Random thoughts about 2012...

[jcalhoun]

Hey all,

I'm getting quite excited about the upcoming season and have been thinking about things I really want to see happen off the field (game-day presentation, etc) and feel compelled to share.

I read somewhere that the Lions are going to re-raise all of the team's former Grey Cup banners over the course of the season, and I think that's aces. I hope the Lions put together a slick highlight package from each Grey Cup win to broadcast on the big screen for the benefit of the crowd just before members of each team raise their particular banner. And I hope there are some production values: dim the lights, a count-down on the screen, a 2-3 minute video of each Grey Cup win, and then a spotlight on 3-4 players from that team raising the banner. Slick, purrfect timing, etc. They might have to practice it... but that's what I'm hoping for. I also hope they bring Joe Kapp up for the raising of the '64 banner, regardless of what happened at Grey Cup last year, because I think it's important to keep him in the fold, as it were. I'd also like to suggest that Lui Passaglia should be one of the players raising in the banner in each of the three Grey Cups he won. To avoid being repetitive, I wouldn't raise the banners in chronological order, but something like '85, '64, '00, '06, '94. What I want to see is a chance for Vancouver football fans to reclaim the 'Lou....' chant. It looks like Luongo is on his way out of town, and it would be nice to bring that chant back to BC Place. Just a thought.

I was listening to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers pre-game radio show on Thursday. The Bombers' president was on, and he mentioned that the Bombers have worked out a deal with whatever their equivalent of Translink is, and anyone with a ticket can ride transit free on gameday. That is awesome. He mentioned the Bombers pay for this directly. I think it is probably too late in the season to do something like this in Vancouver, but it would be nice if the Lions would try something similar for the three daytime games in the late summer. One of the problems of living outside of Vancouver and attending games is not really being able to use transit. It's fine if you're in Burnaby or Surrey (ie, right off Skytrain) but if you're in Langley, Abbotsford, Poco, Maple Ridge, etc, it's not really an option. For daytime games, transit suddenly becomes a viable option for those of us out in the 'burbs. It'd be nice if the Lions tried something similar.

Finally, I see the Lions have a 'Telus Championship Towel' giveaway at the home-opener. That's okay. But I hope the Leos bring back some form of bobblehead, the kids lunch box, a kid-sized championship t-shirt etc, and concentrate these giveaways during the afternoon games in late August, early September. Giveaways should target kids, and if I were running Lions marketing, I'd be doing everything I could to get as many families as possible in the stadium on those dates. I'd even consider coming up with a kid ticket price, or package, just for those games. Something like one adult and two kids tickets for $60.oo.

Thoughts?

James

[MikeAK]

The only thought I have about 2012 is when can I buy my West Final tickets? Seriously, I know it is way early and the games still have to be played on the field but this year I'm very excited. In my opinion the West looks so much weaker then years past and there are so many question marks on the other teams that unless the boys are bitten by a bug I can see them not just winning the West but literally running away with it.

[DanoT]

I have already posted in another thread that I am in favour of inviting kids sports teams to free end zone seats and having a section of the stadium "Kids get in free with a paid adult ticket".

Do the Lions even have a marketing department that does anything?

[TheLionKing]

The idea of free transit for those attending games is worthy of further consideration

[MexicoLionFan]

Those are all great suggestions and ideas James...especially cool ideas about reliving the Grey Cup teams...Thanks.

[notahomer]

I hope the Lions do have a video showcasing the run and win of the Grey Cup during game one but then thats it. The past few seasons IIRC, we had a longish, IMO, video during the last full season at the Dome and another longish (not quite as long but still?) video at Tempire. I want more flow. I actually liked when the oppossing team starters got introduced but thats me. If you want to introduce the opponents and their coach fine but then get into the Lions. Don't have the Lions and us sitting around watching a three to five minute video that we've seen before at every other game. Introduce them and then just after we've finished BOOING our lungs out we get to flip over to going NUTS and CHEERING on our LIions. Just me but many have shared they like these videos, not me though.

I'm all for kids getting deals and giveaways. Lots of those giveaways are cool to collect as a fan too. I still have my Jason Clermont bobblehead. These are things you kinda have to be in the know about though. For eg. the preseason game they were giving out preseason programs so we'd have an idea of some of the lesser knowns on the training camp roster. I asked once I got in the stadium "what about the preseason program?" and the staff I saw didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Thankfully, other staff on another level knew and pointed me where I needed to go. I'm going to stay away from the upper gates (A or B) for giveaways as those gates can be hit or miss with know and having stuff. Usually fine but once they had run out quickly BUT I was still able to pick up a claim coupon at one of the quieter gates.

I'm looking forward to this season and have no doubt the Lions will surprise us with the product on the field and all the other stuff that goes along with it....

[Toppy Vann]

With Transit so heavily underfunded in BC now I am not sure that the free transit idea makes a lot of sense here and to expect the Lions to absorb that is not a great idea either. That money for transit has to come from somewhere. The enticement for transit has to be ease of getting DT and no parking costs. The Lions need to find other more creative ways to get fans into the dome and try to attract and market more to the thousands who live near or in DT now as well as some incentives or packages for out of town travelers to come to games. Can they find hotels/motels to do deal deals to fill the upper decks? Restaurants who want to offer packages? But at the same they must and should respect the season ticket holders and other walk up fans who are paying top ticket dollars.

The 711 package sounds quite rich for these times.

[TheLionKing]

With Transit so heavily underfunded in BC now I am not sure that the free transit idea makes a lot of sense here and to expect the Lions to absorb that is not a great idea either. That money for transit has to come from somewhere. The enticement for transit has to be ease of getting DT and no parking costs.

I'm sure Translink can afford it. The executives will have to make do with a smaller bonus at the end of the year.

[Centrum22]

Speaking of pre-game videos, the BC Lions made a big deal by tweeting that they had put together an amazing new introductory video, that it was top secret and they would be showing it for the first time at last Wednesday's preseason game at BC Place. However, I just watched someone's video of the moments before the Lions were introduced on Wednesday. The video they were showing on the big screen was the "Re-Live The Lions' 2011 Season" video, which has been on the Lions' official You Tube page for about a month. You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RofIO3sEnJU&feature=plcp

Can anyone confirm that the above video (which is old) was the only one shown?

[TheLionKing]

Yes, that video was shown at the game on Wednesday

[xon100]

I like the idea of free transit for Lions fans. For the upcoming Argos exhibition game they've distributed 30,000 free tickets to kids and have a sponsor (Toronto Sun) paying for free transit to the game on Tuesday. I think the Esks also offer free transit for ticket holders.

The Esks do have free transit (at least they did 2 years ago) all you need to do is show your ticket.

My son still takes his BC Lions lunch box to school, although I think it is getting retired after this year.

[Dan_Payne_fan!!]

Speaking of pre-game videos, the BC Lions made a big deal by tweeting that they had put together an amazing new introductory video, that it was top secret and they would be showing it for the first time at last Wednesday's preseason game at BC Place. However, I just watched someone's video of the moments before the Lions were introduced on Wednesday. The video they were showing on the big screen was the "Re-Live The Lions' 2011 Season" video, which has been on the Lions' official You Tube page for about a month. You can see the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RofIO3sEnJU&feature=plcp

Can anyone confirm that the above video (which is old) was the only one shown?

maybe they clicked the wrong video lol