Lousy year for CFL?

[Ravi]

To top this wonderful year off, there is a decent chance that the Grey Cup will have a fair number of empty seats: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/f ... e21550310/

[sj-roc]

To top this wonderful year off, there is a decent chance that the Grey Cup will have a fair number of empty seats: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/f ... e21550310/

Oh, that's been no secret here. It came back too soon since the last one, and came back with ticket prices appreciably higher than those from the last one to boot, which were still fresh in people's minds because... it came back too soon. With the entire league in a malaise this year I'm not sure this Grey Cup would have sold out anyway, no matter where it was played — at least not very quickly compared to recent years.

[Ravi]

To top this wonderful year off, there is a decent chance that the Grey Cup will have a fair number of empty seats: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/f ... e21550310/

Oh, that's been no secret here. It came back too soon since the last one, and came back with ticket prices appreciably higher than those from the last one to boot, which were still fresh in people's minds because... it came back too soon. With the entire league in a malaise this year I'm not sure this Grey Cup would have sold out anyway, no matter where it was played — at least not very quickly compared to recent years.

There are places where it would have sold out this year but a three-year gap between games is simply insufficient. The league has had a successful formula regarding the granting of Grey Cups for at least the last 15 years but went away from it and consequently got this one wrong. Braley has priced those upper deck seats too high. This is shades of 1990 (though not nearly as bad) with the military potentially being called upon to fill seats.

[sj-roc]

To top this wonderful year off, there is a decent chance that the Grey Cup will have a fair number of empty seats: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/f ... e21550310/

Oh, that's been no secret here. It came back too soon since the last one, and came back with ticket prices appreciably higher than those from the last one to boot, which were still fresh in people's minds because... it came back too soon. With the entire league in a malaise this year I'm not sure this Grey Cup would have sold out anyway, no matter where it was played — at least not very quickly compared to recent years.

There are places where it would have sold out this year but a three-year gap between games is simply insufficient. The league has had a successful formula regarding the granting of Grey Cups for at least the last 15 years but went away from it and consequently got this one wrong. Braley has priced those upper deck seats too high. This is shades of 1990 (though not nearly as bad) with the military potentially being called upon to fill seats.

Perhaps it would have sold out somewhere on the prairies but I think it would have been a taller order for them with just a three-year turnaround like we had, plus aside from Edm there would be fewer tickets to sell than us. In fact at current sales the game would probably already be a sellout in any of Cgy, Ssk, Wpg, or Ham (will they ever get it back?) and perhaps even Ott. I think it will do fine in the new digs in Wpg next year after an 8-year absence, although their regular season crowds began to dwindle this year after they faded from their fast start. After the soldout Banjo Bowl, at which point their average crowd for 2014 was just under 30k, they averaged barely 25k in their final three home dates.

[Hambone]

I think there's a lot more to the slower sales than just the pricing. The trouble spots remain the high corners which the Lions have always seem to have problems finding that right price point for regular season too. For Grey Cup at Ticketmaster pricing they list at $283; just over $100 less than the sideline seats but just over $100 more than endzone seats. Maybe they need to split that area into 2 separate price points to make the pricing flow a bit more smoothly from sideline into endzone. Regardless it appears that over 90% of the $388 seats are sold out while more than $98% of the $177 seats are gone (there's only 110 singles eft). It's the $283 seats that look to still have about 50% remaining available.

Grey Cup is a national event drawing folks in from across the continent. One has to wonder if it's the locals who are dragging sales down or if it's those from other CFL locales who are holding off. Or are both sides playing a part equally. From what I've heard from a few others air fares this time around are quite high. Is the cost of air and accomodations playing an even bigger part particularly for those coming in from points beyond? For them the price of the ticket is less of a factor than all the other costs.

As a small side note sales on the the singles remaining in the lower bowl continue to trickle along. Yesterday I was bored and counted the available seats. There were 300 seats. This morning I count 278. So there is some movement on them. I'm not about to count the upper bowl seats but assume if sales on LB $388 singles sales continue to trickle along then the UB sales must also be trickling along. I still think it will all work out. Things will remain at a trickle until the participants are determined. Right now 4 of the 6 potential participants are from the 4 closest markets. You know if BC or the Riders prevail those remaining seats will get scooped up in a heartbeat. I don't doubt the Alberta teams would pick up what's left too by GC weekend. Ti-Cat fans travel well to Grey Cup. Montreal is the only one who might not put as much of a dent on the remaining inventory should they prevail in the east.

[Hambone]

[In fact at current sales the game would probably already be a sellout in any of Cgy, Ssk, Wpg, or Ham (will they ever get it back?) and perhaps even Ott..

I expect the game will be back to Ottawa probably as early as 2016. I've enjoyed attending both there in 88 and 04. Of course it didn't hurt that BC played in both but I think I'd still have enjoyed them just as much without the Lions. Hamilton is one that does concern me. They put on a great party in 1996. My biggest concern with Hamilton is accomodations. There's no lack of hotels in the region but Hamilton city proper really lacks in that regard. Regina doesn't have enough hotel space to effectively accomodate a Grey Cup and they have significantly more room inventory than does Steeltown. For a Hamilton GC odds are good one would have to stay outside the city and commute in for events.

[sj-roc]

I think there's a lot more to the slower sales than just the pricing. The trouble spots remain the high corners which the Lions have always seem to have problems finding that right price point for regular season too. For Grey Cup at Ticketmaster pricing they list at $283; just over $100 less than the sideline seats but just over $100 more than endzone seats. Maybe they need to split that area into 2 separate price points to make the pricing flow a bit more smoothly from sideline into endzone. Regardless it appears that over 90% of the $388 seats are sold out while more than $98% of the $177 seats are gone (there's only 110 singles eft). It's the $283 seats that look to still have about 50% remaining available.

It definitely sticks out when there's four price points for the regular season but only three for GC, and if I'm not mistaken the remaining seats are mostly the ones with this pricing duality (or at least would be had they been available for the regular season).

[dupsdell1]

it will sell out no matter who is in it

[Big Time]

No, I think what you mean is it will be a full house. How many of those in attendance paid full price will likely fall well short, unless BC somehow pulls a miracle and makes it.