How Would Moving the CFL Season Earlier Affect the Argos?

[paulwoods13]

Western teams have been asking for the schedule to be moved up for years as per the article that I Linked above. Yes Ambrosie expects more US TV $ from starting the season earlier:

http://ottawasun.com/sports/football...commish-speaks

Unless I missed the link you are referring to, that seems to be a call from one western team three years ago.

If this is being done for TV money, it needs to be a LOT more money to offset the potential downsides, particularly in this market. In addition to the risk of going against Leafs (and Raptors) and Jays in playoffs, Toronto is a get-out-of-town city on summer weekends. Ambrosie's latest appearance on Jay and Dan implied that he's hearing about this from a lot of fans, which I find hard to believe.

[Neely2005]

Unless I missed the link you are referring to, that seems to be a call from one western team three years ago.

If this is being done for TV money, it needs to be a LOT more money to offset the potential downsides, particularly in this market. In addition to the risk of going against Leafs (and Raptors) and Jays in playoffs, Toronto is a get-out-of-town city on summer weekends. Ambrosie's latest appearance on Jay and Dan implied that he's hearing about this from a lot of fans, which I find hard to believe.

You find it hard to believe that fans don't like sitting outside in the cold? Especially Western fans that regularly have to endure double digit negative Celsius temperatures? I certainly wouldn't want to pay to sit outside in -35C temperatures as that article references.

[paulwoods13]

You find it hard to believe that fans don't like sitting outside in the cold? Especially Western fans that regularly have to endure double digit negative Celsius temperatures?

No, it's not hard to believe, although it's far from a universal sentiment. Somehow playing outdoors in November has worked for 105 Grey Cups. And as many have pointed out, it can also be very cold in October, and it can be mild and even warm in November.

[Neely2005]

No, it's not hard to believe, although it's far from a universal sentiment. Somehow playing outdoors in November has worked for 105 Grey Cups. And as many have pointed out, it can also be very cold in October, and it can be mild and even warm in November.

It's not the Grey Cup that is the biggest concern as it usually sells out. It's the Semi-Finals and the Finals. Also the Grey Cup used to be played in December IIRC.

Yes but we all know that it will most likely be colder in November than in October.

[R.J]

Sad when 0 to -3 has become too cold for Canadians.

[AngeloV]

Come on you know very well that CFL teams are having a hard time selling playoff games. IIRC the only sell out playoff game this year was in Ottawa which is one of the smallest CFL stadiums.

https://globalnews.ca/news/1679244/s...to-avoid-cold/

Those same teams you speak of aren't selling out regular season games either. I truly believe it will have a negative effect on regular season attendance and TV ratings. IMO, it's better to sacrifice a couple of thousand playoff ticket sales for 4 games, than it is to sacrifice 8 or 9 weeks (30-35 games or so) of ticket sales.

[R.J]

Those same teams you speak of aren't selling out regular season games either. I truly believe it will have a negative effect on regular season attendance and TV ratings. IMO, it's better to sacrifice a couple of thousand playoff ticket sales for 4 games, than it is to sacrifice 8 or 9 weeks (30-35 games or so) of ticket sales.

Len Rhodes has been the most vocal about this, complaining that the fall games are the reason for the Eskimos attendance issues, yet he never mention how the Summer games look empty as well. Empty seats in the fall is usually because teams have very little to play for until the playoffs start, Calgary and Winnipeg didn't sell out their playoff games because of where to markets are currently at right now and not because of weather IMO.

CFL "fans" always seem to look for excuses not to go to games.

[Neely2005]

Sad when 0 to -3 has become too cold for Canadians.

More like -20 to -40 out west.

[Neely2005]

Those same teams you speak of aren't selling out regular season games either. I truly believe it will have a negative effect on regular season attendance and TV ratings. IMO, it's better to sacrifice a couple of thousand playoff ticket sales for 4 games, than it is to sacrifice 8 or 9 weeks (30-35 games or so) of ticket sales.

Interesting, I think that it will have a positive impact on Attendance and TV Ratings. IMO the Grey Cup should always be played on the First Sunday of November.

Adding a 10th team could help too as the schedule could be balanced with less bye weeks.

[R.J]

More like -20 to -40 out west.

Which of the 9 CFL Cities was at that temperature at kick-off time on Sunday ?

Interesting, I think that it will have a positive impact on Attendance and TV Ratings. IMO the Grey Cup should always be played on the First Sunday of November.

Adding a 10th team could help too as the schedule could be balanced with less bye weeks.

TV ratings pick up in the Fall, because more people watch TV in the Fall than during Spring and Summer.

[paulwoods13]

More like -20 to -40 out west.

According to 30 years of data compiled by The Weather Network, the average high in Edmonton in November is -0.2, average low is -7.8 and average temp is -4. Yes, it can get as cold as minus-40, but it has never got below -30.7 in the past 30 years in Edmonton (which I think we can agree is the coldest city in the CFL).

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/fo...12209/caab0103

The 1991 Grey Cup in Winnipeg is widely regarded as coldest of all time. It was about minus-17, with wind chill making it feel like about minus-30. I don't know if there has ever been a CFL game played in minus-40.

[Neely2005]

Which of the 9 CFL Cities was at that temperature at kick-off time on Sunday ?


TV ratings pick up in the Fall, because more people watch TV in the Fall than during Spring and Summer.

It's almost like people prefer to be inside during the fall. I wonder why that is?

[paulwoods13]

IMO the Grey Cup should always be played on the First Sunday of November.

And yet Ambrosie is talking about third weekend of October -- that's FIVE weeks earlier than now, which means (with the third bye week) the schedule would start around May 12. Heck, when I lived in Edmonton, people didn't even plant flowers until May 24 weekend because of the threat of frost.

[Neely2005]

And yet Ambrosie is talking about third weekend of October -- that's FIVE weeks earlier than now, which means (with the third bye week) the schedule would start around May 12. Heck, when I lived in Edmonton, people didn't even plant flowers until May 24 weekend because of the threat of frost.

I think that's too early but I also think that's just a negotiating tactic to ask for more than what he really wants/expects.

[R.J]

It's almost like people prefer to be inside during the fall. I wonder why that is?

And yet you stated that you think moving the season would have a positive impact on attendance AND TV RATINGS ?

[paulwoods13]

I think that's too early but I also think that's just a negotiating tactic to ask for more than what he really wants/expects.

Who's he negotiating with, exactly?

[Neely2005]

And yet you stated that you think moving the season would have a positive impact on attendance AND TV RATINGS ?

So you agree that it will improve attendance then?

[Neely2005]

Who's he negotiating with, exactly?

The owners. Plus he's trying to sell it to the fans so if he comes back later and says we decided to 'only' move it up 3 weeks it comes off better.

[AngeloV]

It's almost like people prefer to be inside during the fall. I wonder why that is?

Actually, more likely due to people coming back from Summer vacations. Another reason that attendance in the CFL is traditionally higher in the fall. I get that you and your family don't like sitting in cold weather to watch a game, but I truly believe you are in the minority here. It doesn't matter to me, I'll be there regardless of when the games are, but IMO, it is suicide to put the first 4-6 weeks of the season up against NHL playoffs. And for those cities that don't have NHL teams, Memorial Cup playoffs could also hurt ticket sales at that time of year.

Hopefully TSN will have a say in this. I highly doubt they want a top property of theirs going against the NHL and NBA playoffs.

[Mightygoose]

The question I've always had with attendance with the CFL, is attendance traditionally higher in the fall because more people consider it 'football season' or is it because the games are more meaningful as teams are trying to lock up a place/division or just positioning? In baseball, unless a team is in it, attendance declines after labour day.

Even in the NHL, teams that don't draw well, attendance picks up later in the season unless a team is buried.

With the Argos two years at BMO, as bad as attendance has been. This season, it picked up later as the Argos were competitive to the point that our average was higher then the season opener vs. the Ti-Cats. A game many thought would be a our highest. The year prior while the Argos we're spinning out of contention, attendance didn't pick up in the fall. Any game not vs. Hamilton was under our season average in 2016.

Hence, I don't think it will make a difference here.