Grey Cup 103 averages 4.3 million viewers

[R.J]

Hey, it's a start. #GreyCup attracts TV audience of 4.3 million, up from 4.1 million last year. #CFL

— Kirk Penton (@PentonKirk) November 30, 2015

http://www.tsn.ca/grey-cup-grows-to-...d-rds-1.402242

Canada's biggest party, the Grey Cup, continues to be one of the biggest events on Canadian television, growing 6% compared to last year according to preliminary overnight data from Numeris. An average audience of 4.3 million viewers tuned in to TSN and RDS to watch the Edmonton Eskimos win a hotly-contested clash with the Ottawa Redblacks in last night's 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw.
Overall, 9.7 million unique viewers, or nearly 30% of the entire Canadian population, watched some or all of the 2015 CFL championship game on TSN and RDS.
Audiences for the 103rd Grey Cup presented by Shaw peaked at 5.5 million viewers late in the game as Edmonton scored a clutch goal line touchdown to take the lead for good in the fourth quarter.

Grey Cup numbers over the last few years.
2015 - 4.3 million
2014 - 4.1 million
2013 - 4.5 million
2012 - 5.8 million
2011 - 4.6 million
2010 - 6.04 million
2009 - 6.1 million
2008 - 3.654 million (old ratings system, no people meters)

[Wobbler]

Could be better, could be worse. If the success of the 2012 GC was because it was in Toronto, we should expect a nice uptick next year.

[AngeloV]

Could be better, could be worse. If the success of the 2012 GC was because it was in Toronto, we should expect a nice uptick next year.

I think the success was more because it was the 100th, than the fact it was in Toronto. That milestone event was really marketed well.

[R.J]

2012 saw a 38% jump in the 18-34 demo and 3.6 million viewers came from the Toronto extended market, which is basically the Golden Horseshoe.

[Ballstothewall]

http://www.tsn.ca/grey-cup-grows-to-...d-rds-1.402242
Gee Bobcat won't like this

[Rocket]

Hey, it's a start. #GreyCup attracts TV audience of 4.3 million, up from 4.1 million last year. #CFL

— Kirk Penton (@PentonKirk) November 30, 2015

http://www.tsn.ca/grey-cup-grows-to-...d-rds-1.402242


Grey Cup numbers over the last few years.
2015 - 4.3 million
2014 - 4.1 million
2013 - 4.5 million
2012 - 5.8 million
2011 - 4.6 million
2010 - 6.04 million
2009 - 6.1 million
2008 - 3.654 million (old ratings system, no people meters)

Not to bad numbers for last nights grey cup. Was expecting the numbers to have been really low surprised that they got it to 4.3 million. Not to many positive things happened in the cfl this year but I would consider this to be one. Good job by tsn covering the game as well they to were god awful all through out the year nice to see they pulled it together. But I hope cfl and tsn make major changes for next year with getting new play by play announcers and adding a newer studio to work from.

[argotom]

Because of the awesome story line of the Cinderella RB story I thought we could get 5M.
There is no doubt in my mind had the game been on the mother CTV network it would have been in excess of my number.

[ArgoRavi]

Because of the awesome story line of the Cinderella RB story I thought we could get 5M.
There is no doubt in my mind had the game been on the mother CTV network it would have been in excess of my number.

You are probably correct, AT. I posted an article somewhere on here in the past few days in which it is mentioned that 20% of Canadians do not have cable so they are shut out of seeing any CFL games, including the Grey Cup.

[Ron]

http://www.tsn.ca/grey-cup-grows-to-...d-rds-1.402242


Grey Cup numbers over the last few years.
2015 - 4.3 million
2014 - 4.1 million
2013 - 4.5 million
2012 - 5.8 million
2011 - 4.6 million
2010 - 6.04 million
2009 - 6.1 million
2008 - 3.654 million (old ratings system, no people meters)

Obviously having the Cats in the game turned off Canadians. Numbers have started to recover this season from the damage.

[AngeloV]

Because of the awesome story line of the Cinderella RB story I thought we could get 5M.
There is no doubt in my mind had the game been on the mother CTV network it would have been in excess of my number.

Perhaps, but that is just too simplistic an excuse. They drew 5.8m in 2013 on TSN only and 6m+ in '09 and '10.

[R.J]

Perhaps, but that is just too simplistic an excuse. They drew 5.8m in 2013 on TSN only and 6m+ in '09 and '10.

New ratings system (PPM) was put in place in September 2009 and 2010 was the first full year with the people meters, I think that helped boost the numbers for those years.

[AngeloV]

New ratings system (PPM) was put in place in September 2009 and 2010 was the first full year with the people meters, I think that helped boost the numbers for those years.

I don't doubt that, but my point was that those games weren't on CTV and drew that many viewers. So to say that the reason for smaller numbers is that the game is not on CTV, doesn't make sense in my books.

[R.J]

I don't doubt that, but my point was that those games weren't on CTV and drew that many viewers. So to say that the reason for smaller numbers is that the game is not on CTV, doesn't make sense in my books.

The Blue Jays numbers broke records this year and Sportsnet is available in less homes than TSN is. Although, I do believe that if the Grey Cup was on CTV the numbers would grow a bit, but not by much, if people really wanted to watch the Grey Cup they'd find a way.

[R.J]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...155948774.html

The championship game drew a big audience of 4.3 million viewers on TSN (4.1 million) and RDS (230,300), a 6 per cent increase over last year's finale.

[ArgoGabe22]

Although the game saw an increase, the half-time ratings were lower than usual. I thought half-time shows were supposed to draw in a large boost of viewers.

[R.J]

Although the game saw an increase, the half-time ratings were lower than usual. I thought half-time shows were supposed to draw in a large boost of viewers.

You're thinking the NFL. In the CFL with the exception of 2012 (Bieber, Jepsen, Lightfoot, Marianas Trench), the end of the game is usually the highest rated point of the Grey Cup. We need the CFL and TSN to speak to companies about making some big time special ads for half time, that would probably bring in more viewers.

[AngeloV]

I do believe that if the Grey Cup was on CTV the numbers would grow a bit, but not by much, if people really wanted to watch the Grey Cup they'd find a way.

Exactly.

[ArgoRavi]

I do think that being on CTV would have been worth at least another 700k viewers to get to the 5 million mark. The Grey Cup draws a large number of casual viewers and I believe that not having an over-the-air presence does cost the CFL a fair number of those viewers.

[Kenners]

I do think that being on CTV would have been worth at least another 700k viewers to get to the 5 million mark. The Grey Cup draws a large number of casual viewers and I believe that not having an over-the-air presence does cost the CFL a fair number of those viewers.

I agree, building viewership and fans requires accessibility. It's hard for potential new fans to start watching when they gotta find it. Especially considering many people are starting to scale back on cable packages and going with cut options and using antennas. Just my opinion.

[ArgoRavi]

I agree, building viewership and fans requires accessibility. It's hard for potential new fans to start watching when they gotta find it. Especially considering many people are starting to scale back on cable packages and going with cut options and using antennas. Just my opinion.

And the reality, sadly, is that it is easy for casual viewers to find the NFL on their TV if they don't have cable and impossible to find the CFL. I imagine that the TSN folks are ticked off when Orridge talks about putting the games on other "platforms" but that needs to be done in the absence of an over-the-air carrier if the CFL wants to grow its fanbase.