^^ 17,509 showed up according to the CFL...not even close! Those numbers have got to be paid + papered.
^^ 17,509 showed up according to the CFL...not even close! Those numbers have got to be paid + papered.
Is that with them giving away up to 4 free tickets per season ticket holder?
It doesn't help that they continue to shit the bed at BMO Field. Scoring 13 points isn't going to generate a lot of excitement for the fans that bothered to show up.
I think we ought to take their announced numbers at face value. Everyone knows announced TFC numbers over the years have often looked sketchy compared to what's in the stadium. Yeah, the Argos were giving away 4 free tickets for last night. Well, I have no idea what kind of ticket deals go on in the background for TFC games. I understand club teams get some kind of free/low cost access. The 17,000 number isn't great anyway.
No way was TFC using "scanned tickets" for the last game (during CNE/against Montreal). That was announced as "sold out" during the game, and I believe it more or less, because why would they have started selling cheap "general admission" otherwise.
The stands were nowhere close to full; actually less full than some of the other recent TFC games that had lower announced attendance numbers.
Did they announce a number at the game? MLS lists that game's attendance as 28454. TFC wouldn't be holding back thousands of seats for this game so they clearly sold/distributed all the seats. But obviously not everyone with a ticket showed up which is reflected in that 28k number.
Something funny happened with the Argos because one day almost everything was available in sections 204 though 210, then the very next day, everything was gone. They are papering the place for sure. They didn't sell thousands of tickets overnight.
i think they are doing the same thing they have in years past, the eastside still is alot of corporate/mlse giveaways (vs season seat holders), but MLSE is doing a lot better job making sure they are distributing these tickets to people that want to go, versus rows and rows of no shows last year. my section has been mostly filled, except for ccl and odd wednesday game all season, mostly empty last season. i don't really mind as long as this builds the fanbase long term, which it looks like it is gradually doing.
Last edited by Onyx; 09-01-2016 at 07:15 PM.
The point to me is that even the papered number isn't great. The problem with debates about attendance is people immediately start discounting the announced number. I've had Argos fans telling me we didn't really sell out, because MLSE is giving away tickets somewhere. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. I have no idea. The only firm thing we have to compare is announced numbers.
They did announce a sell out at the Montreal game but I don't think they gave an actual number. Interesting that the MLS reported number is lower.
I believe the MTL number.
they were selling the Standing room Gen Admission Tix.
why would they do that if there was real inventory?
Between the north patio and going out into the CNE at some point during the game...maybe that is why it appeared that every seat wasn't filled.
the MTL game was the most people I have seen milling about behind the accessible seats in the south end.
I'm guessing Gen Admission tix.
On our way to check out the craft beer offerings, we noticed a display for the Argos and the Grey Cup.
They were offering a free Argo shirt when a ticket was purchased for the game on the 31st.
'Something funny happened' . . . I asked "when was the last time the Argos won the Grey cup?"
No one could answer that. They had to scramble to come up with the answer . . .
For the MTL game the southend was also likely at 110% of capacity
The only thing that does not add up to me what the fact they announced 28,454 as a sellout even though they have had four crowds this year of over 30K including a season high of 30,262 vs. NYCFC on May 18th.
As mentioned above $20 GA tickets are only released when they have pretty much exhausted the regular inventory which they sold out for this Montréal game. You simply could not buy a ticket for this game through regular channels but the number of 28,454 does not suggest that would be the case.
Was the stadium rammed, to simply say it, No. There were a bunch of empty seats especially especially in the east upper deck, figure the cottage also played a part in that. I wonder how they exactly got to their number, did they have their ticket sold number and lower it after they looked at the turnstile/scans number?
Remember The Man, The Legend, The Goal 5-12-07 and All That #9 Left On The Pitch, Thanks For The Memories !!!
The booth near the Alltel (automotive) building?
Absolute bimbos working the booth.
As for attendance numbers at the Montreal game: We had several seats around ours that weren't used. But they're owned by long-time season ticket holders who couldn't be arsed having to wade through the Ex crowds to get to and from the stadium. I don't mind the Ex. Worked there in my teens, love riding the Zipper.
We have other friends on the east side who were out of town and their seats were empty. Neighbours on our street tried to buy tickets and had no luck. I have no doubt the claim of a sold out stadium was valid.
we've probably answered the question.
30K tix sold.
28+K thru the turnstile.
it was a nice weekend.
maybe one of the last of 2016.
some people are turned off by the lack of parking during the CNE.
I have no doubt all tickets were sold. I can't recall seeing such a demand and so many people not being able to get a ticket. But I don't think the stadium was full. Maybe Pint was right and the use scanned tickets. If that's the case though, I can't ever see a sell out. Always someone won't be able to go.
Unlike skydome these guys are paying a lot of rent to be at BMO Field. Its a matter of time before they will no longer be able to afford to play at BMO Field. I dont see them getting the sweet heart (rent free deal) at BMO field.
Interesting article on Yahoo theorizing how much money Argos are losing..
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cf...184915846.html
Tried posting this a bit earlier, not sure if I wasn't logged in. I usually don't miss a home game, but due to a baby being born I did. Offered two tickets here under face value, but no one wanted them (at least not for less than the face value of one ticket). Because it was late, decided to put them on StubHub (half for a laugh) at $300 USD, which was more than double face value and in USD. They were purchased in < 30 minutes. StubHub doesn't seem to be the first place TFC supporters would go (neither does anywhere charging USD), so some sort of casual fans were willing to pay a huge markup for available tickets at the last minute.
Shows that tickets weren't easy to come by, so the announced numbers probably weren't made up. I can imagine some people (especially those with kids) may have decided to forgo the game for more Ex despite already being there. You never know!
Nice find, the synopsis:
argos projected to be somewhere between $1.8m down (before Grey Cup) or up slightly on the year given low expenses on salaries.
After Grey Cup, pretty profitable with gains of millions that could cover losses for years. But need to get attendance up to about 18,000 with ticket revenue of at least $35 a seat in order to stay in the black.
One of the assumptions of that article is an increase in revenue from TV with a new contract. I'm skeptical of that happening given the ratings are still down from 3 years ago. TSN won't play hardball like they are with MLS but there is little incentive for them to raise the price they are paying given they just invested in the league by propping up one of the franchises.
Also, revenue from Canadian TV for any MLSE or Bell/Rogers owned team is really just moving from within 1 line of the corporate books of ownership to another. I don't count that as revenue for TFC nor the Argos.
Last edited by OgtheDim; 09-03-2016 at 09:25 AM.
I personally don't want to see the Argos fail, I just want the Argos to fail at BMO and go away somewhere else.