Argo Season Ticket Holder Survey - Re: Schedule

[ArgoFan1]

It looks like most of us here are agreed on Saturdays. I think I picked 4pm as well. 1pm is just too early for tailgating, in my opinion. (But then, I have yet to tailgate there as I park in Liberty Village for $5) My comment was on ticket pricing. I am okay to pay what I pay, but mentioned that when you are having a hard time selling anything, the obvious thing to do is to reduce the price. That's the way it works in retail. I like the other poster's comment about the crazy number of different price points. All the seats at BMO have a great view, so I'd say break it up into five price zones. Priciest between the 20 yards lines lower bowl, then same area in upper bowl. Cheaper at the ends of upper and lower bowls and then one price for the end zone. I know they have those field level seats as well, and could add another zone, but for the life of me, I don't know why anyone would want to sit on the field.
I think they should have allowed for first and second picks in the survey.
Although weeknights are not a problem for me, or were they ever, as I enjoy a midweek night out, I don't understand why the CFL has to schedule games on any Tuesday or Wednesday. Mondays should be reserved only for holidays.

[ArgoZ]

There are likely concerns about halftime shows doing damage to the natural grass. If that were to happen, there would be hell to pay.

Good point. As of note, the most famous and popular sports team in the world (Manchester United), has a halftime show of grass watering.

They could always put a band/show in the North endzone though.

[Neely2005]

I picked Saturday at 4pm also.
I have also suggest to look at the pricing of the tickets as I believe they are still too high for the CFL market in Toronto.

You can get sideline tickets for $20 or $199 for a Season Ticket. How much lower do you want them to go?

[Neely2005]

I too picked Saturday at 4pm.

I used the opportunity to share my thoughts that the Argos need to offer more incentives to season ticket holders. I realize that my opinion on this is in the minority around here but I truly believe that in the Toronto market with so many things to do & other teams to compete with, you have to give people a benefit to shelling out hundreds of dollars to attend football games all season long. All other Toronto teams (jays, fc, raptors, Marlies and leafs (not 100% sure on the leafs)) offer season ticket holder benefits. Also, all other CFL teams offer benefits.

This year, the only benefit I saw as a season ticket holder was a small discount on ticket prices that amounts to a free playoff ticket (if we even host a home playoff game).

Ideas that I mentioned (amongst others) included: merchandise discounts, single game ticket discounts, parking discounts, exclusive season ticket holder events such as town halls and player meet & greets, a ticket exchange program for games that you can't attend, a more flexible ticket payment plan (I.e. 3 or more payments vs. 2), a small exclusive season ticket holder thank you gift, etc.

We mentioned some of these too. I definitely don't feel that Michael Copeland has honoured his pledge to take care of season ticket holders.

[moeajram]

You can get sideline tickets for $20 or $199 for a Season Ticket. How much lower do you want them to go?

I was talking about all the 200 section where they want 75 dollars a seat. If you notice 20 dollars have no problem selling out.

[Argo57]

We mentioned some of these too. I definitely don't feel that Michael Copeland has honoured his pledge to take care of season ticket holders.

And it may bite him in the ass heading into season 2 at BMO.
Overvalued their ticket pricing big time and a significant reason ST numbers are what they are.

[Neely2005]

I was talking about all the 200 section where they want 75 dollars a seat. If you notice 20 dollars have no problem selling out.

There are plenty of empty seats in the $20 sections, especially on the east side.

[Mightygoose]

I agree with the pricing issue. Not just the pricing but also the disparity of how popular is the west side over the east leading optics making worse than it is.

I really hope they leave the prices alone on the west and south stands plus reduce on the east side significantly. Give the market a chance to rebuild. Don't make the same mistake past ownership did.

[Shipyard]

You can get sideline tickets for $20 or $199 for a Season Ticket. How much lower do you want them to go?

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at least lower the east side prices by 30-40%.
west side is basically full

[Neely2005]

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at least lower the east side prices by 30-40%.
west side is basically full

Sorry I don't agree, I don't think that they should go lower than $20 a ticket for their lowest priced tickets.

[Golden Fleece]

It's not a big issue for me personally but does anyone care about the lack of halftime entertainment since moving to BMO. The half time "grounds crew walk" is often the butt of many jokes online. Just curious if anyone wanted something more at the half like in the past.

I find the lack of half time entertainment a nice break. It gives a good chance to go eat, use the washroom, walk around, eat back at your seat, whatever. When I used to go to Raptors games I found the half time entertainment got repetitive after a while.

I too picked Saturday at 4pm.

I used the opportunity to share my thoughts that the Argos need to offer more incentives to season ticket holders. I realize that my opinion on this is in the minority around here but I truly believe that in the Toronto market with so many things to do & other teams to compete with, you have to give people a benefit to shelling out hundreds of dollars to attend football games all season long. All other Toronto teams (jays, fc, raptors, Marlies and leafs (not 100% sure on the leafs)) offer season ticket holder benefits. Also, all other CFL teams offer benefits.

This year, the only benefit I saw as a season ticket holder was a small discount on ticket prices that amounts to a free playoff ticket (if we even host a home playoff game).

Ideas that I mentioned (amongst others) included: merchandise discounts, single game ticket discounts, parking discounts, exclusive season ticket holder events such as town halls and player meet & greets, a ticket exchange program for games that you can't attend, a more flexible ticket payment plan (I.e. 3 or more payments vs. 2), a small exclusive season ticket holder thank you gift, etc.

All good suggestions. There needs to be something that feels like an exclusive benefit. Otherwise, it's too tempting to let go of the season seats and pick and choose games that fit a personal schedule.

[AngeloV]

Sorry I don't agree, I don't think that they should go lower than $20 a ticket for their lowest priced tickets.

Not a team in the league does that. The only it would happen is if they did like the old days and had a promotion with a supermarket chain or 7/11 for cheap tickets.

[Neely2005]

Not a team in the league does that. The only it would happen is if they did like the old days and had a promotion with a supermarket chain or 7/11 for cheap tickets.

Yeah I used to buy the Dominion $9.99 Vouchers, but that was 20 years ago and it was my understanding that Dominion was subsidizing the price of those tickets.

I agree that they may need to change the pricing structure but I see no need to go cheaper than $20 / $199 for the lowest priced ticket / season ticket. 11 Games for $199 is a great deal!

[AngeloV]

Yeah I used to buy the Dominion $9.99 Vouchers, but that was 20 years ago and it was my understanding that Dominion was subsidizing the price of those tickets.

I agree that they may need to change the pricing structure but I see no need to go cheaper than $20 / $199 for the lowest priced ticket / season ticket. 11 Games for $199 is a great deal!

Looking back, I misread your post. I thought that you said they need to go lower than $20. I actually do agree with your original post.

[Shipyard]

Sorry I don't agree, I don't think that they should go lower than $20 a ticket for their lowest priced tickets.

yeah. agree with that. but the $20 seats are only 200 seats. i talking about the other 14000 seats

[AngeloV]

yeah. agree with that. but the $20 seats are only 200 seats. i talking about the other 14000 seats

IMO, the endzone is way overpriced. Traditionally in football those are the cheapest seats, but not here.

[Neely2005]

IMO, the endzone is way overpriced. Traditionally in football those are the cheapest seats, but not here.

Agreed, I think that they priced them at a premium because it's the Fan Zone / Rowdy Area.

[Gill The Thrill]

Yeah I used to buy the Dominion $9.99 Vouchers, but that was 20 years ago and it was my understanding that Dominion was subsidizing the price of those tickets.

I agree that they may need to change the pricing structure but I see no need to go cheaper than $20 / $199 for the lowest priced ticket / season ticket. 11 Games for $199 is a great deal!

The Dominion $9.99 vouchers in those tightly squeezed end zone seats were sold for the first couple of seasons in the Cynmamon and Sokolowski era in 2004 and 2005. Both years in which the team was competitive, winning the Grey Cup with an 11-6-1 record in '04 and finishing first with an 11-7 record in '05. So not exactly 20 years ago. I think inflation for sports tickets has been ridiculously higher than the rate of inflation and it's definitely affected attendance for the Argos and the entire CFL for that matter. I think no CFL game should see tickets more than $60 unless they're field level tables or those Cpt Kirk chairs at field level which are meant to be premium.

$20 ticket minimum is not bad, but the incentive to buy seasons is not there with the .5% discount. Season ticket holders should have a minimum of 15% or 20% of single game prices, if not even more, as an incentive to get seasons. I wouldn't count the pre-season game and a non-guaranteed playoff game as a perk for season ticket holders. The playoff game is not guaranteed, and the pre-season game is quite frankly a glorified scrimmage which sees teams dress 70 guys. It's not exactly pro football played at a high level with coaches using mainly vanilla packages used to assess individual skills instead of trying to win the game.

I have a pair of season tickets at a $199 per seat and I'd bet that's one of their most popular season tickets because of the price. It's not full, because let's face it, fans move around when they see a half empty stadium, and to the credit of the Argonaut game day staff, they don't make a big deal of it as the a-holes at the dome used to. Don't you notice that the optics on the East Side look better in the 2nd half when those stands look more fuller. If there were 22,000 SSH, then they'd stay at their seats, but there isn't so fans can afford to walk and look at the game from different angles. I've only been to the 100 level on the east side during the Winnipeg game, because that crowd looked pretty bad, and I wanted to improve the optics for TV. Most times I have moved around the 200 level. Those 200 level east side seats even at the 55 yd line are priced way to high. Yes, you do see the whole field, but you are still quite a ways up.

[Gill The Thrill]

I selected:

Saturdays
4PM
Balanced throughout the season

I picked Saturdays also, if I had to choose just one day, but in the comments section I specified 7:30 for the summer games. I think 7 pm is too early, but I could understand why Go Trainers would want 7 pm. The post labour Day games should be afternoon games...4 pm or even 2pm, but not earlier than 1:30...those old enough will remember that as the start times for afternoon games at CNE stadium. Afternoon games in the fall when it gets cooler is excellent, but summer afternoon games in the humidity and sun is downright awful and I have no interest in that.

I prefer more games in the fall, but obviously balanced and not imbalanced with no home games for a month like this season. I also suggest the league should reduce the schedule to 16 games in 18 wks and start the season in early July as 18 per team is just too much for a tough sport like football. I bet doctors would concur with this.

[AngeloV]

The Dominion $9.99 vouchers in those tightly squeezed end zone seats were sold for the first couple of seasons in the Cynmamon and Sokolowski era in 2004 and 2005.

Wrong. Those years were the 7/11 2 tickets, 2 t-shirts and 2 slurpees for $22.