2016 Grey Cup @ BMO Field continued

[Neely2005]

Chris Berman on the Grey Cup:

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/cfl-must...atment~1004491

[PullTogether73]

Chris Berman on the Grey Cup:

http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video/cfl-must...atment~1004491

Posted two days ago in its own thread sir.

[LLB997]

who needs Chris Berman when we have Rod Black. :/

[ArgoRavi]

It wasn't only the Grey Cup that struggled to sell high-priced seats in Toronto. There were rows and rows of empty seats at last night's thrilling Canada/Slovakia World Junior Hockey Championship game at Air Canada Centre and no reason to think that we won't see a repeat of that tomorrow when Latvia pays a visit to play Canada. Furthermore, even the Leafs are struggling to sell out their outdoor game against Detroit at BMO Field: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/t...cting-sellout/

[jerrym]

who needs Chris Berman when we have Rod Black. :/

Automatic winner of best joke of the year!

[Mightygoose]

It wasn't only the Grey Cup that struggled to sell high-priced seats in Toronto. There were rows and rows of empty seats at last night's thrilling Canada/Slovakia World Junior Hockey Championship game at Air Canada Centre and no reason to think that we won't see a repeat of that tomorrow when Latvia pays a visit to play Canada. Furthermore, even the Leafs are struggling to sell out their outdoor game against Detroit at BMO Field: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/t...cting-sellout/

Yup, let the double-standards begin.

It just shows that even the Leafs are not immune to a backlash to being gouged. Mind you I wonder if part of the problem here is people assume it will be sold out and won't even try. Even the heritage classic in Winnipeg had this issue.

The World Juniors on the other hand is just atrocious. For tomorrow's game vs. Latvia with Lots of tickets left, the start at 84.00 plus fees. No way would I even consider it...and it's worse in Montreal....yet crickets from the media.

I'm still looking out for a Pizza Pizza promo for either of these events lol...

[Argo57]

It wasn't only the Grey Cup that struggled to sell high-priced seats in Toronto. There were rows and rows of empty seats at last night's thrilling Canada/Slovakia World Junior Hockey Championship game at Air Canada Centre and no reason to think that we won't see a repeat of that tomorrow when Latvia pays a visit to play Canada. Furthermore, even the Leafs are struggling to sell out their outdoor game against Detroit at BMO Field: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/t...cting-sellout/

Novelty of the outdoor NHL games starting to disappear IMO, we went to the Outdoor AHL (Marlies- Bulldogs) game at Ivor Wynne in 2012 and froze our asses off.

[Downtownfan]

Yup: Where are all the media types who wrote that "the Grey Cup should not come back to Toronto for years"? They could easily say that about the World Juniors, or about the outdoor game. But they won't-- one set of standards for the CFL/Argos, another for everyone else.

There's always a reason to find to kick the CFL, but never for other sports/leagues. Imagine if, at the outset of a CFL playoff game, someone realized that the field was not set up correctly, and the game was postponed as someone painted on the correct lines in the most embarrassing fashion possible. That would FOREVER be marked as the ultimate "bush league" moment, and replayed/discussed/repeated infinitely. But hey, its OK if it is the MLS, because they're legit, right?

[paulwoods13]

Yup: Where are all the media types who wrote that "the Grey Cup should not come back to Toronto for years"? They could easily say that about the World Juniors, or about the outdoor game. But they won't-- one set of standards for the CFL/Argos, another for everyone else.

Hiding in plain sight?

http://www.torontosun.com/2016/12/25...nneys-guidance

http://www.tsn.ca/tickets-still-avai...assic-1.639810

[LLB997]

i was at the rangers/islander outdoor game at yankee stadium a few yrs back. they did it a few days earlier with the devils/rangers at yankee stadium . The NHL has milked this game to oblivion

[AngeloV]

i was at the rangers/islander outdoor game at yankee stadium a few yrs back. they did it a few days earlier with the devils/rangers at yankee stadium . The NHL has milked this game to oblivion

Agreed.

[Will]

i was at the rangers/islander outdoor game at yankee stadium a few yrs back. they did it a few days earlier with the devils/rangers at yankee stadium . The NHL has milked this game to oblivion

For sure, but I think NBC loves it which is good enough for Bettman.

[argos1873]

For sure, but I think NBC loves it which is good enough for Bettman.

Well Bettman was hired for the sole purpose of making money from US TV deals. As far as that goes, I think hes actually been a failure, but the BOG has kept him on for more than 20 years for some reason, so they must like what he's doing. Everyone blames Bettman for everything, but forget its the BOG decision to keep him there or not.

[argotom]

Whenever MLSE is involved, PT Barnum had it right with his classic line which clearly can refer to the population of the city of Toronto.

[matchuk]

Yup, let the double-standards begin.

It just shows that even the Leafs are not immune to a backlash to being gouged. Mind you I wonder if part of the problem here is people assume it will be sold out and won't even try. Even the heritage classic in Winnipeg had this issue.

The World Juniors on the other hand is just atrocious. For tomorrow's game vs. Latvia with Lots of tickets left, the start at 84.00 plus fees. No way would I even consider it...and it's worse in Montreal....yet crickets from the media.

I'm still looking out for a Pizza Pizza promo for either of these events lol...

i am a sucker and bought us/canada tickets for tomorrow night...mind you, they were an xmas present for my kids...we were at the us/russia game yesterday, and they offered everyone in attendance 20% off any ticket for the canada game that night (with their us/russia ticket stub)...

[argos1873]

Whenever MLSE is involved, PT Barnum had it right with his classic line which clearly can refer to the population of the city of Toronto.

Just because MLSE believes a sucker is born every minute, it doesn't appear as though the population of Toronto is buying it. They may think everything they touch is gold, based upon their results with the Leafs, which are really just results that were made by the fans love of the Leafs, but reality is hitting them in their face hard. Lets see if they begin to get it.

Back in the 80s, the Leafs sold out every game, even though they sucked. But you could still get tickets to a game for a relatively affordable price. When the 90s came the Leafs started being successful. In the very early 90s you would still get made fun of being a Leaf fan, they were that bad. But after that 93 run, everything changed. People jumped back on the bandwagon and haven't jumped off since, even through the very lean years of late. It became a really big deal to go to a Leaf game, and MLSE ran with it once they got the reigns of the organization. They are a huge organization with loads of cash, that they really didn't have to earn, so what do they really know about something that doesn't already make money? Their model seems to be price everything high, and the sucker born every minute in Toronto will buy it. How far does that really go? I think we are finding out about now.

[BorisToronto]

I went to a few WJ games last time around, got tix cheap second hand. Thought about buying some this year. The prices they're asking I can't and won't pay. Sadly, as I actually would have gone to a bunch of the games.

[AngeloV]

Back in the 80s, the Leafs sold out every game, even though they sucked. .

Not true. I went to a lot of games in the 80's, sat in the Greys, and often walked up to the box office to buy tickets at game time. On a weeknight, if they weren't playing a big draw, such as Gretzky or Montreal, the corner Grey sections were absolutely empty. Saturday night was a different story.

[argos1873]

Not true. I went to a lot of games in the 80's, sat in the Greys, and often walked up to the box office to buy tickets at game time. On a weeknight, if they weren't playing a big draw, such as Gretzky or Montreal, the corner Grey sections were absolutely empty. Saturday night was a different story.

Fair enough, but almost always full if not always. I used to religiously read the box score and knew the full attendance by heart, and it was something like 16,144, whatever it was, and it was ALMOST always that number. It basically sold out and therefore made Ballard a lot of money, but it wasn't like it was in the 90s. But my point is, you never really had to struggle to market the Leafs in Toronto. Even if a few greys went unsold, which really even never happened, because guys like me and you would buy them on game day. But it was never like what happened in the 90s, where the Leaf brand really took off. MLSE inherited that, they never built it. I'm not really convinced they really know how to build anything.

[BorisToronto]

Fair enough, but almost always full if not always. I used to religiously read the box score and knew the full attendance by heart, and it was something like 16,144, whatever it was, and it was ALMOST always that number. It basically sold out and therefore made Ballard a lot of money, but it wasn't like it was in the 90s. But my point is, you never really had to struggle to market the Leafs in Toronto. Even if a few greys went unsold, which really even never happened, because guys like me and you would buy them on game day. But it was never like what happened in the 90s, where the Leaf brand really took off. MLSE inherited that, they never built it. I'm not really convinced they really know how to build anything.

I would say that MLSE does know how to build a brand or better expand it, i.e. the rise of Raptors. With help of some good seasons. But they certainly don't know how to build winners. That they've shown over and over again.