Scheduling the West if I'm the league...

[KCargosfan]

To take advantage of the crazy, green, water-melon wearing people that boost attendance, I would have the Riders visit Edmonton and Calgary every July and play on Friday or Saturday.

That way you ensure big crowds at those games because it's before anyone knows if the Riders will suck, so their fans would likely travel. You pretty much guarantee that Calgary will sellout at 36K and with Edmonton, the sky is the limit with their stadium. Having Sask visit Edmonton on the first Friday of the year would generate a huge crowd imo.

This year, the league has Sask visiting Calgary in week 4, but on a Thursday, so it may not be as big of a crowd as it could.

Smartly, the league has Sask visiting Edmonton on a Friday in week 7, which should be the biggest CFL crowd of the regular season. But the league is taking a gamble having Sask visit Edmonton in week 16, as if Sask is out of the playoff race like they were last year, the crowd would be severely diminished.

In 2011 the league gambled and lost, having Sask visit Edmonton in weeks 15 and 19. The week 15 game drew 38K and the week 19 a small 30K. Put those 2 games earlier in the season, and the attendance would have been much higher imo.

In 2010 Sask. visited Edmonton once (I believe) and the attendance was 48K. In 2009 I believe one of the Sask@Edmon games had 62K.

Does this make sense or does it just favor Calgary and Edmonton too much?

[ArgoRavi]

To take advantage of the crazy, green, water-melon wearing people that boost attendance, I would have the Riders visit Edmonton and Calgary every July and play on Friday or Saturday.

That way you ensure big crowds at those games because it's before anyone knows if the Riders will suck, so their fans would likely travel. You pretty much guarantee that Calgary will sellout at 36K and with Edmonton, the sky is the limit with their stadium. Having Sask visit Edmonton on the first Friday of the year would generate a huge crowd imo.

This year, the league has Sask visiting Calgary in week 4, but on a Thursday, so it may not be as big of a crowd as it could.

Smartly, the league has Sask visiting Edmonton on a Friday in week 7, which should be the biggest CFL crowd of the regular season. But the league is taking a gamble having Sask visit Edmonton in week 16, as if Sask is out of the playoff race like they were last year, the crowd would be severely diminished.

In 2011 the league gambled and lost, having Sask visit Edmonton in weeks 15 and 19. The week 15 game drew 38K and the week 19 a small 30K. Put those 2 games earlier in the season, and the attendance would have been much higher imo.

In 2010 Sask. visited Edmonton once (I believe) and the attendance was 48K. In 2009 I believe one of the Sask@Edmon games had 62K.

Does this make sense or does it just favor Calgary and Edmonton too much?

It makes sense to me although B.C. would love to have the Riders visit them early in the season too as that would generate a 40K+ crowd there potentially.

EDIT: I just checked and the Riders visit the Lions in Week 8 during the afternoon so that should be a good crowd for B.C. If the Riders are still battling for anything by Week 19, there should be another good crowd in Vancouver for that one but how good will the Riders be this season? They have strengthened their offensive line but I do still have some concerns about their running backs and defence.

[KCargosfan]

Agreed, their defense was pretty bad last season, and now they've lost Freeman.