All things Lions Marketing/Promotions 2014

[David]

Blake Price and Rob Fay are looking for 35k tonight. Huge walkup, says Blake. Prepare to be disappointed, gentlemen. The current configuration doesn't even hold 35k. ~27k in the lower bowl plus 10 upper deck sections of about 500 each brings it to ~32k, and there are still plenty of seats left for this set up. As Blake himself would say with a voice-cracking high-pitched inflection, "not even CLOSE".

35K?? Not even close. I'll bet there aren't more than 25K sold right now, not matter how hard the club keeps pushing a #Geroy hashtag on Twitter. Doesn't even look like much inventory has moved from yesterday with all the hype that's been going on. Sad. "Summer" and "football" don't go together too well in this market, but I thought they would have had an easier time selling their overpriced tickets than this. What happens when Hamilton comes to town August 8?


DH

[dupsdell1]

Overpriced is the word David good points, I told a lot of people way back in 2010 when empire filed was here it is going to be a huge mistake going back to bc place with a hole in the middle of the roof , Should have knocked it down and built a 40,000 seat well covered stadium like Winnipeg's were you could expand for concerts, grey cups etc. it is starting to take a toll on the atmosphere in there I know 5-10 people that do not want to go tonight because the atmosphere in there is so poor, I go because I like to support them no matter what , but I am 48 years old , a lot of these 20-27 year olds could care less.

[sj-roc]

Blake Price and Rob Fay are looking for 35k tonight. Huge walkup, says Blake. Prepare to be disappointed, gentlemen. The current configuration doesn't even hold 35k. ~27k in the lower bowl plus 10 upper deck sections of about 500 each brings it to ~32k, and there are still plenty of seats left for this set up. As Blake himself would say with a voice-cracking high-pitched inflection, "not even CLOSE".

35K?? Not even close. I'll bet there aren't more than 25K sold right now, not matter how hard the club keeps pushing a #Geroy hashtag on Twitter. Doesn't even look like much inventory has moved from yesterday with all the hype that's been going on. Sad. "Summer" and "football" don't go together too well in this market, but I thought they would have had an easier time selling their overpriced tickets than this. What happens when Hamilton comes to town August 8?


DH

I know, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry at these tone-deaf clowns going on re: how disappointing if it fell short, without even realising the figure exceeds current capacity.

If the Lions were hoping for a bump in ticket sales just for having GSN, it's had pretty much zero impact.

[SammyGreene]

I hate it when they throw around a ridiculous number like 35,000 for a summer game with nothing to support it then complain for days afterwards why only 26,000 showed up. sj-roc is terrific with past attendance numbers but I'm guessing the Lions haven't drawn 35,000 for a July or August game since Flutie's season in 1991.

And even the almighty NFL is concerned at how the HD TV experience has impacted their attendance.

Goodell also expressed his concern about getting fans to come to the stadium rather than watching at home.

"Our biggest challenge going forward is how do we get people to come to our stadiums because the experience is so great at home," he says. "When you turn on (a football game), you want to see a full stadium."

[dupsdell1]

YES SAMMYGREEN like I said I work in the USA and they are concerned about the tv experience compared to the stadium experience, know some nfl/cfl city's do not have to worry about it , like Sask , Winnipeg, Ottawa, ( only after 1 game )
Seattle, San Francisco, etc, but other city's are worried about that are not selling out in the NFL, Miami , Tampa Bay, St Louis, Buffalo , etc.

[sj-roc]

I hate it when they throw around a ridiculous number like 35,000 for a summer game with nothing to support it then complain for days afterwards why only 26,000 showed up. sj-roc is terrific with past attendance numbers but I'm guessing the Lions haven't drawn 35,000 for a July or August game since Flutie's season in 1991.

I just looked into this and you're not too far off the mark. This is when it last happened:

Fri, Jul 18, 2008; WPG 18 @ BC 27; 37,174

This was Ackles Memorial Night (you knew it wouldn't have been just any old game). Here are the others in reverse order dating back to 1990; it's a pretty slim list:

Fri, Aug 05, 2005; EDM 19 @ BC 25; 35,568
Thu, Aug 15, 1991; CGY 37 @ BC 28; 45,489
Thu, Aug 01, 1991; TOR 41 @ BC 52; 53,527

To recap, a whopping FOUR pre-LD crowds of 35k+ in the last 23 seasons (I'm throwing out the Tempire years of 2010/11). In much of this time we haven't even had 35k capacity what with the various tarping arrangements.

In the entire history of BCP since 1983 through last week, we've had 139 pre-LD games, of which 24 have exceeded 35k. All but the above four were in the 1980s when the building itself was as much the draw as the game.

[Lions4ever]

And even the almighty NFL is concerned at how the HD TV experience has impacted their attendance.

Other than the likes of the Seahawks who sold out their entire regular season in seconds, it's a challenge. Big time college football is experiencing attendance challenges in many markets outside the passionate hotbeds as well....and even then there have been complaints when Alabama games are done by the 3rd Q the place is half empty. The in-home experience is just too good.

[Ravi]

I know a friend of mine lives in Buffalo and it effects the bills also they do not black out any games there and because of that ( and the fact they are not very good ) they do not sell out, he tells me that people would rather sit in front of there 60 inch and watch,

The Bills do black out home games. Usually, they have at least two or three home games each season that end up being blacked out.

[dupsdell1]

Attendance was 25,321. tonight pathetic.

Skulzki should be worried big time something has to be done , or all of ackles work has gone to none,

[sj-roc]

Attendance was 25,321. tonight pathetic.

Skulzki should be worried big time something has to be done , or all of ackles work has gone to none,

Ackles really had a way of engaging the market. From the day he passed, there was concern he would take it with him.

Does it get worse before it gets better?

The other thing is, Skulsky may not see this as a problem. The impression he's given since taking the job is that he's more concerned with ticket revenue than actual # tix sold.

He'll be on 1040 with Sekeres next week for his 3rd annual President's Week instalment. I'll be interested if he has any thoughts on this.

[dupsdell1]

that is the difference in thinking a real business man thinks of how the product produces a looks , not the other way around.

he needs to go.

[TheLionKing]

The other thing is, Skulsky may not see this as a problem. The impression he's given since taking the job is that he's more concerned with ticket revenue than actual # tix sold.

That could be the death knell of the Lions. Fans aren't going to continue to pay the high prices. Lions need to draw in new and younger fans.

[MikeAK]

The other thing is, Skulsky may not see this as a problem. The impression he's given since taking the job is that he's more concerned with ticket revenue than actual # tix sold.

That could be the death knell of the Lions. Fans aren't going to continue to pay the high prices. Lions need to draw in new and younger fans.

This has been something I've been preaching in the real world for years. Certainly since the moment I joined this forum. I have always said it was vital for the Lions to focus on attracting that next generation. Still, today, we are no closer to that mission. I know very few 20something people who care about the Lions. Seems the real fans are in their mid-late 30s and older. The team has failed to attract that next generation of fans who will take the torches from the old guards and they have nobody to blame but themselves with Skulsky at the head of the pack. That guy really frustrates me.

I started to really take notice back in 2011 that the Lions were pricing themselves out of their own market. Here we are today and it's down right atrocious. I don't care what anyone says on the matter. This is not Regina or alike and not too many people in this market are interested in paying these current prices when there are so many other activities fighting for the same dollar. HDTV has also become such a viable, and in some cases, more enjoyable option for fans. I really fell in love the CFL and my team when I got to go to the stadium. There is nothing like being at the game. HDTV is all well and good but if it was reasonable I would opt for going to the stadium over sitting on the sofa every time. Sadly, younger potential fans have no idea what their missing because the cost of attending has become such a joke, most 20something people look at it like not worth their time and money or they simply can't afford it so it isn't even an option to begin with.

The Lions need to go back to the drawing board and really take a hard look at where this team wants it's fan base to go from here. They have no new fans in the background waiting to take over. They should be focusing on hooking the younger crowds and at the current cost of attending games I don't see how that's going to happen. Attendance will continue to fall and it isn't all to be blamed on the teams performance. For me it's all about cost. The cost of attending a Lions game has become ridiculous, especially for youngsters and young families.

[DanoT]

The cost of skiing has also got ridiculous at $85 for lift tickets and over $100 if you go to Whistler. Rock concerts are also crazy at $80- $100. A round of golf is around $75 isn't it? I'm not sure what it cost to go to a soccer game but the NHL games and NFL games are out of my range.

So if you are the Lions do you get top $ from 20k to 25k fans or do you discount the tickets and hope to get another 5 or 10k fans?

The answer in this high tech gadget world is to come up with some way of having local blackouts with HD TV and maybe pay per view revenue from sport bars.

[Toppy Vann]

If fans are concerned re: cost per seat they best vote to keep the place undraped and forget this Whitecap wonderful game day experience with the stadium are decorated and no walk up seats.

Sj-roc is right. Skulsky talks that line at times (seat cost) and he claims fans have a lot more cash than I'd say most fans have. He claimed that this was their study. They just look at the Canucks and Whitecaps as well as Montreal and say why not do it here in Vancouver.

I honestly think Cohon and his cronies should examine what top English Premier League teams do in promoting their brands globally and not just rest on the laurels of a great TV audience.