But because the stadium is full, it creates the perception that TFC has more fans, is more successful, and is the place to be for the casual fans. I have friends who are casual sports fans, and who follow the hot team. Otherwise they don't pay attention to any team in particular. Last year it was the Jays - several of them hadn't been to a game in years. But the dome was the place to be, so they followed the team and went. This year a couple of these people went to TFC games (posting pics of themselves on Facebook, for G's sake!); it's the place to be. TFC is even popping up in conversation, and when I mention the CFL, I get blank stares. But this is only a perception issue, as the numbers Simmons cites reflects. As I said, if even some of the Argo fans who watched from home came down to a game, the very act of filling the stadium creates that positive perception for the Argos, which is what the casual fan picks up on, and drives their desire to follow the team. The hardcore fan will always be there (at this point 13,000 to 15,000), but the casual fan puts a team over the top financially, by attending a game, or two, a season. Right now it seems like the vast number of hardcore members of 'Argo Nation' stay home to watch, to the detriment of the team's reputation.
Long term, the Argos need to cultivate new, younger fans, as they are doing with tailgates, their targeting of elementary aged kids, and the in-game presentation (as in hip hop and techno, over AC/DC!) but the best advertising is a full stadium. The Argos have enough fans out there to do it now. In another thread, someone posted that 40,000 attended a game just 10 years ago. Where are these people, and why don't they come back?
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