Only 22,500 tickets sold for home opener

[gbill2004]

From today's free press:

The coaches have bought in. And you only had to watch the team's performance in two hard-fought and bitterly contested pre-season games to know the players have bought in, too.

But the increasingly urgent question now is how long is it going to take for fans of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to buy into the sweeping and systemic changes the beleaguered club made on and off the field during the off-season?

That question is urgent because with just a week now remaining until the Bombers open their 2014 CFL regular-season schedule at home against the Toronto Argonauts next Thursday, the club has sold just 22,500 tickets for its home opener.

That's two-thirds of the 33,500-seat capacity of Investors Group Field. If ticket sales don't pick up meaningfully in the next week, this year's first game will be the most sparsely attended ever at Investors Group Field, setting off alarm bells about what's potentially to come for the rest of the 2014 season.

The Bombers sold out Investors Group Field for last year's home opener -- which was also the first regular-season game at the new stadium. They went on to average 30,637 fans at home last season, despite a woeful 3-15 record and thanks in large part to record season-ticket sales.

But the Bombers don't have the luxury of a record season-ticket cushion this year. As of Wednesday morning, the club had sold just 21,311 season tickets, down more than 3,000 from last year.

What that means is the Bombers are going to need significant walk-up crowds to fill all those seats at IGF. And those have been slow in materializing, at least so far.

Bombers CEO Wade Miller said he's not surprised by the pace of ticket sales, noting the season-ticket numbers are right about where the club budgeted.

Miller said the team always knew it would have its work cut out selling tickets this year.

"We're coming off a 3-15 season for starters. And then we had a new stadium last year and the lustre of that has worn off a little bit. So we knew our season-ticket numbers would be down," said Miller Wednesday.

"And let's face it -- it's been a couple of years where it's been tough on the fans and tough on the city. So we're going to have to show them the changes we've made. And that's what me and Kyle (Walters) and Mike (O'Shea) are all about. We're not talking about it -- we're doing it...

"We've got work to do. But we've got a plan in place and we'll get there."

With a new head coach, new starting quarterback, new and expanded scouting department and sweeping player personnel changes across the field, this year's team is unrecognizable from the motley bunch that finished 2013.

Miller said the club is hopeful that once fans see all those changes on the field, they will buy in just as completely as the rest of the folks who work at Investors Group Field.

"We knew it would be slow to start, but I really do believe we'll get the fans back," said Miller.

Given the crater from which his team is attempting to extricate itself, Miller is careful not to guarantee more wins in 2014. Rather, the CEO said fans can expect to see the kind of gritty efforts that led to a couple of narrow losses to Toronto and Calgary in the pre-season.

"We didn't win those games, but we lost one game on a field goal at the end and the other was very close and I don't think anyone would question our effort," he said.

There has also been major change to the game-day experience at IGF for fans, Miller said. There will be a new tailgate party outside the stadium prior to games, a new on-field autograph session after the game and all kinds of new bars and gathering areas during the games to help reduce some of the congestion on the concourses.

Toss in a transportation plan that most agree is vastly improved and Miller said skeptical fans who have adopted a wait-and-see attitude this season before plunking down more cash will like what they see and hear from other fans as the season unfolds.

But what about that home opener? Miller is an optimist but also a realist.

"It's Winnipeg, there's still a week to go and no question we will sell more tickets," he said. "But June is a busy month. The schedule-maker didn't do us any favours" by giving Winnipeg the very first regular-season game of the 2014 season.

Miller said a little patience by fans will go a long way.

"We've changed the entire structure of this organizaton, plus all the players," said Miller. "That's a lot of change, whether you're a football team or a regular business. And it's tough, but we're going to get there."

[Harbaugh]

Thursday night games don't bode well with the public outcry of getting home late, so I'm not totally surprised that the number is so low early.

The one thing Thursday night games have an advantage in is everyone isn't going to be out at their cabins, so I can see high walk-up numbers.

[rebusrankin]

That is surprising. Given that we've sold over 21,000 Season tickets, I would have thought 25000 easy.

[gbill2004]

I think the Thursday games were a bad idea.  Sure people are in the city as opposed to Friday games where people leave for the cabin after work on a Friday, but for people who work the next day, it can make for a rough morning.  With the new 7:30 start time, games are over at 11:00pm.  Get home by midnight if you're lucky.  Could hurt concession too...who wants to be hungover on a Friday at work? 

[gbill2004]

@garylawless: Just read @PaulWiecek piece in today's @WinnipegNews and couldn't help being a little angry at the way #bombers were driven into ground

@garylawless: A lot of poor decisions, a lack of accountability, wrong people in charge led to this moment for #bombers

@garylawless: New #bombers regime in place is so far ahead of what football fans here have been fed. Can't blame fans for "show me, don't tell me."

@garylawless: Miller, Walters and O'Shea paying for sins of board who hired Mack and made a total hash of stadium planning. Only thing to do now is win

[gbill2004]

Apparently Michael Bouble is in town that night. Could explain low attendance.

[Mike]

Apparently Michael Bouble is in town that night. Could explain low attendance.

 

I know that's where I'm going!

[gbill2004]

 

Apparently Michael Bouble is in town that night. Could explain low attendance.

 

I know that's where I'm going!

 

 

I really hope you are joking...

[road griller]

Michael who?  Anyways Wayne says that is what they budgeted for????

 

I guess the budget predicted a huge loss this season.

 

Our marketing stinks, they should have been pumping this game hard as soon as they knew there was not going to be a strike.

 

The Bomber way, ya gotta save money to make money....    

[Atomic]

Now imagine what will happen if the team sucks again this year. There will be no fans left.

[voodoochylde]

Now imagine what will happen if the team sucks again this year. There will be no fans left.

 

Just makes my drive to and from the stadium easier ..

[Jimmy Pop]

This thread will soon join the likes of "Oh no, we didn't get Burris, we're screwed!".

 

Much ado about nothing. We're 7 days out still. If they aren't at 25K+ early next week than maybe there's a conversation. I still think we get close to 30K. What did people expect when we lost 3000 season ticket holders?

[Jimmy Pop]

I think the Thursday games were a bad idea.  Sure people are in the city as opposed to Friday games where people leave for the cabin after work on a Friday, but for people who work the next day, it can make for a rough morning.  With the new 7:30 start time, games are over at 11:00pm.  Get home by midnight if you're lucky.  Could hurt concession too...who wants to be hungover on a Friday at work? 

 

To me, the problem is the start time, not the day of the week. No reason to start games later than 7.

 

7:30 start means over by 10:30. Large % of the crowd should be home by shortly after 11. Not terrible.

[Atomic]

Most of the people I go to games with prefer the Friday and Saturday games.  They won't even entertain the possibility of going to Thursday games.

[braddman19]

Honestly, it isn't surprising.  Past poor performances would eventually come to bite us in the rear in terms of attendance.

 

Put a quality product on the field, and the fans will support it.  Last season pushed a lot of fans to their breaking points.  

[kelownabomberfan]

I think the Thursday games were a bad idea.  Sure people are in the city as opposed to Friday games where people leave for the cabin after work on a Friday, but for people who work the next day, it can make for a rough morning.  With the new 7:30 start time, games are over at 11:00pm.  Get home by midnight if you're lucky.  Could hurt concession too...who wants to be hungover on a Friday at work?

Why should Friday be any different from every other day?

[OldSchoolBlue]

Winning solves a lot of problems. 

[Adrenaline_x]

i know i'm in the minority, but i enjoy watching games from home.  I can enjoy the game with my 4yr old. pause the game and give him a bath before bed and read him bed time stories etc. then i can skip all the comercials to catch up.  I get to see all the replays and have  things pointed out that i would miss at the stadium.

 

I was at the last TO game last year and it was a great experience to be in the stands, but i found i missed parts of the game and was  not as involved.  That being said, if i had more friends into CFL football and who wanted to go to a game, i would go.

 

I will take my 4yr old this year for a game since he is interested and wants to see what it looks like in person.

[Noeller]

I think anyone who's followed this team was expecting this to happen at some point. It will take time to rebuild the casual fans who make up the other 10k in tix. It'll come in time...

[The Unknown Poster]

The reason for the 7:30 start (as far as I know) is to provide a buffer between rush hour traffic and game traffic.  Im not sure I buy "game ends late" as a *huge* reason.  While Im sure it might keep a few people away, its Thursday night.  Its okay to be a bit tired on Friday.

 

Another angle to the story might have been "over 22,000 tickets already sold for Bombers home opener with only 7 days left to secure your seats".  Winnipeg is notorious as a walk up city.  Give it time.

 

I have a sense that the IGF issues are pushing attendance down but Im not ready to say that yet.  I went to two (or was it three?) games last season including the home opener which so many Kives' declared a disaster and I had ZERO issues getting in and out. 

 

Time will tell.

 

Also, to the person who said the Bombers budgeted for a loss, Miller said season tickets were where they budgeted, not game day attendance. 

[The Unknown Poster]

i know i'm in the minority, but i enjoy watching games from home.  I can enjoy the game with my 4yr old. pause the game and give him a bath before bed and read him bed time stories etc. then i can skip all the comercials to catch up.  I get to see all the replays and have  things pointed out that i would miss at the stadium.

 

I was at the last TO game last year and it was a great experience to be in the stands, but i found i missed parts of the game and was  not as involved.  That being said, if i had more friends into CFL football and who wanted to go to a game, i would go.

 

I will take my 4yr old this year for a game since he is interested and wants to see what it looks like in person.

 

Every season I am tempted to buy season tickets and every season I dont.  I agree with you.  The best seat in the house is the one in my basement in front of my big screen.  but then when i do go, I always feel like theres nothing better than watching football at the Stadium in summer.  And then I usually go home and peruse the game again on my PVR.  I like what you get from the TV broadcast.

 

My fear with these new TSN channels is that they will now have the ability to blackout the HD feed...

[kelownabomberfan]

If I lived in Manitoba within an hour drive of Winnipeg I'd have season tickets. It wouldn't even be a question.

[gbill2004]

 

I think the Thursday games were a bad idea.  Sure people are in the city as opposed to Friday games where people leave for the cabin after work on a Friday, but for people who work the next day, it can make for a rough morning.  With the new 7:30 start time, games are over at 11:00pm.  Get home by midnight if you're lucky.  Could hurt concession too...who wants to be hungover on a Friday at work?

Why should Friday be any different from every other day?

 

 

My point is that it would be easier being hungover on a Saturday when your not at work. 

[kelownabomberfan]

I think the Thursday games were a bad idea.  Sure people are in the city as opposed to Friday games where people leave for the cabin after work on a Friday, but for people who work the next day, it can make for a rough morning.  With the new 7:30 start time, games are over at 11:00pm.  Get home by midnight if you're lucky.  Could hurt concession too...who wants to be hungover on a Friday at work?

Why should Friday be any different from every other day?

 

My point is that it would be easier being hungover on a Saturday when your not at work.

Yeah and my point is that when you are showing up for work with a hangover every day, Friday doesn't really matter.

[Armchair GM]

The reason for the 7:30 start (as far as I know) is to provide a buffer between rush hour traffic and game traffic.  Im not sure I buy "game ends late" as a *huge* reason.  While Im sure it might keep a few people away, its Thursday night.  Its okay to be a bit tired on Friday.

 

Another angle to the story might have been "over 22,000 tickets already sold for Bombers home opener with only 7 days left to secure your seats".  Winnipeg is notorious as a walk up city.  Give it time.

 

I have a sense that the IGF issues are pushing attendance down but Im not ready to say that yet.  I went to two (or was it three?) games last season including the home opener which so many Kives' declared a disaster and I had ZERO issues getting in and out. 

 

Time will tell.

 

Also, to the person who said the Bombers budgeted for a loss, Miller said season tickets were where they budgeted, not game day attendance. 

 

I just think it's super sh!tty that we need a buffer between rush hour traffic and game traffic.  Hate to say the obvious thing, but building it right includes building transportation routes right.  There were public outcrys to consider transportation... the bumbling Selingers just flat out ignored them.