Saturday, July 5th was the annual home opener for the Toronto Argonauts. This year’s version was against the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the not so friendly concrete confines of the Rogers Center. I think the league did a masterful job of scheduling not only the reigning Grey Cup champs for the boatmen home opener but also considering the Saskatchewan Roughriders are a team with a fan base that is all over Canada, which might have added to the Argos attendance for their first home game of the season.
The Argos typically have the lowest home attendance in the entire league despite them playing in the country’s biggest market (the exception being Hamilton last season, but let’s not forget the Tabbies played out of Guelph while their new facility is being built).
With last year’s avg attendance of 21,000 fans coming to support CFL football in downtown Toronto, there are many questions as to why attendance is so low.
Is it parking? Rogers Centre is located near Union Station so there really is no point to driving. Fans can easily take the Go Train and arrive in the shadow of the stadium.
Is it the actual stadium? Yes. It’s mostly concrete, leaving aesthetics much to be desired. There is the fact that it’s a dome as well, which many pigskin purists tend not to like. Even with the roof open it really still does look like a concrete jungle.
Is it the lack of advertisement and pride that comes with a team in a city? I’ve personally been to games in Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg on numerous occasions and you will always see billboards on the highways and boulevards, as well as flags on citizens yards and vehicles. However, in Toronto it’s not the case.
You could also make the argument this is a hockey city, with a rabid fan base for the NHL. That’s hard to argue, however, Winnipeg welcomed back the Jets of the NHL and still support the Blue Bombers in droves. And of course other major markets like Vancouver and Montreal have a strong presence in their respective cities.
It is a massive head scratcher. A massive population within an hour of Rogers Centre, yet year in and year out they have the worst average attendance. Much like Vancouver did with it’s rebuilding project and Hamilton with its soon-to-be-unveiled Tim Horton’s Field, I think the Argos would benefit from a new home. An open, outdoor, inviting stadium made specifically for CFL football and not to be shared with the Blue Jays. It should be a place where fans can come to the game, do some tailgating (no, the Bills in Toronto is not tailgating) and enjoy the ultimate football experience.
They are certainly going to need a new place to play as Rogers has announced plans to put grass in the Rogers Centre and that the Argos lease will not be renewed.
The only question left is: with such a bad attendance record, would it make sense for citizens of Toronto to foot the bill for a such a stadium?
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