Seahawks success? Good or bad for the Lions?

[David]

I am interested in your opinion here. The Seahawks have had 6 weeks of the football spotlight to themselves and have carved out quite the winning streak (8 of the last 9 games). With the NHL lockout, they've been given unprecedented attention up here and as many as 10% of their fans at any given home game are Canadians. TEAM1040 has essentially turned into the Seahawks radio network (or "NFL" at least. Don't believe me? Just tune in any given morning to Scotty Rintoul and Jason Botchford for "the morning shot of Scotch" as it's called). And I have never seen so much Seahawk merchandise on people around town as I have recently.

Is the mighty lure of the NFL/Seahawk's marketing machine taking fans away from the British Columbia Lions? We certainly can't compete with what they offer for atmosphere and a game-day experience. It's not even close. Are we going to lose season ticket holders to people who will opt for Seahawks ticket packages next year (the attached article mentions 6,000-7,000 season ticket holders from B.C. could climb to 10,000 next year).

Or does this help foster and develop interest in the game of football overall (i.e. "a rising tide floats all boats")?

Or will there be no effect at all (i.e. people that didn't watch CFL before won't watch it now)?

article here


DH

[notahomer]

I don't think it does anything. I have enjoyed the Seahawks run but it won't impact my spending on Lions stuff/tickets....

Other people? Not so sure. I'm guessing no impact or if anything, like you asked, a rising tide lifts all boats. It is really neat watching Brandon Browner suit up for the Seahawks. Actually watching any exCFLers (Wake, Chick, Logan etc.....).

The one time I did splurge on Seahawks tickets ($300 ) I had a good time in their stadium. NFL fans (in Seattle anyways) insist on standing through an entire game (you can sit down at halftime). I thought an NFL game would be fun and it was. But, the CFL games are far more interesting to me.

I'm personally hoping there will be a bit of an NHL backlash. Okay many will return but the NHL lost me during the first lockout (1994). Ask my family. Hockey first, Lions/CFL football second. When I say hockey, I mean anything hockey. Juniors, Memorial Cup, any two NHL teams and of course Canucks. Now, Canucks unless there is any football of any kind (except soccer...)is on. So, the Lions can thank Bettman and the NHL owners for this season ticket holder. And I feel stupid for not being a bigger CFL fan that much sooner.

If there are any recently bitten Seahawk junkies out there, I hope they'd give our men in orange a try.

[TheLionKing]

Now that the lockout is over, Team 1040 will revert back to talking hockey 24/7.

As to the Seahawks success, it will have no impact on me whatsoever. I will continue supporting the CFL and the BC Lions.

[WestCoastJoe]

No impact on the Lions IMO. The Lions amount to a niche market, it seems to me. Loyal too. From Hong Kong to Cleveland to Alabama to Mexico. From the West to the East. North to South.

And not all Canadians, or CFL fans, worship all things American, or all things NFL.

And growth of the Seahawks brand grows the appetite for football anywhere. High school. College. Arena. CFL. Et cetera ...

Just IMO ...

Oh yeah, and Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson are making fans of me too. Not that I am about to head down for a game any time soon.

[Toppy Vann]

The 'Hawks success might influence some but I doubt it will grow beyond a hard core group. Even if they did a run all the way let's face it - repeating it ain't easy although it looks like this coaching regime and QB in Seattle are first rate.

In part the problem with the CFL is that the sports talk shows do little to present the product and the players. It is far easier to dissect line combos than to discuss football offenses and defenses. I recall when the Lions were no. 1 and the talk of the radio shows but those old guys into sports (radio, print, then tv) were genuine football and CFL fans. We lost those guys and the only real football guy in sports talk is the Moj.

The likes of Bill Good, Senior who covered multi-sports and when retired and faded away were not replaced. Would you get a radio guy today with this said on their passing?

http://www.bcradiohistory.com/Biographi ... llGood.htm

He left behind a hefty set of credentials: memberships in the Canada curling and Canadian Football League halls of fame, an ACTRA Award for excellence in broadcasting and an enormous circle of close friends, admiring colleagues and down-and-outers he picked up and dusted off.

In the bad old days of the B.C. Lions, he habitually kicked off his post-game broadcast by demanding, ``There's only one thing I want to know: Are the Bombers that good or are we that bad?''

Prior to his hospitalization, Good still walked the West Vancouver sea wall, trailing his portable oxygen bottle, had a permanent chair at what was called the Senate Table at B.C. Place football games, with veteran colleagues Jim Coleman, Jim Kearney and Jim Cox.

In those days those guys actually talked the game but they went to the games! Today the talk show guys don't go to games - they just talk.

[TheLionKing]

In those days those guys actually talked the game but they went to the games! Today the talk show guys don't go to games - they just talk.

And most don't know what the heck they're talking about. I wish Jim Taylor was back covering the Lions.

[Toppy Vann]

In those days those guys actually talked the game but they went to the games! Today the talk show guys don't go to games - they just talk.

And most don't know what the heck they're talking about. I wish Jim Taylor was back covering the Lions.

Exactly, Taylor, Beddoes, and those others noted in the story were multi sport people who lived and breathed sports and loved the CFL. In the early days of the Lions the newspapers were afternoon (Prov. and Sun) so they didn't have the deadlines and I recall the media panels doing the post game interviews after games.

Also in those days to keep imports in town they were encouraged to get jobs in business and practices were set and companies loved them so they could do both. Nowadays playing pro CFL is a full time job not just two hours of practice and you're done. Liquor reps and some companies liked to use CFLers in marketing.

Al Pollard FB with the Lions was Sports Director at CKLG when he played. Willie Fleming had the Lions Den men's clothing store.

When they fired a coach it was page 1 headlines.

Of course hockey was the WHL - a level below the NHL in Vancouver and the seating was 6 or 7 thousand at the PNE.

The Hawks are not the threat that 24/7 hockey promos are to the CFL.

[SammyGreene]

Good topic here David.
If it hurts the Lions anywhere it might be the club and lounge seats they are now trying to sell in the new BC Place. The demographic you are trying to chase down to purchase those seats might weigh that option against having Seahawks season tickets instead. The strong Canadian dollar also makes it a more feasible option.

That said. All the points made in the above posts are bang on.

• There will always be NFL only fans and fans of both leagues in Vancouver. Imagine living in the Seattle area and only having the time to follow the Seahawks but not UW Huskies because the majority of their roster will never make the NFL?

• Hockey is back and dominating the air waves again. Any Seahawk/NFL discussion has and is generated by the hosts only with the phones not exactly ringing off the hook to discuss Russell Wilson or the Hawks read option offence.

It will take some off years by the Canucks for the over saturation of hockey in this market to correct itself. Based on the age of Sedins and the very few prospects they have, it might not be too far away.

[Hawkballer 14]

No effect.