2018 All Things Lions Marketing & Promotions

[Hambone]

The idea that the CFL is now TV driven as opposed to gate driven also has its warts. That TSN now contributes approximately $4.2M per community-own team annual reports is important but it remains far behind gate receipts as a revenue source.

Last year the Eskimos showed CFL Distributions (read TV revenues) as 3rd biggest revenue source representing 17.0% of total revenue behind gate receipts at 39.4% and Sponsorships at 21.5%. The $4.2M covered about 47% of expenses for players and coaches and 33% of total Football Ops costs of $12.44M. Total operating costs were $24.1M

The Bombers also showed it as 3rd biggest source at 13% behind gate receipts at 41% and Corporate (Sponsorships) at 15%. Football Ops costs were $11.75M and total Operating Costs were $27.4M. Of note in their operating costs is $897K for Public Transportation Program.

Over in Saskatchewan CFL Distributions was 4th biggest source at 11% behind gate receipts at 45%, Merchandise at 18% and Sponsorships at 17%. Now that is a bit misleading when compared to Edmonton. The Riders operate 3 or 4 retail outlets so they report both revenues and expenses. They had $6.76M in merch revenues and $6.34M in expenses for a net profit of $420K, roughly the same as the Eskimos who don't operate retail outlets only report their net profit in revenues.

[Hambone]

I disagree with your last statement Belize because I don't believe for a minute that if they cut prices in half attendance would magically double. 25% yeah maybe. 33%? Doubtful but possible for those wildly optimistic. 50%? Not a chance. I wonder if the CFL would even allow it because it would have an impact on all other CFL markets as fans there would be demanding their clubs slash prices too.

I agree that if you cut ticket prices in half attendance won't double. Not now. But I am saying the Lions created this problem by raising prices year after year because they believed their product was worth it, not because there was demand. I think the Lions attitude moving back to BC Place was that there were about 30,000 fans that were going to show up and the strategy was to squeeze as much as possible out of those 30,000 rather than try to expand the ticket base by keeping prices static or lowering them.

So now 30,000 has become 19,000. Ticket prices are not the only reason for the decline, but I feel it is one of the biggest contributors to the drop in attendance.

So what can be done now that the horses are out of the barn? You are right, the Lions can't just come out and cut ticket prices by 30-50% with looking like they have "devalued" the product. A new owner might have an opportunity to cut prices by marketing it is their way of recognizing the high cost of living and pledging to be the "family affordable" pro sports option. Or a new owner could throw Braley under the bus and simply say he was out of touch with what average football fans can afford.

But even without a change in ownership there are ways the Lions can drastically lower the cost of attending games. Bundle concession drinks and snacks with every ticket. Or make a deal with Translink that fans can use their game ticket to take transit for free on game days. Or a discount with BC Ferries for ticket holders on game day. Or reduced parking fees at Impark. Each ticket has a unique bar code so tracking what goods and services were redeemed would be as simple as scanning the ticket at the point of sale. The Lions would get a bill based on what bonuses were redeemed by each fan. Suddenly a $60 ticket is a pretty good deal if I get a bunch of the associated goods or services that would have cost me another $20 for free.

Much of that is true. I think it's some of those things outside the control of the club that are a bigger factor than ticket prices. I'd have to dig back but I don't think my ticket is more than marginally more expensive than it was back in 2011 when I got back into STs. Lions did some of those things for their loyal ST holders. I opted for the Compass card pre-loaded with $40. It didn't last long because it costs something like $7.50 to get in from the airport but nonetheless it helps. The club also gave ST holders Angus Reid's book as a gift. If I recall something related to parking was another option in addition to 3 or 4 others. So I've benefitted to the tune of about $60 from my $760 ST price. It also allowed me to get in after Eskimo ST holders and before the general public to buy my GC ticket. My ST card also gets 15% discount for Lions merch, in on pre-sale for concerts, invites to team events etc. Should those things be passed on to single game buyers? I don't know. The idea is to make it attractive to buy ST tickets.

[Belize City Lion]

The Lions should be offering perks to single game ticket buyers and an additional tier of perks for season ticket holders. I believe the bottom line is Lions need to make going to a game less expensive if they ever want to see attendance grow.

[cjones2451]

If you go too cheap, you also give the impression it is a low value item. If you want to get in cheap you have the $20 Beach Zone GA for those who would like that.
First game of the year had 2 tickets, 2 dogs and 2 drinks for $65, that was a good deal and now they have this for the last 3 home games
2 tickets
2 dogs
2 Pepsi
2 $10 Skip the Dishes Gift Cards
All for $70

You can get a Save On Foods promo ticket at $29 (all in)
I personally think you need to fins more incentive to get the premium seats filled and as it becomes more of an event, the cheap seats will sell themselves

[Robbie]

Will you make a point of being one of the first 5,000 fans through the gates in order to receive a Wally Buono bobblehead in the season finale?

I don't think anyone will be so desperate as to camp outside the gate the way some people do for certain event tickets.

[B.C.FAN]

Will you make a point of being one of the first 5,000 fans through the gates in order to receive a Wally Buono bobblehead in the season finale?

I don't think anyone will be so desperate as to camp outside the gate the way some people do for certain event tickets.

That's a great promotion. I've already discussed it with my wife. We'll be sure to get at least one. I like to be there when the doors open anyway.

[Hambone]

Will you make a point of being one of the first 5,000 fans through the gates in order to receive a Wally Buono bobblehead in the season finale?

I don't think anyone will be so desperate as to camp outside the gate the way some people do for certain event tickets.

I wasn't able to go or rather I chose not to. I felt badly because I wanted to be there because of the Wally send-off but just couldn't justify the cost of travelling down from PG for a game that had no bearing in the standings when I haven't had any work since end of August. With my annual Grey Cup trip coming up in another couple of weeks it was money best left in my wallet. My sidekick who has the other seat did go and texted me about 6:15 from inside the Dome. He said it was a zoo outside and the bobble heads were already all gone.

[B.C.FAN]

I mentioned in the game thread that the bobbleheads were all gone when we got in the door, even though we were there 15 minutes before the doors opened and there were only about 250 people ahead of us. We managed to get one anyway when I gave a mini-football to a young girl sitting behind us, and her mom kindly offered a bobblehead in return.

[B.C.FAN]

According to Drew Edwards of 3downnation.com, CFL regular-season viewership was up 4.3% in 2018. Lions' viewership averaged 514,039, fifth overall, and an increase of 6.7% over 2017. Only Saskatchewan had a bigger gain in percentage terms.

CFL ratings report: Regular season numbers show solid increase

[Huge Talent]

So they raised prices at mid field by $20 per season seat, keeping the the outer coaches sideline the same as before. Everything else seemed to go up slightly I think.

I moved from mid field to the red zone on the 20 for next year.. Saving around $400 on the pair. Will be nice to be closer to half the tds.

I honestly was expecting the team to lower prices a little for next year. The single ticket promotions they ran this season, particularly early on, kinda felt like we get taken for granted as sth's. They should consider food and beverage vouchers like the Canucks do. Oh well anyways, it's good to support the team, but would be nice to know that doesn't end up costing a premium over the casuals.

[Hambone]

According to Drew Edwards of 3downnation.com, CFL regular-season viewership was up 4.3% in 2018. Lions' viewership averaged 514,039, fifth overall, and an increase of 6.7% over 2017. Only Saskatchewan had a bigger gain in percentage terms.

CFL ratings report: Regular season numbers show solid increase

Edwards article doesn't seem clear. Are the numbers for Montreal and Ottawa TSN only or do they include RDS? They wouldn't necessarily need to include RDS to give a sense of the trend but the overall average would be understated without RDS numbers. No doubt the Manziel factor was big on the Montreal increase.

[B.C.FAN]

Here's a link to 2019 season ticket prices, including 12 days of giveaways before the early-bird deadline of Dec. 7. Prices go up by $10 or $20 in most categories on Dec. 8.

https://www.bclions.com/seasontickets/

[TheLionKing]

With declining attendance, increasing ticket prices certainly won't attract new fans/

[louharris74]

So they raised prices at mid field by $20 per season seat, keeping the the outer coaches sideline the same as before. Everything else seemed to go up slightly I think.

I moved from mid field to the red zone on the 20 for next year.. Saving around $400 on the pair. Will be nice to be closer to half the tds.

I honestly was expecting the team to lower prices a little for next year. The single ticket promotions they ran this season, particularly early on, kinda felt like we get taken for granted as sth's. They should consider food and beverage vouchers like the Canucks do. Oh well anyways, it's good to support the team, but would be nice to know that doesn't end up costing a premium over the casuals.

I am a 10 pack buyer who gets the Season Ticket promotion emails. I see that the Lions have now divided up the seats between the 20 yard lines into 2 price categories - Sideline and Prime Sideline - with hardly any pricing difference between the 2. $769 for Prime Sideline, $749 for Sideline. Arghh. If they want to entice more people to buy the prime seats, instead of them being so sparsely populated at many games, make the Sideline category something like $65 per game. $65 per gaime is not devaluing the product.

I usually buy a 10 pack in the Red Zone (Season Ticket price of approx. $57 per game). For a little bit more I would definitely consider the Sideline category seats. But I'm not going to pay $20 more per ticket per game.

[louharris74]

Another fallout of the Lions overpricing the Sideline seats is that long time season ticket holders, like Huge Talent, get fed up and then downgrade to lower priced season tickets i.e. from Coaches Sideline to Red Zone. If they made the Sideline category prices a better deal he wouldn't have downgraded. Pretty stupid in my opinion.