TV ratings

[Neely2005]

http://cfl.ca/article/cfl-on-tsn-and-rds-a-ratings-winner

TORONTO -- The Canadian Football League’s regular season on TSN and RDS continue to grow.

Regular season ratings for the CFL on TSN were up another 4.3 per cent in 2013, with an average of 703,000 Canadian viewers per game, making it the second most-watched season ever. Ratings on TSN and RDS combined were up 3.6 per cent, with an average of 758,000 viewers per game.

“We remain the number one summer sports property in Canada, and second only to hockey overall,” said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

“At a time when there are more sports than ever before on TV, and more entertainment alternatives than ever before, these high ratings are a testament to the power of the CFL brand and the love Canadians possess for our league.”

The CFL’s strong ratings performance features large gains in Southern Ontario, where ratings for games involving the Toronto Argonauts were up 26 per cent from last year, and 50 per cent from 2011, and ratings for games involving the Hamilton Tiger-cats were up 14 per cent from 2012, and 27 per cent from 2011. Related Links

One of the most watched games of the year featured the Hamilton Tiger-Cats hosting the Toronto Argonauts on Thanksgiving Monday: the television audience approached one million viewers, making it the most watched regular season game in the two teams’ decades-old rivalry.

Ratings for all CFL games are up 18 per cent from last year in Southern Ontario (what the rating agency calls the Toronto Extended Market, which includes Halton, Peel, Metro Toronto, York, Simcoe South, Durahm, Dufferin, Hamilton, Niagara and Haldimand.))

It will be interesting to see the CFL Playoff Ratings & Attendance.

[bluto]

Boom. CFL just released TV Ratings for the past year. Up 18% in Southern Ontario market. And there are those who say "Nobody is watching" lmao!

18% increase in S.Ontario

26% increase for Argo games

CFL kills every sport's ratings in Canada(save hockey)

[Will]

I think we can thank both the Argos are Ticats for both putting out good teams this year for this spike.

[ArgoRavi]

I think we can thank both the Argos are Ticats for both putting out good teams this year for this spike.

Yes, as much as we may all hate the Ticats, the reality is that the CFL needs two strong franchises in southern Ontario and that has been a rarity since the 1980s. The last time both teams had winning records in the same season was in 2004 and the last time that these two teams met in an Eastern Final was way back in 1986 when southern Ontario fans were treated to two games as part of a two-game total point series.

[paulwoods13]

But as Zelkovich correctly points out in his Yahoo column, giving a percentage increase without real numbers or direct comparison in this market is only part of the story. An 18% increase might or might not be a big deal. If 118 people watched and now 118 people watch, that's an 18% increase but it's not significant. If 100,000 people watched and now 118,000 watch, that's an 18% increase and it is significant.

[argotom]

But as Zelkovich correctly points out in his Yahoo column, giving a percentage increase without real numbers or direct comparison in this market is only part of the story. An 18% increase might or might not be a big deal. If 118 people watched and now 118 people watch, that's an 18% increase but it's not significant. If 100,000 people watched and now 118,000 watch, that's an 18% increase and it is significant.

I do not recall reading too many if at all positive articles from this Marty York clone. I will take that back as in fact, York was more positive.

[paulwoods13]

I do not recall reading too many if at all positive articles from this Marty York clone. I will take that back as in fact, York was more positive.

1. Zelkovich has written many, many columns extolling the high CFL ratings, so you are wrong on that point.

2. Why not address the substance of my point instead of attacking the reporter who raised the point? If you don't feel it's a valid point, make a case as to why not.

[Neely2005]

But as Zelkovich correctly points out in his Yahoo column, giving a percentage increase without real numbers or direct comparison in this market is only part of the story. An 18% increase might or might not be a big deal. If 118 people watched and now 118 people watch, that's an 18% increase but it's not significant. If 100,000 people watched and now 118,000 watch, that's an 18% increase and it is significant.

Well we already have the numbers from the Argonauts home opener which was against Hamilton:

RATINGS GAME

Here's a look at the ratings of Toronto sports teams on opening night this season, with networks and number of viewers.

Leafs CBC 2.3 million
Jays Sportsnet 1.4 mil
Argos TSN 673,000
Raptors TSN2 54,000

*television numbers come from network PR departments

http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/02...ries-this-week

[bluto]

I think we can thank both the Argos are Ticats for both putting out good teams this year for this spike.

Credit TSN too.

They have been doing a lot to rebuild the brand. It is obviously working, year on year.

[Argo57]

Credit TSN too.

They have been doing a lot to rebuild the brand. It is obviously working, year on year.

Agreed, TSN (except for Rod Black) do a great job with the CFL telecasts, slick production and very good in studio panel, switching to one network has worked out very well for the league!!

[ArgoRavi]

But as Zelkovich correctly points out in his Yahoo column, giving a percentage increase without real numbers or direct comparison in this market is only part of the story. An 18% increase might or might not be a big deal. If 118 people watched and now 118 people watch, that's an 18% increase but it's not significant. If 100,000 people watched and now 118,000 watch, that's an 18% increase and it is significant.

That is certainly a fair point, Paul. I guess tying this information to that which Mike Hogan provided about one or two games in September would lead one to believe that a significant number of people are watching in the GTA so I do think that the 18% figure is meaningful but it would be useful to see the complete numbers.

I do not recall reading too many if at all positive articles from this Marty York clone. I will take that back as in fact, York was more positive.

I must disagree with you, AT. Zelkovich makes a valid point about the percentages but then goes on to say that he used to see the raw numbers when he worked at the Star and, after seeing those, he believes that these increases are significant. Everything else about his column is quite positive. I have said this before but Zelkovich has been a CFL-booster for years and it was a shame that we lost him for a bit after he left the Star. It is great to be able to read his columns again on Yahoo.

[argotom]

I must disagree with you, AT. Zelkovich makes a valid point about the percentages but then goes on to say that he used to see the raw numbers when he worked at the Star and, after seeing those, he believes that these increases are significant. Everything else about his column is quite positive. I have said this before but Zelkovich has been a CFL-booster for years and it was a shame that we lost him for a bit after he left the Star. It is great to be able to read his columns again on Yahoo.

Fair point Ravi. However this is the same writer when he used to do the Media weekly watch in the Star and even now he still does not include the RDS numbers in the totals.

[Neely2005]

18% from what? Do they provide numbers for Southern Ontario?

CFL ratings up due to Southern Ontario:

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-...183017606.html

At an average of 703,000 viewers a game, the CFL stands second only to hockey as this country's most-watched sport. They're ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays' 540,000, a comparable number since the Jays generally play six games a week while the CFL offers up four.


Combined ratings on TSN and French-language RDS averaged 758,000 viewers per game, an increase of 3.6 per cent over 2012. The RDS numbers are down a tad, but considering how far the Montreal Alouettes have fallen there's no real surprise there.


But while overall ratings increases give the league something to crow about, that's not the real big news. The big news is that they're being driven by the most unlikely source of all: Southern Ontario. Ratings for games involving the Toronto Argonauts were up 26 per cent from last year while audiences for Hamilton (Guelph) Tiger-Cats games rose 14 per cent.
Ratings for all CFL games were up 18 per cent from last year in Southern Ontario and the Hamilton-Toronto clash on Thanksgiving Day drew the league's fourth-largest TV audience of the season with 956,000 viewers.

[T-Bone]

CFL ratings up due to Southern Ontario:

Thanks for posting that. I particularly liked this part:

The league won't supply actual audience numbers for what is known as the CFL's dead zone, which always makes the percentages a bit suspicious. For example, if 12 people watched lawnmower racing last year and 18 tuned in this year, that's a 50 per cent increase. So straight percentages don't really carry a lot of weight.

But I've seen actual Southern Ontario numbers in my previous incarnation and they're generally in line with NFL audiences and Blue Jays audiences -- so the increases are significant.

That's exactly why I asked the question you quoted. Percentages with out numbers are pretty meaningless. I didn't doubt the CFL numbers were good but again I would still like to see a break down of what the actual numbers are for Toronto and the GTA. This reminds of the 2012 Argos Town Hall when Rudge said season ticket sales were up something like 70%. That sounds impressive but when you actually think about it, that's probably not a good thing. There was going to be an obvious bump in season ticket sales due to us hosting the 100th Grey Cup. What I would like to know is out of that 70% how many actually kept the season tickets for this year? Also if it was a 70% increase how low was season ticket holder number to start with in 2011?

[Neely2005]

Thanks for posting that. I particularly liked this part:


That's exactly why I asked the question you quoted. Percentages with out numbers are pretty meaningless. I didn't doubt the CFL numbers were good but again I would still like to see a break down of what the actual numbers are for Toronto and the GTA. This reminds of the 2012 Argos Town Hall when Rudge said season ticket sales were up something like 70%. That sounds impressive but when you actually think about it, that's probably not a good thing. There was going to be an obvious bump in season ticket sales due to us hosting the 100th Grey Cup. What I would like to know is out of that 70% how many actually kept the season tickets for this year? Also if it was a 70% increase how low was season ticket holder number to start with in 2011?

But they do provide actual numbers:

At an average of 703,000 viewers a game, the CFL stands second only to hockey as this country's most-watched sport. They're ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays' 540,000, a comparable number since the Jays generally play six games a week while the CFL offers up four.


Combined ratings on TSN and French-language RDS averaged 758,000 viewers per game, an increase of 3.6 per cent over 2012. The RDS numbers are down a tad, but considering how far the Montreal Alouettes have fallen there's no real surprise there.


But while overall ratings increases give the league something to crow about, that's not the real big news. The big news is that they're being driven by the most unlikely source of all: Southern Ontario. Ratings for games involving the Toronto Argonauts were up 26 per cent from last year while audiences for Hamilton (Guelph) Tiger-Cats games rose 14 per cent.
Ratings for all CFL games were up 18 per cent from last year in Southern Ontario and the Hamilton-Toronto clash on Thanksgiving Day drew the league's fourth-largest TV audience of the season with 956,000 viewers.

So if we know what the Current Ratings are and we know what the % Increase is then we can do some simple math to figure out what they were last year.

And any increase (in Ratings or Attendance) is better than a decrease.

[T-Bone]

But they do provide actual numbers:

Those are nationwide numbers are they not?

any increase (in Ratings or Attendance) is better than a decrease.

I don't disagree.

[Neely2005]

Those are nationwide numbers are they not?


I don't disagree.

Ah yes, good point. He does say this though:

The league won't supply actual audience numbers for what is known as the CFL's dead zone, which always makes the percentages a bit suspicious. For example, if 12 people watched lawnmower racing last year and 18 tuned in this year, that's a 50 per cent increase. So straight percentages don't really carry a lot of weight.


But I've seen actual Southern Ontario numbers in my previous incarnation and they're generally in line with NFL audiences and Blue Jays audiences -- so the increases are significant.


In some ways it's obvious why ratings are up in Southern Ontario. After years of providing putrid to mediocre football, the Argos are putting an entertaining, winning team on the field. That certainly fuels TV ratings.

[Mulder]

Do that math.

I think Mike Hogan tweeted that GTA had a 1.9 share for one of the games in the GTA market.

Means 1.9% of all TV's in were tuned in.

Here's where things get tricky, Is that share of the GTA market? or was that broken down from the national number of TV's?

Let's do both.
There is almost 2 million dwellings in the GTA. Lets assume that half don't have TV's (at a low low estimate.)

That means that 1m X .019 = 19,000 people were watching the game in GTA Market.

However, that 1.9 could be the percentage of the bigger share.

According to the CRTC 12.63m households subscribe to cable/TV service.

So the other part of that number could be 12.63 x .019 = 239,970

Explanation. If the game got a national share of 6.3, and 1.9 of that was in the GTA. We arrive at the number above.

However, if that share is just of the GTA region, we arrive at a much lower number. However I believe whenever they are describing share, you divide by national number of households.

So the answer is somewhere between 19,000 and 240,000.

If someone has a better explanation go ahead.

[T-Bone]

He does say this though:

I know. That's why I said:

I particularly liked this part:

And quoted the same part you just quoted and bolded.

Thanks for that breakdown Mulder. I didn't see Mike Hogan's tweet.

[Mulder]

I know. That's why I said:


And quoted the same part you just quoted and bolded.

Thanks for that breakdown Mulder. I didn't see Mike Hogan's tweet.

The above doesn't give viewership numbers. It just gives the amount of TV's tuned in. 240,000 TV's tuned in could mean 50,000 in viewership.