Game Thread: Edmonton Elks @ Toronto Argonauts

[kellynjk]

Did anyone see if Brissett returned to the game?

He did for just a few plays. Dinwiddie in the post game said he wanted to come back in but they decided to limit him and preferred to be cautious

Oh I missed that, but as I say he didn't look any worse for wear later in the game, standing on the sidelines - thank goodness!

[Unplayable]

Watching the front 7 of the defence it seems obvious that it was a pretty vanilla scheme. There was very little stunting for example, and every rusher just seemed to push straight ahead. I can't remember hearing Smith's name once during the game, and Brinkman was not his usual disruptive self in the passing downs, although they did shut down the running game. I recall hearing McManis's name once on a pass breakup and he is usually all over the place.

I presume the scheme was forced to be pretty vanilla due to injuries, and looking forward to the Montreal game.

[IssuesMcgee]

The attendance certainly didn’t look like 10,000 on tv and no doubt the poor weather didn’t help. I think the Argos have lost alot of fans because of the poor game they played in the Eastern final last year, combined with Kelly debacle. But hopefully if they continue to play great, entertaining games, the crowds will come back. I think management could also do some good marketing with Dukes, Carey, Coxie etc. They have alot of talented players on the team and it would be refreshing if the organization did more to highlight and promote them!

The team was pre-occupied with having to do damage control leading up to this season. There seemed to be even less advertising than usual and the Toronto sports media did the team no favours this Spring.

June is a busy and transitional time of year for a lot of people in the GTA. I believe the team should spend the majority of their advitising resources from March to June. When the team makes the East Final, the games seem to sell themselves. A lot of sports fans I have talked to, who will even follow the Argos from time to time, were not even aware the CFL season started this year.

[AngeloV]

A lot of sports fans I have talked to, who will even follow the Argos from time to time, were not even aware the CFL season started this year.

This has been my argument for years with people that want to start the season in May. Doesn’t matter if a Canadian team is even alive in the NHL playoffs, TSN sends a panel to the cup finals regardless and it takes up the majority of SC. The beginning of the season should be a big deal with lots of coverage on SC, but it gets pushed back.

[kellynjk]

Attention on the CFL and attendance at games also isn't helped by the Euro 2024 tournament (June 14 - July 14) which is getting alot of TSN coverage and a ton of people I know watch those matches. And the CFL will also have to compete with the summer olympics as well this year (Jul 26, 2024 – Sun, Aug 11, 2024). Not to mention the Stanley Cup playoffs!

[Scooter McCray]

Attendance will continue to go nowhere until MLSE dedicated resources to the Football Business. They have Football Operations only. The Football Business falls under an absentee President. The team has no Football Business Operations side to speak of.
The game against the Elks was Pride Night. The Argos have been having Pride Night for years - other than labelling the game the "Pride" game, what does the organization do to promote itself in the LGBTQ community? Other than sending a token player(s) to march in the parade every year. It has not changed the attendance one bit. The crowd was 2,000 less than the home opener.
This is because they have no plan, no strategy, no attention to what is necessary to rejuvenate the fanbase.
That's why when people comment that the Argos are dead in Toronto, or there is nothing that can be done - I DON'T BELIEVE THAT. Because nothing is being done or tried in any focused way or with any creativity or imagination.
Manning and MLSE were content to let Pinball make the team good on the field and get their media to pump the last 2 Eastern Finals. When the team than lays an egg last year all you have to go on with those "new" fans was the one game.
I really hope Keith Pelley does the right thing and let's Pinball run this thing - give him a budget, and let him go to it. Clemons is a man with creativity and imagination and certainly the passion to rebuild it.