Grey Cup tickets almost sold out, Argo tickets benefit too
The 2012 Grey Cup and the perceived improvement in the football are having a "profound effect" on season's ticket sales of the Toronto Argonauts, according to the man who is at the top of both pyramids.
"There's been a lot of excitement," says Chris Rudge, CEO of the Argos and chief executive of the 2012 Grey Cup Festival, "whether it's the Grey Cup or what the Argos have done in the football department in getting a new coach, Ricky Ray and Jason Barnes."
Acknowledging that the team was staring with a modest ticket season base---he wouldn't say how many subscribers the club has---Rudge said that new season's ticket sales are up 500 per cent over last year and that renewals of season's tickets are up 100 per cent.
And, he added, the Grey Cup is almost sold out.
"When the public sale begins in June there will be only about 1000 tickets left," he said. "And all (130) the corporate boxes will be sold out by May."
While there are various sizes of boxes, a luxury box for the Grey Cup Game rents for an average of $20,000.
"The Grey Cup is having a big impact on the city and on our team," Rudge said.
There's no way that 500% applies to total season tickets. That would mean the Argos will have 6 times as many season seat holders this year compared to last. I don't think any team could do that. I'm pretty sure it only applies to new season ticket holders, which is only really good news if there were lots of new season ticket holders last year (which I'd doubt). But if there was only one new season ticket holder last year, then a 500% increase means they only sold 6 new season tickets so far.
Do we have to take shots at the T.O. media every time they miss something? Good grief! This constant, often selective, whining about the media is getting very tiresome.
That is dandy to hear; also to mention the Argos season ticket base is not revealed as it’s against club policy.
Seeing that season tickets sales are up 500%, perhaps season seat base line is between 7000 - 8000 thousand there abouts?
Absolutely, let’s give credit or in this case take shots which is so deserved here in the city for the wannabe media.
After all, it’s all about the Leafs hockey, hockey over the top hockey coverage.
Seems like every thread, no matter what it is, gets hijacked by one of the same three people, talking about the same thing, and 90% of the time, that thing they are talking about has nothing to do with what the topic talks about. Isn't that kind of the definition of a troll?
Good job Toronto, see you in November. I'll be the guy in the Evergreen and Gold Fire helmet. That will narrow it down to a couple of hundred. Dark Rum and Coke for me.
Season ticket SALES up five fold, that’s very different. 500 percent of not much might be not much…
But it is very good news none the less and I think there is a renewed pride for what is Canadian and shows TO fans know what they want just like every other market in Canada. If they can follow up with success on the field and build something similar to what was done in Montreal and BC we will see a profound and durable change.
As for the GC. This will cause a problem for the thousands who do the pilgrimage every year. I just hope the tickets are not being swallowed up by “resellers”
I'm interested to see how much are going to be swallowed up by Argo Season season holders.
People who owned season tickets for 2011 and 2012 had the opportunity to buy their own seat, + 2 per seat they owned.
In my case, We have 4 seats and purchased 12 total.