastion of Canadian football generally, it would be nice to see a general awareness and appreciation for the game coming from Toronto beyond simply day to day business and marketing concerns. The fact that the league stood by and let the CFHOF move into a broom closet at THF is troubling... it's hard to imagine a head office with some bona fide CFL fans who appreciate the league's history would have let things decline to that point. Stuff like that.

[elly63]

I would say two of the main people who would have spearheaded this movement are now with the Argos and they are doing all the right things to resurrect the Argos (it's happening a little slower than I'd like but they have a big job to do)

Both Copeland and Moore are in that right age range of knowing the old world and the new.

At this point in time, I think it is more important to engage new fans than to try and keep old historians like me happy. I'm liking the stuff that Brodie Lawson is putting out for attracting younger fans.

Interesting that near the end in this vid they are telling single women to come to the game to meet guys. That's the kind of stuff all sports will have to engage in (pardon the expression) to get young people off their couch and away from their 60 inch TV. BTW Montreal's next game is a near sellout. Coincidence?

• Video Link

[elly63]

Looking like the Als, Ti-Cats and Panda games will all sellout this weekend.

[Hawrylyshyn]

Originally Posted by HomerSPC

For calling an illegal advancing of the ball before the snap?

You mean something that literally happens every play? Like the next possession for the Riders TSN zoomed in right on the ball for the snap of their play. Their center did the exact same thing. Just Hamilton getting the shaft like normal

[esquire]

Originally Posted by elly63

Looking like the Als, Ti-Cats and Panda games will all sellout this weekend.

This weekend's Rams/Huskies game will be sold out too in a manner of speaking, just with a reduced capacity of 16ish thousand.