Say what? Argos Ticket Sales Currently at 15K

**argotom** · 03-09-2016, 07:34 PM

Originally Posted by Mookie Fan

An account executive from the Argos called me regarding my possible interest in season tickets for 2016. He was very nice. I told him I never mind sales calls from the Argos. It's the air duct cleaning calls that really bug me. Anyway, he told me that he couldn't disclose the exact number of season tickets sold so far, but that the reports of 15,000 season tickets sold are false. He said they have already more than doubled the number of season tickets sold for last season. That means what, at least more than 6,000 season tickets sold so far? He also said single game tickets would be available this season.

So let me get this straight.
Your rep knows while my doesn't?

**ArgoZ** · 03-09-2016, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by argotom

So let me get this straight.
Your rep knows while my doesn't?

No, you both talked to a salesman. I know "great guys", but their ability to put food on the table depends on you buying tickets. It is not unreasonable to believe that they manipulated or twisted a sentence to make you believe what you wanted to hear.

To be honest, Mookies' version is no more realiable (hearsay), simply more believable. Your "phones are ringing, chatter in the background", reminded me of a Fuccillo Car Dealership commercial. "It's gonna be HUGE!"

I can think of many disadvantages in releasing ST numbers and few advantages. Until a representactive from the team makes an official statement, we won't know. History has shown, we may never know.

**paulwoods13** · 03-09-2016, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by argotom

So let me get this straight.
Your rep knows while my doesn't?

Yes, possibly. Or possibly vice versa. That's the whole point -- there is not a single verifiable fact anyone can assume to be true about ticket sales. Just a whole of he said/I said from individuals -- fans and ticket agents -- who are either not in the know or not authorized to reveal the truth, or both.

So who cares? What's so terrible about waiting for the team president to give actual figures when he is good and ready to do so, which I venture to say will not be for a couple more months.

**R.J** · 03-09-2016, 09:28 PM

At this point I'm just happy sales look well ahead of last season - something to positively build on, which I'm excited to see.

**Argo57** · 03-10-2016, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by paulwoods13

Yes, possibly. Or possibly vice versa. That's the whole point -- there is not a single verifiable fact anyone can assume to be true about ticket sales. Just a whole of he said/I said from individuals -- fans and ticket agents -- who are either not in the know or not authorized to reveal the truth, or both.

So who cares? What's so terrible about waiting for the team president to give actual figures when he is good and ready to do so, which I venture to say will not be for a couple more months.

True enough Paul, if you choose to support the team and purchase tickets, the rest will fall into place.

**gilthethrill** · 03-13-2016, 09:14 AM

Don't know how reliable this is, but here is an line from Steve Simmons column from this morning: When do the Argos begin to get nervous that season tickets for BMO Field aren’t moving as well as they expected them to?

**Argo57** · 03-13-2016, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by gilthethrill

Don't know how reliable this is, but here is an line from Steve Simmons column from this morning: When do the Argos begin to get nervous that season tickets for BMO Field aren’t moving as well as they expected them to?

Being that the Argonauts hit 15k in season tickets weeks ago this must mean that they are struggling to hit 20,000.....correct?

**gilthethrill** · 03-13-2016, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Argo57

Being that the Argonauts hit 15k in season tickets weeks ago this must mean that they are struggling to hit 20,000.....correct?

Is there confirmation the team has reached 15k?

**Will** · 03-13-2016, 10:04 AM

Originally Posted by gilthethrill

Don't know how reliable this is, but here is an line from Steve Simmons column from this morning: When do the Argos begin to get nervous that season tickets for BMO Field aren’t moving as well as they expected them to?

I'm sure that some on here will dismiss it out of hand because of who wrote the article. However, looking at the Ticketmaster virtual venue shows that only 339 tickets have been sold between today and when public season tickets went on sale on March 1. Assuming that tickets sold as of March 1 were around 11,900 then a pace of 339 tickets in almost two weeks moving forward is not very good unless there are a whole host of people itching to buy flex packs and individual game tickets. Either Simmons is using the virtual venue to track like we are or he has a source somewhere feeding him this information.

**Argo57** · 03-13-2016, 10:52 AM

Originally Posted by gilthethrill

Is there confirmation the team has reached 15k?

Of course not, highly doubt they have reached that plateau now.
As many have posted this is the reason the team has kept quiet in regards to ticket sales (smart move).
Foolish to expect an instant fix simply due to the team changing venues, the new Argonaut brain trust has a big challenge ahead of them!!

**AngeloV** · 03-13-2016, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by gilthethrill

Is there confirmation the team has reached 15k?

Lots of phone ringing and chatter in the background.

**Will** · 03-13-2016, 12:25 PM

Simmons elaborates (a bit):

Numbers are up. But they started from so low a point they aren't up enough. The challenge here is real. https://t.co/fO1MoJB4BM
— steve simmons (@simmonssteve) March 13, 2016

**paulwoods13** · 03-13-2016, 12:32 PM

Of course this is a challenge. They were likely around 3,000 season's tickets in 2015, and the subscriber base has likely been dwindling year by year for a decade. Anyone who thought they would get to 15,000 season's tickets in the first three or four weeks of sales was dreaming. I have great confidence in the new mgmt group, but they have a very large challenge that includes selling more tickets, getting corporate Toronto onside and persuading the govt to allow tailgating. No wonder they have not held a news conference -- too many questions would have to be evaded because the true answers might not shed positive light on the operation, thereby further increasing the challenge. I fully expect to be sitting in a sold-out stadium on June 23 -- whether that gets repeated the rest of the season is a matter of hope, not expectation at this point.

**gilthethrill** · 03-13-2016, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by AngeloV

Lots of phone ringing and chatter in the background.

That does not convince me. It was like that at Dunder Mifflin-Scranton too but there did not seem that busy.

**Mightygoose** · 03-13-2016, 01:05 PM

Simmons assasment makes sense. They've got a long way to go.

Has anyone notice any real push since the full page ad on March 1? They need to really pound the pavement to get the word out. Commercials on the Bell owned channels, radio stations, posters in Bell stores?,etc....

Hoping they we're not going to think build BMO and show up. Allot more to a rebuild than that.

**Neely2005** · 03-13-2016, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Mightygoose

Simmons assasment makes sense. They've got a long way to go.

Has anyone notice any real push since the full page ad on March 1? They need to really pound the pavement to get the word out. Commercials on the Bell owned channels, radio stations, posters in Bell stores?,etc....

Hoping they we're not going to think build BMO and show up. Allot more to a rebuild than that.

Agreed but IMO it's still to early to make their big marketing push.

**Golden Fleece** · 03-13-2016, 01:23 PM

I'd like to know if Simmons has a reliable inside source that Argos brass really expected to be further ahead than they are. It's only March--that leaves a lot of time for people to pony up for season's seats as the opener approaches. Add to this the fact that most humans--and Toronto sports fans in particular--are wait-and-see types. It wasn't until the Alouettes sold out at McGill and word got out about the atmosphere that the CFL really became a hot ticket in Montreal. This is going to be the season people stick their toe in the Argo water again (or should I say oar?). If word about the game day experience spreads like it did in Montreal then next year will provide the real story when it comes to season ticket sales. Before I bought my tickets this year I had no real concern about not getting the seats I wanted. My fear was if I didn't lock down the seats this year, then it would be tough to do so next year as a new buyer. For all these reasons I don't think it matters if the final number is 5000, 10000, or 15000. 2016 is about laying the foundation for 2017. Until then, I'll ignore columnist negativity.

Originally Posted by Mightygoose

Simmons assasment makes sense. They've got a long way to go.

Has anyone notice any real push since the full page ad on March 1? They need to really pound the pavement to get the word out. Commercials on the Bell owned channels, radio stations, posters in Bell stores?,etc....

Hoping they we're not going to think build BMO and show up. Allot more to a rebuild than that.

A friend who is also a CFL skeptic noted seeing a twitter ad for Argo season tickets. He wouldn't have even bothered mentioning it to me in the past. Shows these marketing approaches are happening and getting attention too.

**Will** · 03-13-2016, 01:45 PM

Originally Posted by paulwoods13

Of course this is a challenge. They were likely around 3,000 season's tickets in 2015, and the subscriber base has likely been dwindling year by year for a decade. Anyone who thought they would get to 15,000 season's tickets in the first three or four weeks of sales was dreaming. I have great confidence in the new mgmt group, but they have a very large challenge that includes selling more tickets, getting corporate Toronto onside and persuading the govt to allow tailgating. No wonder they have not held a news conference -- too many questions would have to be evaded because the true answers might not shed positive light on the operation, thereby further increasing the challenge. I fully expect to be sitting in a sold-out stadium on June 23 -- whether that gets repeated the rest of the season is a matter of hope, not expectation at this point.

I don't doubt that it is/will be a challenge for the Argonauts to rebuild the brand in Toronto.

Perhaps I'm a little more sensitive to what others think about the CFL and the Argonauts, but what would be the target this year? In other words, how high do ticket sales need to be in order to ward off the anti-CFL forces that exist in this market?