2016 All Things Lions Marketing & Promotions

[CardiacKid]

Uggh. I just looked at the map and it will easily be our smallest crowd of the season. Post Labour Day, with an exciting team that's 7-3. I just don't get it.

Sure, we can blame the front office's inability to create a buzz for this team in the marketplace, and a crap schedule that seemingly has them playing a home game once a month, but ultimately this team deserves far better support from the fan base than has been show thus far this year. Shameful.


DH

It's sure debunking the idea that all the team has to do is win to bring the fans back. Pro sports has never been tougher to sell in this expensive multicultural city. Just ask the Whitecaps who have worked like hell with tarping and marketing strategies yet are still losing $3 million a year according to a Forbes article this week .

Lions a victim of purrfect storm? 3-year decline on the field, the Seahawks' surge grabbing the casual fan's football attention, all games now on high def and questionable ticket pricing? Probably. Casual fans have got use to just staying at home and watching games, even when the team is winning and is exciting again. That's the Lions greatest obstacle now.

I am beginning to think we won't see more than 24,000 at BC Place this season.

And why Braley needs to exit now. Its been great knowing you but don't let the door slam you in the ass on the way out......

There is a piece that was circulating "out there" that deals with the monetary value of bums in seats versus tv revenue. The writer used the example of the Argos and how quickly their average crowds quickly fell off after their home opener. Most folks were back in panic mode with the Argos and their poor numbers after that brief honeymoon at the start of the season. The author concluded though that the tv revenue stream is so good that the Argos bottom line will not be hurt if their attendance doesn't improve. I will see if I can find that article and post it for folks to check out.

I would assume, by and large, that would be the case for most, if not all CFL clubs. So if I play devil's advocate why bother spending money to get people in the stadium? I have made my money thanks to TSN, so I am going to coast for the rest of the year. Braley can be a parsimonious SOB as witnessed in the past.

And based on what I have witnessed so far as a fan and season ticket holder (albeit not from Van) there is little to no motivation for the Lion's administration to do SFA to get more people in the seats.

Further to the administration of this club, things seem to be mired in quicksand. The careers section of the Lions website is still listing several job openings; no one of quality wants to work for the Leos? Or they simply haven't gotten around to filling them? The jobs still showing as vacant are:

-Manager or Director, Ticket Sales
-Manager, Ticket Operations and CRM
-Account Executive, Fan Services
-Corporate Partnership Associate
-Community Relations Associate
-Lions Game Ambassador
-Account Executive, Sales
-Inside Sales Representative

I believe these are the same jobs that were available over a month ago. Is this symptomatic of a crappy organizational culture?

The players are doing all they can to get fans in the seats. They are keeping up their end of the bargain but it sure as hell doesn't look like the team's uppermost management is doing the same.

[CardiacKid]

Uggh. I just looked at the map and it will easily be our smallest crowd of the season. Post Labour Day, with an exciting team that's 7-3. I just don't get it.

Sure, we can blame the front office's inability to create a buzz for this team in the marketplace, and a crap schedule that seemingly has them playing a home game once a month, but ultimately this team deserves far better support from the fan base than has been show thus far this year. Shameful.


DH

It is depressing sitting in BCPlace and seeing all the empty seats. And after a while you get angry about it.

I am not trying to sound superior or smug or anything like that. But we take 5 hours to get to games, pay for a ferry and transit; occasionally we pay for a hotel. We have been doing this for just about every single home game for 4 years. And we see other fans from the Island doing the same all the time; just as I know damn well there are fans from the interior who drive 4-5 hours to do the same.

Now I realize our motivation to attend games is going to be higher than most. Fair enough but what the hell gives?!?!?

Growing up in the Okanagan and following the Canucks, Lions and the 1980s Whitecaps, the first descriptor that always came to the fore with Vancouver fans was "they are bandwagon jumpers". They are lazy and have no sense of loyalty or commitment. Essentially they don't deserve to have professional sports teams in their city.

Of course that is like stating a certain ethnicity or segment of society is prone to this, that or the other. What the hell is that based on?

But as I stated at the start, it is depressing to see large swaths of empty seats at kickoff. And it sounds like it will be more of the same tonight. And yet again, I will get angry that this entertaining team is not supported to a greater degree.

Do I yell at Vancouver fans to get off their ass and come to a goddamn game?!?! Do I yell at Skulsky and Braley to use the brains God gave them to do something practicable to get fans in BCPlace?

Or do I beseech Braley to stop with this stop-start-stop with selling, not selling and finally get off the pot and SELL?!?!

I'd much rather do the latter as I think that is where the problem lies.

But in the meantime, I will remain depressed at the thought of empty seats and when kickoff comes tonight I will hope for another entertaining game that will make me glad I spent the 5 hours to come and participate live.

[CardiacKid]

After I wrote the above rants, I remembered an exchange I was privy to a couple of years ago.

It was during the preseason game at UBC the previous season. I was in line to check out some of the swag that was on sale when the lady in front of me decided to haggle over the price of a particular item of clothing that was already knocked down in price.

She was pressing the young lady at the till, requesting a special deal, a further percentage off. When the young lady was hesitant, the lady brought out the big guns; "I am George's wife". The young lady said "whose George"?. To which she replied, "George Chayka". At this point, the young ladies' boss intervened and essentially said this was the absolute best price they could sell it for. Mrs. Chayka left without buying it.

Now I am probably putting too much into this exchange but I thought to myself, "wow....that just left a sour taste in my mouth". It seemed incredibly cheap and left me wondering just what is the attitude of upper management towards the team. Yes, it was not an actual member of management but I remember hoping her attitudes weren't a reflection of her husband's.

As I say, I am likely reading too much into it but it still left me with a mental question mark floating around in my thoughts...what is like working for and with Lion's management?

[J5V]

One of the the biggest problems (and it has been for years) is that the pricing structure is so out of whack !

If you are a casual fan and excited about this years team and want to take your kids to the game tonight- it is $70 or $90 a ticket to sit between the goals lines (with zero break for the kids.) Then after you fork over your $$$ you walk into a stadium that is a third full. No thank-you. This has been the case since the re-opening of BC Place. Many have stopped caring and are doing something else with their time and money (win or lose.)

[LakeLions]

The Lions must drop ticket prices. There is NO doubt about that. Quit pretending you're on the same field as the Canucks, Seahawks, etc...and drop them.

Make it easier to get into games. Make it reasonable to bring a family of four.

I have family in the Bay Area. They used to be able to get four tickets to NBA Golden State Warriors games for $70. Plus a hot dog. Plus a pop. Why is something like that not an option for the Lions?

I've written before that it's a maelstrom of a number of forces over the past six years that have put the Lions here. Empire Field, tix prices too high at BC Place, overestimating interest in the fixed-up Dome, losing, lack of excitement, lack of big name personalities to market around, Whitecaps stealing a chunk of the market, Canucks 2011 run, Seahawks bandwagon, Canadians pulling 6000 fans and cornering the "let's go watch a fun sport" market, growth of HD television, better TSN product, ego "we're a huge sport and people should realize that", etc, etc

That's a lot of issues to try to overcome...and the Lions haven't even made an effort.

[aklawitter]

Jonathon Jennings and Marco Ianuzzi will be at Sports & Stuff in the Chilliwack Mall (across from Cottonwood) from 2-4 tomorrow (Saturday).

[Alputt]

There was just a live Facebook broadcast (do you call it a broadcast? live video with feedback in comments) with Manny Arceneaux. Bighill and a few other dropped in briefly. It was a pretty cool "interactive" fan experience. I think the CFL is doing more of this stuff a bright spot of sorts.

[footballtom]

The Lions must drop ticket prices. There is NO doubt about that. Quit pretending you're on the same field as the Canucks, Seahawks, etc...and drop them.

Make it easier to get into games. Make it reasonable to bring a family of four.

I have family in the Bay Area. They used to be able to get four tickets to NBA Golden State Warriors games for $70. Plus a hot dog. Plus a pop. Why is something like that not an option for the Lions?

I've written before that it's a maelstrom of a number of forces over the past six years that have put the Lions here. Empire Field, tix prices too high at BC Place, overestimating interest in the fixed-up Dome, losing, lack of excitement, lack of big name personalities to market around, Whitecaps stealing a chunk of the market, Canucks 2011 run, Seahawks bandwagon, Canadians pulling 6000 fans and cornering the "let's go watch a fun sport" market, growth of HD television, better TSN product, ego "we're a huge sport and people should realize that", etc, etc

That's a lot of issues to try to overcome...and the Lions haven't even made an effort.

Dropping the Price is not the answer the lions and the CFL is just not popular enough , If this was anything else that had hype to it a event a movie etc it would be packed . The CFL and the Lions only has them to blame .

[footballtom]

Terrible crowed around 16,000 ??

[LakeLions]

Dropping the Price is not the answer the lions and the CFL is just not popular enough , If this was anything else that had hype to it a event a movie etc it would be packed . The CFL and the Lions only has them to blame .

I don't disagree, Tom. And I think the Lions should take a fair bit of the blame.

But my point is more that the Lions have basically said they're okay money-wise because of TSN (that may or may not be fully accurate, but the TV money is better than it's ever been). IF that's the case, and you have a good exciting team, and you think people should come in....well, what's the best way to get them in? Pump it up as best you can and make it accessible to everyone with lower ticket prices.

I've got kids. I swallow hard paying for tix to Lions, Whitecaps, etc. I don't swallow that hard for a $12.50 Canadians ticket. I'm not saying the Lions should drop prices to $10...but what about $20? What about a family plan - four tickets for $80? There's nothing of that nature now.

Now, that may not make the Lions popular to the masses, but it's far better than what they have now.

[footballtom]

Dropping the Price is not the answer the lions and the CFL is just not popular enough , If this was anything else that had hype to it a event a movie etc it would be packed . The CFL and the Lions only has them to blame .

I don't disagree, Tom. And I think the Lions should take a fair bit of the blame.

But my point is more that the Lions have basically said they're okay money-wise because of TSN (that may or may not be fully accurate, but the TV money is better than it's ever been). IF that's the case, and you have a good exciting team, and you think people should come in....well, what's the best way to get them in? Pump it up as best you can and make it accessible to everyone with lower ticket prices.

I've got kids. I swallow hard paying for tix to Lions, Whitecaps, etc. I don't swallow that hard for a $12.50 Canadians ticket. I'm not saying the Lions should drop prices to $10...but what about $20? What about a family plan - four tickets for $80? There's nothing of that nature now.

Now, that may not make the Lions popular to the masses, but it's far better than what they have now.

Excellent points you think that Management would know this.

[Ravi]

Terrible crowed around 16,000 ??

A little over 18k were on hand which was the smallest crowd in years and puzzling given that the Lions have been playing very exciting, winning football. I know that the Als aren't a great draw but shouldn't the Lions, with the type of football they are playing, be a good enough draw on their own on a Friday night?

[footballtom]

Terrible crowed around 16,000 ??

A little over 18k were on hand which was the smallest crowd in years and puzzling given that the Lions have been playing very exciting, winning football. I know that the Als aren't a great draw but shouldn't the Lions, with the type of football they are playing, be a good enough draw on their own on a Friday night?

Lions have to try and salvage this season attendance and promote the hell out of the next 4 home games. try to at least get 23-25k for 3 out 4 .

[CardiacKid]

Terrible crowed around 16,000 ??

A little over 18k were on hand which was the smallest crowd in years and puzzling given that the Lions have been playing very exciting, winning football. I know that the Als aren't a great draw but shouldn't the Lions, with the type of football they are playing, be a good enough draw on their own on a Friday night?

You would think....

At what point does the shrinking number of fans in the stands reach critical mass?
TV revenue will not be the goose laying golden eggs forever. And then what? The CFL in its history has already experienced a nearly deadly hangover from a fat TV deal.
I am no businessman but I thought it was usually pretty good to diversify your revenue streams?

[SammyGreene]

An outstanding performance in an otherwise embarrassing night for the franchise with that dismal crowd. If you had an owner that actually demanded accountability then Richie Leone would be giving the boot to Dennis Skulsky and George Chayka at the end of the season. Entire marketing plan and ticket pricing needs to be completely blown up and it starts with them.