The Great Canadian Sports Attendance, Marketing and TV Ratings Thread

[Denscity]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I'll look into it. I was tracking the Can-Am league earlier this season but I found the attendance numbers were either rounded (a bad sign) or missing altogether. I'll look into Vancouver's numbers to see if they're reliable.

Ya they broke another attendance record this year and are the only MLB affiliated baseball team in Canada (Blue Jays).

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I'll be impressed if they're top 10 next season. Their monthly average has been dropping by the month this season. Middle of summer was roughly high 40Ks with August being high 30Ks. I can't imagine September looks much better. A slow start to next season's numbers would almost certainly rule out top 5 from the get-go.

Now we are out of the running what else would you expect? That being said they still have higher numbers then teams that are in the running. Last weekends game in Baltimore the stands were empty and the Oriels are in a playoff race. As for them not filling the seats next year as much that is just laughable. It will take more then one bad season to kill the momentum and the popularity of the sport in Toronto now. People that think that way are probably typical bandwagon fans who need a winning team to enjoy a sport.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Now we are out of the running what else would you expect?

For Jays attendance to decrease, as it has been through the course of this summer.

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

That being said they still have higher numbers then teams that are in the running.

Teams like the Cubs (6th in overall attendance this season) and the Red Sox (9th) play in slightly smaller ballparks than Toronto. Rogers Centre (~49K) is larger than both Wrigley (41K) and Fenway (37K). Despite these capacity differences the Cubs still had a higher August attendance than Toronto:

August home game attendances:
Toronto: 39,543
Chi. Cubs: 39,637

So yes, their season numbers are higher, but only for now. The Cubs will likely pass the Jays for 5th by year-end.

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Last weekends game in Baltimore the stands were empty and the Oriels are in a playoff race.

Indeed. These issues are recent. Here's a quote from the Baltimore Sun:

Originally Posted by Baltimore Sun

Everyone seems to have a different theory as to why — increased ticket prices, oppressive heat this summer, fan complacency after five years of winning and some people feeling uneasy about coming downtown in the wake of last year’s civil unrest after Freddie Gray died.

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

As for them not filling the seats next year as much that is just laughable.

Blue Jays yearly attendance, by season:
2007: 29,144
2008: 29,627
2009: 23,162
2010: 19,173
2011: 22,446
2012: 25,922
2013: 31,316
2014: 29,327
2015: 34,505
2016: 41,878
2017: 39,997 (As of September 6th)

Blue Jays monthly home attendance, 2017:
April: 37,990
May: 37,253
June: 41,852
July: 43,678
August: 39,543

It tooks the Jays roughly five years to halve their attendance after winning their last World Series in 1993, and this time around they only have two ALCS appearances to hang their hats on as opposed to two WS. I'm with you in thinking that the Jays have enough traction to keep crowds up higher than they were in the dark days of the early 2000s, but I think it's overly optimistic to believe the Jays will be pulling 40K+/game next year, which is what would be required to remain top five in the MLB. It takes about ~32K average to be top ten in the MLB and I think the Jays will float somewhere around there if the team continues trending the way it has been. 35K might be a good goal if the team continues the downward trend it may have started this season.

But who knows? Maybe they come out strong next year and lead the AL into the All-Star Break. It's all speculative at this point.

[elly63]

Marketing or dirty pool

Riders put up billboard on main street to Bombers stadium
3Down Staff http://3downnation.com September 7, 2017

The Roughriders have put up a billboard that reads “Celebrate Saskatchewan Day Sep 9” along Pembina Highway in Winnipeg.



It’s the main thoroughfare that gets fans to Investor’s Group Field, the Bombers’ home stadium in the Manitoba capital.

Saskatchewan won the Labour Day classic decisively in front of a sold-out crowd at new Mosaic Stadium. The Banjo Bowl has sold-out – it should be a great atmosphere on Saturday

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by elly63

Saskatchewan won the Labour Day classic decisively in front of a sold-out crowd at new Mosaic Stadium. The Banjo Bowl has sold-out – it should be a great atmosphere on Saturday

Now if only TSN in Toronto would televise it instead of car racing and tennis.

[osmo]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Now if only TSN in Toronto would televise it instead of car racing and tennis.

???

TSN is not carrying the game at all?

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by isaidso

Now if only TSN in Toronto would televise it instead of car racing and tennis.

Just spent some time at a bar in North Toronto.

TVs:
US Open Tennis, Women's Final
Jays v Tigers
College Football: PITT/Penn State
NFL Football: Kansas City/New England (from Thursday)

This isn't overy indicative of Toronto, but yeah. I did catch some curling last night that was on late next to Lions/Als

[ScreamingViking]

TSN is carrying all three CFL games today. The first two have been on 3 of TSN's feeds and the third game is scheduled to be.

[isaidso]

^^ Those are TSN's secondary channels. One has to pay more to get those. CFL should take precedence over practically any other sporting event; especially ones from another country. I follow tennis, but it belonged on the secondary channel not TSN's primary channel. They often have it ass backwards.

Even Raptors playoff games get booted to those secondary channels in favour of things like NASCAR or US beach volleyball. Am I still living in Canada?

Originally Posted by osmo

???

TSN is not carrying the game at all?

Nope. They televised the US Open women's final. It's a big event but I bet more Canadians would have tuned into the Banjo Bowl. It's one of the biggest games of the year. I can watch lots of NFL and NCAA football on my tv but not a single football game from Canada. This is the rule rather than the exception. Right now my only choice is Notre Dame vs Georgia, Oklahoma vs Ohio State, or Stanford vs USC. It's ridiculous.

I shouldn't have to pay extra to get domestic programming. I should have to pay extra to get foreign programming.

[Acajack]

That's odd. Here if you have TSN all four channels are automatically included. This is true of Videotron and Bell Fibe.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Acajack

That's odd. Here if you have TSN all four channels are automatically included. This is true of Videotron and Bell Fibe.

Same for me.

There are basic packages from my provider that don't have TSN at all, but if you're paying for one that includes it or have added sports to your basic offering, you get them all.

[mistercorporate]

TFC had 29,050 in attendance at the game today with 6 games left before playoffs begin. Well on track for another year of record attendance for the club.

Also clinched a playoff berth and the Supporter's Shield is pretty much in the bag. Well positioned to win it all this year!

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Same for me.

There are basic packages from my provider that don't have TSN at all, but if you're paying for one that includes it or have added sports to your basic offering, you get them all.

I'm not sure what's happening with mine then. Basic cable is part of my condo fee so I never negotiated it with a cable provider. The CFL used to have all their games available for free over the internet so I just watched that way if the game wasn't on TSN. The CFL got rid of it a few season's ago.

I've often set aside an afternoon to watch a big game at home only to find out that my TSN channel isn't showing it.

[lrt's friend]

Every CFL game is on TSN. I don't know how you get a TSN channel that doesn't.

[osmo]

Originally Posted by isaidso

^^ Those are TSN's secondary channels. One has to pay more to get those. CFL should take precedence over practically any other sporting event; especially ones from another country. I follow tennis, but it belonged on the secondary channel not TSN's primary channel. They often have it ass backwards.

Even Raptors playoff games get booted to those secondary channels in favour of things like NASCAR or US beach volleyball. Am I still living in Canada?



Nope. They televised the US Open women's final. It's a big event but I bet more Canadians would have tuned into the Banjo Bowl. It's one of the biggest games of the year. I can watch lots of NFL and NCAA football on my tv but not a single football game from Canada. This is the rule rather than the exception. Right now my only choice is Notre Dame vs Georgia, Oklahoma vs Ohio State, or Stanford vs USC. It's ridiculous.

I shouldn't have to pay extra to get domestic programming. I should have to pay extra to get foreign programming.

Likely a case of the "Thrifty Sports Network". TSN pays money for a CFL but my guess, is that just for the few weeks of the US Open they payed a hefty million and more to broadcast it.

I also agree that the US Open tennis take presence as it is the final. It is a major final of the sport. If it was some random NASCAR race then I would scratch my head.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by isaidso

I'm not sure what's happening with mine then. Basic cable is part of my condo fee so I never negotiated it with a cable provider. The CFL used to have all their games available for free over the internet so I just watched that way if the game wasn't on TSN. The CFL got rid of it a few season's ago.

I don't remember the CFL ever streaming games in Canada, they couldn't if they had a TV contract with TSN or anybody else. (For some reason that rings a bell however, but I can't think what)

Are you thinking of live streaming on TSN? They still do, all 5 channels. If you have a TSN sub (or know someone who does) and have a user/pass to the cable outlet where you pay your bill, you've got it.

If you're getting it through your renter and can't get a user/pass just ask a friend or relative.

http://www.tsn.ca/live#/TSN1

[elly63]

Originally Posted by osmo

Likely a case of the "Thrifty Sports Network". TSN pays money for a CFL but my guess, is that just for the few weeks of the US Open they payed a hefty million and more to broadcast it.

It doesn't necessarily have to be big money. Is it going to bring in big numbers? Are there other competitors bidding, there are many factors that go into how much will be paid. TSN is not competing with an American network they are bidding to get the rights to broadcast in Canada.

When the IOC awards their rights for bidding they might get 1 billion from the USA and 300,000 from Rwanda, it's not a level playing field.

So even though it is a high profile event, that may or may not bring in big numbers, TSN may or may not have paid big money to get the rights. If they are "thrifty", as you say, they are not going to pay big money for something nobody is gonna watch.

Believe it or not, there was a time in this country when nobody gave a shit about the Super Bore.

[osmo]

Originally Posted by elly63

It doesn't necessarily have to be big money. Is it going to bring in big numbers? Are there other competitors bidding, there are many factors that go into how much will be paid. TSN is not competing with an American network they are bidding to get the rights to broadcast in Canada.

When the IOC awards their rights for bidding they might get 1 billion from the USA and 300,000 from Rwanda, it's not a level playing field.

So even though it is a high profile event, that may or may not bring in big numbers, TSN may or may not have paid big money to get the rights. If they are "thrifty", as you say, they are not going to pay big money for something nobody is gonna watch.

Believe it or not, there was a time in this country when nobody gave a shit about the Super Bore.

Sportsnet has been making a push on Tennis taking low hanging fruit like the Davis Cup. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a bidding war for Grand Slam tennis when in other years nobody cared. If TSN had to "overpay" for the rights they would be more inclined to try and squeeze money out of it.

Also, networks don't make money on viewers, they make money on advertising and the type of companies or products that gravitate towards tennis are different then CFL football. You would squeeze out more money from these companies by promising the important matches are on the flagship.

In don't see it as an issue, a regular season game is not on the level of a Grand Slam final even if it gets more viewers. If TSN was smart they would do what CBS does and make sure that football and tennis don't overlap.

[Mla]

UFC 215 in Edmonton last night. I think something around 16,000 in attendance.

[Acajack]

Will not spout bush league rhetoric but did anyone see the field at the LA Rams game today?

Holy crap - and I mean crap.

If BMO looked like that for a TFC game the red patch gang would blow up the CN Tower.