Only 11K tickets sold for Arblows Tues. home game in OTT

Hamilton Tiger-Cats
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Ottawa RedBlacks not used to empty seats

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 04, 2015 11:28 PM EDT

[b]The RedBlacks are hoping to sell more tickets to Tuesday night's game, which was rescheduled to TD Place after the Argos had to vacate the Rogers Centre for the playoff-bound Blue Jays.
It's likely the Ottawa RedBlacks will have a lot less than a full house on Tuesday night in a bonus home game against the Toronto Argos.

Right now, ticket sales are a bit above 11,000 in the TD Place stadium that holds more than 24,000.

There's still plenty of time to buy tickets, which range in price from $19-$84, for a game that features two teams involved in a dogfight for top spot in the CFL East Division.

While it may not be The Battle of Ontario, where the Maple Leafs and Senators go toe-to-toe, this game means plenty. The RedBlacks are tied with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, at 8-5, for first place, with the Argos one win behind and with a game in hand on both.

"We sell a few more tickets every day. It's going to be interesting to see what kind of walk-up sales we get," said Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group president Jeff Hunt. "It's uncharted territory for us to have so many tickets to sell in such a short period of time. But I was talking to some other teams in our league and they're all pretty impressed that we've sold as many tickets as we have in such a short period of time.

"Again, it's a Tuesday night. It's an off night. When you put it all together, it's going to be different to see a smaller crowd at TD Place, but I have no doubt in my mind, it will still be a great experience."

It was supposed to be a home game for the Argos, who were forced to consider moving the game with the possibility the Toronto Blue Jays would host a Major League Baseball wild-card playoff game on that date. After looking at a couple of alternatives, the Argos settled on Ottawa. In a "partnership" with the RedBlacks, Toronto will get a 50/50 split of gate receipts, but will be on the hook for its own travel expenses. Sure sounds like a win-win for Ottawa, which gets an extra home date out of the deal.

"It's a bonus for us to convert an away game to a home game," said Hunt. "Turning a road trip into a home game, if you can do that, you'll take it."

The biggest hiccup is likely the timing. A school night, early in the middle of a work week, isn't exactly ideal. But again, the RedBlacks weren't about to turn down the opportunity to get in an extra home date.

"If we had a regularly scheduled game on a Tuesday night, we'd have been worried about that from the beginning of the year," said Hunt. "It's just not a good night for any sport in any city. It's a real challenge. I'm pleased with the response we've gotten. I've had other teams tell me, 'We would not have sold that many tickets in the same circumstances.' It's a testament to how great the fans are that we've done as well as we have."

Last Saturday's 39-17 throttling of the Montreal Alouettes was also played in front of a less-than-full stadium, with about 3,000 tickets unsold. Maybe it's the chilly weather that kept the fans away. Or maybe it was something else ...[/b]

more here

[url=http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/04/ottawa-redblacks-not-used-to-empty-seats]http://www.ottawasun.com/2015/10/04/ott ... mpty-seats[/url]
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Well considering that this supposedly is (was ? ) a home game for Toronto and it is being played on a Tuesday night ya gotta think that a crowd of 11,000 sounds about right for an Argos "home game". They should just announce that all tickets will be priced at $19.00 which is the lowest range price,throw in a free hot dog or two perhaps a free Coke and a 25% discount voucher for team merchandise purchases either in stadium or on-line for all in attendance. A little incentive offered and they might not sell this game out but I could see them selling at least another 5-6 thousand tickets and possibly perhaps boosting the attendance to close to 18,000 for this game.

3

I thought they were planning on hosting the Argo games in Hamilton?

What happens to season ticket holders who now have to lose a game because travelling to Ottawa for a week night game isn't feasible? I would have thought at least moving it to Hamilton it keeps them somewhat closer to home and able to travel. Even some type of voucher for a GO train or something.

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I'm sure they wanted more tickets sold and they were hoping that season ticket holders would snap up the extra tickets. But a Tuesday night game in cool October weather 5 days after their Thursday night game is not good. They have one more day of sales and hoping for a big walk up. A Sat or Sun afternoon would have been ideal. But it is a bonus game for Ottawa and revenue from 11k to 15k crowd is still better than no game.

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I would think if Hamilton was given an extra home game, even on a Tuesday, against a team in the fight (say Ottawa) that we would have another sell out.

Very surprised with the Ottawa crowd for this, given that their season ticket holders were offered their price to buy tickets.

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Same thing that happened when the Bills had to move their home game to Detroit last year because of the snow storm. Season ticket holders are refunded.

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I highly doubt we would sell out.

We've been cutting it close the last few games in selling out. And that's with Season ticket holders and months of notice for a TICATS weekend game.

I don't see season ticket holders and thousands of walk ups lining up with a weeks notice to watch this a non ticats game on a Tuesday night to the tune of 24,000 plus. Heck theres still tons of tickets left for our own home game Friday never mind if this was going to happen on the Tuesday before.

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Wow considering that level of support they would have been better to book the Pan Am Stadium at York University and it's 12,000 seats rather than move the game to Ottawa?

The Ti-Cats played at Guelph and Mac while their new venue was being constructed if the Argo's were inconveinenced by the Jays playoff schedule they should have just played the game in the T.O. area.

I can't imagine Ottawa fans being too supportive of hearing Argoos shouted across their loud speakers??

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8) You are right king 10, I was told by a Ticat rep that the hardest sell games here in Hamilton are Friday night games 
  or any week day games !!
10

this non sell out should stop the BUMCRACKS sell out streak, leaving us the champs!!

11

7000 of those seats were temporary and capacity is down to 5000 now.

not to mention the field has no football goal posts or endzones as the york lions strictly use the stadium for track and their football team plays at their old stadium.

12

You might want to check your facts before posting. :wink:
The REDBLACKS haven't sold out all our games this year and seeing as the RedBlacks care more about winning games than being "sell out Chumps", you can have that title!!!!!! :lol:

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Mike Hogan ?@tsnmikehogan · 3h3 hours ago
#Argos will play Oct 17 'home' game against Calgary at Tim Horton's Field in Hamilton. Announcement expected in next day or so. #CFL.

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At least it will be a weekend game and some of the 5k Argo season ticket holders would be able to drive or bus to the game.

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thanks will take that title. so the hammer has the best team in the east and BEST FANS!!

you BUMCRACK fans can have it next year.. if we are done with it that is but youre use to Hamilton's hand me downs aren't yah! :wink:

16

The Argos are just treading water until 2016 when they move into BMO field. They'll also rebuild the team for their Grey Cup year like they did in 2012. I think the new ownership group will do wonders for the team. They have deep pockets and are not used to being associated with losers.

An Argo-Cat fan

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Did anyone catch the actual attendance of tonight's game?

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CFL.ca says 15001

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would have out drawn the Rogers Centre.

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ummm Leafs