Will the Lions' atttendance numbers improve in 2012?

[B.C.FAN]

first game should be a big crowd, in any case, so that should bloat the overall numbers a bit.

Why?

To see Geroy get the record, so hopefully the first game is at home.

To see Geroy get the record and hopefully to raise the Grey Cup banner. Speaking of which, has anyone seen the Grey Cup banners since the stadium was renovated? I haven't noticed them.

[David]

Agree. Make "Opening Day" an event. Rematch with Bombers. Raise the banner. Deliver either a band for half-time or give away (i.e. replica mini "Grey Cups" to the first 5,000 fans, as an example). Build up Geroy's record as a media talking point in the week leading up to Week One. Hefney's comments as 2nd talking point (create some controversy, etc.).


DH

[Rammer]

robbie, you should update your signature now, canucks lost stanley cup in june 2011.

Actually my signature does not say the Canucks won the Stanley Cup in June 2011. I did make a small change to my signature with regards to the recent events of the Lions though.

The signature is very Vancouver sports team oriented.

Congratulations to British Columbia Lions Grey Cup win this year. I wish British Columbia Lions to win another Grey Cup next year. In addition, I wish the Vancouver Canucks win the Presidents Cup trophy and the Stanley Cup. I wish the Whitecaps to win the Vancouver Major League Soccer Cup. Do not forget to wish the Western Hockey League Vancouver Giants to win the championship. Happy Year of the Rabbit.
BC Stadium or Rogers Stadium?

Best I could do.

[LFITQ]

Agree. Make "Opening Day" an event. Rematch with Bombers. Raise the banner. Deliver either a band for half-time or give away (i.e. replica mini "Grey Cups" to the first 5,000 fans, as an example). Build up Geroy's record as a media talking point in the week leading up to Week One. Hefney's comments as 2nd talking point (create some controversy, etc.).


DH

+1

I do know that I have already decided I will be coming down for this game. There is too much going on for it not to.
As for season tickets... I'm still undecided. In years past it was easy to let a game or two go by without attending as the cost wasn't that big of a deal, and because of the section I was in, it was fairly easy to sell a ticket or two if need be. Now with the constant year after year of increases, and my daughters' ever increasing list of activities (which is more of the reason than the $$ I will admit), it is just too much to consider having season tickets just to "support my team". But even after all that, I am still undecided....

[Hambone]

The one thing they need to do is have a whole new pricing strategy. I don't mind them making all the seats available, but they need to make some of those upper bowl tickets cheaper. I think a good way to go would be to have the upper bowl double lettered rows (AA-ZZ) substantially cheaper. I think this will help generate interest from the casual fan. If you have enough people buying them, you get more people in the stadium which looks better visually and it should offset the losses a bit for lowering the price.

On thing I noticed in the WDF as that most of the expensive upper bowl seats were occupied while cheaper endzone seats not so much.

[Hambone]

Almost without fail, attendance improves the year after a team wins a championship, usually by close to 20%, even if there's a sell off ala the Florida Marlins.

A reminder that almost certainly the ST base declines after hosting a GC, although the Lions were dealing with limited space in Empire which will affect that. Also I recall that the Lions didn't increase that much after 94 and 00, in fact may have lost some numbers on the 94 season. There are just too many variables this time around to count on an increase due to the GC, but the 'new' stadium factor may help out.

I think there will be some rebound with the return to downtown. I talked to a few people in the stands at Empire several of whom said they had other BC Place ST friends who chose to take a season ticket hiatus until the Leos returned downtown. I think they'll recover a lot of fans who stopped getting STs due to the Empire location simply not working for them. Many probably made a game or two but couldn't make the ST commitment.

[Robbie]

first game should be a big crowd, in any case, so that should bloat the overall numbers a bit.

For each of the previous five HOME openers after a Grey Cup championship season, the Lions have won all five. But while attendance was fairly high after the first two Grey Cup wins, the next three didn't have too large of an attendance.

1965 - BC 38, Edmonton 13 (32,000 est)
Essentially sold out for Empire Stadium

1986 - BC 28, Winnipeg 17 (41,704)
Paul Osbaldiston was kicking for the Lions in that home season opener

1995 - BC 37, Baltimore 34 (23,999)
Continuing from the previous GC win, another comeback win this time with a TD with seconds remaining

2001 - BC 35, Edmonton 28 (OT) (18,125)
Very shameful attendance. On that day, the four banners were revailed in the end zone wall

2007 - BC 29, Edmonton 9 (32,893)
Okay, but could have been better

hopefully to raise the Grey Cup banner. Speaking of which, has anyone seen the Grey Cup banners since the stadium was renovated? I haven't noticed them.

No idea where the banners are. And if they are to raise a 2011 GC banner, what about the five older banners? Will new ones be used, or the ones that were introduced at the start of 2007? If they are to be raised, will they be hanging from the roof as it was originally, or will it sit on the back of the endzone wall again? And will it have any banners acknowledging the now 10 Lions west division championships?

Best I could do.

The translation was somewhat correct, but not entirely accurate. With the very large Chinese-Canadian population in Greater Vancouver and with Chinese characters and words displayed all over the city, then you must be used to seeing Chinese characters on a Vancouver-based web site as well.

[Big_Lions_Fan]

I personally think “祝愿” might be a better translation for "Hope" or "Wish", due to the fact that Vancouver didn't win the Stanley Cup this year. The whole sentence would be "Hope/Wish Canucks win the Stanley Cup". "祝" is more leaning toward "Congratulates". by the way, i haven't seen a lot of Chinese Canadians at the Grey Cup and regular season games. More awareness needs to raised in Chinese communities in Greater Vancouver Area. Maybe Lions can target some Chinese communities in Richmond and other areas as well. It is ultimately an exciting game and a lot of fun.

Best I could do.

The translation was somewhat correct, but not entirely accurate. With the very large Chinese-Canadian population in Greater Vancouver and with Chinese characters and words displayed all over the city, then you must be used to seeing Chinese characters on a Vancouver-based web site as well. [/quote]