2015 Grey Cup Tickets

[Gill The Thrill]

Surfed into the 2015 Grey Cup Winnipeg site and noticed the ticket prices. $199 to sit in the back of the endzone on portable stands in Winnipeg on November 29. That's a tough sell with no announced halftime act, but even then, a halftime show is what 20-25 minutes. No wonder I'm seeing so many commercials advertising this Grey Cup game. That's also an outrageous 40% increase from lowest ticket price at Rogers Centre JUST 3 years ago when the cheapest seat was $125. Just when I think I would pay to watch a Grey Cup Game at a listed selling price, they (CFL) keep over-reaching from their fans in pricing this game.

Good luck selling out the game in Winnipeg. I don't think they will sell it out at these prices in Winnipeg. Perhaps Montreal, Vancouver and Toronto, as they are domed stadiums in larger cities that have plenty to do, but with all respect Winnipeg is not the most desired of Canadian cities to visit based on reputation, especially in the late fall and winter. It's also far and expensive to travel to for every Eastern city, and is not exactly a quick jaunt for any western team expect Saskatchewan fans living near Regina. Neither the Bombers or Riders look like they'll be in the playoffs, let alone the Grey Cup game so their goes that sellout. At these prices local football fans may not fill the entire stadium if their team is not in because of cost and fans of other teams may not make the lengthy trip because of cost.

[Argo57]

I'll save the cash, stay warm in the comforts of home and enjoy on the big screen.
Home theatre is the biggest competition that any league faces these days.

[1argoholic]

We're skipping Winnipeg this year as we're attempting to save some coin. When will we know about TO, Ottawa or Hamilton as future hosts.

[ArgoRavi]

We're skipping Winnipeg this year as we're attempting to save some coin. When will we know about TO, Ottawa or Hamilton as future hosts.

I am surprised that the announcement about Toronto hosting in 2016 hasn't been made yet but it should be coming very soon. We are only 15 months away from that Grey Cup after all.

[paulwoods13]

May be a gentlemen's agreement not to talk about 2016 until the tough-sell 2015 game is closer to a sellout.

[Argo57]

May be a gentlemen's agreement not to talk about 2016 until the tough-sell 2015 game is closer to a sellout.

Any trip to the Peg would be considered a "tough sell".

[argonaut11xx]

Any trip to the Peg would be considered a "tough sell".

I agree if your speaking about folks who need to travel, however, the locals should be grabbing the tickets for the 1st Grey Cup in the new stadium.

[Rocket]

I

May be a gentlemen's agreement not to talk about 2016 until the tough-sell 2015 game is closer to a sellout.

It might be to that the new Argo owners are not to motivated with owning and running the Argos as a professional football team and want to keep it as status quo from the previous ownership group. I am just waiting now how the Argos are going to come out to the media next year and tell them how the blue jays playoff run took all of there attention away and how they couldn't sell any season tickets and single game tickets for next year at bmo field. Never mind that the Argos have done absolutely nothing to promote that this is the final year at skydome and how you can be the first to purchase seasons at bmo next year.

[T-Bone]

Pure speculation but at this point I'm thinking maybe the new Argos owners are waiting on Winter Classic info. If they get it, it makes sense to put up temporary stands at BMO Field for Grey Cup and leave them up for the Winter Classic reducing costs. Or maybe they're marketing for BMO Field season tickets next year will use the Grey Cup as incentive and they are waiting to get the ball rolling on that.

[Argo57]

I agree if your speaking about folks who need to travel, however, the locals should be grabbing the tickets for the 1st Grey Cup in the new stadium.

That's true, however with the Bombers struggling their motivation to purchase tickets may not be that high.

[T-Bone]

Investors Group Field is 70% sold out for the 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw. DETAILS >> http://t.co/qwaxqRM3C6 pic.twitter.com/83Y4gpRocH

— Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) August 21, 2015

[AngeloV]

I made a decision a few years ago to not go to any more Grey Cup games, even if it is in Toronto (I didn't go to 2012). I would prefer to get together with 3 or 4 friends and watch on TV, between us saving about a $1,000 on tickets alone.

[Gill The Thrill]

Investors Group Field is 70% sold out for the 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw. DETAILS >> http://t.co/qwaxqRM3C6 pic.twitter.com/83Y4gpRocH

— Blue Bombers (@Wpg_BlueBombers) August 21, 2015

Nice spin on that from Jeffrey Orridge and the Winnipeg organizing committee. I wonder if they read this thread? As if deciding to put the stage on an endzone had nothing to do with the slow ticket sales to date. This year's Grey Cup was announced as having a capacity of 41,000. I guess that's better publicity than reducing ticket prices, especially behind the endzones, but now the expectation has been clearly lowered and is that necessarily better. The article states the elimination of those seats will cost the organizing committee a potential $800,000 in ticket sales, and has made this the smallest capacity for a Grey Cup since 1975 when McMahon Stadium's capacity for that game was under 35,000. This game's capacity will now be under 37,000. They may say 70% of the tickets are now sold, but in reality it's 63% of the originally planned seats available. It can't just be the cold weather as 52,000 seats were sold the first time Winnipeg hosted the game in their old stadium back in 1991.

A mixed start for the Orridge era, attendance across the league appears to be down, except for Hamilton because they were playing in Guelph to start last season, and now this news regarding the Grey Cup. Perhaps the bottom line may be higher as the league looks to have raised ticket prices across the board, which may be acceptable in some markets, but definitely not in all.