2011 Western Final Ticket Count

[sj-roc]

Assure those casual fans that attended the "concession debacle" on Sept. 30 that this event will be properly staffed!


DH

Funny you should mention that, David — not too far from my hood on Sat night, I saw an ad taped to a electrical pole, advertising for extra concession workers needed to work the WF and GC. Not sure if that's good that things will be under control, or bad that they still don't seem to have all the needed manpower onside yet. :S

[Ravi]

I agree with you both but we can't forget there are a number of events that weekend as well as Grey Cup the week after. Throw in the time of year and I can see how a sellout might be asking much. Too many events in a short amount of time and not enough money for some.

I'd love to be watching a sold out West Final but something tells me 40k+ is more realistic.

That WDF prior to the GC in 2005 certainly hurt the WDF as well, it is just a fallout of the cost of a GC ticket.

I always have felt that the major reason why the '05 WDF crowd was less than 40k was because of the Lions' poor finish that year. They lost six of their final seven and backed into first place despite losing their final game that year against a mediocre Rider team. That finish seemed to take a lot of wind out of the sails of Vancouver football fans but that is only a theory from someone not living at all close to that city.

[sj-roc]

I would find it odd if < 50,213 showed up for the biggest Lions game in several years. I mean, come on, why would more people attend a (somewhat) meaningless regular season game for the stadium's re-opening over the crazy atmosphere of a hard-hitting "win or go home" playoff game?

You really have to consider the other crowds as closer to the norm and the Sep 30 crowd as the anomaly. It was the first reg season game since Nov 1994 to exceed even 40k, let alone 50k, and let's face it, those extra people were there to see the new digs first and a football game second. After all, the three subsequent games averaged more than 18k less. That crowd materialised suddenly out of nowhere in response to a very transient phenomenon and disappeared likewise.

Much like 2005, I think you'll have some folks bypassing the WF for the Grey Cup the following week. I'd be more optimistic about attendance if the GC were elsewhere. I predicted before we even clinched first place that a WF here would draw 45k max and it seems that Braley himself is even less optimistic.

[sj-roc]

That WDF prior to the GC in 2005 certainly hurt the WDF as well, it is just a fallout of the cost of a GC ticket.

I always have felt that the major reason why the '05 WDF crowd was less than 40k was because of the Lions' poor finish that year. They lost six of their final seven and backed into first place despite losing their final game that year against a mediocre Rider team. That finish seemed to take a lot of wind out of the sails of Vancouver football fans but that is only a theory from someone not living at all close to that city.

There is some truth to that Ravi, in both the direct sense of team momentum you explain, and moreover in the indirect sense that we clinched first place in 2005 a fair bit later than in 2004 (I forget by exactly how many weeks), which gave us less time to sell playoff tickets. But I think having the GC game played here also created a drag. The absence of Ssk also cost us about a thousand or two as well. Three of these four factors have reprised themselves for 2011 so while I would love to be proved wrong, I don't think it's realistic at this point to see 50k like we did against Ssk in 2004/06/07.

[bc49]

Ticket sales for both division finals are about even at the 30k range at the start of the week.
Of course in Winnipeg there is less than a thousand seats left. There was talk of putting up temp seating in the south end of CanadInns but I don't know if that is going to materialize.

I am surprised the novelty draw of the new BC Place factored in for only one game and appears to have limited to nil effect for the WDF.
I am predicting a turnout of 45,300 - which is 87% capacity and a whole lot of noise for Ricky Ray. Mustache or not.

Rather unimpressive attendance numbers for the semi-finals.
Montreal's 33k has to be disappointing for the club who drew 50k+ the past 2 eastern finals.
A game of less prestige and a week less to sell tickets = 20,000 less fans.

Edmonton is never going to be criticized for attendance from me but 30k for the WDF seems a tad low if you consider there are well over two million people 3 hours from the stadium. It has to be a weather thing. Edm must be close to 30k in season tickets so I suspect many took the TV option.

[mrbigglesworth]

It's better to have 40 k of knowledgeable fans, than 50 K plus who insist on doing the wave when our offence is on the field

For years I have wondered why the wave only happened on offence, especially when there were big crowds. I used to think it was just chance and bad timing and then this year it finally dawned on me... the people starting the wave wait until we're on offence because that is when the stadium is the quietest and they can get everyone's attention in their section. On defence, when the wave would be good to have, it is too loud and difficult for a handful of people to get the wave started. (Maybe this was obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but it did feel like quite an epiphany when I realized it!)

With that in mind, it seems we're doomed to always have people attempting to start the wave while we're on offence.

[Rammer]

It's better to have 40 k of knowledgeable fans, than 50 K plus who insist on doing the wave when our offence is on the field

For years I have wondered why the wave only happened on offence, especially when there were big crowds. I used to think it was just chance and bad timing and then this year it finally dawned on me... the people starting the wave wait until we're on offence because that is when the stadium is the quietest and they can get everyone's attention in their section. On defence, when the wave would be good to have, it is too loud and difficult for a handful of people to get the wave started. (Maybe this was obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but it did feel like quite an epiphany when I realized it!)

With that in mind, it seems we're doomed to always have people attempting to start the wave while we're on offence.

Sounds as good as any theory, or maybe even better than most. With that in mind, the Lions should have two advertisements on the big screens. One to stop the wave before it begins, the second to suggest a time for the wave, as it is a solid tool when the opposition is in the huddle on a big play.

One thing that I do recall in the 1994 GC, was how vocal the hometown crowd was for the Lions D and how quiet they were while the Lions were on O. It can be done.

[almo89]

It's better to have 40 k of knowledgeable fans, than 50 K plus who insist on doing the wave when our offence is on the field

For years I have wondered why the wave only happened on offence, especially when there were big crowds. I used to think it was just chance and bad timing and then this year it finally dawned on me... the people starting the wave wait until we're on offence because that is when the stadium is the quietest and they can get everyone's attention in their section. On defence, when the wave would be good to have, it is too loud and difficult for a handful of people to get the wave started. (Maybe this was obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but it did feel like quite an epiphany when I realized it!)

With that in mind, it seems we're doomed to always have people attempting to start the wave while we're on offence.

Sounds as good as any theory, or maybe even better than most. With that in mind, the Lions should have two advertisements on the big screens. One to stop the wave before it begins, the second to suggest a time for the wave, as it is a solid tool when the opposition is in the huddle on a big play.

One thing that I do recall in the 1994 GC, was how vocal the hometown crowd was for the Lions D and how quiet they were while the Lions were on O. It can be done.

Did you guys notice that it wasn't actually that loud for the BC Place opener even though there was 50k fans there. I thought it was way louder for the game against the Als with only 35k. As long as the real fans show up, it'll be loud. Of course I do wanna see a full house. it will be fun regardless

[Ravi]

That WDF prior to the GC in 2005 certainly hurt the WDF as well, it is just a fallout of the cost of a GC ticket.

I always have felt that the major reason why the '05 WDF crowd was less than 40k was because of the Lions' poor finish that year. They lost six of their final seven and backed into first place despite losing their final game that year against a mediocre Rider team. That finish seemed to take a lot of wind out of the sails of Vancouver football fans but that is only a theory from someone not living at all close to that city.

There is some truth to that Ravi, in both the direct sense of team momentum you explain, and moreover in the indirect sense that we clinched first place in 2005 a fair bit later than in 2004 (I forget by exactly how many weeks), which gave us less time to sell playoff tickets. But I think having the GC game played here also created a drag. The absence of Ssk also cost us about a thousand or two as well. Three of these four factors have reprised themselves for 2011 so while I would love to be proved wrong, I don't think it's realistic at this point to see 50k like we did against Ssk in 2004/06/07.

The Lions did not clinch first place in '05 until the final day of the season when the Esks lost to Calgary. Edmonton looked like they were toast after that game too but we all remember what happened after that.

[Spud387]

For years I have wondered why the wave only happened on offence, especially when there were big crowds. I used to think it was just chance and bad timing and then this year it finally dawned on me... the people starting the wave wait until we're on offence because that is when the stadium is the quietest and they can get everyone's attention in their section. On defence, when the wave would be good to have, it is too loud and difficult for a handful of people to get the wave started. (Maybe this was obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but it did feel like quite an epiphany when I realized it!)

With that in mind, it seems we're doomed to always have people attempting to start the wave while we're on offence.

Sounds as good as any theory, or maybe even better than most. With that in mind, the Lions should have two advertisements on the big screens. One to stop the wave before it begins, the second to suggest a time for the wave, as it is a solid tool when the opposition is in the huddle on a big play.

One thing that I do recall in the 1994 GC, was how vocal the hometown crowd was for the Lions D and how quiet they were while the Lions were on O. It can be done.

Did you guys notice that it wasn't actually that loud for the BC Place opener even though there was 50k fans there. I thought it was way louder for the game against the Als with only 35k. As long as the real fans show up, it'll be loud. Of course I do wanna see a full house. it will be fun regardless

That's because the roof was open for the opener

[Big Time]

The Lions did not clinch first place in '05 until the final day of the season when the Esks lost to Calgary. Edmonton looked like they were toast after that game too but we all remember what happened after that.

Yup, the League allowed the Esks to trade away their backup QB for a starting RB but were gracious enough to allow the Esks to keep their backup QB until after the playoffs. They also refused to call any penalties against Edmonton when they played against BC including a rather blatant pass interference call on Geroy at the end of the game. The backup QB led the Esks to the Grey Cup game and the rest was tainted Grey Cup history.

It's payback time.

[CatsEyes]

And don't forget the frozen ball fiasco of '77. It's on.

[David]

As of about noon today (Tuesday), pushing 34,000 - courtey of Jay Janower, Global BC.


DH

[B.C.FAN]

As of about noon today (Tuesday), pushing 34,000 - courtey of Jay Janower, Global BC.


DH

That leaves them on pace for over 50,000 if they can keep selling 3,000 a day.

[sj-roc]

It's better to have 40 k of knowledgeable fans, than 50 K plus who insist on doing the wave when our offence is on the field

For years I have wondered why the wave only happened on offence, especially when there were big crowds. I used to think it was just chance and bad timing and then this year it finally dawned on me... the people starting the wave wait until we're on offence because that is when the stadium is the quietest and they can get everyone's attention in their section. On defence, when the wave would be good to have, it is too loud and difficult for a handful of people to get the wave started. (Maybe this was obvious to everyone else and I'm just slow, but it did feel like quite an epiphany when I realized it!)

With that in mind, it seems we're doomed to always have people attempting to start the wave while we're on offence.

I'd be perfectly content to see the wave DIE. It's usually little more than some drunkard's vanity project anyway. Remember last year at Empire when the game was stopped for several minutes while medical staff were tending to an injured Steve Passmore? Some clowns, completely oblivious to what was happening on the field, decided that was a good time to get one going and they booed whenever it stalled at the section right in front of SM, who were more occupied (rightly so) with how seriously injured he was.