Lionbackers.com

sj-roc wrote:I was one of the people involved in that recent discussion; I pointed out that on first glance it appeared I would have to pay gold prices for what used to be bronze seats but I got the mailing and it looks like I'll have the same location and price as last year, or very close thereto.

Good to hear! Still, the Lions should be concerned if people are seeing the chart on-line and freaking out before the Lions have contacted them. (Are your reading this, Marketing Department?)

David wrote:P.S. for giveways that you'd wear again to a Lions game, how about a write-in vote for one of these T-shirts:

TIM DONOVAN IS ABOUT AS COOL AS SANDALS AND TUBE SOCKS

CRAZY P: HOW'D YOU LIKE TO WEAR THAT DRUM?

FRIENDS DON'T LET FRIENDS DO THE WAVE

Yeah I'd buy the whole set!

Lionheart wrote:The big question for me was do we need more cowbell??

Always

Whisperin' Jimmy wrote:

Lionheart wrote:You didn't get that choice though. You were still forced to pick a time for saturday afternoon. It's clear now we're going to get an afternoon game. I don't mind one (why we need that I don't know) as long as the rest are ALL saturday nights.

Surely there are a lot of fans who will prefer an afternoon game if it is outdoors, though? A sunny afternoon in Empire, drinking beer and looking across at the mountains?

The Als famously saw their popularity soar when they moved to an outdoor venue, so out of curiosity I had a look at their schedule:

http://en.montrealalouettes.com/schedule/year/2009/9

After Labour Day, they move exclusively to Sunday afternoon games. I assume that is because the fans prefer a sunny afternoon in la belle province, once the weather gets cooler. I generally like Saturday night games myself (having no social life to speak of!), but since we'll be outdoors I voted for the afternoon in the fall.

The Als actually move to Sunday afternoons in the fall because McGill has first rights to the stadium for Fridays and Saturdays (to use for university football, soccer, intramurals, etc.) IIRC. It's not really a move of choice, I've heard, it's more of a forced time slot than anything.

However, I am not surprised that Als fans have probably taken to it, both because of the reasons you suggest and because it is one of the least likely time slots to conflict with any Habs games.

JohnHenry wrote:Many out-of-town fans have been clamouring for at least one afternoon game in the schedule...allowing them to drive in for the game and return home the same day.

Clamour clamour!

Just one. Not too much to ask, IMO.

glad to hear most people are wanting sat games

fridays stink and are preventing me from getting season tickets and a bunch of others i know as well. I told them i cant get them until i see the schedule.

love outdoor football!! hoping for a schedule thats mostly sat!

Urge those people to fill out the survey. I want nothing but saturdays too...

I like the thought of an afternoon game to make travel easier but I think Friday Night Football on TSN has been a huge success and has really boosted the tv audience. Can't see TSN wanting to go to too many Saturday games.

Um Ziggy.. it's not about changing ALL games in the CFL to Saturday.. just making sure ours go back to it. There will always be Friday night football.. and games sat.. sunday.. etc.

Saturday nights for me as well.

I like my Fridays
I did say i wanted some Sat afternoon games tho cause it is outdoors only

Spud387 wrote:I like my Fridays
I did say i wanted some Sat afternoon games tho cause it is outdoors only

Not saying ALL the games have to be Saturday, but it would be nice if they actually listened and gave us at least one, and at least one afternoon game-and fewer 730 starts!

Lionheart wrote:Um Ziggy.. it's not about changing ALL games in the CFL to Saturday.. just making sure ours go back to it. There will always be Friday night football.. and games sat.. sunday.. etc.

Yeah, I got that part, thats why I said changing too many ! Don't know where the "ALL" came from, sure wasn't in my post?

ziggy wrote:I like the thought of an afternoon game to make travel easier but I think Friday Night Football on TSN has been a huge success and has really boosted the tv audience.

True, but there were 27 Friday night games this year, all televised by TSN. That's an average of three or four Friday home games per team. The Lions had seven Friday home games this year. That's enough for two seasons.

B.C.FAN wrote:

ziggy wrote:I like the thought of an afternoon game to make travel easier but I think Friday Night Football on TSN has been a huge success and has really boosted the tv audience.

True, but there were 27 Friday night games this year, all televised by TSN. That's an average of three or four Friday home games per team. The Lions had seven Friday home games this year. That's enough for two seasons.

I think, due to time zones, it will always make more sense if you are having a double header, which was popular with TSN, to have the furthest west team host the later game. Not sure if that is the logic but it makes sense to me. I guess it could all come down to TSN scheduling single games as opposed to double headers, starting Ontario games an hour earlier, Alberta games an hour later or having BC as the back end, similar to this year.