Shedding light on the Blackouts

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Rammer
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Sounds as if the TSN deal that kicks in next season for 5 years will limit the number of blackouts that a team can impose over the course of the agreement substantially.
Lowell Ullrich, Vancouver Province wrote:- Another topic that draws instant debate are CFL TV blackouts, and for those who support the league from the living room, there's good news on the way. One league governor acknowledged last week that the new TSN contract that takes effect next season will put the squeeze on blackouts. The way the new deal works, teams have a finite number of games they can impose a blackout on over the life of the agreement. TSN has exclusive rights for the next five years starting with the 2008 season, meaning if teams use their allotment early, all home games would have to be aired locally by the end of the deal. CFL commissioner Mark Cohon, as the word goes, is not blackout-friendly. Good news for couch potatoes, bad for the Lions.
This is going to hurt a few teams gate revenue, no doubt. It will be almost like a game of chess on which games to blackout over a 5 year period, the team against the fans.....hmmm.
Entertainment value = an all time low
120dB
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makes sense from TSN's standpoint. They can boost their ratings by having more viewres see their games and now they can go to their advertisers and charge more money. If TSN is going to sign a 5 year deal there had better be something in it for themselves.

In the long run it's good for the league as it will promote the games and I think generate more fans in the long run
Shaggy
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I think we'll see more blackouts at first, in an attempt to keep the STH base increasing.

I think if they can crack the 30,000 STH plateau, then more TV exposure will be beneficial to attracting some of the casual fans and some of those fans that were lost during the dark days ( Skalbania, etc )
MacNews
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This is where I wonder why the Lions don't have the visitor side of the UD open and not the home. The cameras look up and see a bunch of empty seats, missing the filled half on the other side.
120dB
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Main TV Cameras are in the Press Box which is on the Visitors side. The Upper Deck sections that are usually open are on the Home Side so the Main cameras would be pointing in that direction for the most part

The camera that showed my NOISE banner in past WFs was in Section 54 so if I bring it again it'll be hung in Section 26
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Wally!
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Good - I have never really believed that blackouts bring out more fans to the actual game. More exposure is a good thing, particularly in your own market.
chimpy

we need to have most blackout lifted, i think if the lions can sell 30,000 tickets 24hrs before game time they should lift it, it think if the lions win the grey cup again we will get around 25,000 season ticket holders, that should help right there.

a buddy of mine told me that he was watching the lions game against Calgary a couple of weks agao and liked the atmosphere he saw on tv and is know going to the rest of the lions games at home and the playoff game so it does work, we need to expose our product that way, as long as BC Place looks like a place were you want to go on tv, not dead.
chimpy

John Henry i agree with your statment, but i think if the cfl has a limit that each team has to sell so many STH before blackouts are lifted in thier city.

That is the safest way to go.
QB#9
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Wally! wrote:Good - I have never really believed that blackouts bring out more fans to the actual game. More exposure is a good thing, particularly in your own market.

:whs: It's a good idea to give casual fans a chance to see the lions play at home, and get a taste of the atmosphere. Something the newspapers can't provide.
TheLionKing
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120dB wrote: The camera that showed my NOISE banner in past WFs was in Section 54 so if I bring it again it'll be hung in Section 26
Can't sell you sign eh ? :yes:
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Rammer
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QB#9 wrote:
Wally! wrote:Good - I have never really believed that blackouts bring out more fans to the actual game. More exposure is a good thing, particularly in your own market.

:whs: It's a good idea to give casual fans a chance to see the lions play at home, and get a taste of the atmosphere. Something the newspapers can't provide.
The casual fan does have 9 games currently to view via the tube, if they aren't coming to blackout games currently, why would they bother to come to games that are lifted?
Entertainment value = an all time low
Shaggy
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It's a fine line to walk. I've been a Lions fan since I can remember ( age 6 or so ... so that's 35 years and counting ). I've only been a STH for 2 years and counting however. ( Buddy and I got them from the wives for Xmas, and the group of 2 that year became 3 , and it's 7 of us in year #2. ) If we include the guys that take tickets when a member of our group is on summer holidays,etc, we've got a collection of about 12 people. ( We may need to buy a bus for next year ) 8)
We got into tailgating halfway through the first season, and have enjoyed the experience ever since. Being at the games beats watching them on TV hands down!

That being said, for people who can't make it to the games and are fans, you've only got 2 options in a blackout....radio or hit the local pub.
Reading about it the next day in the paper is a poor 3rd choice. It can add detail and perspective, but it's not the same as viewing or play-by-play.
The problem is, when you've got a young family and a mortgage, etc, season tickets aren't always an option. ( That was my situation about 5 years ago. Kids get older, wallet gets fuller and things get easier to afford. Sitter's no longer required, etc ) So, to those who would be there if they could afford it, but can't and the casual fans who would watch, if it's on, and then get more involved...do you black them out and not increase your fanbase? Or do you hold to the theory that blackouts improve your walk-up gate? Both arguments have merit.

For myself, now that I've become a STH, I can't envision not renewing and continuing to go to games.
Five years ago, I was somewhat annoyed at all the blackouts. I loved the team and wanted to see them on the air whenever possible.

Hopefully the STH base continues to grow, and ultimately will reach a point where blackouts are a non-issue.
If there's any way the Lions can market the game to get more people out to experience it live, they'll certainly gain more fans.
Once you get a taste of it, you're hooked!
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Wally!
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Rammer - I understand that train of thought. But on the other hand, if you have a Joe Casual fan, isn't it good to get the BC Place game experience on TV for him to see? Maybe that will be the impetus to get him off the couch and to the game.

I would love to see the stats of walk-up ticket sales on blacked out game days - does it really increase noticeably? I don’t know, but I'm willing to wager that the walk-up sales do not increase all that substantially as a result of a blackout.
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Rammer
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Wally! wrote:Rammer - I understand that train of thought. But on the other hand, if you have a Joe Casual fan, isn't it good to get the BC Place game experience on TV for him to see? Maybe that will be the impetus to get him off the couch and to the game.

I would love to see the stats of walk-up ticket sales on blacked out game days - does it really increase noticeably? I don’t know, but I'm willing to wager that the walk-up sales do not increase all that substantially as a result of a blackout.
Well besides the 9 away games shown, the team has shown 2 home games minimum in the past few seasons. With 22,500 ST holders and we are averaging 31,000 per home game, a portion of those will make a choice to stay home knowing that each and every game eventually will be shown on TV. Will that be offset by the new interest being stimulated by watching the game on the tube?

Now if you told me that the Teams would get a bigger chunk of the TV revenue since TSN will be the biggest benefactors, then I am on line with it.
Entertainment value = an all time low
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