Investors Group Field | Winnipeg

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ It's not rocket science... ever increasing ticket prices and gameday hassles combined with the fact that you now have virtually every pro sports game televised in HD.

I wonder if we as fans sometimes overestimate the importance of attendance these days anyway... the owners aren't stupid, if it was such a terrible idea to keep televising every game such that fans stay home, would they really keep doing it?

It's been said for a while that the NFL could play in empty stadiums and still make money due to TV and merchandising contracts. So subpar gates are likely not a significant stress for them even if it's an area of concern. Poor attendance may be a sign of overall lagging interest, and not just a preference by more and more die-hard fans to watch at home.

Though not as extreme as the NFL's case, MLB and NBA are also like this I am pretty sure: TV and merchandise money pay most of the bills, not ticket sales.

The NHL is a bit different, and still needs to sell out its rinks at this point. And of course the CFL really really needs to sell tickets.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I thought CFL attendance traditionally picked up after Labour Day?

Going strictly by intuition, I don't find there to be a huge difference. It tends to drop off for also ran teams while it might pick up a bit for teams in the thick of it.

I suppose teams are focused on maximizing revenue as opposed to attendance... some teams charge remarkably high prices for tickets.

[Ando]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I don't know. Here's a site with stats on attendance. The CFL site sucks.

https://stats.cfldb.ca/team/winnipeg...tendance/2017/

Seems the 26k number is about right. Looking back over the years, I don't think attendance is any less on average, than before.

Now there you go mixing in facts to the discussion, some people on here hate that kind of thing. Looks like the last year in the old stadium averaged around 25,000. Anyone who know anything about the Bombers over the years knows that when the temperatures dip the crowds go down. Even for playoff games that has been the case. This team still hasn't shown or done anything yet apart from they are doing well right now. You have to win. It's also well known in the CFL that you need crowds of around 24-25,000 and they are getting that now. That's why Ottawa only built a 24,000 seat stadium. Economically it was what they needed to do well.

[esquire]

^ I strongly suspect that if the IGF project were being launched today, it would have a smaller capacity... maybe 27,000 seats tops, but with more premium seating and a slightly higher overall price point. Lopping off 6,500 seats (basically removing one end zone and making the upper decks a bit shorter) would have likely had a noticeable impact on the project's economics.

[robertocarlos]

Bombers learned nothing from TNSE.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ I strongly suspect that if the IGF project were being launched today, it would have a smaller capacity... maybe 27,000 seats tops, but with more premium seating and a slightly higher overall price point. Lopping off 6,500 seats (basically removing one end zone and making the upper decks a bit shorter) would have likely had a noticeable impact on the project's economics.

End zone seating doesn't work well for the CFL field size, poor decision in both Winnipeg and Regina to build stadiums with so many seats in the end zones.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

End zone seating doesn't work well for the CFL field size, poor decision in both Winnipeg and Regina to build stadiums with so many seats in the end zones.

I sat in the end zone on Saturday for the first time since 2013... yeah, it wasn't that great of a view. The stuff going on in the other half of the field was almost impossible to see... I don't know how the people in the first 10 rows would really see anything downfield.

I find it baffling that the Bombers charge something like $45 for those end zone seats while the much better upper deck seats are something like $27 at the ends.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

So a few years into the new stadium at a new location and average attendance has fallen a couple thousand from the old location and this with pretty good winning teams the past few years.

What novelty the new stadium held is now gone and the only answer to smaller crowds has to be location. In the past at the Canad location the Bombers usually averaged around 28K+ for most games this season it’s more like 26K, take away the home opener and banjo bowl and the average attendance is even less. Any other explanations?

Something to keep in mind the Jets hyped (can't get tickets) and the new stadium coming soon affect definitely inflated Bomber season tickets over the last two seasons at the old stadium. If you pull out those exceptions and drop the home opened and Banjo Bowl the team is definitely still on track with where it has been historically.

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's been said for a while that the NFL could play in empty stadiums and still make money due to TV and merchandising contracts. [cut]

The NHL is a bit different, and still needs to sell out its rinks at this point. And of course the CFL really really needs to sell tickets.

The CFL gets kicked a little by the TV deal it has. The deal provides the financial stability the league really needed. But just as the deal gives to the league it also makes it very easy for potential fans to same home or watch from a bar instead of the stadium. It is widely acknowledged as a league wide issue and not specific to Winnipeg. The other issue is that there is a definite demographic divide across the league with below average pickup of season tickets by Millenials. As the older fan base is literally dying off the league is worrying that the replacement rate isn't there. They are actively trying to address it but really don't know how.

--

As for the NHL lacking on it's TV deal, when 24 of your teams are in markets where they are sixth or worst for sporting dollars behind college basketball and college football you really start having issues. It struck home for me talking to a Phoenix local once and the reaction they had was essentially "we have a hockey team?" Simply put, selling a sport you can't step outside your door and play on most days of the year is difficult in any market. It is a big part of why Canada will never compete internationally in men's soccer.

[buzzg]

One issue at IGF too, at least visually, is so many people just buy north end zone tickets and hang out at the Rum Hut the whole game. Good for revenue, bad for looks. I think the Bombers should rip out a bunch of the north end zone seats and replicate what the Riders did with the Pil Zone or whatever it's called.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by buzzg

I think the Bombers should rip out a bunch of the north end zone seats and replicate what the Riders did with the Pil Zone or whatever it's called.

They actually did a few rows on exactly that this year and how full they get varies from game to game. Not sure it really warrants further expansion right now.

That said I still think the should build a full on party deck in the north end zone like the one in the south end zone only instead of making it a corporate event space make it a cheaper ticket for people that want to stand in the Rum Hut area all game.

[buzzg]

^Yeah, but it's not ticketed, it's just an area to stand. Replaced some of the space lost on the main concourse after the most recent round of renos. And yeah, always thought they should do that with Rum Hut.

Honestly, the new Rum Hut isn't even cool or fun. Just cramped and takes forever to get a drink if you actually want to get it from the Rum Hut itself, which isn't even a hut. I've been going to the tailgate plaza at halftimes and it's awesome.

[The Unknown Poster]

My suggestion was building a "Rum Hut" behind where it is now and make it like a lounge. Even though you wouldnt see the field, there are still people that would go there. many people linger in the Pinnacle Lounge during the game.

Barring that, remove some end zone seats and add in either more concessions, lounges or use it to improve concourse traffic.

[buzzg]

Realistically what they should have done is the outer wall of stadium should have been the front of the concession wall, with the concessions and washrooms pushed back out to where the outside concourse is now, rather than building them inward... outer concourse doesn't need to be that big anyway.

[blueandgoldguy]

They have been trying to deal with the unsold over-priced seats in the end zones over the past few seasons with some success. Student seats for individual games and season passes in the north end are sold at a discount. Family season passes in the south end and the corner upper decks appear to have sold well and are very reasonably priced.

I have seen an ad kicking around on the internet in which you can purchase a family package which includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 bags of chips, 4 soft drinks and a parking pass starting at $97. That's a pretty darn good value! Buy that and you don't have to spend a fortune on food and beverages for the family.

[esquire]

^ That is an absolute steal. Personally I like the fact that Bomber games are accessible to the masses. You can get an upper deck ticket with a good view for $30, which I think is tremendous bang for the buck... Bomber games are entertaining (especially now that they're winning) and IGF has great atmosphere.

[UPP]

Originally Posted by Ando

Now there you go mixing in facts to the discussion, some people on here hate that kind of thing. Looks like the last year in the old stadium averaged around 25,000. Anyone who know anything about the Bombers over the years knows that when the temperatures dip the crowds go down. Even for playoff games that has been the case. This team still hasn't shown or done anything yet apart from they are doing well right now. You have to win. It's also well known in the CFL that you need crowds of around 24-25,000 and they are getting that now. That's why Ottawa only built a 24,000 seat stadium. Economically it was what they needed to do well.

I thought the Bombers needed to average above 30,000 per game to be able to make the $4 million per year payment on the stadium. Has that changed or has the loan been forgiven?

[micheal]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

End zone seating doesn't work well for the CFL field size, poor decision in both Winnipeg and Regina to build stadiums with so many seats in the end zones.

No problems in Regina with end zone seating. Seats are steep, view is fantastic and its full. Season tickets go for around $300

[micheal]

Here's a link to the average attendance games for the CFL in 2017.
https://stats.cfldb.ca/league/cfl/attendance/2017/

[buzzg]

I'm in section 214, row 2 (second from the end on the upper deck).

Our tickets are the CHEAPEST in the stadium, yet the seats are amazing. You can see everything and we pay $200/yr + fees per seat. It's absurdly low. Don't know why anyone on earth would pay so much more to sit in the end zone. Every time I bring someone to the game they're shocked how good the view is. Makes a big difference that the corners are angled compared to the straight edge at CanadInns.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by micheal

No problems in Regina with end zone seating. Seats are steep, view is fantastic and its full. Season tickets go for around $300

The end zone seats in Regina are the cheap seats. In Winnipeg, there are, as buzzg pointed out, objectively better seats available for less money, so end zones tend to be the last ones to sell. Usually the priciest seats and cheap seats tend to sell the fastest... it's the mid range ones that linger.