Will
03-27-2016, 01:03 PM
710
Notes:
1. The Blue Jays lost at least 103 games in their first three years in the league and their average attendance predictably declined to a low of 14,247 during the strike shortened 1981 season. The Argos, however, also saw a decline in this stretch. The team averaged 46,881 in 1977 but this had declined to 33,219 by 1981. Based on the Blue Jays attendance, I don't believe we can conclude that the Argos were losing the casual fan's interest to the Blue Jays, but rather that the Argos poor performance on the field contributed to the lower attendance.
2. The Argos see an uptick in attendance to 38,426 in 1982 and 37,107 in 1983 which was probably a result of the team turning around its fortunes on the field. However, we see a decline after the 1983 championship season to 32,754 in 1984. The Blue Jays had their first winning season in 1983 and while their average attendance had not yet surpassed the Argos, it was getting closer.
3. Argolio mentions the 1985 season being a turning point for the Argos in this market and I think he is correct. The Blue Jays average attendance surpasses that of the Argos for the first time. The Blue Jays finished that year 99-62 and won the AL East while the Argos finished 6-10, but I don't know if one can blame the Argos poor season for that, rather the casual fan was starting to attend Blue Jay games over Argo games.
4. Argo average attendance declines over the last three years at Exhibition Stadium while Blue Jay attendance rises. The Blue Jays remained in contention in the AL East, but did not win the division between 1986-1988. The Argos had a meh team in 1986, a good team in 1987 and a great team in 1988, but did not see their attendance rise.
5. Both clubs see an increase in attendance when they move to Skydome in 1989. However, while the Blue Jays will virtually sellout the Skydome through 1994, the Argos only see a modest increase that increases attendance to a high of 36,353 in 1991 which was the first year of the Candy/McNall/Gretzky ownership. The Blue Jays win World Series in 1992 and 1993 as well as Division titles in 1989 and 1991. The Argos feature one of the most exciting offenses in the league in 1990 and 1991, but it appears that the Argos still cannot compete for that casual fan the way the Argos can.
6. Both teams see their average attendance plummet in the mid-1990's. The Blue Jays fortunes on the field really declined after the 1993 season while the Argos fortunes on the field declined after the 1991 season. I'd argue that this is where the Argos really took a step down in their place on the Toronto sports totem pole. We're talking about average attendances that don't even hit 20,000. The Blue Jays aren't drawing 50,000 anymore, but are still hitting 30,000 at least for awhile.
7. The Argos attendance fortunes sag until Cynamon & Sokolowski buy the team in 2003, which boosts attendance and provides the illusion of modest success until 2009. The team was solid in that period, but it comes out that C & S are papering the house. Blue Jay attendance sags at a level they hadn't seen since the early 1980's with a few years around 2006 and 2007 where they were busy in the off-season. As we can see, the Argo average attendance actually creeps higher than the Blue Jays for a few years which hadn't happened since the early 1980's.
8. The David Braley ownership sees a steady decline in Argo attendance. Poor teams in 2008 and 2009 contributed, but the team spends very little in marketing in that time as well and this in spite of decent teams from 2012 onward. The Blue Jays with their Sportsnet hype machine see an increase in attendance from 2013 onward even though they didn't see success until 2015.
Notes:
1. The Blue Jays lost at least 103 games in their first three years in the league and their average attendance predictably declined to a low of 14,247 during the strike shortened 1981 season. The Argos, however, also saw a decline in this stretch. The team averaged 46,881 in 1977 but this had declined to 33,219 by 1981. Based on the Blue Jays attendance, I don't believe we can conclude that the Argos were losing the casual fan's interest to the Blue Jays, but rather that the Argos poor performance on the field contributed to the lower attendance.
2. The Argos see an uptick in attendance to 38,426 in 1982 and 37,107 in 1983 which was probably a result of the team turning around its fortunes on the field. However, we see a decline after the 1983 championship season to 32,754 in 1984. The Blue Jays had their first winning season in 1983 and while their average attendance had not yet surpassed the Argos, it was getting closer.
3. Argolio mentions the 1985 season being a turning point for the Argos in this market and I think he is correct. The Blue Jays average attendance surpasses that of the Argos for the first time. The Blue Jays finished that year 99-62 and won the AL East while the Argos finished 6-10, but I don't know if one can blame the Argos poor season for that, rather the casual fan was starting to attend Blue Jay games over Argo games.
4. Argo average attendance declines over the last three years at Exhibition Stadium while Blue Jay attendance rises. The Blue Jays remained in contention in the AL East, but did not win the division between 1986-1988. The Argos had a meh team in 1986, a good team in 1987 and a great team in 1988, but did not see their attendance rise.
5. Both clubs see an increase in attendance when they move to Skydome in 1989. However, while the Blue Jays will virtually sellout the Skydome through 1994, the Argos only see a modest increase that increases attendance to a high of 36,353 in 1991 which was the first year of the Candy/McNall/Gretzky ownership. The Blue Jays win World Series in 1992 and 1993 as well as Division titles in 1989 and 1991. The Argos feature one of the most exciting offenses in the league in 1990 and 1991, but it appears that the Argos still cannot compete for that casual fan the way the Argos can.
6. Both teams see their average attendance plummet in the mid-1990's. The Blue Jays fortunes on the field really declined after the 1993 season while the Argos fortunes on the field declined after the 1991 season. I'd argue that this is where the Argos really took a step down in their place on the Toronto sports totem pole. We're talking about average attendances that don't even hit 20,000. The Blue Jays aren't drawing 50,000 anymore, but are still hitting 30,000 at least for awhile.
7. The Argos attendance fortunes sag until Cynamon & Sokolowski buy the team in 2003, which boosts attendance and provides the illusion of modest success until 2009. The team was solid in that period, but it comes out that C & S are papering the house. Blue Jay attendance sags at a level they hadn't seen since the early 1980's with a few years around 2006 and 2007 where they were busy in the off-season. As we can see, the Argo average attendance actually creeps higher than the Blue Jays for a few years which hadn't happened since the early 1980's.
8. The David Braley ownership sees a steady decline in Argo attendance. Poor teams in 2008 and 2009 contributed, but the team spends very little in marketing in that time as well and this in spite of decent teams from 2012 onward. The Blue Jays with their Sportsnet hype machine see an increase in attendance from 2013 onward even though they didn't see success until 2015.