Week 1 Attendance Numbers

[Rich]

Mtl @ Cgy - 26,135

Tor @ Wpg - 24,872

Edm @ BC - 24,524

Ham @ SK - 19,285

 

I know SK had the floods going on for the game, so they get a pass on this, but for people complaining about the low turnout for the Bombers, compared to the other teams and considering last season, we did all right.   Expect much closer to 30k for next week.

 

Read on riderfans that the Argos have only sold 3,500 season tickets.   Can anyone confirm that?   If true, that has got to be very worrisome going forward.   How does that compare to season ticket numbers in previous years?

 

CFL lists the attendance for their pre-season game at 5,216, so maybe their season ticket numbers are that low!

 

Actually, if I compare to 2013 numbers, they had 6,204 for their pre-season game last year and seemed to average around 20k for regular season games.   So they are probably not that far off.

[AtlanticRiderFan]

3500? Ouch.

 

Keep in mind that the preseason game was at smaller Varsity Stadium, so that's likely the cause of that attendance.

[iso_55]

I just can't figure Toronto out & why they can't get better attendance. It's frustrating as a CFL fan to see this. 

[kelownabomberfan]

I just can't figure Toronto out & why they can't get better attendance. It's frustrating as a CFL fan to see this. 

One word: venue

[Fatty Liver]

Two words: "They're invisible".....well maybe a few more.  Nary a writeup covering the Argos in any of the major papers and don't expect they get much attention from any other form of media.  Man this is frustrating because they have 10 million people within a 2 hour drive of that city and they're very proud Canadians for the most part.  CFL must have some minor league stigma tatooed to it's ass that's made the Argos and the league into a water cooler joke.  Getting fans back onboard in that city is the CFL's greatest challenge as the Argos are whithering on the vine.

[AtlanticRiderFan]

I'm shocked they haven't folded, TBH. How is that Ottawa goes into financial issues so damn much, but Toronto hasn't? 

[Fatty Liver]

I'm shocked they haven't folded, TBH. How is that Ottawa goes into financial issues so damn much, but Toronto hasn't? 

Deeper pockets I guess..

[Mark H.]

 

I just can't figure Toronto out & why they can't get better attendance. It's frustrating as a CFL fan to see this. 

One word: venue

 

 

If you'd ever been to a game in Toronto, you would understand.  It's grid-locked and most people live nowhere near Skydome.  For most it's two hours on the subway to get there, then two hours back home after the game.  When you're trying to attract casual fans, that's a recipe for disaster.

 

Oh and you can't even get an Argos beer cup...had to drink beer out of a Blue Jays cup.  The Argos are literally second class citizens in that city.

[KptKrunch]

 

 

I just can't figure Toronto out & why they can't get better attendance. It's frustrating as a CFL fan to see this. 

One word: venue

 

 

If you'd ever been to a game in Toronto, you would understand.  It's grid-locked and most people live nowhere near Skydome.  For most it's two hours on the subway to get there, then two hours back home after the game.  When you're trying to attract casual fans, that's a recipe for disaster.

 

Oh and you can't even get an Argos beer cup...had to drink beer out of a Blue Jays cup.  The Argos are literally second class citizens in that city.

 

 

That's very true - the only thing that will save the Argo's in the long run is a new stadium. The one they were talking about looked promising but last I hear that fell apart.  Add to that the rumors of Buffalo moving there permanently and if that happens, with no new Stadium, the Argo's will need to relocate to survive. Not sure where they'd go though - Kitchener maybe? 3500 tickets is a joke. 

[JuranBoldenRules]

 

I'm shocked they haven't folded, TBH. How is that Ottawa goes into financial issues so damn much, but Toronto hasn't? 

Deeper pockets I guess..

 

 

League/Braley before he owned the team funding operations.

 

The league has chosen other markets over Ottawa when there has been crisis (in 96 the whole league was in crisis, in mid-2000s it was Hamilton and Toronto), and it didn't help that Ottawa lacked ownership both times they folded, like anyone to put their name on the franchise, not even good ownership.

[AtlanticRiderFan]

 

 

 

I just can't figure Toronto out & why they can't get better attendance. It's frustrating as a CFL fan to see this. 

One word: venue

 

 

If you'd ever been to a game in Toronto, you would understand.  It's grid-locked and most people live nowhere near Skydome.  For most it's two hours on the subway to get there, then two hours back home after the game.  When you're trying to attract casual fans, that's a recipe for disaster.

 

Oh and you can't even get an Argos beer cup...had to drink beer out of a Blue Jays cup.  The Argos are literally second class citizens in that city.

 

 

That's very true - the only thing that will save the Argo's in the long run is a new stadium. The one they were talking about looked promising but last I hear that fell apart.  Add to that the rumors of Buffalo moving there permanently and if that happens, with no new Stadium, the Argo's will need to relocate to survive. Not sure where they'd go though - Kitchener maybe? 3500 tickets is a joke. 

 

 

London perhaps? I don't know what kind of stadiums they even have there.

 

That or move to BMO field.

[Harbaugh]

It's becoming more and more unlikely that Buffalo will be moving, so I don't think that will factor into determining the Argos' future. I must say that their situation concerns me as far as the health of the league goes. There is speculation of relocation within the surrounding area, but has there been any actual interest? I haven't found anything recently.

[Guest]

BC's been going downhill since Bobby Ackles passed away. Calgary downhill for a few years now and especially since the Flames officially took over. The Eskimos have been bleeding bums in the seats for a few years as well. Only Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have risen over the past couple of years. I'm actually really interested to see Toronto's numbers this season, based on the info out there currently, a crowd of 10-11,000 could be the norm for them this season.

 

The trend in North Americans stadiums nowadays seems to be lower attended events, you see half/quarter empty stadiums in the MLB and NFL. While I'm not crazy about the low capacity, I suppose Hamilton and Ottawa built their stadiums to suitable sizes (not the greatest location though).

 

I also believe that the Bombers, BBB Stadium Inc. or whomever designed and built Investors Group Field, built it too large. 30,000 - 30,500 should have been the maximum, add in a lounge area and party decks similar to how the Ticats are doing and at least IMO the stadium would have worked.

[gbill2004]

BC's been going downhill since Bobby Ackles passed away. Calgary downhill for a few years now and especially since the Flames officially took over. The Eskimos have been bleeding bums in the seats for a few years as well. Only Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have risen over the past couple of years. I'm actually really interested to see Toronto's numbers this season, based on the info out there currently, a crowd of 10-11,000 could be the norm for them this season.

The trend in North Americans stadiums nowadays seems to be lower attended events, you see half/quarter empty stadiums in the MLB and NFL. While I'm not crazy about the low capacity, I suppose Hamilton and Ottawa built their stadiums to suitable sizes (not the greatest location though).

I also believe that the Bombers, BBB Stadium Inc. or whomever designed and built Investors Group Field, built it too large. 30,000 - 30,500 should have been the maximum, add in a lounge area and party decks similar to how the Ticats are doing and at least IMO the stadium would have worked.

The 33,500 capacity at IGF should be perfect for when we play Saskatchewan and home playoff games. Other than those games, I agree 30,000 would have been enough.

[road griller]

If we start winning 12ish games a season and 7+ home wins 30k will not be enough. Swaggerville days were bringing in that. Willyville can easily grow bigger.

[Guest]

 

BC's been going downhill since Bobby Ackles passed away. Calgary downhill for a few years now and especially since the Flames officially took over. The Eskimos have been bleeding bums in the seats for a few years as well. Only Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have risen over the past couple of years. I'm actually really interested to see Toronto's numbers this season, based on the info out there currently, a crowd of 10-11,000 could be the norm for them this season.

The trend in North Americans stadiums nowadays seems to be lower attended events, you see half/quarter empty stadiums in the MLB and NFL. While I'm not crazy about the low capacity, I suppose Hamilton and Ottawa built their stadiums to suitable sizes (not the greatest location though).

I also believe that the Bombers, BBB Stadium Inc. or whomever designed and built Investors Group Field, built it too large. 30,000 - 30,500 should have been the maximum, add in a lounge area and party decks similar to how the Ticats are doing and at least IMO the stadium would have worked.

The 33,500 capacity at IGF should be perfect for when we play Saskatchewan and home playoff games. Other than those games, I agree 30,000 would have been enough.

 

Selling out 1 or 2 games a year means little to nothing IMO. When you build a stadium, you should build it so when times are good you can maximize revenue, but also when times are bad you can still create some false sense of demand.

 

Look at Montreal since the renovation, before they sold out every game and reportedly had 17-18,000 season ticket holders. Since the renovation, they are selling 2-3 thousand more tickets, but their season ticket base dropped by a reported 3-4 thousand. Also moving from the Big Owe (65,000+ seats) to Percival Molson (at the time of the move 17,317 then renovated to 20,000) helped without question. Hamilton going to 24,000 should help create demand and Ottawa is in the same boat.

[Nasty Nate]

BC's been going downhill since Bobby Ackles passed away. Calgary downhill for a few years now and especially since the Flames officially took over. The Eskimos have been bleeding bums in the seats for a few years as well. Only Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have risen over the past couple of years. I'm actually really interested to see Toronto's numbers this season, based on the info out there currently, a crowd of 10-11,000 could be the norm for them this season.

 

The trend in North Americans stadiums nowadays seems to be lower attended events, you see half/quarter empty stadiums in the MLB and NFL. While I'm not crazy about the low capacity, I suppose Hamilton and Ottawa built their stadiums to suitable sizes (not the greatest location though).

 

I also believe that the Bombers, BBB Stadium Inc. or whomever designed and built Investors Group Field, built it too large. 30,000 - 30,500 should have been the maximum, add in a lounge area and party decks similar to how the Ticats are doing and at least IMO the stadium would have worked.

You're spot on. However, the tall foreheads who designed and built this thing (Hello, David Asper) thought 33,500 was the absolute minimum so you could install temporary seating for a Grey Cup every 10 years and get it to 43,000 or thereabouts. Don't know if you could get a 40,000+ crowd on a smaller floor-plate but yeah, 29,000 to 30,000 seems like the better idea in retrospect.

 

Lots of folks go by the Jets template - only 15,005 seats that creates a buying frenzy. Limited supply pitted up against huge demand. Means high prices and lay down committments.

 

In Winnipeg, you woulda had to build a 25,000 stadium to create that kind of buying tension.

 

Sadly, poor on and off field performance last few years have set the clock back despite a fresh slate of guys on the stick.

 

Hope they exceed 27,500/28,500 this Thursday for Hank and the Redblacks....

 

If only 25,000 chances of the team being in position to payback 4 million this year diminish greatly. Frankly, I don't think anyone expects the 4.5 million annual repay realistic. However, I still think the Bombers should have repaid at least $500,000 this year, hopefully 1 million this year. Don't make it $4.5 million or bust. Chip away at it on an ability to pay basis. I think fans would appreciate that vs. the bombers being labelled free-riders!

[Nasty Nate]

 

BC's been going downhill since Bobby Ackles passed away. Calgary downhill for a few years now and especially since the Flames officially took over. The Eskimos have been bleeding bums in the seats for a few years as well. Only Saskatchewan and Winnipeg have risen over the past couple of years. I'm actually really interested to see Toronto's numbers this season, based on the info out there currently, a crowd of 10-11,000 could be the norm for them this season.

The trend in North Americans stadiums nowadays seems to be lower attended events, you see half/quarter empty stadiums in the MLB and NFL. While I'm not crazy about the low capacity, I suppose Hamilton and Ottawa built their stadiums to suitable sizes (not the greatest location though).

I also believe that the Bombers, BBB Stadium Inc. or whomever designed and built Investors Group Field, built it too large. 30,000 - 30,500 should have been the maximum, add in a lounge area and party decks similar to how the Ticats are doing and at least IMO the stadium would have worked.

The 33,500 capacity at IGF should be perfect for when we play Saskatchewan and home playoff games. Other than those games, I agree 30,000 would have been enough.

 

Too true and you could have installed 4,000 to 6,000 temporary grandstands to accomodate extra rider fans.