CFL TV Ratings

[jerrym]

The CFL TV ratings average climbed over 500,000 for the first time last week with the Argos-Riders game leading the way with 648,000 viewers. The Riders also have two other highest view ship games against the Als (623,000) and Elks (679,000). In week one, CFL viewership was down 15% compared to the last two years (https://3downnation.com/2022/06/14/2...t-two-seasons/)

2022 Week 7 TV ratings

Thursday
Montreal at Ottawa — 428,100
Hamilton at B.C. — 519,600
Friday
Winnipeg at Edmonton — 451,100
Sunday
Toronto at Saskatchewan — 648,000
Total Week 7 average: 511,700
Total Week 6 average: 454,200
Total Week 5 average: 472,100
Total Week 4 average: 479,500
Total Week 3 average: 425,050
Total Week 2 average: 481,025
Total Week 1 average: 441,625
(These numbers do not include viewership from RDS, TSN’s French-language affiliate.)

https://3downnation.com/2022/07/26/c...week-7-on-tsn/

[bannedforlife]

Canadian QB Nathan Rourke rolling over Riders leads to largest TV audience of 2022 CFL season
Justin Dunk 3downnation August 3, 2022

Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke playing in a hostile environment at Mosaic Stadium was appointment CFL viewing in Week 8.

Rourke going on the road against Saskatchewan’s beloved Roughriders drew the largest average television audience of the 2022 CFL season with over 700,000 viewers tuning in on TSN. After Cody Fajardo threw a touchdown pass to Tevin Jones and plunged in for another major to give the green and white a 17-4 lead, Rourke reeled off 28 unanswered points as his B.C. Lions went home with a 32-17 win.

The Stampeders’ showdown with the undefeated Blue Bombers was a highly entertaining game and the first three-down contest to draw more than 600,000 on TV not involving the Riders. The top four ratings of the season have come with Saskatchewan on the field with Winnipeg and Calgary’s latest tilt rounding out the top five.

Overall, the CFL went back-to-back with consecutive weeks of high average viewing audiences. In Week 7, the average per-game audience went over 500,000 for the first time and that number was improved upon this past week. The league and its TV partner are hoping the momentum continues to trend upward as the schedule goes along.

The Blue Jays were on Apple TV on Friday night, which could have helped boost the Lions-Riders game that kicked off just after 9 p.m. eastern time. The Jays remain Canadian sports ratings leaders in the summertime, averaging above 1,000,000 viewers for ball games played last Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.

Collectively, CFL matchups outrated Formula One’s Hungarian Grand Prix aired live by TSN on Sunday morning. An average audience of 472,900 watched Max Verstappen win the race and add to his F1 points lead.

2022 Week 8 TV ratings:

Thursday
Montreal at Hamilton — 353,900 (+200k RDS)

Friday
B.C. at Saskatchewan — 700,500

Saturday
Winnipeg at Calgary — 607,700

Sunday
Ottawa at Toronto — 428,900

Total Week 8 average: 522,750

(These numbers do not include viewership from RDS, TSN’s French-language affiliate.) Justin Dunk (37:35) reported that Alouettes' President Mario Cecchini tweeted that the Als have been averaging 200k viewers on RDS so far this season

[jerrym]

The CFL went from the largest 2022 audience on July 26th during week 8 to the lowest on August 9th during week 9 with Blue Jays playing on each CFL game night playing a role. However, CFL outstanding young Canadian QB Nathan Rourke's game had the highest viewership for the second week in a row, despite his playing against the lowly Elks. There was no Rider game though.

2022 Week 9 TV ratings:
Thursday
Winnipeg at Montreal — 475,600
Friday
Calgary at Ottawa — 337,300
Saturday
Hamilton at Toronto — 378,800
Edmonton at B.C. — 499,000
Total Week 9 average: 422,675
(These numbers do not include viewership from RDS, TSN’s French-language affiliate, which has averaged approximately 200,000 viewers for Alouettes games in 2022.)
https://3downnation.com/2022/08/09/c...riders-on-bye/

[OV Argo]

And RDS also shows a bunch of RedBlacks games, plus some other CFL games.

[bannedforlife]

Roughriders lead resurgent average CFL TV ratings in Week 10
Justin Dunk August 16, 2022

Following the worst week on television for the CFL in 2022, the Saskatchewan Roughriders returned from a bye to boost ratings on TSN in Week 10.

Cody Fajardo totalled three touchdowns as the green and white won 34-23 in Edmonton, the Riders’ second victory over the Elks this season. Saskatchewan improved to 5-4 and sent Edmonton to 2-7 during the first year with Chris Jones back as head coach in the Alberta capital. The Roughriders have secured the season series between the two teams and are in the crossover playoff spot well ahead of the Elks.

It was the Riders’ fifth game of the regular season schedule with 600,000-plus viewers tuning in. Only one other CFL game has gone over that number, Winnipeg’s showdown with Calgary in Week 8. Saskatchewan has been the TV ratings champions for many years running and the Roughriders’ presence pushed the three-down league to its second-best average week this year.

The Alouettes upsetting the previously undefeated Blue Bombers brought in a respectable number as well. Canadian kicker Marc Liegghio missed a 32-yard field goal at the end of regulation and Montreal prevailed 20-17 in overtime. It was a tightly-contested game with neither team holding more than a one-score lead at any time, which created intrigued and helped the total audience.

Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke leading an unbelievable comeback at McMahon Stadium was the third-highest rated contest despite being the most exciting. Rourke brought his B.C. Lions back from 15 points down in the second half to win 41-40 on a last-second field goal by Sean Whyte.

2022 Week 10 TV ratings:

Thursday
Montreal at Winnipeg — 591,900

Friday
Toronto at Hamilton — 433,900

Saturday
B.C. at Calgary — 454,400
Saskatchewan at Edmonton — 610,200

Total Week 10 average: 522,600

(These numbers do not include viewership from RDS, TSN’s French-language affiliate, which has averaged approximately 200,000 viewers for Alouettes games in 2022.)

[AngeloV]

I think the lack of effort by the current ownership group is hurting the team even more than the attendance figures show. I watch for the posted TV ratings weekly, and we used to be able to say, that although the Argos don't draw well, they are well watched on TV. Well, the Argos games seem to have the worst TV ratings of all the CFL games week over week. This is not a good sign, as the apathy for the team seems to be an an all time bad level. I usually try not to worry about this, but I have to admit, I am really worried about the future of the Argos and the league. We used to boast about how much the league needs a team in Toronto because it drives TV numbers, but the fact is, the Riders are easily the highest ratings booster week after week.

Argos vs RedBlacks numbers are just brutal. Maybe the result of a triple header being just too much for some people to commit a full day to. At least I hope that's all it is.



2022 Week 14 TV ratings:

Friday
B.C. at Montreal — 386,100 (not including RDS viewership which usually is in the 200k range)

Saturday
Toronto at Ottawa — 261,500
Saskatchewan at Winnipeg — 656,500
Calgary at Edmonton — 433,700

[OV Argo]

[QUOTE=AngeloV;162328]I think the lack of effort by the current ownership group is hurting the team even more than the attendance figures show. I watch for the posted TV ratings weekly, and we used to be able to say, that although the Argos don't draw well, they are well watched on TV. Well, the Argos games seem to have the worst TV ratings of all the CFL games week over week. This is not a good sign, as the apathy for the team seems to be an an all time bad level. I usually try not to worry about this, but I have to admit, I am really worried about the future of the Argos and the league. We used to boast about how much the league needs a team in Toronto because it drives TV numbers, but the fact is, the Riders are easily the highest ratings booster week after week.

************************************************** ************************************************** ******************************** I hate CFL triple headers - just too much football in one day to watch (though i've done it many times). Games should be spread out thru the week as much as possible with just a few big double-headers (like the Labour Day tradition). The recent Argos/Ottawa game was played on a Saturday afternoon on one of the last real weekends of summer - kudos for Ottawa fans turning up in good numbers at the stadium, but I could see fans around the country having better things to do, and especially with a boring match-up of an average and weak team in the mediocre East.

And the CFL schedule this year is just brutal, with teams playing each other back to back or in short order so many times - what a way to kill interest, vs. 2 teams who haven't faced each other in quite some time and with different bearing for the standings/ play-off races making it way more interesting. The CFL continues to be run by dorks (that means u Ambrosia), and a $hitty schedule combined with TSN's weak and boring coverage are a big parts of the problem. And, IF the CFL was on CTV feeds like the almighty NFL gets in this country - #s would be wayyyyyyy up. Sad state of affairs

[Will]

I think the lack of effort by the current ownership group is hurting the team even more than the attendance figures show. I watch for the posted TV ratings weekly, and we used to be able to say, that although the Argos don't draw well, they are well watched on TV. Well, the Argos games seem to have the worst TV ratings of all the CFL games week over week. This is not a good sign, as the apathy for the team seems to be an an all time bad level. I usually try not to worry about this, but I have to admit, I am really worried about the future of the Argos and the league. We used to boast about how much the league needs a team in Toronto because it drives TV numbers, but the fact is, the Riders are easily the highest ratings booster week after week.

Argos vs RedBlacks numbers are just brutal. Maybe the result of a triple header being just too much for some people to commit a full day to. At least I hope that's all it is.



2022 Week 14 TV ratings:

Friday
B.C. at Montreal — 386,100 (not including RDS viewership which usually is in the 200k range)

Saturday
Toronto at Ottawa — 261,500
Saskatchewan at Winnipeg — 656,500
Calgary at Edmonton — 433,700

The Blue Jays are also in the home stretch of the season, and while the division may be out of reach the Jays should make it in as a wild card. That's got to be impacting numbers.

[gilthethrill]

CFL Triple Headers aren’t going away anytime soon OV. I don’t care for them either but TSN has to cram the games in before NFL Sundays.

[Will]

[QUOTE=OV Argo;162329]

I think the lack of effort by the current ownership group is hurting the team even more than the attendance figures show. I watch for the posted TV ratings weekly, and we used to be able to say, that although the Argos don't draw well, they are well watched on TV. Well, the Argos games seem to have the worst TV ratings of all the CFL games week over week. This is not a good sign, as the apathy for the team seems to be an an all time bad level. I usually try not to worry about this, but I have to admit, I am really worried about the future of the Argos and the league. We used to boast about how much the league needs a team in Toronto because it drives TV numbers, but the fact is, the Riders are easily the highest ratings booster week after week.

************************************************** ************************************************** ******************************** I hate CFL triple headers - just too much football in one day to watch (though i've done it many times). Games should be spread out thru the week as much as possible with just a few big double-headers (like the Labour Day tradition). The recent Argos/Ottawa game was played on a Saturday afternoon on one of the last real weekends of summer - kudos for Ottawa fans turning up in good numbers at the stadium, but I could see fans around the country having better things to do, and especially with a boring match-up of an average and weak team in the mediocre East.

And the CFL schedule this year is just brutal, with teams playing each other back to back or in short order so many times - what a way to kill interest, vs. 2 teams who haven't faced each other in quite some time and with different bearing for the standings/ play-off races making it way more interesting. The CFL continues to be run by dorks (that means u Ambrosia), and a $hitty schedule combined with TSN's weak and boring coverage are a big parts of the problem. And, IF the CFL was on CTV feeds like the almighty NFL gets in this country - #s would be wayyyyyyy up. Sad state of affairs

I don't mind afternoon games if they are at home or it is a road game I am going to travel for, but if it is a road game I'm not going then I really don't like the afternoons. Rather do something outdoors that day and a 2:00 - 5:00 game kind of disrupts that a bit.

[Argo57]

I think the lack of effort by the current ownership group is hurting the team even more than the attendance figures show. I watch for the posted TV ratings weekly, and we used to be able to say, that although the Argos don't draw well, they are well watched on TV. Well, the Argos games seem to have the worst TV ratings of all the CFL games week over week. This is not a good sign, as the apathy for the team seems to be an an all time bad level. I usually try not to worry about this, but I have to admit, I am really worried about the future of the Argos and the league. We used to boast about how much the league needs a team in Toronto because it drives TV numbers, but the fact is, the Riders are easily the highest ratings booster week after week.

Argos vs RedBlacks numbers are just brutal. Maybe the result of a triple header being just too much for some people to commit a full day to. At least I hope that's all it is.



2022 Week 14 TV ratings:

Friday
B.C. at Montreal — 386,100 (not including RDS viewership which usually is in the 200k range)

Saturday
Toronto at Ottawa — 261,500
Saskatchewan at Winnipeg — 656,500
Calgary at Edmonton — 433,700

I have supported/defended this league for 45 years or so but fear the CFL is sliding into the abyss and won’t be able to recover.
Years ago the CFL was perceived as the wide open brand of football while the NFL was the boring run first and pass when needed alternative.
I will say I think the roles have reversed to a great extent, NFL OC’s seem to run more imaginative and varied systems while it almost appears the CFL issues the same playbook to each team at the beginning of each season.
While the NFL has more than their share of lousy matchups they are more easily buried in a 32 team league, hard for a 9 team league to hide those games especially when a third of the teams really suck.
Expanded NFL rosters, rival leagues and the financial disparity between the leagues are slowly but surely killing the CFL.

[AngeloV]

I have supported/defended this league for 45 years or so but fear the CFL is sliding into the abyss and won’t be able to recover.
Years ago the CFL was perceived as the wide open brand of football while the NFL was the boring run first and pass when needed alternative.
I will say I think the roles have reversed to a great extent, NFL OC’s seem to run more imaginative and varied systems while it almost appears the CFL issues the same playbook to each team at the beginning of each season.
While the NFL has more than their share of lousy matchups they are more easily buried in a 32 team league, hard for a 9 team league to hide those games especially when a third of the teams really suck.
Expanded NFL rosters, rival leagues and the financial disparity between the leagues are slowly but surely killing the CFL.

Honestly, I think the league needs to step back a bit and perhaps give up a few TV $$$ to get back on CBC. With all the cord cutting going on today survival will be based on being on an over the air avenue. At the very least, they should insist that any cable network that has the rights do what SN does on HNIC and show the game on CBC in exchange for promotional considerations. CBC should have a game of the week as well as Playoffs and Grey Cup.

[Argo57]

Honestly, I think the league needs to step back a bit and perhaps give up a few TV $$$ to get back on CBC. With all the cord cutting going on today survival will be based on being on an over the air avenue. At the very least, they should insist that any cable network that has the rights do what SN does on HNIC and show the game on CBC in exchange for promotional considerations. CBC should have a game of the week as well as Playoffs and Grey Cup.

TSN’s presentation has become rather tired (I’m being kind), airing games on another network with different personalities and a fresh look wouldn’t hurt.
The current panel isn’t very good, the buffoonery gets tiresome IMO.
Back in the day I enjoyed the difference between the CBC and CTV broadcasts, each had their merits but the presentations were far from boring.

[paulwoods13]

Bell's unwillingness to put games on Sunday (except playoff games, go figure) contributes to scheduling in this league being a real mess. Thursdays are lousy for ratings, Friday doubleheaders cut out some eastern viewers who aren't willing to stay up until 1 a.m., and some Saturday doubleheaders do that as well. And tripleheaders on Saturday mean one game in the middle of the day, when viewership is bound to be low. And scheduling games on three (occasionally four) days in a week (so that all games can be televised nationally) means some teams get screwed with very short weeks. There is no solution in sight to any of this. I suppose if a non-Bell network came in it might be willing to try games on Sundays, but in view of the NFL ratings juggernaut that seems like a bad idea. Another idea, which Bell would oppose, would be to have some games played simultaneously, with the same start times every week. Say Fridays at 8 ET and Saturdays at 5 and 8 ET, with one "overlap" game each week. Viewers would choose which one to watch when two games are on at the same time. It would almost certainly reduce overall viewership, but it would eliminate the "I don't know what day and time the games are" excuse, and it would mean an end to short weeks except the week after Labour Day.

[OV Argo]

I have supported/defended this league for 45 years or so but fear the CFL is sliding into the abyss and won’t be able to recover.
Years ago the CFL was perceived as the wide open brand of football while the NFL was the boring run first and pass when needed alternative.
I will say I think the roles have reversed to a great extent, NFL OC’s seem to run more imaginative and varied systems while it almost appears the CFL issues the same playbook to each team at the beginning of each season.
While the NFL has more than their share of lousy matchups they are more easily buried in a 32 team league, hard for a 9 team league to hide those games especially when a third of the teams really suck.
Expanded NFL rosters, rival leagues and the financial disparity between the leagues are slowly but surely killing the CFL.

You paint a bleak picture. The slow but sure death is not inevitable IMO, but would take some real brains & guts from the BOG types and leadership from a real sharp Commish ... Ok, maybe doom is inevitable ;o)

A much better schedule for TV, with far superior presentation (camera direction and talking head selection & direction), and, some much improved league marketing are impossible ? I find this hard to believe. The corporate suits and bean counters (types running the Argos) can't be kicked in the @ss with some innovative direction and initiatives?

[SkalbaniasGhost]

Honestly, I think the league needs to step back a bit and perhaps give up a few TV $$$ to get back on CBC. With all the cord cutting going on today survival will be based on being on an over the air avenue. At the very least, they should insist that any cable network that has the rights do what SN does on HNIC and show the game on CBC in exchange for promotional considerations. CBC should have a game of the week as well as Playoffs and Grey Cup.

Stewart Johnson is not letting that happen.

[ArgoRavi]

Honestly, I think the league needs to step back a bit and perhaps give up a few TV $$$ to get back on CBC. With all the cord cutting going on today survival will be based on being on an over the air avenue. At the very least, they should insist that any cable network that has the rights do what SN does on HNIC and show the game on CBC in exchange for promotional considerations. CBC should have a game of the week as well as Playoffs and Grey Cup.

I have been pissed off since 2007 when Keith Pelley handed the TV rights exclusively to TSN and didn't even engage with CBC. Then shortly after that, Bell got the NFL rights and the CFL has clearly played second fiddle over the past fifteen years and, bit by bit, interest has eroded. Something needs to be done to reverse this but who the hell will do anything?

[ArgoRavi]

Bell's unwillingness to put games on Sunday (except playoff games, go figure) contributes to scheduling in this league being a real mess. Thursdays are lousy for ratings, Friday doubleheaders cut out some eastern viewers who aren't willing to stay up until 1 a.m., and some Saturday doubleheaders do that as well. And tripleheaders on Saturday mean one game in the middle of the day, when viewership is bound to be low. And scheduling games on three (occasionally four) days in a week (so that all games can be televised nationally) means some teams get screwed with very short weeks. There is no solution in sight to any of this. I suppose if a non-Bell network came in it might be willing to try games on Sundays, but in view of the NFL ratings juggernaut that seems like a bad idea. Another idea, which Bell would oppose, would be to have some games played simultaneously, with the same start times every week. Say Fridays at 8 ET and Saturdays at 5 and 8 ET, with one "overlap" game each week. Viewers would choose which one to watch when two games are on at the same time. It would almost certainly reduce overall viewership, but it would eliminate the "I don't know what day and time the games are" excuse, and it would mean an end to short weeks except the week after Labour Day.

Back in the heydey of the league in the 1970s, there used to be much more regional coverage with the end result being similar to what Paul is proposing here. During the summers, games would be on Tuesday and Wednesday nights with the East getting one game each night and the West getting the other one. After Labour Day, the games would move to Saturday and Sunday.

Even in the 1980s, as the league moved to a fully interlocking schedule, they pretty much went with Thursday to Sunday during the summer and then Friday to Sunday for the fall. There were fewer regional telecasts and more on the full CBC or CTV network. I recall many a Saturday growing up when there would be one game on Saturday afternoon and another on Saturday night in the fall.

I tend to agree that moving away from Sunday (thanks again, Bell/TSN!) has caused problems. There was a time not that long ago when the CFL was competitive with the NFL on Sunday in Canada but Bell has ceded Sunday to the NFL to the detriment of the CFL. Again, something needs to be done to reverse this concerning trend but who is going to do it? I don't see a will on the part of the league or Bell/TSN to do anything but the status quo.

[ArgoRavi]

CFL Triple Headers aren’t going away anytime soon OV. I don’t care for them either but TSN has to cram the games in before NFL Sundays.

As much as I love the CFL, three games straight (i.e., 9 hours) in one day is too much. It might be more palatable if there was a break in the day; for instance, the Toronto/Ottawa game could have been played from 1 pm to 4 pm, then Saskatchewan/Winnipeg could have been played at 7 pm with the Calgary/Edmonton game at 10 pm. Better yet though, let's just not do tripleheaders but Sundays are out because of Bell's greater love for the NFL and apparently a Friday night doubleheader was out of the question also.

[paulwoods13]

Games starting at 10 ET, or even 930, are bad for ratings. NFL made it work for years with Monday Night Football, but that was an event. Now no NFL games start as late as that. Maybe they are on to something. I would happily trade later starts in Toronto (8 or even 830 on occasion) for games in Alberta and Vancouver starting earlier than they often do now.