Marketing ideas for Argos

[Argoboy83]

Edmonton Elks just announced kids 12 and under can come in free to games for the rest of the season. Bill Manning and MLSE you have empty seats available to do this and spark some interest in the team please try this.

[Mocha]

How about trying to revitalize the "Double Blues" by offering suites at a more reasonable price. I'd contact the people at afrobiz.ca to try to attract minority entrepreneurs into the group.

This bit from the Atlantic article caught my attention. It was a shameful miscalculation by MLSE, but one that I think could be rectified:

When the late David Braley owned the team, he approached Lean about recreating a booster club that had lifted the fortunes of the other CFL team he owned, the B.C. Lions. The idea was to invite a group of Toronto business leaders to watch the Argos, then use their network to expand the team’s reach.In Vancouver, the club was called “The Waterboys.”
In Toronto, it was the “Double Blues.”
Former Ontario premier Mike Harris was a member, as was former Leafs president Brian Burke and soon-to-be Toronto mayor John Tory. Membership was the price of two season tickets, and members had the choice of spending a bit more to get pizza or a hot dog at home games. It was a cash bar.
Lean said it lasted until the team moved to BMO Field and raised the price of private suites.
“At the time, everyone thought, ‘it’s going to be the hottest thing in town,’” he said. “Well, they priced themselves out of the market, and we closed down.”

[Mocha]

I'd also like to see the team fill all the field-side seats, even if it means freebies. If any field-side seats remain unsold say 30 minutes before kickoff, put a system in place to offer them as free upgrades to ST holders.

And give some to local players like Muamba, Brescasin, Adeboboye to distribute to family and friends. Since those seats are always visible on broadcasts, it would be great to have them filled with young, engaged, diverse fans.

And use the MLSE clout to have a few Leafs or Raptors in those seats. As I mentioned above, they are always visible in the broadcasts, so that might help to get some media attention.

I was thinking during Monday night's game that it would have been fun to have some Tiger-Cats in those seats, keeping an eye on the competition. That's not something that could often be scheduled, but if Hamilton ever has a bye week when the Argos have a home game, why not?

They could also get in players from U of T and/or York in those seats. If the schedule ever matched, get players from both schools in those seats and promote the upcoming Red & Blue Bowl. Or get players from the winning team in shortly after the Red & Blue Bowl.

[bannedforlife]

Figure out how to broadcast in additional languages like HNIC Punjabi

[argolio]

Figure out how to broadcast in additional languages like HNIC Punjabi

Great idea, but what a huge missed opportunity for the CFL, especially in this market.

[bannedforlife]

Great idea, but what a huge missed opportunity for the CFL, especially in this market.

I gave a real world example here of why this can work. It just seems the Argo quick fixes (former NFLers) etc never work. Time for a laid out long term plan with fixed goals (something I'm sure they have given lip service to).

In all my years watching football I don't think I've ever heard the game explained. The colour guy says his technical mumbo jumbo ie weak side LB, which if you've never played football or had much to do with sports you have no clue what that is. Explain the game so people can understand it. What is a post pattern, where did it get it's name?

Sorry to the politically correct out there but an old pro wrestling promoter adage was to attract the young girls (I will extend that to women). Because wherever young women go young men are likely to follow. In the early days of TV Dennis James used to announce wrestling, and he would attract huge numbers of women by saying "Hello mother" and then explaining the rules and what is going on to a growing audience of women who appreciated learning what was going on.

Have every broadcast encourage going to a live event saying tickets are available, where and how do I get tickets, what time/date etc. That might be something they do on radio, I've never heard it on TSN. Have the broadcasters or a game host push the promotions for the events (family packages etc) not just once but throughout the broadcast. TSN and the league are supposed to be partners aren't they? It might behoove them to see how WWE sells (or used to sell) their live events. The broadcast is a commercial to draw people to the live event.

I get this isn't specifically an issue for the Argos but also a league issue.

[Mocha]

Sorry to the politically correct out there but an old pro wrestling promoter adage was to attract the young girls (I will extend that to women). Because wherever young women go young men are likely to follow. In the early days of TV Dennis James used to announce wrestling, and he would attract huge numbers of women by saying "Hello mother" and then explaining the rules and what is going on to a growing audience of women who appreciated learning what was going on.

I recall in the 90s when the Riders were not drawing well. They set up these hot tubs in the endzones as a party section and had attractive young women (and men) in the tubs. While I'm sure there was much more to the Rider turnaround than that, it was a way to make going to the games attractive to those in their teens and twenties.

To be fair, the league and TSN seemed to have been trying to promote this feeling in the 2019 season, with lots of focus on young people drinking and having fun in the stands. I hope they can get back to that. For the Argos, I think getting young attractive women in those field side seats could help.

[bannedforlife]

I recall in the 90s when the Riders were not drawing well. They set up these hot tubs in the endzones as a party section and had attractive young women (and men) in the tubs. While I'm sure there was much more to the Rider turnaround than that, it was a way to make going to the games attractive to those in their teens and twenties.

Actually, my ideas were meant to be a little more wholesome than that but by today's standards and morays maybe you are correct. Probably sold a bunch of merch as well

[paulwoods13]

In all my years watching football I don't think I've ever heard the game explained. The colour guy says his technical mumbo jumbo ie weak side LB, which if you've never played football or had much to do with sports you have no clue what that is. Explain the game so people can understand it. What is a post pattern, where did it get it's name?

You've hit on one of the biggest obstacles to attracting new fans, IMO. The terminology of football was always hard for newbies to grasp, but has become far harder (and stupider IMO) in recent years. Why on earth was the relatively understandable short and wide side of the field changed to the "boundary" and "field"? The game is played on a field, with four boundaries -- how can people who aren't in the know be expected to know what those terms mean? WILL and SAM and MIKE -- make sense if you understand they are names derived from acronyms referring to specific positions/sides of the defence, but if you don't know what they mean, good luck to ya. I have never, in 50-plus years watching football, had someone explain in plain, understandable language, things like "A gap" and "cover 2," although I have (mostly) managed to pick it up by puzzling through it on my own. And this newish naming of receivers as X, Y, Z etc., is (like so much other football lingo) inscrutable to those who never played the game on an organized basis. End of rant.

[bannedforlife]

Sorry to show ignorance, but do you still write? Have you ever or thought to put that in print for the public. People in charge definitely need to hear it.

[bannedforlife]

I have never, in 50-plus years watching football, had someone explain in plain, understandable language, things like "A gap" and "cover 2," although I have (mostly) managed to pick it up by puzzling through it on my own.

Amen, I think, like the example I posted, every so often they should imagine they are describing the game to a 90 year old Punjabi grandmama. I think many in the audience would appreciate it as well and also it would encourage new fans.

How about during a break in play (injury, etc) a quick, say, 10 sec pop up video explaining what a SAM is, what a WILL is, what a post pattern is.

[Argoboy83]

I think selling the unused upper deck seats for 5 or 10 bucks a ticket, free tickets for kids 12 and under, ethnic theme nights to attract Italian, Indian and African Canadian fans to the games would help. Also having 2 games a year with a music attraction like Doman is doing this year in BC to generate a spark are things I would do.

[bannedforlife]

I think selling the unused upper deck seats for 5 or 10 bucks a ticket, free tickets for kids 12 and under, ethnic theme nights to attract Italian, Indian and African Canadian fans to the games would help. Also having 2 games a year with a music attraction like Doman is doing this year in BC to generate a spark are things I would do.

I think one thing to watch for when giving away tickets is to not piss off the STH. It's like when the phone company gives new customers all the deals and the old loyal customers have to pay the old high rate. That's something they shouldn't have to complain about.

[Argo57]

I think one thing to watch for when giving away tickets is to not piss off the STH. It's like when the phone company gives new customers all the deals and the old loyal customers have to pay the old high rate. That's something they shouldn't have to complain about.

I am a ST holder and I say have at it, do whatever it takes to increase attendance and generate new fans.
We willingly purchased season seat and have no issue with this.

[AngeloV]

I am a ST holder and I say have at it, do whatever it takes to increase attendance and generate new fans.
We willingly purchased season seat and have no issue with this.

You and I have discussed this and I agree. Most ST holders I have discussed this with feel the same way as you and I. We’re not talking about giving free season tickets. Give like 5k away per game, but make sure it’s a different 5k every game. If a quarter of all those people enjoy themselves, that a potential of 10k new fans gained.

[Argo57]

You and I have discussed this and I agree. Most ST holders I have discussed this with feel the same way as you and I. We’re not talking about giving free season tickets. Give like 5k away per game, but make sure it’s a different 5k every game. If a quarter of all those people enjoy themselves, that a potential of 10k new fans gained.

It actually is a no brainer.
Seats are sitting empty, fill the and expose as many people as you can to the Canadian game.

[paulwoods13]

Sorry to show ignorance, but do you still write? Have you ever or thought to put that in print for the public. People in charge definitely need to hear it.

Assuming you were addressing that to me, thanks for the question. Other than jabbering away on forums like this and Twitter, I'm focusing almost exclusively on long-form writing these days. I have another book in the works -- there are still a lot of unknowns, and many aspects of the project are out of my control, but if it comes to fruition and gets published I think it will be of interest to Argo and CFL fans.

[1971GreyCup]

I am a ST holder and I say have at it, do whatever it takes to increase attendance and generate new fans.
We willingly purchased season seat and have no issue with this.

Hamilton is doing exactly this for their next game. $10 tickets for kids accompanying an adult who buys a ticket. Smart move.

[shayman]

I love the idea of explaining the basic terminology better. I’ve been a dedicated Argo fan for close to 30 years - but never played - and if you asked me for these details, I’d still have no clue. I can barely tell you the names of the positions. But I still love coming.

I wish they’d make an effort to sell the whole game day experience, not just the game. Tell people what it’s like attending a game. Even if you aren’t a football expert, you can enjoy the atmosphere. Tell stories about the dance team. Who’s the singer? Who’s the announcer? Who are some of the crazy fans with the signs and hats and so on (especially because it seems like we see the same faces in any photo of the crowd.). What goes on at a tailgate? Wait, you can take the train to the game and get off right there? How does that work? Who’s in the (assuming there ever is one again, perhaps the BTTB will come back) band? Introduce someone at their first game to someone who’s been coming for 50 years and see if they hit it off. What’s it like if you sit in the end zone with crazy people? What’s it like in the club seats? Wait, there’s a hidden club where you can get a really nice carved prime rib sandwich too? (And a $25 beer, but there are $7 beers too.) There are contests during the game? Cool, tell me more. There’s an Argo song they play after the touchdowns? How does it go? Show me the music and the lyrics so I can sing along! Etc etc.

There is so much you could talk about beyond just the details of “Cover 2”, whatever the heck that is.

I think it’d help - but sports media only wants to talk about the actual football details. There aren’t enough pure football fans to fill the building. We need casual fans who would enjoy a fun outing too.

[paulwoods13]

I trust folks noticed that the flagship Elks drew a tiny crowd last night, despite the universally acclaimed efforts of their new CEO to revitalize that franchise. Obviously it's just one game, and I'm in the camp lauding Victor Cui for his efforts, but this is indicative of how serious the CFL's problems are, and the fact they are not just in Toronto's indifferent market.