Has the volume of advertising gone too far?

Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:15 pm

Players wear logos on their jerseys advertising companies. The stupid folding boards along both sidelines in BC Place. The constant 360 degree digitized advertising circling the stadium between the lower and upper decks in B.C. Place. The commercials that are being aired on the huge HD screen at BC Place.

It's just as bad going to an NHL game at Rogers Arena. Advertising is constantly in your face. Even the zamonie is plastered with advertising. Now at certain times little minions with shovels come and clean the ice. Guess what? Even the shovels and buckets are marked, "Mikes Hard Lemonade".

I for one am sick of all of this advertising. Even the Lions playing field is marked. What's sneaky, is that if you happen to be watching the game on TV you'll see logos on the playing field that are really not there but show up on your TV screen. The NHL is now doing the same thing behind the goals. You'll see a digitized image that is computer generated for only the TV audience.

It is getting to the point that we don't go to games to enjoy a great football game , we go so we can be inundated with constant advertisements. I don't go to a Lions game to watch a freaking commercial on a huge HD screen. I go to a live game to get away from that garbage. For almost 3 hours while trying to enjoy the game my attention is drawn to the advertising all around. How do you avoid not seeing it? You don't.

I remember in the "old" days at Empire Stadium when the field looked like a football field. It was clean and well marked. The goal posts weren't wrapped with "Sports Action" logos. Players were not advertising Rona or Scotia Bank. I didn't have to look at advertising on the playing field.

What next? A game ball with a Wendy's baconator pic on it?

Advertising is huge business and companies are more than willing to shell out big bucks to get a few square feet [or inches] of space so that 25,000+ are exposed for 3 hours and I realize advertising is a reality. Some have argued that it is needed to "pay the bills". I don't think so. It wasn't needed to this extent in the 50s or 60s or even later. The CFL, the NHL and other other sports venues do it for profit reasons and nothing more. But it is just too much.

You can't even escape the advertising ploys listening to the game on the radio. It isn't the "red " zone, it's the Chevrolet zone, or the Canadian Tire zone. It is no longer 1st and 10 at the Lions 15. It is, "It's another Kal Tire first and ten on the Canadian Tire 15 yard line.

Oh pahleeez........ excuse me while I go to the bathroom to do a Speedy Muffler dump.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:33 pm

X2 At least the logos on the uniforms are small compared to what one sees on a soccer jersey. I thought Vancouver's soccer team is named the Whitecaps not the BELL

Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:42 pm

I agree, the ads plastered everywhere have gone too far. The new flashing ribbon ad banners at field level are particularly distracting, especially on TV as they are right behind where the QB sets up and it is hard to make out when he passes the ball. Overkill. I realize the CFL needs to generate every bit of revenue they can but they've really gone too far with the flashing ad signs. They make the Lions games less enjoyable and fans may just stay away to avoid the commercial assault.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:01 pm

JohnHenry wrote:I agree, the ads plastered everywhere have gone too far. The new flashing ribbon ad banners at field level are particularly distracting, especially on TV as they are right behind where the QB sets up and it is hard to make out when he passes the ball. Overkill. I realize the CFL needs to generate every bit of revenue they can but they've really gone too far with the flashing ad signs. They make the Lions games less enjoyable and fans may just stay away to avoid the commercial assault.

"Commerical assault". Thanks JohnHenry. That was the phrase I was trying to put my finger on.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:15 pm

Advertising is a crucial portion of the revenue stream for CFL clubs. The core business of television and radio stations is to sell advertising. The more advertising they can sell for CFL games the more value there is in the broadcasting rights. The more value in those rights the more CFL teams stand to earn from selling their broadcasting rights. Right now each team gets approximately $1 million annually from the TSN deal. Reduce the advertising revenues means temas have to generate more revenue from other sources (can you say ticket price increase boys and girls) or take it out of the players pockets by reducing the SMS.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:02 pm

as far as I am concerned, as long as it doesnt take away from the game or threaten player safety, it just doesnt matter.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:40 pm

KnowItAll wrote:as far as I am concerned, as long as it doesnt take away from the game or threaten player safety, it just doesnt matter.

Well for me Knowitall it has taken away from game enjoyment. That is just me of course.

There is a thing called over stimulation where we have reached saturation point when it comes to taking information. There is also subliminal messaging and saturation messaging where the same message is repeated over and over again over a period of time. Certain commercials will be shown during certain programs and will be repeated 30 or 60 times. All of these are proven techniques to hook the consumer.

I guess what I'm getting at when it comes to all the peripheral advertising that i'm seeing at the games is that while I'm watching a play taking place on the field I have no choice but to take in some stupid advertising logo. I just don't have a choice unless I don't care to see the play. It does not matter what direction I look except at the roof, I am going to see some sort of freaking advertising being burned into my memory to pull out at a later date.

It's the same thing listening to the play by play on the radio. I want to hear that it's 1st and 10 on the Eskimos 22 yard line not..... "It's another chevrolet first down for the Lions." The whole idea is that I will remember the name Chevrolet if or when I'm ready to buy a car. I'm tired of being manipulated.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:40 pm

It is an issue, but it is NOTHING in comparison to the NFL which I can't even stand to watch anymore...the amount of TV commercials are almost doubled in volume in comparison to the CFL broadcasts...

But as Hambone stated, these "extras" are often the difference between CFL clubs making a profit or loss...so for the CFL and its small TV contract, it is what it is...to survive, this is what this league must do...ultimately, it adds to the uniqueness of the league...

But again, you are absolutely right in your observation...

Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:44 pm

MexicoLionFan wrote:It is an issue, but it is NOTHING in comparison to the NFL which I can't even stand to watch anymore...the amount of TV commercials are almost doubled in volume in comparison to the CFL broadcasts...

But as Hambone stated, these "extras" are often the difference between CFL clubs making a profit or loss...so for the CFL and its small TV contract, it is what it is...to survive, this is what this league must do...ultimately, it adds to the uniqueness of the league...

But again, you are absolutely right in your observation...

Thanks MexicoLionFan. That is the reason I cannot stand watching NFL games too. I think what really drives home the point is that around Super Bowl game day the talk of the town isn't who will be playing but what kinds of commercials Budweiser will be coming out with.

I just hope and pray that the CFL doesn't become a "Come to the great advertising event where leading advertisers will show you their goods....there will even be a football game to watch during the intermissions."

Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:11 pm

No it hasen't gone to far , the cfl has always been a advertise league, i remember back in the mid 80's Carling O'Keefe was a huge sponser, there logo was every were.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:46 pm

I am very grateful for the advertising.

Does anyone complaining not remember the dark 90s when the Lions were nearly lost as a viable franchise?

Ads are part of the lifeblood of the CFL - we should be thanking the advertisers - not whining about them.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 5:51 pm

This thread feels very Christmas-y . If someone could now answer in red font...

Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:00 pm

Hambone wrote:Advertising is a crucial portion of the revenue stream for CFL clubs. The core business of television and radio stations is to sell advertising. The more advertising they can sell for CFL games the more value there is in the broadcasting rights. The more value in those rights the more CFL teams stand to earn from selling their broadcasting rights. Right now each team gets approximately $1 million annually from the TSN deal. Reduce the advertising revenues means temas have to generate more revenue from other sources (can you say ticket price increase boys and girls) or take it out of the players pockets by reducing the SMS.

Agreed.
And the notion that things where better in the 50s and 60s without all the ads, needs to also consider stadium conditions of the day, lack of training facilities, smaller coaching staffs and support staff and lack of all kinds of expenses that teams today face. Also to save $ back in the day teams had a gruelling travel schedule which for example would have BC play at home on a Sat. then Wed. in Toronto, then Sat. in Montreal. Playoff series were 2 or 3 game series each as well to make extra$.

I prefer today's game and I will put up with the ads.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:21 pm

Toppy Vann wrote:I am very grateful for the advertising.

Does anyone complaining not remember the dark 90s when the Lions were nearly lost as a viable franchise?

Ads are part of the lifeblood of the CFL - you should be thanking the advertisers - not whining about them.

Hey... I don't expect you to agree with my point of view but try to refrain from accusing someone of "whining" when their point of view doesn't agree with yours. That is simply being consdescending. No one said advertising was not important. My headline question is not difficult to understand.

Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:24 pm

DanoT wrote:
Hambone wrote:Advertising is a crucial portion of the revenue stream for CFL clubs. The core business of television and radio stations is to sell advertising. The more advertising they can sell for CFL games the more value there is in the broadcasting rights. The more value in those rights the more CFL teams stand to earn from selling their broadcasting rights. Right now each team gets approximately $1 million annually from the TSN deal. Reduce the advertising revenues means temas have to generate more revenue from other sources (can you say ticket price increase boys and girls) or take it out of the players pockets by reducing the SMS.
Agreed.
And the notion that things where better in the 50s and 60s without all the ads, needs to also consider stadium conditions of the day, lack of training facilities, smaller coaching staffs and support staff and lack of all kinds of expenses that teams today face. Also to save $ back in the day teams had a gruelling travel schedule which for example would have BC play at home on a Sat. then Wed. in Toronto, then Sat. in Montreal. Playoff series were 2 or 3 game series each as well to make extra$.

I prefer today's game and I will put up with the ads.

Actually I rather enjoyed the playoff format back then. It was far more exciting than it is today. As far as things being "better" back then I was speaking in the context of far less distracting advertising all over the place.

Has the volume of advertising gone too far?

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