Marketing ideas for Argos

[Argo57]

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.

Especially troubling considering they were playing against the arch rival Stampeders.
This league has a lot of heavy lifting ahead to survive long term IMO.

[ArgoRavi]

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.

The year off hurt the league more than we could have realized. However, other major pro sports leagues are struggling with attendance too, such as MLB, so it's not only a CFL thing. Having said all of this, we all need to have some patience. I think that the likes of Cui and Doman have great ideas but it's going to take some time to bear fruit.

[bannedforlife]

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.

[bannedforlife]

The year off hurt the league more than we could have realized. However, other major pro sports leagues are struggling with attendance too, such as MLB, so it's not only a CFL thing. Having said all of this, we all need to have some patience. I think that the likes of Cui and Doman have great ideas but it's going to take some time to bear fruit.

Totally agree with this. Plus the fact that there will be an age group that is detached from this kind of public setting and also people leery of gatherings because of the virus, not necessarily the virus itself but just being around large numbers of other people. We have gone through a massive societal change, we have customer service people now who find phone calls "too personal" and only want to converse via text and its forms. I don't know if we ever will return to the way things were pre pandemic, same as air travel changed after 9-11. I too don't think this is just a CFL issue.

[bannedforlife]

Just as an aside I'm having issues with the forum opening threads using Firefox. I'm on Chrome now and it is ok. Edit: Cleaned the cookies et al, works ok on FF now.

[bannedforlife]

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.

Great post, full of common sense good ideas, some that I've never really thought of or heard before. Put a camera in the stands, up close and personal with the fans. One of the best TV director shots I've seen was one of those old folk shows from the 60s where Ian and Sylvia IIRC were singing. The director cut to a shot showing a girl intently listening playing with her hair and he stayed with it (starts at 1:30). That shot conveyed more emotion than just the standard covering of the event.

I watched the other night and the formal setup of the panel in the studio finally came across to me as useless. I know a lot of people don't like the panel as a personality or jealousy thing but it just came across to me as a form whose time has passed and very lame. They were talking over each other, Kate's presence as a woman seemed out of sync, it just seemed to serve no purpose other than to "cover the black" as we used to say. And again this isn't a CFL thing, I heard an ESPN basketball guy say the same thing and he took it even further.

[Argo57]

Totally agree with this. Plus the fact that there will be an age group that is detached from this kind of public setting and also people leery of gatherings because of the virus, not necessarily the virus itself but just being around large numbers of other people. We have gone through a massive societal change, we have customer service people now who find phone calls "too personal" and only want to converse via text and its forms. I don't know if we ever will return to the way things were pre pandemic, same as air travel changed after 9-11. I too don't think this is just a CFL issue.

All valid points.
I would also add home theatre as a favourable alternative for many, HD big screen TV, cheaper beer and snacks no parking and all the comforts of home.
Tough sledding especially for a gate driven league like the the CFL.
You are right, things have changed and will not go back to the way they were.

[shayman]

Exactly. The number one thought needs to be “Why should somebody come down here instead of watching the game at home? Why is this better?”

[shayman]

Incidentally if you want to see a neat example of a team that’s really thinking differently about the game day experience and putting on a show that is way more entertaining than usual - search out some video of the Savannah Bananas minor league baseball team. They haven’t quite veered into full Harlem-Globetrotters-the-actual-game-is-a-sham territory but they sure are trying a lot of new things to engage people and attract fans who think baseball is boring.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/baseba...s-gone-bananas

[bannedforlife]

but they sure are trying a lot of new things to engage people and attract fans who think baseball is boring.

Whenever I see someone calling something boring, I immediately think they are boring and lack creativity and imagination. Even an accountant can see beauty in numbers. Just a pet peeve of mine.

[AngeloV]

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.

Sooner or later the CFL is going to realize Thursday nights do not help attendance numbers.

[bannedforlife]

Sooner or later the CFL is going to realize Thursday nights do not help attendance numbers.

They've realized that for a long time, it's TSN that wants it. It gives them a good rating on a slow night. Kinda hard to bite the hand that feeds you.

[paulwoods13]

Sooner or later the CFL is going to realize Thursday nights do not help attendance numbers.

Maybe not, altho Thursdays and even Wednesdays weren't impediments to attendance in the heyday of the league (and a case can be made that in summer, it might be easier to get people to games in Toronto during the week than on weekends). But this attendance problem runs way deeper than one night of the week.

[Mocha]

Figure out how to broadcast in additional languages like HNIC Punjabi

I just came across this story. An Elks-Bombers game will be broadcast in Cree, though I think that's only via radio.

https://windspeaker.com/news/sports/...9l-39cPZb0efnQ

[bannedforlife]

I just came across this story. An Elks-Bombers game will be broadcast in Cree, though I think that's only via radio.

Fantastic, combined with this:

Enoch Cree Nation’s Ashley Callingbull named in-game co-host for Edmonton Elks
Caley Gibson Global News May 30, 2022

[dmont]

I love the idea of sharing marketing ideas for the team, but "marketing ideas" is such a broad category that potentially good ideas might get lost as people debate the merits and drawbacks of all the suggestions. So, I definitely support the intention of this thread, but I hope you'll take a minute to check out the "2-Kool" thread that lays out a marketing idea that I've been kicking around in my head for a while.

[Argoboy83]

Being a realist based of MLSE's disinterest in the Argos and how small the fan base is now in Toronto would not be surprised if the Argos relocate to either Hamilton or London in 2 or 3 years they could do a similar model of how the Toronto Rock relocated to Hamilton as they got better dates and an interested market and market share more to themselves. Tannenbaum obviously wants to be in the XFL and with the league turning that down has obviously given up even more so now.

[Mocha]

I love the idea of sharing marketing ideas for the team, but "marketing ideas" is such a broad category that potentially good ideas might get lost as people debate the merits and drawbacks of all the suggestions. So, I definitely support the intention of this thread, but I hope you'll take a minute to check out the "2-Kool" thread that lays out a marketing idea that I've been kicking around in my head for a while.

I like the idea. The Argos and the league need to some ads with an edgy humour that would get people talking. It's been decades since they've done that.

A less-edgy idea I would suggest is to work with ESL schools to arrange some kind of value-added outing packages. Give them a good deal on group seating low on the east side so they'd be seen on tv. The students are generally young and diverse, and they don't know that the CFL is not considered cool by locals. Organize some kind of pre-game event with a meet-and-greet with Pinball and/or global players and/or the cheerleaders. Maybe get them done up in Argos face paint or have them create Argos signs.

[ArgoGabe22]

I like the idea. The Argos and the league need to some ads with an edgy humour that would get people talking. It's been decades since they've done that.

"Home is where the heart is. It's also where we hurt people."

[Argo57]

Being a realist based of MLSE's disinterest in the Argos and how small the fan base is now in Toronto would not be surprised if the Argos relocate to either Hamilton or London in 2 or 3 years they could do a similar model of how the Toronto Rock relocated to Hamilton as they got better dates and an interested market and market share more to themselves. Tannenbaum obviously wants to be in the XFL and with the league turning that down has obviously given up even more so now.

So move to Hamilton to get “market share” more to themselves?