Tailgating Cancelled

[AngeloV]

For me personally, I'll take the 20% reduction I received on my season ticket packages over the tailgate anytime. I realize many on here loved the tailgate, and for you guys sorry this is being stopped, but for those who claim it will hurt attendance, give me a break. 13-15k in the stands shows the tailgate did nothing to help the Argos attendance wise. The best atmosphere for a game last regular season was the game during the CNE, and correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no tailgate that day.

[Neely2005]

If I read Naylor correctly, Manning explained to reporters that it was not worth the cost. I assume it was a hard-headed business decision (the sort of thing that successful enterprises do all the time). Assuming it's mostly the same couple of hundred people there most of the time, does it grow the business enough to justify the costs of doing it?

I attended every Tailgate except for last seasons preseason game. They were definitely growing by a noticeable amount. Aside from the Grey Cup Tailgate the last one was the biggest one yet.

[Neely2005]

For me personally, I'll take the 20% reduction I received on my season ticket packages over the tailgate anytime. I realize many on here loved the tailgate, and for you guys sorry this is being stopped, but for those who claim it will hurt attendance, give me a break. 13-15k in the stands shows the tailgate did nothing to help the Argos attendance wise. The best atmosphere for a game last regular season was the game during the CNE, and correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no tailgate that day.

The best atmosphere for a game was the Eastern Final, and that was the biggest Argonauts Tailgate.

[Shatto]

In regards to tailgating and attendance, in our case we took several members of our family, who normally do not attend Argo games. Mostly this included teenagers turned on to the CFL for the first time. When you have a successful product , you don't cancel it, you build on it.

The management of the exhibition game, tailgating, lack of timely communication and even seat price reduction, reminds me of an old movie "The Gang that Couldn't Shot Straight"

So, instead of a huge marketing endeavour at the time of season tickets going on sale, exclaiming to one and all, that all season tickets were going on sale at a fantastic new low price, we are left with the impression that we were sold overpriced tickets to begin with and now they are returning our money to us.

Just to go back to tailgating---it was the one thing that marked an Argo game unique and different from all the other sports. That's the type of thing one expands upon and markets to the public, as giving the Argo fan something different. If it was not cost effective, then write it off as a marketing expense and use it in the team's advertising and marketing.

I respect those who say we should give Manning time to prove himself but I can't think of one endeavour, so far, that he has managed well. Hopefully he will turn things around but it appears he is more interested in reproducing a TFC experience rather than creating a strategy unique to the interests of Argo fans. Perhaps I'm being overly critical of Mr. Manning and how he is running the ship and for the sake of the future of the team, hopefully I am wrong in my evaluation of his performance to date. But I don't think I am.

[Neely2005]

In regards to tailgating and attendance, in our case we took several members of our family, who normally do not attend Argo games. Mostly this included teenagers turned on to the CFL for the first time. When you have a successful product , you don't cancel it, you build on it.

The management of the exhibition game, tailgating, lack of timely communication and even seat price reduction, reminds me of an old movie "The Gang that Couldn't Shot Straight"

So, instead of a huge marketing endeavour at the time of season tickets going on sale, exclaiming to one and all, that all season tickets were going on sale at a fantastic new low price, we are left with the impression that we were sold overpriced tickets to begin with and now they are returning our money to us.

Just to go back to tailgating---it was the one thing that marked an Argo game unique and different from all the other sports. That's the type of thing one expands upon and markets to the public, as giving the Argo fan something different. If it was not cost effective, then write it off as a marketing expense and use it in the team's advertising and marketing.

I respect those who say we should give Manning time to prove himself but I can't think of one endeavour, so far, that he has managed well. Hopefully he will turn things around but it appears he is more interested in reproducing a TFC experience rather than creating a strategy unique to the interests of Argo fans. Perhaps I'm being overly critical of Mr. Manning and how he is running the ship and for the sake of the future of the team, hopefully I am wrong in my evaluation of his performance to date. But I don't think I am.

Our experience has been similar. We brought a lot of different people to the Tailgates and everyone enjoyed them and came back because they enjoyed the Tailgate experience.

[paulwoods13]

I attended every Tailgate except for last seasons preseason game. They were definitely growing by a noticeable amount. Aside from the Grey Cup Tailgate the last one was the biggest one yet.

How many attendees, roughly? And when you say you brought a lot of different people to the tailgates, how many?

[paulwoods13]

If it was not cost effective, then write it off as a marketing expense and use it in the team's advertising and marketing.

Precisely what happened in 2016 and 2017, when paid attendance dropped year over year. No successful enterprise will keep losing money on the same unsuccessful marketing schemes year after year. There's little doubt the tailgate was fun for those who attended, but they represented just a small fraction of the paying customers, and there's only a bit of anecdotal evidence about some people who went to games only because of tailgates.

[Neely2005]

How many attendees, roughly? And when you say you brought a lot of different people to the tailgates, how many?

The biggest Tailgates were a few thousand, the smallest a few hundred. They were bigger on weekends and they were growing. Over the 2 seasons we brought about 50+ total.

[AngeloV]

The best atmosphere for a game was the Eastern Final, and that was the biggest Argonauts Tailgate.

I guess you didn't see the part where I said LAST REGULAR SEASON. Playoff game in 2013 vs Hamilton also had great atmosphere despite the loss. No official tailgate then. Playoffs are a different breed. Atmoshere is always great.

The biggest Tailgates were a few thousand, the smallest a few hundred. They were bigger on weekends and they were growing. Over the 2 seasons we brought about 50+ total.

They were growing, yet actual attendance wasn't. Think about that.

[Saugonaut]

I'll be GO training it in so no tailgating in my future. Loved it at the Bills games though, feel bummed out all the fans missing out.

Hope the Shipyard thing is good.

[Argo57]

For me personally, I'll take the 20% reduction I received on my season ticket packages over the tailgate anytime. I realize many on here loved the tailgate, and for you guys sorry this is being stopped, but for those who claim it will hurt attendance, give me a break. 13-15k in the stands shows the tailgate did nothing to help the Argos attendance wise. The best atmosphere for a game last regular season was the game during the CNE, and correct me if I'm wrong, but there was no tailgate that day.

Yes sir, I’m with you on this one.
Personally could care less about tailgating but like the cost saving on my tickets, especially when considering $44.00 or so in GO train tickets per game, dinner, snacks for my son it does add up.

[timlb01]

What matters to me is a winning team, every year and a full stadium. I don't like changing the game plan to do this every other year but I hope this is the end and it works this time. Regardless this is the best league and game around. Nothing is better than attending Argo games and winning, especially attending 4 Grey Cups with the Argos winning. Some of the best memories every. Please fill the stadium......please............. the league and team deserve it!!!!!!!!

[dmont]

Last season also had tons of Saturday games. A lot of people don't drive to the games, so tailgates are meaningless to them. I do agree that a long-term plan is needed, but the long-term plan needs to be about selling more tickets, not keeping a few hundred regular tailgaters happy. Maybe the tailgate could have grown over time to include a few thousand new fans, but with the logistical and legal restrictions in place, I find it hard to see that happening. Maybe if they could open the main Ex Place parking lot, but that will never happen because the stadium is not the only facility on the site.

My argument isn't that the past two season's tailgates were unbelievable. My argument is that, done properly, they are the best chance to 1) give new fans something unique that no other sports team in Toronto can do, and 2) give existing fans who watch on TV a good reason to attend the game in person.

We idiots don't need a hook to get us to attend a game. But there aren't enough of we idiots. With MLSE behind it, the tailgate would have been a great draw to the game, would have presented great promotional and marketing opportunities, and could have shown the city that something exciting was happening down at BMO (I wish CFL football was enough for most people in the city, but unfortunately it's not).

They could have AT THE PITIFUL LEAST tried it for one season with the full MLSE backing before throwing in the towel. Now we'll never know. Short-sighted cowards.

[paulwoods13]

It's interesting how some people are ripping the move as MLSE stupidity, and others think the marketing geniuses of MLSE could have made the tailgate a big success.

[R.J]

What I find interesting is how a couple of hundred people at best going to most tailgating events= success to some.

[rdavies]

Argos to introduce lower ticket prices and nix parking lot tailgating
Tara Deschamps, Canadian Press April 9 2018

Toronto Argonauts fans can expect lower ticket prices this season, along with tailgating inside the stadium and branding focused on the team’s roots as a rowing club.

The changes announced Monday are part of owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment’s ambitious efforts to revamp the Argos and after years of attendance woes and build a fanbase as large and rabid as MLSE’s other teams – the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, NBA’s Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC of Major League Soccer.

“Our job is to make sure that club is on the same playing field as the rest of our great franchises here,” said Jerry Ferguson, MLSE’s head of marketing. “We want people to feel and believe that the Argos is Toronto’s team.”

The Argos averaged less than 14,000 fans last season at BMO Field, a stadium that seats roughly 26,000. To increase that number, MLSE says it will target millennials new to the CFL experience as well as long-time Argos supporters. If both groups are enticed to come out to games, MLSE thinks it can increase their stadium audience.

To get fans to games, the average ticket price will be rolled back by 23 per cent, meaning about 2,600 tickets will be sold for as low as $15 per game for season’s seat holders and $19 per game for single-seat buyers.

“At the Argos, the fanbase has struggled a little bit,” Argos president Bill Manning admitted. “We were actually priced higher than TFC and we were losing some of the family aspect of Argos games.”

He said the team won’t drop ticket prices too low or give seats away en mass, because once someone is used to tickets being so cheap or getting them for free “they’ll never pay.”

However, the club will “condense” seating, by selling tickets in the lower bowl first and keeping the upper deck on the east side empty, unless demand increases to fill those seats.

The team will also nix tailgating parties in the parking lots outside BMO Field and move them into the stadium. The popular U.S. phenomenon was brought to Argos games in 2016, but provincial liquor laws meant fans had to purchase booze on-site instead of bringing it from home.

Manning, who grew up in the U.S., said Toronto’s tailgating felt “forced.”

“With the ordinances and where they are, it is hard to replicate what they do in Ohio State,” said Manning. “It actually costs the organization a lot of money to put that on and it wasn’t worth it with the number of people that actually did it.”

He didn’t share specifics about how tailgating at BMO Field will work, but said MLSE is toying with specials and an area at the north end of the stadium that could be built out.

Meanwhile, fans will be able to purchase new Argos merchandise emblazoned with cannons, shields and typography inspired by old cuts of wood.

The nautical themes are rooted in the team’s past as part of the Argonaut Rowing Club, which had a football team as a way to stay fit. The merchandise will feature the blue hues associated with Oxford and Cambridge Universities, a homage to the rowing club’s love of both schools’ rugby teams.

The team will use an old slogan “Pull Together” in an attempt to match bravado of the Raptors’ “We the North” and TFC’s “All for One” campaigns.

“We want to create a sense of rivalry, so if you’re from here, you love us and if you’re not from here, you hate us,” said Ferguson.

That message wasn’t lost on CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, who joked that he took one look at a forthcoming Argos shirt with “Toronto” written over a map of Canada and thought “I’m a Winnipegger, born and raised, so I already hate that.”

He said that the attitude was indicative of the league’s bold plans to become “bigger, stronger, better.”

“The CFL is no longer interested in being the humble church mouse league. We are no longer interested in being small and obscure,” he said. “We are no longer interested in making do. We want to take the Canadian Football League to new heights.”

[ArgoZ]

Only made it to one tailgate, had fun, but the Shipyard, if done right, would satisfy myself. Feel sorry for those that loved it and will miss it. If the trade off is my $499 tickets now costing $255, I'll take no tailgate.

[OV Argo]

It's interesting how some people are ripping the move as MLSE stupidity, and others think the marketing geniuses of MLSE could have made the tailgate a big success.

It's also interesting how the usual defenders of the faith are going to defend/excuse anything the Argo corporate expert owners are going to do; and to hell with the know nothing fans. Just STFU and buy Argo tickets will ya, and who cares about an event that plenty enjoyed and that adds to the game day experience. Bring back the SkyDome Nazi security maybe too, to keep those fans in line.

[Neely2005]

It's also interesting how the usual defenders of the faith are going to defend/excuse anything the Argo corporate expert owners are going to do; and to hell with the know nothing fans. Just STFU and buy Argo tickets will ya, and who cares about an event that plenty enjoyed and that adds to the game day experience. Bring back the SkyDome Nazi security maybe too, to keep those fans in line.

To The Defenders of the Faith the Argonauts can do no wrong.

[OV Argo]

To The Defenders of the Faith the Argonauts can do no wrong.

I get that some are very good with corporate weasels - led by NFL wannabes and soccer first snobs, who don't think much of the Argos and the dinky little minor league CFL - running the Argos now; and believe they will improve the Argos fortunes and status on the TO sports map. I hope they are right and i wish them luck. Sorry for not being down with that program though.

The comments I've read here and on the 3RD Down site on the matter - including some saying they will no cancel their season tix over this - are not that encouraging however. But f*** joe average fan who is not with the corporate program, eh ? ;o)