How Would Moving the CFL Season Earlier Affect the Argos?

[Bruro]

Actually, contrary to popular opinion, you will find CFL attendance as a whole actually declines in October and November (specifically in the west). Look at CFL database attendance figures. Without question its because of the colder weather. With the exception of the GC playoff games in the CFL seem to have a problem with attendance - the west final this year (battle of alberta) was 6k shy of a sellout yet the regular season tilt between these two teams drew more at McMahon in August. Last regular season game in Calgary was played under snow and, while paid atrendance was 25k or so, the stadium was more than half empty. I dont agree with moving the season back as more as the new CFL commish suggests but think somewhere in the middle would do the league good. Have the regular start mid June and have the grey cup in the first or second week of november the latest.

[R.J]

Actually, contrary to popular opinion, you will find CFL attendance as a whole actually declines in October and November (specifically in the west). Look at CFL database attendance figures. Without question its because of the colder weather. With the exception of the GC playoff games in the CFL seem to have a problem with attendance - the west final this year (battle of alberta) was 6k shy of a sellout yet the regular season tilt between these two teams drew more at McMahon in August. Last regular season game in Calgary was played under snow and, while paid atrendance was 25k or so, the stadium was more than half empty. I dont agree with moving the season back as more as the new CFL commish suggests but think somewhere in the middle would do the league good. Have the regular start mid June and have the grey cup in the first or second week of november the latest.

McMahon has been half empty all season, so probably not the greatest example.

[paulwoods13]

Have the regular start mid June and have the grey cup in the first or second week of november the latest.

The ostensible reason to move the schedule up is to make more summer programming available for NFL Network, presumably with significant revenues attached. Moving the season up two weeks would hardly achieve that goal. Ambrosie was talking about playing Grey Cup in the third weekend of November which, combined with the extra bye week, would mean moving it up six weeks.

[Neely2005]

Actually, contrary to popular opinion, you will find CFL attendance as a whole actually declines in October and November (specifically in the west). Look at CFL database attendance figures. Without question its because of the colder weather. With the exception of the GC playoff games in the CFL seem to have a problem with attendance - the west final this year (battle of alberta) was 6k shy of a sellout yet the regular season tilt between these two teams drew more at McMahon in August. Last regular season game in Calgary was played under snow and, while paid atrendance was 25k or so, the stadium was more than half empty. I dont agree with moving the season back as more as the new CFL commish suggests but think somewhere in the middle would do the league good. Have the regular start mid June and have the grey cup in the first or second week of november the latest.

So I wonder where did the myth of attendance increasing after Labour Day come from? Perhaps it's a Toronto only thing from when we played indoors at the Rogers Centre?