Looks like Edmonton will give up the attendance crown this year...

[KCargosfan]

The Esks are awful and there were 40K in Regina today.

[294life]

still 30,000 attending esks games in spite of 8 bad years while the riders are on a high with their grey cup run.

[Argocister]

The Esks are awful and there were 40K in Regina today.

Very cool.... And yea I'm jealous. But what was the record held by Edmonton?

[Ron]

Very cool.... And yea I'm jealous. But what was the record held by Edmonton?

Not sure. But I know they once had 50K season ticket holders back in the glory days.

[Will]

I think KCargosfan is referring to the fact that the Eskimos have had the highest average attendance over the last eight seasons?

Ron is right the Eskimos would have had 50k season ticket holders back in the early 1980's, but I believe the 1977 Montreal Alouettes at an average of 59,525 hold the single season highest average attendance record.

[LLB997]

I think KCargosfan is referring to the fact that the Eskimos have had the highest average attendance over the last eight seasons?

Ron is right the Eskimos would have had 50k season ticket holders back in the early 1980's, but I believe the 1977 Montreal Alouettes at an average of 59,525 hold the single season highest average attendance record. that same season vs. Argos was what is still the highest attended single game in CFL history (over 69 thousand at the Big O).Would love to have been at that game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQnLo6OW4fk

[Will]

My father had season tickets for the Alouettes in the late 1970's before he left Quebec in the great Anglophone exodus and he actually had to miss that game because he was at a Scout camp or something like that.

[ArgoRavi]

that same season vs. Argos was what is still the highest attended single game in CFL history (over 69 thousand at the Big O).Would love to have been at that game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQnLo6OW4fk

Coincidentally, that game was played on the Tuesday night after Labour Day as is this year's Montreal/Toronto game.

[LLB997]

Coincidentally, that game was played on the Tuesday night after Labour Day as is this year's Montreal/Toronto game. How do you guys know this stuff??? lol

[ArgoRavi]

How do you guys know this stuff??? lol

The Pro Football Archives website comes in handy!

[D-Gap-Willie]

It does make some of the current numbers look a little pale by comparison. Since 1976, there have been 109 dates with crowds over 50,000 in the CFL, but not so many lately. I think the last over 50K crowd was last year's Eastern Final at the Big O. That and Commonwealth are now the only stadiums that can crack the 50k mark.

[ArgoRavi]

It does make some of the current numbers look a little pale by comparison. Since 1976, there have been 109 dates with crowds over 50,000 in the CFL, but not so many lately. I think the last over 50K crowd was last year's Eastern Final at the Big O. That and Commonwealth are now the only stadiums that can crack the 50k mark.

B.C. Place can still top the 50k mark and did for the re-opening game between the Esks and Lions back in 2011. Of course, so can SkyDome although the Argos haven't hit that mark for a non-Grey Cup game since the 1991 East Final.

[Gill The Thrill]

Ticket prices are also more expensive today than they were back then, even with pro-rated inflation, and this has also cut into sales...when you start asking people to fork out more than $50-$60 for a ticket in a decent area, then add that to parking and concession costs. You get the picture that they will only attract die-hards and not casual fans who will not want to bring the kids down to the game for that price.

I know they try by pricing kids under 14 differently, but $100 although not what it once was worth is still a lot of coin for some people when you add up all the costs...Add that to rising utilities, taxes and gas and you could understand why the attendance for many entertainment options is down.

[ArgoRavi]

Ticket prices are also more expensive today than they were back then, even with pro-rated inflation, and this has also cut into sales...when you start asking people to fork out more than $50-$60 for a ticket in a decent area, then add that to parking and concession costs. You get the picture that they will only attract die-hards and not casual fans who will not want to bring the kids down to the game for that price.

I know they try by pricing kids under 14 differently, but $100 although not what it once was worth is still a lot of coin for some people when you add up all the costs...Add that to rising utilities, taxes and gas and you could understand why the attendance for many entertainment options is down.

I know that the biggest complaint of B.C. Lions fans is the pricing of tickets in that market. Braley expected to routinely draw 35k to 40k in the refurbished B.C. Place but they are actually drawing smaller crowds there now than before the renovation.

[294life]

Just under 30,000 last game and 25,000 for the bc home opener.

[matchuk]

Just under 30,000 last game and 25,000 for the bc home opener.

still better then us!

[matchuk]

im actually thinking this friday might be the highest home game attendance of the year so far....its basically the last game of the summer on a friday night with batches of free tickets given away from the survey...hope its not just wishful thinking

[294life]

the home opener was pretty high close to 30,000. hopefully it'll be somewhere close.