Realistic Crowd Estimate for EF ?

[argotom]

In fairness it is still early in the week.
With the two lower bowls at around 33k capacity, yes the 500 has to be opened up to get our objective.

[ArgoRavi]

As Ron alluded to, semi-final playoff games have been notoriously tough sells over the years. Even in the NFL and NHL, it can be challenging to sell all of the tickets for an early round playoff game. In the CFL, divisional finals tend to be much easier sells and we will see if that holds true this year. Calgary will likely sell out their game at 35k+. One advantage that teams hosting divisional final games have is that they have at least one extra week to peddle tickets. In the case of both Calgary and Toronto, they will have had more than three weeks to sell tickets for this game.

[matchuk]

im going to say 32,000 for sunday

[argotom]

The problems I can tell you we are going to have on Sunday and this is not an excuse will be travel wise.
I usually do drive to the game and park near the dome, however there is no chance of this happening.
Sunday afternoon will be the big Santa Claus parade and most downtown streets will be blocked off for traffic, it will be a nightmare.
So subways and GO train is the only way I am afraid.

[argotom]

Re my post above, this is another reason for the Argo stadium to be built away from the downtown and in the burbs near the highways.

[AngeloV]

The problems I can tell you we are going to have on Sunday and this is not an excuse will be travel wise.
I usually do drive to the game and park near the dome, however there is no chance of this happening.
Sunday afternoon will be the big Santa Claus parade and most downtown streets will be blocked off for traffic, it will be a nightmare.
So subways and GO train is the only way I am afraid.

I plan on driving. My route is going to be to take the DVP to the Gardner and exit at Sherbourne. Go north to the first light (Esplanade) and turn left. On the Esplanade there is a huge Green P parking lot (5 levels) that runs from Jarvis to almost Yonge. Parking max is $9 if you exit before 6 (if you stay past 6, then it is an additional $5 max). Not too long a walk to the dome, and the parade will not interfere with your drive down on this route.

Parade starts at 12:30 at Christie Pitts and ends at Wellington/Front and Jarvis, likely while the game is still being played.

[T-Bone]

Re my post above, this is another reason for the Argo stadium to be built away from the downtown and in the burbs near the highways.

The highways are unaffected by the Santa Claus parade. http://www.thesantaclausparade.com/ I would argue that the parade affects people in Toronto going to the game more so than those coming from outside Toronto.

[Rich]

The fact that the Argos won the GC also didn't help -- we already had the biggest GC and our team won; what else is there to cheer for, time to move on to other things, etc.

Ah, the morning-after syndrome. People lose interest after the team finally wins the championship. Never was this more true for the Argos than in 1984, eh Paul?

But what's up with that? Is it a Toronto thing? Did we lose interest in the Blue Jays after they won TWO? Why not MORE interest after you win?

This is worth a thread of its own. Or maybe a book.

[Rich]

We can only get to 40000 if they open the Upper Bowl. As of right now they're not going to do that.

For what it's worth, the guy running a beer stand told me last week that all the concessions in the upper deck were told they'd be working the Eastern Final. He said ticket sales were apparently pretty good already last week. I'm guessing they are already selling group sales up in the 500s.

I think 40,000 is definitely possible.

[argotom]

I plan on driving. My route is going to be to take the DVP to the Gardner and exit at Sherbourne. Go north to the first light (Esplanade) and turn left. On the Esplanade there is a huge Green P parking lot (5 levels) that runs from Jarvis to almost Yonge. Parking max is $9 if you exit before 6 (if you stay past 6, then it is an additional $5 max). Not too long a walk to the dome, and the parade will not interfere with your drive down on this route.

Parade starts at 12:30 at Christie Pitts and ends at Wellington/Front and Jarvis, likely while the game is still being played.

I thought about driving this route as well, but it's the parking spots or lack thereof that I am worried about.

[Neely2005]

The problems I can tell you we are going to have on Sunday and this is not an excuse will be travel wise.
I usually do drive to the game and park near the dome, however there is no chance of this happening.
Sunday afternoon will be the big Santa Claus parade and most downtown streets will be blocked off for traffic, it will be a nightmare.
So subways and GO train is the only way I am afraid.

Raptors home game at 1PM too.

[ArgoZ]

In fairness it is still early in the week.
With the two lower bowls at around 33k capacity, yes the 500 has to be opened up to get our objective.

Lower capacity used to be 32 before Rogers removed a few rows of seats near the concourse. It's just over 31 now including endzone seating and handicap seating all around the 100 level.

[ArgoZ]

Raptors home game at 1PM too.

Which sucks for the Go Train. Leaving the Argos game to find the trains already jammed with Raps or Leafs fans is a bummer. With the Raps, Argos and the currently popular Aquarium, there could be 60 thousand people trying to park, ride the subway and ride the Go this Sunday!

[Argo57]

33500 in attendance, I have purchased 5 tickets for this game, hopefully some "casual" Argonaut fans buy some tickets for this one, would be nice to outnumber Ticat fans at our own "home" game!!

[LLB997]

33500 in attendance, I have purchased 5 tickets for this game, hopefully some "casual" Argonaut fans buy some tickets for this one, would be nice to outnumber Ticat fans at our own "home" game!!

nice, way to do your part brother. have a great time. Lee

[Argo57]

nice, way to do your part brother. have a great time. Lee

Thanks Lee
I'll let you know by about 4:00pm whether it was a great time or not, one can only hope.
Asking all my fellow Argofans, is it just me or are you all getting antsy to get this game going as well??

[jerrym]

My guesstimate on the attendance is 36,000.

[flafson]

Looks like Hamilton is working hard at it, the away side of the stadium looks full while the home side only looks about 80%.

[mint83]

Too bad the parade and Raptors game are on the same day as the EF. Without those events going on, I think there is a chance this game would have got fans attention and made them want to buy up tickets like the 91 EF, 04 SF or 05 EF did (ya, I’m going way back in time). I think Argo fans should drive to their nearest subway station or a station closer in to the dome to get to the game. Subway isn’t so bad(?). Go all the way on public transportation and you can even have some drinks at the game worry free.

[ArgoRavi]

Here is an update on brisk ticket sales from Frank Zicarelli: http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/11...ton-tiger-cats