Ratings are Up and Attendance is Strong
Published on August 7, 2008 under Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release
Toronto, ON - (August 7, 2008) - Canadians are rallying to the Canadian Football League in 2008, says CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon.
At the one-third mark of the season, ratings after the first six weeks (24 games) are up 19% on TSN compared to the first 24 games televised in 2007 on multiple English networks. This marks the first season TSN has exclusive English-language coverage of all CFL games.
RDS's ratings are also showing growth. Through the first six Alouettes' broadcasts, RDS's audience is up 7% compared to the first six broadcasts in 2007.
"The ratings reflect the product on the field, and we're off to an exciting start, with more scoring, fewer penalties and plenty of close and exciting games," Cohon said.
"On top of that, TSN and the CTV family of networks have done a tremendous job of promoting the fast-paced game of Canadian football. And Canadians are responding."
So far this year, the national average audience for the CFL on TSN telecasts is 394,000 viewers per game, compared to 331,000 viewers last season on TSN and CBC. All games this season have been produced in High Definition.
The CFL on TSN ratings are strong across several key demographics compared to the same point last season on both TSN and CBC: Men 18-34 is up 16%; Adults 18-49 is up 15%; Adults 25-54 is up 16%; Men 25-54 is up 22%; Adults 18+ is up 41%.
"TSN has had a long and proud association with the CFL for 23 years. We are honoured to be the CFL's exclusive English television broadcaster for the next five years and will continue to pull out all the stops to give fans the first-class coverage the CFL so richly deserves," said Phil King, President, TSN. "We are off to a tremendous start and look forward to building momentum throughout the remainder of the season leading up to the Grey Cup in November."
Viewership on RDS this season is 225,000, compared to 210,000 at this point last season.
"At RDS we are very proud to share a strong tradition with our viewers of Montreal Alouettes' broadcasts," said Gerry Frappier, President of RDS. "And with the Grey Cup in Montreal this year it gives us great momentum for the CFL and for football fans throughout Quebec."
At the same time, live attendance at CFL stadiums is keeping pace with last year, the best season for league average attendance since 1983.
So far in 2008, the average attendance for a CFL game is 28,125, compared to 28,518 a year ago.
Last weekend saw total attendance that was 8.8 per cent higher than the same weekend a year ago. It featured sell outs in Montreal (20,202) and Calgary (35,650) and solid crowds in Edmonton (35,008) and Toronto (28,523).
The November 23rd Grey Cup game in Montreal is already more than 60 per cent sold out.
"There's a lot of football left to play and we want to keep building towards the Grey Cup," said Cohon.
"Thanks to Canadians from coast to coast, we have a very positive start to build upon."
Canadian Football League Stories from August 7, 2008
- Ratings are Up and Attendance is Strong - CFL
- Eskimos look to sweep the first back-to-back series of the year with the Lions - Edmonton Elks
- Dorsey Named Special Teams Player Of The Month For July - Toronto Argonauts
- Lions Wake and Jackson earn Player of the Month kudos - B.C. Lions
- CFL names players of the month - CFL
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