favourite bad lion team?

[Belize City Lion]

I think you are right Zeppo, the north end was the main scoreboard... it was certainly larger than the one in the south end.

As to the earlier discussion about capacity... maybe Empire did seat 35,000 but only 32,000 could actually see the field due to all the bloody posts that held up the roof :lol:

[B.C.FAN]

The replay screen in the south end zone of Empire Stadium may still be still there, or at least the structure that held it. I drive by there every day and there's a beige metal-clad building along Hastings that looks identical to the one that housed the 20-by-20 screen just outside the south end zone stands. The stands are gone now but that structure is still there.

[David]

That being said, I can confirm that the capacity at that time was greater than 32,000 (Empire's capacity seemed to shrink as the years went on). John Wirtanen's book list attendance by game but it's a little spotty, yet I do have some attendance figures from 1970 both from his book and media guides:

August 20, 1970 (vs. Calgary) 35,627 (CFL's first Instant Replay Screen unveiled)

August 27, 1970 (vs. Ottawa) 35,563

September 13, 1970 (vs. Winnipeg) 36,250 (if you've ever seen that famous aerial shot of Empire, this was the game)

October 3, 1970 (vs. Edmonton) 35,109

October 21, 1970 (vs. Winnipeg) 22,510


DH 8)

According to this site:

http://football.ballparks.com/CFL/BC/oldindex.htm

and also Wikipedia, the seating capacity of Empire Stadium prior to
1974 was 32, 375. After 1974, the north end bleachers were
removed and seating capacity went down to 30, 229. However, the official attendance for the 1971 and 1974 Grey Cup games (both of which I attended) were in excess of 34,000.
I think I may have an explanation for the difference in offical
capacity and the attendance figures you have quoted. The answer
lies in the aerial photo on the website I mention above. This photo
shows many more people sitting in the north end zone than I remember being possible. It is my theory that the Lions sold standing
room tickets back in those days, and may have put in some extra seating for Grey Cup games. I don't actually remember this as being
the case, but it may be a possible explanation for the attendance figures
from those years being so far above the "official" capacity.
In any case, a very interesting debate.

I recently purchased part of a B.C. Lions collection and among the "odds and sods" was a state-of-the-union team issued newsletter written just after the 1970 season.

"Off the field, the Lions had a record financial year with a total budget in excess of $1,000,000. Attendance for the 10 home games was 296,043, third highest in the club's 17-year history and an average of 29,604 per game.

The 1970 season saw a $970,000 renovation program at Empire Stadium, including the installation of Canada's first artifical football field - a facility improvement long sought by the club and the Pacific Natonal Exhibition. The turf cost $900,000 and another $70,000 was spent to improve facilities for the fans.

Other changes at the stadium included the construction of modern spacious coaching offices with locker space and shower. A shoe bank was created and another first saw the club introduce Canada's first name plate jerseys. A large team room for meetings, pre-viewing game films and which also served as a post-game meeging place for players and wives, was also built at the stadium, by the club."

Surprisingly, no mention of the replay screen, but as we've been able to determine, it did in fact exist. TheZeppo, you were right. They obviously counted exhibition games among their attendance averages in those days.

DH 8)

[David]

That being said, I can confirm that the capacity at that time was greater than 32,000 (Empire's capacity seemed to shrink as the years went on). John Wirtanen's book list attendance by game but it's a little spotty, yet I do have some attendance figures from 1970 both from his book and media guides:

August 20, 1970 (vs. Calgary) 35,627 (CFL's first Instant Replay Screen unveiled)

August 27, 1970 (vs. Ottawa) 35,563

September 13, 1970 (vs. Winnipeg) 36,250 (if you've ever seen that famous aerial shot of Empire, this was the game)

October 3, 1970 (vs. Edmonton) 35,109

October 21, 1970 (vs. Winnipeg) 22,510


DH 8)

According to this site:

http://football.ballparks.com/CFL/BC/oldindex.htm

and also Wikipedia, the seating capacity of Empire Stadium prior to
1974 was 32, 375. After 1974, the north end bleachers were
removed and seating capacity went down to 30, 229. However, the official attendance for the 1971 and 1974 Grey Cup games (both of which I attended) were in excess of 34,000.
I think I may have an explanation for the difference in offical
capacity and the attendance figures you have quoted. The answer
lies in the aerial photo on the website I mention above. This photo
shows many more people sitting in the north end zone than I remember being possible. It is my theory that the Lions sold standing
room tickets back in those days, and may have put in some extra seating for Grey Cup games. I don't actually remember this as being
the case, but it may be a possible explanation for the attendance figures
from those years being so far above the "official" capacity.
In any case, a very interesting debate.

I recently purchased part of a B.C. Lions collection and among the "odds and sods" was a state-of-the-union team issued newsletter written just after the 1970 season.

"Off the field, the Lions had a record financial year with a total budget in excess of $1,000,000. Attendance for the 10 home games was 296,043, third highest in the club's 17-year history and an average of 29,604 per game.

The 1970 season saw a $970,000 renovation program at Empire Stadium, including the installation of Canada's first artifical football field - a facility improvement long sought by the club and the Pacific Natonal Exhibition. The turf cost $900,000 and another $70,000 was spent to improve facilities for the fans.

Other changes at the stadium included the construction of modern spacious coaching offices with locker space and shower. A shoe bank was created and another first saw the club introduce Canada's first name plate jerseys. A large team room for meetings, pre-viewing game films and which also served as a post-game meeging place for players and wives, was also built at the stadium, by the club."

Surprisingly, no mention of the replay screen, but as we've been able to determine, it did in fact exist. TheZeppo, you were right. They obviously counted exhibition games among their attendance figures in those days.

DH 8)