Bye week discussion

[Blue In BC]

I don't know if you can make the case that we're experience new highs in revenue when attendance is at a historical low and still say we're gate driven.

It's always been that way. Eventually if you don't get fans in the stadium then advertisers will withdraw support. The gate attendance helps pay for the renovations to aging stadiums.

Reaching highs in revenue is a bit of a skewed thought. Expenses are at an all time high as well. It's a relative position as time progresses. We haven't really been told where the increased revenue has come.

I'd say compare that to your salary. It's probable that you earn much more than 20 years ago. That's just inflation in action. Whether you are further ahead or not may vary on different things.

EDIT: Revenue is top line accounting. Have there been any comments about net income ( fixed for inflation ) being at all time highs?

Revenue is the money generated from normal business operations, calculated as the average sales price times the number of units sold. It is the top line (or gross income) figure from which costs are subtracted to determine net income. Revenue is also known as sales on the income statement.

[Jesse]

It's always been that way. Eventually if you don't get fans in the stadium then advertisers will withdraw support. The gate attendance helps pay for the renovations to aging stadiums.

Reaching highs in revenue is a bit of a skewed thought. Expenses are at an all time high as well. It's a relative position as time progresses. We haven't really been told where the increased revenue has come.

I'd say compare that to your salary. It's probable that you earn much more than 20 years ago. That's just inflation in action. Whether you are further ahead or not may vary on different things.

EDIT: Revenue is top line accounting. Have there been any comments about net income ( fixed for inflation ) being at all time highs?

Revenue is the money generated from normal business operations, calculated as the average sales price times the number of units sold. It is the top line (or gross income) figure from which costs are subtracted to determine net income. Revenue is also known as sales on the income statement.

OK, but we're clearly getting profit above expected, as shown by this lump sum of cash announced before the season. TV revenue, advertising, legalized gambling is becoming the main driver over the gate itself. Advertisers don't really care about the difference between 25k and 30k in the seats when 100s of thousands are watching on tv.

Obviously the gate is an important piece for teams and will continue to be so, but it's not what it used to be.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

OK, but we're clearly getting profit above expected, as shown by this lump sum of cash announced before the season. TV revenue, advertising, legalized gambling is becoming the main driver over the gate itself. Advertisers don't really care about the difference between 25k and 30k in the seats when 100s of thousands are watching on tv.

Obviously the gate is an important piece for teams and will continue to be so, but it's not what it used to be.

I think this is now the case, league seems to be moving further away from gate revenues and focusing on other areas, for every butt in the stands they could generate another 100 viewers or more on line.

[Blue In BC]

OK, but we're clearly getting profit above expected, as shown by this lump sum of cash announced before the season. TV revenue, advertising, legalized gambling is becoming the main driver over the gate itself. Advertisers don't really care about the difference between 25k and 30k in the seats when 100s of thousands are watching on tv.

Obviously the gate is an important piece for teams and will continue to be so, but it's not what it used to be.

That's not entirely true.

The Canadian Football League's regular season television ratings declined in 2024, falling 6.2 percent year-over-year.

The league drew an average audience of 454,000 on TSN during the regular season, not including RDS French-language broadcasts or streaming. It also remains unclear how broadcasts performed internationally on CBS Sports Network and CFL+.

CFL regular season attendance grows over 1 percent from 2023 to 2024. The CFL's regular season attendance increased modestly this year, growing by 1.8 percent from 22,393 fans per game in 2023 to 22,795 fans per game in 2024.Oct 28, 2024

[Sir Blue and Gold]

OK, but we're clearly getting profit above expected, as shown by this lump sum of cash announced before the season. TV revenue, advertising, legalized gambling is becoming the main driver over the gate itself. Advertisers don't really care about the difference between 25k and 30k in the seats when 100s of thousands are watching on tv.

Obviously the gate is an important piece for teams and will continue to be so, but it's not what it used to be.

True, but it's also because they're typically different sets of advertisers. The only way to buy CFL TV TSN is Canada-wide so if you're local or provincial in scope it doesn't make sense.

You can work with the teams directly though and pursue in-game sponsorships which is something the Bombers have perfected in recent years. Those sponsors are more, to an extent,  gate interested.

You might associate that with the obvious and standard for sports advertising but it isn't really. Manitoban-based businesses can buy Jets TV game advertising due to how the NHL sets up their broadcasting licenses (TSN 3 Jets region is targeted regionally) and the local DEDs are at the team level for those broadcasts. Both are legitimate options.

So both matter. I would argue at a certain point the mass of Canada would outweigh the gate sponsor value but I'm also not really sure there's enough mass to in Canada to ever get to that point for the CFL and if the Bombers have proven anything, it's that you can make bank locally with the right team and approach.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

That's not entirely true.

The Canadian Football League's regular season television ratings declined in 2024, falling 6.2 percent year-over-year.

The league drew an average audience of 454,000 on TSN during the regular season, not including RDS French-language broadcasts or streaming. It also remains unclear how broadcasts performed internationally on CBS Sports Network and CFL+.

CFL regular season attendance grows over 1 percent from 2023 to 2024. The CFL's regular season attendance increased modestly this year, growing by 1.8 percent from 22,393 fans per game in 2023 to 22,795 fans per game in 2024.Oct 28, 2024

You're talking television ratings which are still the most relevant metric but soon won't be, more and more people are switching to streaming every year.  That's why it's so important the CFL develop their streaming resources wisely, maybe even split it off from the TSN broadcasts and let a global streamer manage it to increase exposure world wide.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

You're talking television ratings which are still the most relevant metric but soon won't be, more and more people are switching to streaming every year.  That's why it's so important the CFL develop their streaming resources wisely, maybe even split it off from the TSN broadcasts and let a global streamer manage it to increase exposure world wide.

Bad idea.

A global streamer (like Amazon or DAZN) would bury CFL games among thousands of other options. The CFL is still a regional league at its core.

The league's fan base is local and loyal, but not massive. For sure, if you put CFL on DAZN less people watch compared to today. Guaranteed.

And streaming on a global platform won't magically make people in Europe or the U.S. care. There's also  benefits from the storytelling, other contet and production values that TSN invests in.

Often sited as a good strategy but it's  not realistic for the CFL. Medium term anyway.

[theaardvark]

Bad idea.

A global streamer (like Amazon or DAZN) would bury CFL games among thousands of other options. The CFL is still a regional league at its core.

The league's fan base is local and loyal, but not massive. For sure, if you put CFL on DAZN less people watch compared to today. Guaranteed.

And streaming on a global platform won't magically make people in Europe or the U.S. care. There's also  benefits from the storytelling, other contet and production values that TSN invests in.

Often sited as a good strategy but it's  not realistic for the CFL. Medium term anyway.

Adding a global streaming service could add eyeballs.

We have an amazing game.  Might need a little added production value, but we're working on that.

Letting people world wide have access, we only need to light a spark to get it viral.  A few of the great catches, kick returns, runs, tackles are all it takes to make things go viral.

AFL (Aussie rules) is regional, and far less popular that American football, but it gets eyeballs from around the world, because it is interesting. 

There's no downside to getting eyeballs... making a content contract with someone that is backend loaded based on success is a great idea, and I hope our new commish is working on that.

[Jesse]

That's not entirely true.

The Canadian Football League's regular season television ratings declined in 2024, falling 6.2 percent year-over-year.

The league drew an average audience of 454,000 on TSN during the regular season, not including RDS French-language broadcasts or streaming. It also remains unclear how broadcasts performed internationally on CBS Sports Network and CFL+.

CFL regular season attendance grows over 1 percent from 2023 to 2024. The CFL's regular season attendance increased modestly this year, growing by 1.8 percent from 22,393 fans per game in 2023 to 22,795 fans per game in 2024.Oct 28, 2024

You're quoting a source that, in the text you've quoted, admits to not having access to most of the services.

But profits have gone up substantially. There's no real arguing that.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Adding a global streaming service could add eyeballs.

We have an amazing game.  Might need a little added production value, but we're working on that.

Letting people world wide have access, we only need to light a spark to get it viral.  A few of the great catches, kick returns, runs, tackles are all it takes to make things go viral.

AFL (Aussie rules) is regional, and far less popular that American football, but it gets eyeballs from around the world, because it is interesting. 

There's no downside to getting eyeballs... making a content contract with someone that is backend loaded based on success is a great idea, and I hope our new commish is working on that.

Obviously.

Oh the other hand, I'd like you to carry my new dog training video. Pay me up front for licensing it, put it in a visible part of your store (you'll probably have to move something that's there already, sorry), market it for me so your customers know that it's there, and then when it sells, you can take a cut. Ps -- it's mostly geared to dog owners from Panama but on the plus side it's pretty popular there (the second or third most popular training video in Panama).

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

MOS June 6.

[TecnoGenius]

You're talking television ratings which are still the most relevant metric but soon won't be, more and more people are switching to streaming every year. 

Many of my friends are into sports.  Mostly hockey.  Everyone who did or tried to go stream-only now/still has a Shaw cable subscription.  The streaming just wasn't there or easy/convenient compared to cable.

The only people I know who like sports and don't have cable are super strapped for cash, as in barely holding onto their house or making rent.  And most of those just pirate.

I know many people who spend more on all the streaming services each month than I do on Shaw!  And I pay for zero streaming.

[theaardvark]

Obviously.

Oh the other hand, I'd like you to carry my new dog training video. Pay me up front for licensing it, put it in a visible part of your store (you'll probably have to move something that's there already, sorry), market it for me so your customers know that it's there, and then when it sells, you can take a cut. Ps -- it's mostly geared to dog owners from Panama but on the plus side it's pretty popular there (the second or third most popular training video in Panama).

Apples and orangutangs.

The new commish knows the media environment.

If he thinks granting access to our streams with the promise of future revenue makes sense, it has zero upfront cost (they don't pay a penny upfront to license it), and if they can co-promote it (using viral reels / tiktoks, etc) and build a revenue generating model, awesome.  Can also be accessed by those that are in the current market that may be leaving the mainstream media for streaming media, and save money they are spending on what seems to be a struggling and inferior product in CFL+. 

[Blueforlife]

Streaming is the future, classic TV subs will die eventually.  Not there yet, need to balance the two for now.  All about generating max revenue while providing a rock solid product / service.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Apples and orangutangs.

The new commish knows the media environment.

If he thinks granting access to our streams with the promise of future revenue makes sense, it has zero upfront cost (they don't pay a penny upfront to license it), and if they can co-promote it (using viral reels / tiktoks, etc) and build a revenue generating model, awesome.  Can also be accessed by those that are in the current market that may be leaving the mainstream media for streaming media, and save money they are spending on what seems to be a struggling and inferior product in CFL+. 

First of all, it's exactly the same thing.

Second of all, obviously all that sounds "awesome". Which major streaming service is going to do that for the CFL? Dazn? Amazon? Why on earth would they?

There's already a deal in the US so you are talking about Europe, the Middle East and Australia probably. Do you really think "viral Tik Tok reels" is going to do it for those markets? It doesn't do it in Canada. Can you possibly imagine how that has even a modicum of reasonability?

Big businesses didn't get big by being stupid.