2017 CFL Season

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Horus

It's worth noting that you could replace "BC Place" with "SkyDome" in that sentence and you have the exact same sentiment that was in Toronto from about 1999-2015

If you look at the chart on the previous page, the Argo attendance from 2004-2010 wasn't bad. They'd kill for that now.

[25grapes]

BC PLace is a world class facility but if you listen to what organisations are trying to focus on / incorporate into their new buildings such as communal areas for fans to congregate before the game outside the stadium and during the game inside the stadium, BC Place has really nothing to offer. There's no real point to this discussion as BC Place is what they have and they need to figure out how to make it work.

Braley addressing the fans is a start but unless he puts his wallet where is mouth is there is no reason to expect any better next year. By far the two worst teams in the league (Montreal and BC, you could include Hamilton) all need to beef up upper management and football personnel.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by elly63

If you look at the chart on the previous page, the Argo attendance from 2004-2010 wasn't bad. They'd kill for that now.

True, attendance in that era looks much better now, relative to the current situation. However, all of those criticisms existed then and were used for (and against) the attendance numbers for Argo games in that time period.

SkyDome also uniquely produced the excuse of bad scheduling due to their shared stadium situation.

Too bad there's no blueprint out of the Toronto situation for BC to follow to address many of the same perceived issues.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by 25grapes

Braley addressing the fans is a start but unless he puts his wallet where is mouth is there is no reason to expect any better next year. By far the two worst teams in the league (Montreal and BC, you could include Hamilton) all need to beef up upper management and football personnel.

BC at least has Wally Buono... even if he's past his prime he's still better than 99% of the talent out there and he can keep things going in the right direction over the long term.

Montreal though, good grief. They brought back the worst GM in CFL history, Joe Mack. I mean, I'd sooner have the Bombers go to a system where they let a chimp make decisions by pressing lit-up YES/NO buttons than let Joe Mack anywhere near the Bomber offices again. The Alouettes seem like a completely rudderless ship adrift at sea.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by elly63

If you look at the chart on the previous page, the Argo attendance from 2004-2010 wasn't bad. They'd kill for that now.

No one really knows what ticket revenue was then or now. That’s more the issue than announced attendance figures. It’s certainly true, though, that it was easier to go to a game at SkyDome even if the BMao experience is light-years better. And just in general it seems to me that gridlock is growing in this city so rapidly that all kinds of downtown activities are going to be a tougher sell for the great majority of GTA people who don’t live in Toronto.

[GlassCity]

I'll never understand the idea that the best stadium in the country is the reason for attendance woes.

It's all about marketing. If the issue was the stadium, people would still be watching at home or packing bars for games. There is ambivalence towards the Lions as a whole, and that goes far beyond that stadium allowing for too many people or the lack of a big area where you can't sit down.

[esquire]

Mayor of Edmonton says the Eskimos should change their name:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/edmonton-eskimos-name-change-don-iveson-1.4395218

Personally, I agree. As I've said for the last couple of years, we all know the Eskimos will eventually change their team name. Why not get in front of the issue and be the good guy instead of dragging it out?

[25grapes]

Personally I don't care either way with the Eskimos. It doesn't feel like a slur to me, but then again I'm not an Inuit so take that for what it's worth. It would be very "the new progressive CFL" to make the change and I would support it. The professional teams I feel that should make a change immediately are the Redskins and the Indians, specifically the Indians logo.

I'm sure it's the case every year but man does there ever appear to be some key injuries this post season for every team.

[elly63]

#TBT to the 1976 Grey Cup, The Last Time Saskatchewan & Ottawa Met In The Playoffs
Max Rosenberg THE SNAP cfl.ca

It’s been a while, but for the first time since 1976 Saskatchewan will have a chance to get some playoff revenge against the city of Ottawa for their defeat in the 64th Grey Cup game.

Yup, to find the last time these two teams played in the playoffs you have to go all the way back to the 64th Grey Cup game in 1976 when the Ottawa Rough Riders defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

(Insert joke about two teams with the same name here).

Held at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, the final score of 23-20 is considered one of the most exciting games in Grey Cup history. Tony Gabriel was named the Most Valuable Canadian in the game while Tom Clements and Cleveland Vann were named Most Valuable Players on Offence and Defence.

Every point in this Grey Cup was scored by a Canadian Player and was the last Grey Cup for the Ottawa franchise…that is… until 2016… and we all know that story.

This Grey Cup is most famously known for what is simply called, “The Catch”.

• Video Link

Fitting that we’d be reminded of “The Catch” in what many have called… The Year of the Catch in the CFL.

Well, the rematch is finally here and for the sake of the broadcasters, it’s not Rough Riders vs Roughriders but REDBLACKS vs Roughriders!

Who you got on Sunday?

[elly63]

^Funny, back then I loved Saskatchewan and hated the Riders, now, for me, it's the opposite. Well, I still like the Riders but I don't like the coach and some of the players. They lost me when the CAF disbanded.

[cjones2451]

Looks like some decent crowds for the Semi Final games

Ottawa - 1200 tix left so it will be 24,000+, would have been nice to sell the temp seats and have 30K but still a good crowd

Winnipeg - just passed 26500 tix sold, so hopefully they can get it to over 30K. Sell out may be optimistic, but weather looks sunny and just below freezing

Finals will be interesting

Calgary had 32K last year vs BC, forecast says partly sunny and -4

Toronto - who knows, can they draw more than 20K? Weather says rain, but that is too far out. TFC doesn't play before then, games is at 1p and the Raptors play at home at 3:30p, and the NFL is on. Bills are not at home....Ticket prices look reasonable and the Argos are a GOOD team, but it is a 🞵🞵🞵🞵 shoot TBH

[GernB]

Originally Posted by 25grapes

Personally I don't care either way with the Eskimos. It doesn't feel like a slur to me, but then again I'm not an Inuit so take that for what it's worth. It would be very "the new progressive CFL" to make the change and I would support it. The professional teams I feel that should make a change immediately are the Redskins and the Indians, specifically the Indians logo.

I'm sure it's the case every year but man does there ever appear to be some key injuries this post season for every team.

I'm ok with the Indians' name, (no worse than Boston Celtics or ND Fighting Irish IMO) but the logo definitely could and should be changed. The Redskins.....what can one say? Just plain wrong.

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by cjones2451

Toronto - who knows, can they draw more than 20K? Weather says rain, but that is too far out. TFC doesn't play before then, games is at 1p and the Raptors play at home at 3:30p, and the NFL is on. Bills are not at home....Ticket prices look reasonable and the Argos are a GOOD team, but it is a 🞵🞵🞵🞵 shoot TBH

They've learned from mistakes made last year and priced tickets competitively. I bought 4 tickets and bringing 1 guy who's only ever gone to CFL once in his life. His parents are American so was brought up with 4 down football. His first experience with CFL was at a Grey Cup party (Riders vs Alouettes) and he had a great time. It prompted him to attend an actual game but it was an awful experience. The atmosphere at Skydome was non-existent. That was about 8 years ago and he hasn't been back since.

I'm hoping his 2nd try with the CFL will help redeem the league in his eyes a little. If it does it augers well for the long term efforts to bring back fans. He's very representative of the type of fan the Argonauts would love to win over: a monied middle aged white collar professional. Making the CFL relevant again in Toronto will be a 15-20 year project. They'll have to do it one new fan at a time.

[lrt's friend]

I'm going to the RedBlacks game on Sunday. Forecast is +4 and dry. Hopefully an exciting game.

[craner]

Playoff time baby !!

Not going to admit who I'm cheering for but being a Stamps fan lets just say I have an aversion to green football teams.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by craner

Playoff time baby !!

Not going to admit who I'm cheering for but being a Stamps fan lets just say I have an aversion to green football teams.

I'm going for Ottawa and Winnipeg which means that Sask and Edm will likely go through.

[lrt's friend]

Beautiful afternoon for football in Ottawa. Unfortunately, it was perhaps their worst performance this season. The RedBlacks are done.

[Andy6]

Hmmph! That did NOT have to happen!!!

Nothing worse than losing to smirking Edmonton sports teams.

Go Bo!

[elly63]

Originally Posted by elly63

I'm going for Ottawa and Winnipeg which means that Sask and Edm will likely go through.

If you wanna make money bet against who I'm cheering for. But when the money's on the line my heart doesn't come into it.

[DLLB]

Typical Bumbers. Losers!