I'm of the mindset that the CFL ( and NFL) is becoming more of a TV league.
Rather than spend up to a $150-200 for two tickets plus parking, food and drink many are opting to support the league and enjoy themselves by watching with whom they want in the comforts of home.
Other than the argument that we "should" attend what are the benefits of going to a game now? It's a given if nobody attends the league will suffer greatly. Let's stay away from that argument for sake of discussion if we can.
LOVE going but because of where we have lived for the last 14 years it's been very difficult. While living in Port Credit I missed one Argo game in 20 years because of a wedding. I left the wedding early to listen on radio. haha. Then we moved to Duncan BC on Vancouver Island for 11 years. Pain in the butt to get to Vancouver as it took us over three hours with drive and ferry. Now living 30 minutes north east of Peterborough is pretty much the same. Our first two years back we had Argo seasons but I didn't enjoy game days as it felt like a job with very long hours. So tv is the way we do our games. Great to drink good beer and eat great food but if I had the cash I'd be hitting TO for every game and staying over night. I miss the other fans and dealing with the good or bad together.
I think for me watching it on TV is better because I don't have to deal with jerks and morons at the game. Plus there's no crowd and driving involved and the effort to go.
The only drawback is all the ridiculous commercials and the # of commercials.
I used to be one of those morons at the game to many I'm sure but for years I haven't touched a drop of swill they call beer at a stadium. You notice the fools when you're sober. I still like to yell but not carry on like a tool.
My CFL fix for the next two years will be Grey Cup partying in TO and Ottawa. That'll be 30 Grey Cup parties but not 30 Grey Cup games as I've missed a few.
I went to the Hamilton game on friday ...should have watched on tv. But for other reasons than some on here may have. Went up there from Florida with 3 people and as soon as people talked and realised we came up from the states only 2 non stop blabbering topics "what do ya think of Trump" and "Isn't this better than the NFL"
The fool sitting beside us wouldn't shut up about Trump on and on all through the first quarter ...so we got up to see if we could just sit high up and watch the darn game but told we couldn't so left ..MISSED A 1 POINT GAME uggghhh glad the tix were free lol
There's nothing like the game LIVE !....Now come the cold weather, I prefer to be sitting in front of a roaring fire with my favourite drink. No line ups at the fridge or washrooms.
Going is better. Nothing like being part of the atmosphere.
I don't get to go to, too many games but this is the fun part.
HD TV is awesome, but if you can get out to a tailgate before the game, and the crowd is into it, nothing better.
As for weather. Should not be an issue unless we as Canadians have gotten way to soft. there hasn't been winter weather at a game over the years that couldn't be dressed for. Plus, the more people pack the stadium during the winter, the warmer it is.
I'm getting older and I can't take the cold weather like I used to, failing thyroid and all that. Been to hundreds of games, 99% were outdoors, many in the cold !
I have a feeling you would have asked if one of them was me..
The stadium from what i checked out was much cleaner and nicer than good ol ivor wynne. And more comfortable seats ...
I do like the gameday experience at the stadium being amungst the roaring crowd makes it more exciting than a tv viewing wish i had more time to spend up there the 2 days went too fast
Here in Calgary, I know a few people who have stopped going.
They say it is boring , because the Stamps always win.
There is no longer any tension or excitement because the outcome is pre determined.
I guess pre 2008 when we were on the bottom is to long gone of a memory for some.
The big thing is the economy. Calgary is oil driven and considering we have a 22 % vacancy rate in the downtown offices, football is something people will now watch for free.
Trump was born with a silver spoon in his mouth and his businesses have declared bankruptcy more times than I keep track of on my ten digits. He also did not pay his federal taxes, his "university" is a scam, and his charity is a fraud. Hardly someone to admire.
Your second point says quite a bit about you as a person. That my friend is...
TBH, I have only been to one game this year - and those tickets were given to me by a kind, fellow poster. I need to go to more games and I am a hypocrite for not going.
Watching the games on TV has become too easy and entertaining.
Brihind88 your views are so 1950's dude. It's laughable some of the crap I see posted . So glad I never moved to my wife's city of Calgary. 11 years in Duncan BC was bad enough with the abuse of women, booze, drugs, nature and 1950's backwoods mentality we witnessed.
I believe that true CFL fans should attend the home games of their favorite football team. Growing up in Montreal I attended regularly the Alouettes home games until leaving Quebec in 1971. In the one year that I didn't attend the games, I was working in LA. My father had the task of sending me the Als section in the Gazette as there were no computers at that time. Beginning in 1972 I visited Montreal at least once per year always during the football season but, the loss of my parents ended this. I do believe if one is a true fan attendance should be expected.
I've attended Bomber games for years, been to four this year.
Didn't enjoy it, probably stay home, now on go to The Pony, order some good food and wine and watch it live, warm and dry.
I'm a bit odd about this but hang in with me and I'll explain:
The drunken stupid football fans who stand up and mimic "first down" whenever there is one. Didn't seem to be this annoying until recently when the Bumbers started getting a few. Then, they turn their back to the next down while they look for acknowledgement from other drunks.
Did I mention drunks? When a section that seats 1600 can produce a beer snake 220 feet long, I'd suggest theirs been some over service. Let's do the math, four cups to inch (let me help, 4 x 12 x 220. 7 beers for every person in the section). Try that in your corner bar and MLLC will pull your ticket before midnight.
The two tier experience. Watching fat cats wave their magic wrist band to enter what I know is the President's private club pisses me off; all Manitoban's own The WFC!!
The Rum Hut. You can not walk once around (as I do at all Jets games) because the rounders and puck bunnies turn the NW corner into Octoberfest.
The poor service solutions. In my world when people line up to buy what I sell we drop everything to take the money. Watching four servers being watched by four managers (doing f all) is annoying, especially when it means half the crowd gets back to their seats (climbing over mine) well into the Third quarter.
If The Board and or Senior Management would come down from their box and enjoy the true fan experience, they'd make a great start on filling all those empty seats. Until then, more puke buckets!
I hate these statements ..i'll tell you what i'll buy season tickets for me to my fav team and i'll buy your season ticket seat IF you pay for my return plane ticket and hotel for every game .. oh ya 1 more thing plane ticket and hotel for 1 game will cost you more than your season tickets..
Don't tell me i'm not a true fan because its not feasable to attend.
Or do i have to stop watching the CFL now that i moved away?
