2016 All Things Lions Marketing & Promotions

[Qman]

While the Caps may be the "in" thing to do these days...it is well known Lenarduzzi fudges attendance figures on average 3,000 per game. I had a buddy there on Wed. and he mentioned the announced crowd or 22,800 was a joke and he estimated about 18K. Lenarduzzi is incredibly anal about attendance and is known to tarp up empty seats even at halftime of games.

On a broader question, what is the long term health of the MLS? The league loses 100mil per year, average team salary is around 9 mil annually, the TV numbers are horrid and not improving (CFL outdraws MLS on ESPN2 with two American MLS teams playing) and their gate averages 16K league wide. I realize a franchise fee is 100 mil which is spread between teams but expansion will eventually end and then what? Current TV contracts will definitely not be going up based on current viewership.

What is their long term business model?

Where is their revenue stream coming from to support the costs?

Some say Ponzi scheme? http://www.soccernomics-agency.com/?p=692

there were lots of no shows at both the whitecaps and lions games -- both teams know that midweek games suck. Actually, i thought wednesdays whitecap game best attended for their wednesday starts i have seen, usually its half full.

[sj-roc]

OK, so this isn't a Lions marketing thing specifically, more of a league-wide initiative, but on a recent grocery run I noticed in the cereal aisle, Wpg QB Drew Willy pictured on a box of Honeycombs.

At the time I missed the news story and I don't recall any mention of it here (maybe I missed it here too!) but it turns out this partnership of the CFL with Post Cereals was first announced during Grey Cup week last November:

CFL Teams Up With Post Foods

Posted: November 26, 2015 04:49 pm
CFL Teams Up With Post Foods
Matt Carty

As part of the Grey Cup festivities in Winnipeg, the CFL is teaming up with Post Foods to deliver more than 100,000 bowls of cereal to breakfast programs in Manitoba.

The three year partnership announced on Thursday will also see another 104,000 bowls of cereal donated to Breakfast Clubs of Canada next year to mark the 104th Grey Cup in Toronto. The same will be done to mark the Grey Cup in 2017.

The campaign also showcase several CFL stars, including Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy, on one million cereal boxes.

“It’s fun and humbling to see your picture on a cereal box. But it’s far more important to know that you’re helping kids in your community enjoy breakfast so they can take on their day,” Willy said at the announcement from the Fairmont Hotel.

The boxes of cereal include Shreddies, Honey Bunches of Oats and Honeycomb. They will be available starting next July as the 2016 CFL season kicks off.

“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Post and help kids start every morning ready to learn and give their all at school, at practice, and in the game – just like their favourite players on the front of the box,” CFL Commissioner, Jeffrey Orridge said.

Jennifer Hutchinson, General Manager of Post Foods said teaming up with the CFL is an important part of Post’s commitment to communities.

“Whether it’s preparing for the school day or getting ready for a practice or game, breakfast is a big part of the day. This partnership will help give kids the fuel to perform at their best,” she said.

The box I saw noted that there are six different versions (presumably highlighting a different player on each one) so not all teams will be represented. I haven't seen any of the others but hopefully the Lions made the cut on this. To be honest I don't understand why they simply didn't have nine versions of the box, one to showcase in each market.

Interestingly this isn't the first time the league has partnered with Post cereals as from some googling — and older fans may recall this — I discovered that back in the 1960s Post once had player trading cards included as a prize with each box (and it seems there are lots of them available on eBay).

[Alputt]

OK, so I watched the Sask game at my Father-in-laws place and he produced a "Woodward's Quarterback Club" badge... This was before my time but apparently back in the 60's there was a pretty tough area for kids under the end zone bleachers at Empire, basically so your parents could go and drink, and especially tough if you weren't one of the East Van locals.

Surely we have some other posters on here that can speak to those times, and this is exactly the sort of thing we should promote (not violence and drunk driving of the era) but cool local traditions that speak to Vancouver history!

[TheLionKing]

OK, so I watched the Sask game at my Father-in-laws place and he produced a "Woodward's Quarterback Club" badge... This was before my time but apparently back in the 60's there was a pretty tough area for kids under the end zone bleachers at Empire, basically so your parents could go and drink, and especially tough if you weren't one of the East Van locals.

Surely we have some other posters on here that can speak to those times, and this is exactly the sort of thing we should promote (not violence and drunk driving of the era) but cool local traditions that speak to Vancouver history!

According to a friend who was a member of the Woodward's Quarterback Club there was no drinking going on. Alcohol was not sold at Empire Stadium in the '60's

[Alputt]

Ok perhaps rose tinted glasses, I wasn't there, but a blind eye at a paper bagged bottle? I have a lot of family lore of the 50's and 60's of cops following "enthusiastic" drinkers home and such, instead of arrest.

This should not be condoned, just suggesting a different time. Would love to see Lions games become the "main event" in town as I have been led to believe they once were... For parents and kids.

[B.C.FAN]

OK, so I watched the Sask game at my Father-in-laws place and he produced a "Woodward's Quarterback Club" badge... This was before my time but apparently back in the 60's there was a pretty tough area for kids under the end zone bleachers at Empire, basically so your parents could go and drink, and especially tough if you weren't one of the East Van locals.

Surely we have some other posters on here that can speak to those times, and this is exactly the sort of thing we should promote (not violence and drunk driving of the era) but cool local traditions that speak to Vancouver history!

According to a friend who was a member of the Woodward's Quarterback Club there was no drinking going on. Alcohol was not sold at Empire Stadium in the '60's

Correct. The north bleachers at Empire Stadium were fenced in, and had a large area in front for kids to run around, which they did. Many of my friends got exposed to Lions football that way, but I never sat there. Parents would drop their kids off at the end zone before the game and pick them up afterwards. I believe admission to the Woodward's Quarterback Club section was 50 or 75 cents. (By comparison, my premium seats in row 15 fronting the royal box cost $3.50.)

[Alputt]

$3.50? Must be a typo? No offence but mine cost a lot more than that! Anyways just hoping to see some "Quarterback Kids" come out of the woodwork. As I say it was before my time but an interesting part of Lions heritage, and general BC history, I would like to know more about.

[Alputt]

Oh I get it the primo seats in 196x cost $3.50.... sorry to be so dumb. Anyways I am just old enough to remember Woodwards, "$1.49 days" and am stoked on Lions / BC heritage. These stories are interesting to my generation, and hold a lot more water than a new jersey or whatever.

[CardiacKid]

Oh I get it the primo seats in 196x cost $3.50.... sorry to be so dumb. Anyways I am just old enough to remember Woodwards, "$1.49 days" and am stoked on Lions / BC heritage. These stories are interesting to my generation, and hold a lot more water than a new jersey or whatever.

Check out the Vancouver Museum website and search their collections for BC Lions; you will get hits on a few different items in their collection. One of the items is a Cowichan-style sweater that Woodwards sold; if you wanted to, you could buy the pattern and sew it yourself.
I bought the pattern on eBay and asked my mother-in-law to sew it, not realizing sewing a Cowichan sweater is a big undertaking. After untold hours, she finished and I thought I am going to have the coolest piece of unique, retro clothing at BCPlace as I have never seen anyone else with one However, the home game before I planned on wearing it, I saw 2 people wearing the same sweater. Oh well, at least mine was made with love....

[CardiacKid]

OK, so this isn't a Lions marketing thing specifically, more of a league-wide initiative, but on a recent grocery run I noticed in the cereal aisle, Wpg QB Drew Willy pictured on a box of Honeycombs.

At the time I missed the news story and I don't recall any mention of it here (maybe I missed it here too!) but it turns out this partnership of the CFL with Post Cereals was first announced during Grey Cup week last November:

CFL Teams Up With Post Foods

Posted: November 26, 2015 04:49 pm
CFL Teams Up With Post Foods
Matt Carty

As part of the Grey Cup festivities in Winnipeg, the CFL is teaming up with Post Foods to deliver more than 100,000 bowls of cereal to breakfast programs in Manitoba.

The three year partnership announced on Thursday will also see another 104,000 bowls of cereal donated to Breakfast Clubs of Canada next year to mark the 104th Grey Cup in Toronto. The same will be done to mark the Grey Cup in 2017.

The campaign also showcase several CFL stars, including Blue Bombers quarterback Drew Willy, on one million cereal boxes.

“It’s fun and humbling to see your picture on a cereal box. But it’s far more important to know that you’re helping kids in your community enjoy breakfast so they can take on their day,” Willy said at the announcement from the Fairmont Hotel.

The boxes of cereal include Shreddies, Honey Bunches of Oats and Honeycomb. They will be available starting next July as the 2016 CFL season kicks off.

“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Post and help kids start every morning ready to learn and give their all at school, at practice, and in the game – just like their favourite players on the front of the box,” CFL Commissioner, Jeffrey Orridge said.

Jennifer Hutchinson, General Manager of Post Foods said teaming up with the CFL is an important part of Post’s commitment to communities.

“Whether it’s preparing for the school day or getting ready for a practice or game, breakfast is a big part of the day. This partnership will help give kids the fuel to perform at their best,” she said.

The box I saw noted that there are six different versions (presumably highlighting a different player on each one) so not all teams will be represented. I haven't seen any of the others but hopefully the Lions made the cut on this. To be honest I don't understand why they simply didn't have nine versions of the box, one to showcase in each market.

Interestingly this isn't the first time the league has partnered with Post cereals as from some googling — and older fans may recall this — I discovered that back in the 1960s Post once had player trading cards included as a prize with each box (and it seems there are lots of them available on eBay).

The Lions are represented by Adam Bighill on one of the boxes. You get a good look of the back of his helmet and jersey as he goes to bring down a photoshopped Mike Reilly. It's a Honey-Nut something or other I think....

[CardiacKid]

Oh I get it the primo seats in 196x cost $3.50.... sorry to be so dumb. Anyways I am just old enough to remember Woodwards, "$1.49 days" and am stoked on Lions / BC heritage. These stories are interesting to my generation, and hold a lot more water than a new jersey or whatever.

I am hopeful that when and if the team is sold to a group of the Waterboys as has been noted on the forum ( or some other consortium of local business leader, etc.), there will be a member of that team with a particular interest, expertise, etc., to institute a facet of the Lions past and heritage into a new promotional model. Not saying take everything back to the good old days but a tip of the hat to the Leo's past and what spoke to the fans of that era.

[David]

I am hopeful that when and if the team is sold to a group of the Waterboys as has been noted on the forum ( or some other consortium of local business leader, etc.), there will be a member of that team with a particular interest, expertise, etc., to institute a facet of the Lions past and heritage into a new promotional model. Not saying take everything back to the good old days but a tip of the hat to the Leo's past and what spoke to the fans of that era.

I wouldn't count on that. It seems the league's mandate, if not certainly the Lions', is attract/pander to millennials (although I don't believe if you interviewed anyone under 30 as to why they don't follow the Lions would give the answer "uniforms.") Retro anything seems to be a dirty word these days.

What would make sense since they've gone with such a radically different (Skulsky calls a 'futuristic') uniform and logo design, is to reinstitute a retro (3rd) uniform for heritage games as a kind of comfort food for their long time fan base, perhaps left feeling a little alienated by this radical uniform departure this season. But I wouldn't hold my breath on that happening.


DH

[sj-roc]

The Lions are represented by Adam Bighill on one of the boxes. You get a good look of the back of his helmet and jersey as he goes to bring down a photoshopped Mike Reilly. It's a Honey-Nut something or other I think....

Interesting to hear that, as the Drew Willy box I mentioned also has Mtl's Kyries Hebert, back on to the camera, in the same image. So I wonder if Reilly, rather than Bighill, is actually intended as the "feature" player on that one the way Willy is on his. Although it's prob worth mentioning, there's nothing identifying Willy on the one I saw, so maybe neither player is intended as the featured one, which might explain why they never bothered to come up with a full complement of nine boxes; the six that were produced all prob have two players from opposing teams on them and thereby span the entirety of the league's franchises. Having said that, I would think most people would regard whoever is facing the camera as the showcase player in the image and in that sense there are at least three teams that missed the cut.

Also, Bighill seems like a peculiar choice of player for this sort of promotion. According to a series of tweets he wrote in late 2013 and a quote from Rich Stubler in this 2014 Calgary Herald story, Bighill follows a gluten-free diet, which precludes pretty much any cereal that Post produces. Being on the box is probably the closest he'll ever get to any Post cereal.

[sj-roc]

Found this image on Post's website of three of the six cereal boxes. Not sure whether each image appears on all Post cereal brands or just one particular one. The Drew Willy/Kyries Hebert box at left is the one I initially mentioned. The middle one has Ssk QB Darian Durant and someone from Cgy (#11, Josh Bell?). The right one has Ham QB Zach Collaros and an Argo defender whose number isn't fully visible, second digit is 7, and whose nameplate is completely hidden. No idea who it is.



Unfortunate thing about the images on these boxes is they are from last season which means two things. One, the uniforms are the old Reebok designs that are no longer worn. Two, they also feature the previous league logo with the red maple leaf and football above the letters CFL. So it creates a lack of uniformity in the league's branding to have these discontinued images persisting alongside the new ones.

[Sir Purrcival]

Ok perhaps rose tinted glasses, I wasn't there, but a blind eye at a paper bagged bottle? I have a lot of family lore of the 50's and 60's of cops following "enthusiastic" drinkers home and such, instead of arrest.

This should not be condoned, just suggesting a different time. Would love to see Lions games become the "main event" in town as I have been led to believe they once were... For parents and kids.

Oh yes, there was drinking. In fact, when beer sales finally were allowed at Lion's games, there was a published article in the Sun or Province about a marked decrease in the amount of liquor bottles being picked up by clean up crews after games. Sadly it wasn't always fun loving stuff either. I remember times at Empire when the Lions were particularly stinking out the joint that tempers were short and fists would fly. In the early days of BC Place, I often would get free tickets to take underprivileged youth to games. (One of my many hats) I was always quick to point out to these young people how quick the punishments were for bad behaviour and being allowed to drink as they would some day was never an excuse for stupid behaviour.