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Esks announce 51,000 Grey Cup tickets sold
CFL.ca Staff EDMONTON — After just four days, tickets sales for the 106th Grey Cup presented by Shaw have reached 51,000 sold to date. Tickets went on sale to the general public at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, June 1. With 51,000 tickets sold, that leaves 4,819 remaining seats in The Brick Field at Commonwealth Stadium that are still available for fans to purchase. Of those seats, most are well positioned with great sightlines in the upper bowl, with some 200 single seats still available in the lower bowl. “51,000 tickets sold is a major milestone for an event taking place more than five months from today,” said Len Rhodes, President and CEO of the Edmonton Eskimos and Co-Chair of the Grey Cup Festival. “The response we’ve received from fans across Canada has been incredible, not to mention the support from our corporate and media partners, who have been instrumental in the success of this ticket launch,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier with the demand from fans so far,” said Brad Sparrow, Co-Chair of the Grey Cup Festival. “The atmosphere both inside Commonwealth Stadium for the game, and on the streets of Edmonton for the Festival, will be unmatched come November,” he said. “It will be a celebration not to be missed, and so we urge fans from across the country to secure their seats and join us to be a part of it all.” Tickets are still available through Ticketmaster at ticketmaster.ca/greycup or by phone at 1-855-985-5000. Local fans can purchase their Grey Cup tickets in-person at the Eskimos Team Store located inside Commonwealth Stadium (11000 Stadium Rd). Fans can visit greycupfestival.ca for more information |
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TSN finally launches live streaming, means you can watch the CFL without cable
Drew Edwards 3downnation June 7, 2018 They’ve done it without much fanfare, but TSN has finally launched an online streaming service that should allow CFL fans to watch the games without a cable subscription. There’s been no official announcement from either the league or the broadcaster – that I can find anyway – and there is precious little information available on the site as to the new initiative. But if you go to login to watch live video at TSN.ca, there’s is now a “TSN Direct” option. And you can sign up here. Looks like it’s available through the TSN GO app on iOS as well. https://i.imgur.com/mgugeVX.png It looks like plans are $24.99 a month, matching the price for SportsNet Now, which was launched more than two years ago. The timing of the launch likely has more to do with the upcoming World Cup of Soccer – hence the pic of Ronaldo and Messi in the promo – than the CFL. But whatever, it’s here. Fans have been clamouring for a streaming service for years but the CFL has been at the mercy of TSN, which has been slow to adopt a streaming-only option. But with cord-cutting forcing a seismic shift on the industry – this story says 1 in 4 Canadians are now going without cable – Bell has finally gotten on board. |
The Raptors had the 4th best attendance in the league for the 2017/2018 regular season this year:
41 Home games Season total 813,431 Average game attendance 19,839 Average percent of seats filled 100.2% |
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2017-2018: 19,839 2016-2017: 19,830 2015-2016: 19,825 2014-2015: 19,751 2013-2014: 18,252 Some pretty good capacity consistency the past few seasons for the Raps. |
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- each team gets a C$4.4 million per year infusion in a sport that has a C$5.1 million team salary cap for 56 players. - The question is...is TSN really making any money off the CFL broadcasts? Maybe it is a loss leader just because they did not get the NHL (Canadian) broadcast rights and needed something to fill the void - and maybe over bid somewhat?? Still, the CFL has recently approved cost-cutting measures (spending cap) for team operations - so there is still some concern for league financial viability...plus further cost-cutting is being proposed. It could all be draped in "it's just good business practice' but it is what it is. (CFL operation costs are already very low for Pro sports). Quote:
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If TSN doesn't make money off of the CFL I'm not sure what they make money off of for the majority of the year. It is on average their biggest audience draw.
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Stuff like the NFL is almost certainly cheaper in terms of the actual cost to TSN, and brings in ratings that might not be as high as the CFL, but are definitely comparable. So it might actually be that on the balance sheet they make more money off NFL games and other stuff they just buy off U.S. networks. |
^ NFL must be a super-hot TV commodity because the ratings are solid but unlike with hockey or the CFL, there is no production required, the Americans already do it all. So almost no overhead, really. You can just ride the coattails of the American networks.
There isn't much stuff on ESPN or the other American sports channels that you can just buy and broadcast in Canada that will draw the kinds of ratings that the NFL does. Most of the other big TV sports draws in the US (NBA, NCAA, MLB not involving the Blue Jays) are fairly marginal in Canada... something like a Bucks-Nets game is basically filler. |
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"Suits" in the good seats at sporting events in Canada are mostly an NHL thing, and especially in Toronto and Montreal. |
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I don't have any anecdotes from sports broadcasting, but back when I was younger and more involved in media, Quebec TV producers would tell me that it cost them about 1 million dollars to produce one hour of fictional programming (drama or comedy), whereas networks here could buy a plug and play episode of any popular U.S. show for 100k or less. So I suspect that TSN, Sportsnet or whomever in Canada gets a pretty good deal from them on NFL, and also NCAA, etc. |
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The Raptors obviosly have "suits" as well though they are not the same breed that attend Leafs games. You probably couldn't tell them apart from those in the nosebleeds. They are there because they love the franchise and the sport. There was a great doc at TIFF last year called "The carter Effect" that shows how the raptors started off as a joke in the league nobody wanted to play for until Vince Carter gave us an edge and inspired a whole new generation of basketball fans that hadn't existed in this nation before. I was never a Carter fan but after watching this film I now have total respect for him and his time in Toronto. It also highlight's one of the "suits" Nav Bhatia that has never missed a home game, and has become a celebraty in his own right at the ACC. source: https://i.pinimg.com https://i.pinimg.com/736x/7e/b9/41/7...-game--tia.jpg |
I couldn't find the numbers, but based on the photos it seems that attendance at the Impact's game last night was very low. I know it was a rainy night though.
I just checked the attendance numbers by team in the MLS and it seems that they are not doing bad this year with an average of 19,564. It also seems that with the exception of a handful of teams, every single team in the league has seen a decrease YOY. |
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It's about time, TSN finally refreshing the CFL broadcast. So far Thursday Night Football has a great look. Debut of new theme song to come, momentarily.
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lol anyone else see this lame promotion by the Als!
https://twitter.com/MTLAlouettes/sta...52145008058369 Is that the best the marketing department could come up with?! |
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I would think the Commish is encouraging new ideas and this is certainly one. The teams from next? year on will be following a league business plan Most young people now are getting accustomed to this type of thing. It's almost the live version of a Youtube clip. And then of course because it's the Als (the team equivalent of Rod Black at this time) comes the piling on. Last year it was the Ti-Cats and the Art Briles affair and everyone piled on but then they get a new coach turn the season around sign Johnny Manziel and now they're the cat's meow (pardon the expression). All in a day's work for the CFL. |
CFL commish's dish on his league's big-picture vision
Ed Willes Vancouver Sun June 14, 2018 ... What he does with those opportunities remains to be seen but, in the here and now, one thing is clear: Ambrosie brings a new energy and a reformer’s zeal to a league that needed both. If his plan for the CFL actually works, so much the better. “We have to build some strategies about creating more stability on the rosters,” he says. “Are we doing it well enough? Well, everything can be done better. I think if you start with that fundamental notion that good enough isn’t good enough, you set a higher expectation.” Good enough isn’t good enough. That might be the league’s new motto. ... As long as anyone can remember, the CFL has operated as nine, sometimes eight, separate fiefdoms under a weak, ineffectual king. The league office, such as it was, existed largely to maintain a presence in Toronto’s corporate community but failed to create a central authority for the league, a place that offered both a plan and a vision for all nine teams. Ambrose is trying to change that. This off-season he toured the offices of the major North American sports leagues and was struck by the NBA’s model, pioneered by former commissioner David Stern in the 1980s. “The NBA found 80 per cent of their business plan applied to every market, then they customized the last 20 per cent,” said Ambrosie. “We had nine plans and then there was the league plan. I said, no, there has to be one business plan.” To that end, the league is now formulating a model that identifies the best business practices and metrics for measuring their success. Ottawa, for example, has succeeded in breaking down the wall between millennials and the CFL. How have they made their brand cool in the nation’s capital? “Not everyone has to build their own widget,” says Ambrosie. “Maybe we can build one widget that applies to all teams.” “The thing I like best is we live in a world today that’s in a state of disruption and that disruption is going to create opportunity,” Ambrosie said. “In that state of disruption there will be winners and losers.” |
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Adidas out as CFL apparel sponsor after this season
By Drew Edwards and Justin Dunk Posted on June 15, 2018 by Drew Edwards The brand with the three stripes is moving on from the three-down league. Adidas, the CFL’s official outfitter and licensing partner for the last two seasons, has informed the league that it will not be continuing in the role after the deal expires after the 2018 campaign. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the league is working on finding a replacement for Adidas, who took over from Reebok to much fanfare in 2015. “There is a constant evolution to our licensing deal and our sponsorship deals,” Ambrosie said in an interview this week. “We’re not at a place today where we’re going to talk openly about where we’re going but there are some exciting things happening in that area… with people other than Adidas.” Adidas is the second-largest sports apparel manufacturer in the world behind Nike and is one of the most prominent brands in sports. The company sponsors close to 50 NFL players and is an official partner of the 2018 World Cup. With Adidas departing, there are relatively few big-name options available to the CFL. The NFL’s apparel rights are currently owned by Nike, a partnership that was recently extended until 2028. Under Armour supplies jerseys to a number of high profile U.S. college programs including Auburn, Notre Dame and UCLA. Reebok, who was the CFL’s apparel sponsor from 2003 until 2016, is owned by Adidas. Landing a prominent brand could be critically important for the league. In addition to the importance of revenue from jersey sales and apparel to the individual teams, the lack of a major outfitter could make it harder for the league to get American players up to Canada. A new apparel sponsor also increases the likelihood of a new uniform redesign next season. Adidas revamped the jerseys for all nine teams after taking over in 2016 and a new provider would be expected to put its own stamp on the league’s look. “Adidas has been a great partner. They’re really cool people and we love their brand, love their apparel and their shoes,” Ambrosie said. “But sometimes in business things change and you change with them so we’re going to continue to proudly wear our Adidas this coming season and then work on our plan for seasons beyond.” http://3downnation.com/2018/06/15/ad...ponsor-season/ Quote:
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[QUOTE=JHikka;8223738]Adidas out as CFL apparel sponsor after this season
By Drew Edwards and Justin Dunk Posted on June 15, 2018 by Drew Edwards The brand with the three stripes is moving on from the three-down league. Adidas, the CFL’s official outfitter and licensing partner for the last two seasons, has informed the league that it will not be continuing in the role after the deal expires after the 2018 campaign. CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the league is working on finding a replacement for Adidas, who took over from Reebok to much fanfare in 2015. “There is a constant evolution to our licensing deal and our sponsorship deals,” Ambrosie said in an interview this week. “We’re not at a place today where we’re going to talk openly about where we’re going but there are some exciting things happening in that area… with people other than Adidas.” Adidas is the second-largest sports apparel manufacturer in the world behind Nike and is one of the most prominent brands in sports. The company sponsors close to 50 NFL players and is an official partner of the 2018 World Cup. With Adidas departing, there are relatively few big-name options available to the CFL. The NFL’s apparel rights are currently owned by Nike, a partnership that was recently extended until 2028. Under Armour supplies jerseys to a number of high profile U.S. college programs including Auburn, Notre Dame and UCLA. Reebok, who was the CFL’s apparel sponsor from 2003 until 2016, is owned by Adidas. Landing a prominent brand could be critically important for the league. In addition to the importance of revenue from jersey sales and apparel to the individual teams, the lack of a major outfitter could make it harder for the league to get American players up to Canada. A new apparel sponsor also increases the likelihood of a new uniform redesign next season. Adidas revamped the jerseys for all nine teams after taking over in 2016 and a new provider would be expected to put its own stamp on the league’s look. “Adidas has been a great partner. They’re really cool people and we love their brand, love their apparel and their shoes,” Ambrosie said. “But sometimes in business things change and you change with them so we’re going to continue to proudly wear our Adidas this coming season and then work on our plan for seasons beyond.” http://3downnation.com/2018/06/15/ad...ponsor-season/ I was really disappointed by Adidas when their uniforms came out in 2016 they were either very bland or just ugly when you see BC's uniforms. Hopefully Nike or Under armour can come in and bring something better. Personally I would like throwback unis for all team that showcase the great uniforms of the 70's and 80's. |
CFL Football Operations team launches new Twitter account, website
CFL.ca Staff TORONTO — Canadian Football League (CFL) fans will be able to use some new sources this season to access information on video reviews in real time and learn more about the game they love anytime. A new Twitter account, @CFLFootballOps, will deliver explanations for in-game officiating decisions made by the Command Centre, outline what the rules say about unusual plays, provide interesting stats and keep fans abreast of the latest news involving league decisions. A new website, www.cfl.ca/football-operations will be a hub where fans can access instructional videos on what officials look for on various plays, information on player health and safety, updates on supplemental discipline and points of emphasis for this season. They will also be able to visit a storehouse of news releases and data on the three-down game. “If you’ve ever wondered or debated, for example, whether the Command Centre ruled a pass incomplete because the receiver’s feet were out of bounds or because he was bobbling a pass, this will give you the answer,” said Darren Hackwood, the CFL’s Senior Director of Officiating. “As a league, we are in a constant conversation with our fans and the media and we’ve strived to share information. But this will allow us to streamline this aspect of our communications by giving fans and the media specific destinations for information on officiating and other football operations.” Ryan Janzen, the CFL’s Senior Director of Football Operations, said this is an opportunity for fans to dive deep inside the decisions, rules and procedures that can affect the game they love. “Our fans are very passionate and knowledgeable,” Janzen said. “Every time we feed that passion, and help them expand that knowledge, our league is that much stronger.” |
average attendance for week 1 was 24,778 of the CFL season.
The bad weather in Calgary and Winnipeg definitely effected that. Will be interesting to see if the Argos can sell out the 20,000 seat configuration of BMO next week with the east side upper deck seats closed off. So far on ticketmaster.ca looks like they might possibly sell it out. https://www1.ticketmaster.ca/toronto...00549EF480A0C5 |
CFL turns to social media to convert casual viewers into hardcore fans
Morgan Campbell Sports Reporter The Star.com June 13, 2018 On Monday the CFL announced a new partnership with Facebook that makes the social network the home of a new CFL pre-game show that will air on Thursday nights this summer. The move doesn’t settle the revenue question, but Litz says social media initiatives are a key element of the league’s long-term strategy to engage casual fans, who she says are typically younger and more diverse than hardcore CFL followers. For this season, Litz says the 30-minute weekly Facebook broadcast, which aims to showcase each market’s local fan culture, will lead in to TSN’s pre-game show. It’s loosely modeled on ESPN’s College Gameday morning show, which visits a different campus each week, and places hosts on set amid frenzied spectators. The goal, Litz says, is to use Facebook to expose casual fans to an in-stadium entertainment experience the league thinks they’ll enjoy. She says casual fans usually parachute in during the playoffs, accounting for the uptick in post-season TV viewership. Reaching part-time fans earlier in the season could help nudge them into the habit of watching CFL games, and inch them toward becoming ticket-buying customers. Facebook doesn’t offer the CFL an all-access pass to younger audiences. A 2017 study by the analytics firm Forrester Research found that 34 percent of U.S. teenagers surveyed found that Facebook was “for old people.” But the same study found that three quarters of those teens had Facebook accounts, even if they used them sparingly. Sports marketing professor Peter Widdis says a solid Facebook strategy could pay off for the CFL, even if the platform has flaws. “Facebook matters because it’s a proven platform,” Widdis said. “You’re seeing Instagram and Snapchat grow with the younger audience, but Facebook is foundational.” Last season CFL broadcasts averaged 610,666 viewers, according to CFLdb.ca. And while a Facebook pre-game show will likely draw an audience a fraction that size, Ryerson University sports marketing professor Cheri Bradish points out that streaming via Facebook gives the CFL and its sponsors valuable data about each viewer. So even if pregame show audience is composed of casual fans, the CFL quickly learns their other interests, and can leverage that information to enrich sponsorships or target potential hardcore fans. “Christina Litz has always tried to push the boundaries with technology and try new things,” said Bradish, the sports marketing chair at the Ted Rogers School of Management. “(This partnership) allows you to go global and reach consumers in different markets. They’re starting to reach fans in other markets who might be a fan of a player in Toronto.” This year Facebook will pay Major League Baseball up to $35 million to broadcast 25 games exclusively on its platforms. A Blue Jays-Royals game that streamed directly to Facebook drew a reported 6.8 million views worldwide, but that figure counts any user who spent at least three seconds watching the game. According to the Philadephia Inquirer, a Phillies game streamed on Facebook averaged between 65,000 and 85,000 concurrent viewers, a significant drop from the number who would typically watch on TV. While the CFL has streamed preseason games on Facebook, Litz said the league has no plans to move regular season contests there. But she did say the CFL would consider using the social network to reach overseas markets its current broadcast deals don’t cover. |
Corner Gas Animated announce awesome collaboration with the Saskatchewan Roughriders
BarDown Staff Corner Gas was a Canadian television sitcom that took place in the fictional town of Dog River, Saskatchewan that ran for six seasons from 2004 to 2009, and now the cast and crew are back with a brand new series, Corner Gas Animated. With the 2018 CFL season set to get underway on Thursday night and the Saskatchewan Roughriders opening their season at home on Friday night against the Toronto Argonauts, the Corner Gas team announced a new partnership with the Roughriders that will start as early as Friday. The new series is set to make its CTV debut on Sunday, June 17, so the collaboration comes at a perfect time for both parties. In the new collaboration, the two Canadian icons band together to share Rider Pride as the show will include the cast cheering on the Riders at Mosaic Stadium, Rider t-shirts featuring the Corner Gas Animated characters which will be sold at the team store, as well as contests for fans to win tickets to Regina, a Roughriders home game, and Corner Gas Animated merchandise. When Canadians think of Saskatchewan they think of the Roughriders and Corner Gas, so this should make for a fantastic collaboration. If you’re wondering just how much Corner Gas is admired in Saskatchewan, April 13, 2009, was declared “Corner Gas Day” by then-Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall. https://i.imgur.com/sh9FZNn.jpg |
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Has anyone seen Week 1 TV numbers for the CFL?
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Riders v Argos - 660,500 Ti-Cats v Stamps - 651,700 BC v Montreal - 547,600 (plus the RDS numers) Edm v. Wpg - 481,000 (was actually a split number due to rain, but this was the average) AVERAGE WK 1 - 585,200 up 11.7% |
^That's way better than I thought. I figured the cable cutting trend and starting the season this early would hurt the numbers. I can see TNF pulling some good numbers once people see it for the first time.
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^ Edm Wpg is surprisingly low but I guess the epic delays hurt viewership. I was at the game for the first half but I was asleep in bed when the second half started.
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Drew Edwards 3downnation June 21, 2018 Those numbers – and the early returns in 2018 – are good news for both the CFL and TSN as the industry deals with the seismic changes brought on by cord cutting that has seen as many as one in four people cancel their cable services. TSN recently announced a $24.99 a month streaming package that allows customers to watch the network online without a cable package for the first time. |
TSN to drastically ramp up “Live Mic” games
Justin Dunk 3downnation June 21, 2018 TSN “Live Mic” games are about to become a regular occurrence. According to sources, “Live Mic” games will begin in Week 3 and end in Week 20, the final slate of the 2018 regular season. Each team will participate in two home and two away “Live Mic” games. The reason for increased “Live Mic” games: they provide a ratings bump. There have been nearly 10 per cent more average viewers in CFL matchups featuring “Live Mics.” Both head coaches, starting quarterbacks and back-up quarterbacks from each team will wear the “Live Mics” with the focus being the team on offence. There will be a 10-second delay so CFL and TSN representatives can monitor any potential foul language and use the mute button if needed. TSN’s first ever “Live Mic” broadcast aired on Sunday, August 28, 2016, in a game between the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the Stamps won 30-24. “This Live Mic Broadcast is a next-level fan experience. Our viewers will feel like they’re standing right there in the huddle,” said Paul Graham, Vice-President and Executive Producer, Live Events, TSN in a statement when the progressive initiative was announced. There has been some pushback from the teams in regards to wearing the “Live Mics”, the CFL fined the Edmonton Eskimos and Jason Maas for refusing to wear the mics in an October 2016 game in Montreal. Four “Live Mic” games aired in 2016 but none in 2017. |
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Argos season ticket holders are also up to 6K. |
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This more closely lines up with their poor attendance and overall lack of interest/talk in Toronto. |
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