Ticket Prices / Lions' Marketing

[notahomer]

The name of the three game pack is cool, IMO. The Wild Wild West combo, IIRC, is what they were calling it on the big screen....


I personally would like to see some changes to the actual game day stuff too. For e.g. I missed the Gore TD that happened right in front of my Section218 seats because I guy had to cut in front returning from the bathroom. There are 'respectful' fans (the kind that kneel or sit on the stairs) so they don't block view and wait for breaks in the action. And the homer simpson/ peter griffin type fans who will block the way, realize the play is going on and turn so they can watch it. Thank god for the Video Screen, or I would have not been able to follow it.

I also suggest they stop with the make some noise comments/videos. The only one that lots of people seem to respond to was the decibel meter graphic. For eg the BBBBB CCCCC chant worked a lot better (still needs improvement) AND IT DIDN'T require a guy screaming into a microphone to get it to happen. The quiet we are on offence videos I do appreciate, I think exciting fans need a gentle reminder after a big play on defence/specials the Lions offence needs some quiet to operate.......

[David]

Hey all, I respectfully disagree, and would offer the analysis that these three afternoon games have been a huge success. Of the six home games thus far, the two largest attendance figures are from the first two afternoon games, at 34,343 (Saskatchewan) and 29,734 (Monteal) respectively. The home opener, a much-hyped Grey Cup re-match where Geroy was expected to break the all-time record for receiving yards came third at 29,351, and yesterday's 'disappointing' crowd comes forth at 28,526. Yesterday's game was a huge success in terms of attendance; in fact, this is the most impressive game attendance-wise since the dome re-opened. Here's why: I've pointed out here before that when the Lions play back to back home games, the second game typically sees a drop in attendance of 14.5% over the previous game, and a drop of 15% or more when the opponent in game two is an Eastern team with a losing record.

One thing worth noting James, is that paid attendance may have been 28,526 yesterday, but there's no way there were that many actually present at BCP yesterday. That has to tell you something. If you took the group rattling around the Upper Bowl and seated them down below, you'd still have some empty seats. And what's the capacity of the Lower Bowl now, 28,000? 28,500?

Again, I am not averse to afternoon games, but I do think they need to spread them out a little smarter. It would have been an interesting "test" to follow last week's afternoon tilt vs the Als with a Saturday night game vs the Argos because the opponents shared so many "constants": both good teams from the East, both have FHOF quarterbacks etc.

Regarding your data of attendance decline after back-to-back Eastern opponents, I'd like to see the spike/decline after a win/loss the previous week (or perhaps decline and steeper decline would be a better way to put it). Simply put, I would expect a certain number of fans came out yesterday because we won the previous week.


DH

[TheLionKing]

I also suggest they stop with the make some noise comments/videos.

Don't mind the video but the make noise recording is abit irritating

[Ballistic Bob]

Now if the NHL does its part and mercifully stays away till January I see 4. 40k plus games in the near future. BB

[sj-roc]

Regarding your data of attendance decline after back-to-back Eastern opponents, I'd like to see the spike/decline after a win/loss the previous week (or perhaps decline and steeper decline would be a better way to put it). Simply put, I would expect a certain number of fans came out yesterday because we won the previous week.


DH

These numbers are the full list of every pair of back-to-back Lions' reg season home games (10 or fewer days apart) since BCP first opened in 1983, for which the second game had an eastern opponent (not including Wpg). Games won are green highighted; attendance losses are red highlighted. Not sure if it's in total sync with James's data, but there's certainly more red than black.

[sj-roc]

Awesome.

I haven't looked at data the way SJRoc has, so he's probably our go-to guy here, but I have printed out stats on attendance and noticed a few trends.

For instance, I don't think winning has much to do with the Lions' attendance. If that were the case, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that gimmie games against weak teams should out-draw strong, but uninspiring teams. That's not the case. The better the opponent, the better the crowd....generally. Western teams outdraw Eastern teams....again, generally. Another thing I've noticed --attendance never really spikes after a Grey Cup win in the way the team expects it to, and in some cases average attendance drops the following year.

I'd love to look at the long term attendance figures and see how they are effected by:
1). Increase in ticket prices, (I suspect that an attendance drop following a GC win means a big increase in prices).
2). Weather,
3). Televised games (this is harder to measure in an HD world, but I suspect if the Lions play an exciting game the week before and it's televised, more people want to come to the game the following week).
4). Cost of living/average take home pay (what happens in boom/bust times, etc)
5). Media attention --and this I wouldn't even know how to measure. But I got thinking about it this morning; Tony Gallagher has an article on the Lions and I can't remember the last time that happened. With the hockey lockout, we've got to get more buzz, but how does that actually translate into attendance?
6). Giveaways. I remember begging to be taken to the Jay Christensen waterbottle night. And the first ever power-paw night. And the Flutie Flute night. I know some of you have waxed poetic about bobbleheads and lunchboxes.

Anyway....

Cheers,

James

Related to this is the fact that season ticket sales usually decrease the year after hosting a Grey Cup. More precisely, ST sales usually increase in a Grey Cup hosting year, and then revert to the lower overall trend the following year. So for two of our last four Grey Cup wins, that factor confounds the numbers somewhat.

The day of the week and stage of the season are also recognised attendance factors; Thursday nights have been a hard sell here compared to weekends, and attendance almost always picks up after Labour Day.

[Ravi]

I sure hope that there are people in the Lions' front office who have been reading this thread. The analysis in this thread has been nothing short of outstanding.

[sj-roc]

Not sure who subsidised this or how, but apparently students at Douglas College in New West and Coq were able to get a ticket discount for the regular season finale on Saturday, although the deadline expired a couple Fridays ago:

http://www.douglife.ca/2012/featured-po ... c-lions-2/

Student Night with the BC Lions
Posted on August 29, 2012 by douglife

Following their 2011 Grey Cup victory, the BC Lions are having another fantastic season and are a favorite to win the Grey Cup.

Be there as Douglas College sends it’s own pride to join the Lions and cheer them on in their pursuit of greatness.

When: Sat, Nov 3rd at 7 pm.
Where: BC Place

• Regular season tickets: $43
• Douglife tickets: $25 for students, $30 for friends and family
• Free gift with each seat
Additional tickets are available until Fri Oct 19th, but they are for upper bowl seating.

[David]

Not sure who subsidised this or how, but apparently students at Douglas College in New West and Coq were able to get a ticket discount for the regular season finale on Saturday, although the deadline expired a couple Fridays ago:

http://www.douglife.ca/2012/featured-po ... c-lions-2/

Student Night with the BC Lions
Posted on August 29, 2012 by douglife

Following their 2011 Grey Cup victory, the BC Lions are having another fantastic season and are a favorite to win the Grey Cup.

Be there as Douglas College sends it’s own pride to join the Lions and cheer them on in their pursuit of greatness.

When: Sat, Nov 3rd at 7 pm.
Where: BC Place

• Regular season tickets: $43
• Douglife tickets: $25 for students, $30 for friends and family
• Free gift with each seat
Additional tickets are available until Fri Oct 19th, but they are for upper bowl seating.

I heard on Friday that the club had already gone over the 30,000 mark for the Rider game, which should mean it will be a pretty decent send off to the West Final. It will also mean a solid 3rd place finish in the CFL attendance pecking order, behind the Esks and Riders.


DH

[Rammer]

I sure hope that there are people in the Lions' front office who have been reading this thread. The analysis in this thread has been nothing short of outstanding.

Winning the Max would allow me to hire a few guys from here to give the Lions back to the people.

[sj-roc]

I heard on Friday that the club had already gone over the 30,000 mark for the Rider game, which should mean it will be a pretty decent send off to the West Final. It will also mean a solid 3rd place finish in the CFL attendance pecking order, behind the Esks and Riders.


DH

Updated to 35k this morning according to Baller on 1040. Pleased to see a season-high if this is true, but it seems somewhat surprising that it would happen for this game. Lions laid an egg on national TV last week, have nothing to play for in the standings as of two weeks ago and there's the bigger carrot of a playoff game in two weeks for those who want an "event". Are we seeing a lot of uptake from Ssk expats? The only other game this year with >31.4k was also Ssk on Aug 19 (34,343), and WF aside, this would be their last chance to see their team here for at least the next seven months.

[B.C.FAN]

Updated to 35k this morning according to Baller on 1040. Pleased to see a season-high if this is true, but it seems somewhat surprising that it would happen for this game. Lions laid an egg on national TV last week, have nothing to play for in the standings as of two weeks ago and there's the bigger carrot of a playoff game in two weeks for those who want an "event". Are we seeing a lot of uptake from Ssk expats? The only other game this year with >31.4k was also Ssk on Aug 19 (34,343), and WF aside, this would be their last chance to see their team here for at least the next seven months.

The Ticketmaster seating chart is impressive. The lower bowl looks to be sold out other than singles and the upper bowl end zones are mostly sold. Upper bowl sideline seats look to be about a third sold.

[JohnHenry]

The Argos also had their biggest crowd of the season last night, despite it being a mean-nothing game for the Argos who were sitting out R. Ray and 10 starters. I think because it's the final reg. season game, some fans maybe wanted to go to a game this year and this could be their last chance...plus it's the Riders so that adds a couple thousand.

[David]

For those that didn't know:

As a thank you, all of our fans at the game this weekend will receive a 10% discount on merchandise, season ticket holders 20% #BCLions #CFL

A great night to buy orange and black swag!


DH