CFL: The CFL Thread: Part V

[keonsbitterness]

Got my Grey Cup tickets confirmed. First time being able to go, just hoping Hamilton is back again!

I look forward to seeing them and Simoni Lawrence choke again.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Final cuts today. Lots of moves league wide.

6 days to the season opener in Winnipeg. Sask already sold out their home opener, Bombers are at 90%+ capacity already heading to sellout this weekend or early next week. I guess the rumours of the CFL demise were greatly exaggerated.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Seems to be a decent amount of hype, at least on the prairies. Sounds like Edmonton is expecting a strong opening day crowd in spite of how many fans the name change drove away.

I think the West is going to be very competitive on a week to week basis. I doubt anyone hits 10 wins or 10 losses based on current rosters. I think people are sleeping on BC a little bit, I have them pegged as a playoff team if Reilly plays all or most games. If somebody is poised to disappoint, I think it's Saskatchewan. Fajardo looked great for a year behind a superb offensive line...we'll see how he does with the weight of expectation behind what projects to be a significatly weaker unit. The Riders bled some talent over the last 20 months and could find themselves fighting to go 7-7.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

 

[sonic92]

Seems to be a decent amount of hype, at least on the prairies. Sounds like Edmonton is expecting a strong opening day crowd in spite of how many fans the name change drove away.

The sense I've gotten on that is that most of the fans who actually live in Edmonton are fine with the name change, but those who live in the rural areas in Northern Alberta are very much against it. Is that accurate?

 

[Kyle McMahon]

The sense I've gotten on that is that most of the fans who actually live in Edmonton are fine with the name change, but those who live in the rural areas in Northern Alberta are very much against it. Is that accurate?

Can't really say if that's accurate or not. I'm in the suburbs of Edmonton so I don't have a lot of interaction with people from rural northern areas. I know of few people in and around the city who declined to renew their season tickets or stated they'll no longer be attending games because of the name change, myself among them.
I'm still just as excited as ever for CFL to finally kickoff again, I just am no longer a fan of the Edmonton franchise and won't be supporting them with my wallet.

 

[joestevens29]

Seems to be a decent amount of hype, at least on the prairies. Sounds like Edmonton is expecting a strong opening day crowd in spite of how many fans the name change drove away.

I think the West is going to be very competitive on a week to week basis. I doubt anyone hits 10 wins or 10 losses based on current rosters. I think people are sleeping on BC a little bit, I have them pegged as a playoff team if Reilly plays all or most games. If somebody is poised to disappoint, I think it's Saskatchewan. Fajardo looked great for a year behind a superb offensive line...we'll see how he does with the weight of expectation behind what projects to be a significatly weaker unit. The Riders bled some talent over the last 20 months and could find themselves fighting to go 7-7.

I'm not seeing much hype at all. I've been saying for a long time the league and the Eskimos needed to be better at marketing.

Going into week 1 it appears they somehow might be worse than they were before.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I'm not seeing much hype at all. I've been saying for a long time the league and the Eskimos needed to be better at marketing.

Going into week 1 it appears they somehow might be worse than they were before.

Yeah to listen to the media it sounded like their big push to have 35-40k in the stands was going well. Now hearing they're still sitting under 25k in ticket sales, which is not very good obviously. But like we figured, the name change was going to result in a lot of pissed off customers. A year removed some of the anger might have subsided, but that doesn't automatically mean re-upping on season tickets as though all is forgiven. I hope things go well for them for the sake of the league, but if I get season tickets again it will be for a different franchise and I'll just donate them to underprivileged youth.

 

[joestevens29]

Yeah to listen to the media it sounded like their big push to have 35-40k in the stands was going well. Now hearing they're still sitting under 25k in ticket sales, which is not very good obviously. But like we figured, the name change was going to result in a lot of pissed off customers. A year removed some of the anger might have subsided, but that doesn't automatically mean re-upping on season tickets as though all is forgiven. I hope things go well for them for the sake of the league, but if I get season tickets again it will be for a different franchise and I'll just donate them to underprivileged youth.

Has nothing to do with name change IMO.

We've been hovering around 30k for 4 or 5 years now. August in general is a bad month as this is pretty much the last month people are taking time off for summer holidays.

Then add how many people have taken up outdoor activities during covid. Are those people that all of a sudden spent thousands on trailers/quads/boats going to stop using them to go to a football game?

The name change might be pushing some aside, but judging by what I'm seeing on the Henday everyday the Esks could be in trouble for years to come if people don't get bored of their new found activities.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Has nothing to do with name change IMO.

We've been hovering around 30k for 4 or 5 years now. August in general is a bad month as this is pretty much the last month people are taking time off for summer holidays.

Then add how many people have taken up outdoor activities during covid. Are those people that all of a sudden spent thousands on trailers/quads/boats going to stop using them to go to a football game?

The name change might be pushing some aside, but judging by what I'm seeing on the Henday everyday the Esks could be in trouble for years to come if people don't get bored of their new found activities.

I agree, hard to pin it on a single factor, I can only speak for myself and a few people that I know. At the end of the day I'm just glad the league survived and I'm looking forward to tomorrow night. A few injuries on both sides by the looks of things, but it should be the game of the week.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

Was going to watch the game tonight until remembered how Winnipeg has a Government permission needed policy related to vaccines to get into the stadium.
Can't and won't support medical apartheid.

 

[sonic92]

Something about the CFL feels incomplete without Chris Cuthbert calling any games.

 

[cyris]

Got my Grey Cup tickets confirmed. First time being able to go, just hoping Hamilton is back again!

Nice. I have tickets too, will be my first grey cup as well

 

[cyris]

Was going to watch the game tonight until remembered how Winnipeg has a Government permission needed policy related to vaccines to get into the stadium.
Can't and won't support medical apartheid.

Okay. You won’t be missed.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Was going to watch the game tonight until remembered how Winnipeg has a Government permission needed policy related to vaccines to get into the stadium.
Can't and won't support medical apartheid.

On the positive side, I heard that only CFL medical staffs have vaccination records of players, so it's impossible (in theory) that players could be cut for being non-vaccinated. One small victory.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Something about the CFL feels incomplete without Chris Cuthbert calling any games.

I forgot about that until the game started. I'll say this, Black for all his shortcomings as a football guy, seems to have decent chemistry with Suitor. And I think Dustin Nielson and (presumably) Duane Ford will be a very good B crew.

 

[Thissiteisgarbage]

I forgot about that until the game started. I'll say this, Black for all his shortcomings as a football guy, seems to have decent chemistry with Suitor. And I think Dustin Nielson and (presumably) Duane Ford will be a very good B crew.

What happened to Cuthbert that he isn't doing the games?

 

[Uncle Rotter]

What happened to Cuthbert that he isn't doing the games?

He left TSN for Sportsnet.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Bombers did nearly everything 100% right last night. From proper safety procedures, to quick moving lines to get in, to a solid banner raising, loud full stadium, and a nice W to boot. I didn't buy anything but I heard they had a hiccup with the cashless transition at the concessions near the start.

It was absolutely FANTASTIC to be back at live CFL football again.

Meanwhile it appears the Elks had to cancel walk through today. Possibility they won't be able to play. It's unfortunate for Albertans that the Alberta government has waived the white flag.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Bombers did nearly everything 100% right last night. From proper safety procedures, to quick moving lines to get in, to a solid banner raising, loud full stadium, and a nice W to boot. I didn't buy anything but I heard they had a hiccup with the cashless transition at the concessions near the start.

It was absolutely FANTASTIC to be back at live CFL football again.

Meanwhile it appears the Elks had to cancel walk through today. Possibility they won't be able to play. It's unfortunate for Albertans that the Alberta government has waived the white flag.

Huh? No white flag waving here, it's been full steam ahead for a month now. People by and large have moved on from covid in this province, really it's only media that still cares or talks about it. Doesn't sound like there's any concern that the game won't be played tomorrow, absolutely no chance the government would cancel it.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Huh? No white flag waving here, it's been full steam ahead for a month now. People by and large have moved on from covid in this province, really it's only media that still cares or talks about it. Doesn't sound like there's any concern that the game won't be played tomorrow, absolutely no chance the government would cancel it.

They've surrendered to COVID and COVIDIOTS. It's why the Elks are having an outbreak of COVID. And things are going to deteriorate fast in a province who thinks it's over. Look at Texas and Florida.

It's the protocols that would cancel it. Elks sound positive right now the game will be played. That's good, but they aren't exactly an unbiased source. We'll get more details tonight and tomorrow I'm assuming.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

They've surrendered to COVID and COVIDIOTS. It's why the Elks are having an outbreak of COVID. And things are going to deteriorate fast in a province who thinks it's over. Look at Texas and Florida.

The CFL made it clear that if there's covid outbreaks the team forfeits the game, and that's fine by me. I love the CFL as much as the next guy, but inconveniencing millions of regular citizens with unwanted restrictions just so the Stamps and Edmonton football clubs are less likely to be affected by covid is ridiculous. Where are you hearing that there's an outbreak? The team cancelled media availability this morning, that's all.

 

[sonic92]

The only positive to not having the CFL last year was not having to put up with the idiot fanbase the Riders have. Sigh, I'll miss that feeling.

 

[DoyleG]

The CFL made it clear that if there's covid outbreaks the team forfeits the game, and that's fine by me. I love the CFL as much as the next guy, but inconveniencing millions of regular citizens with unwanted restrictions just so the Stamps and Edmonton football clubs are less likely to be affected by covid is ridiculous. Where are you hearing that there's an outbreak? The team cancelled media availability this morning, that's all.

Team announced two positive tests and everyone is getting tested again.

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Team announced two positive tests and everyone is getting tested again.

Stamps now with 2 as well. It sounds like teams are being smart with their internal protocols (keeping 1 QB separate, social distancing) so hopefully no games are lost.