The CFL is experiencing "soaring" attendance, which is
up 14.5% from last season, and an "almost" 60% increase in
TV ratings this season, according to Shawna Richer of the
Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. CFL COO Jeff Giles: "There's been a
renewal of the CFL. And where we see that most, in the
ratings particularly, is in the 35 to 49 age group. We're
getting back the lost generation." The ratings and
attendance jumps have come as the league has lifted local
blackouts of games, and Richer writes that the increases are
"validation that repealing blackouts does not necessarily
keep people from buying tickets and serves as unmatched
publicity." Giles said lifting the TV blackouts "is an
investment in our future, and teams are realizing that," but
getting approval for the plan was a "tough sell at the
beginning, when a loss of 2,000 or 3,000 people was
something we couldn't afford. Now that we are more
financially stable as a league, this is something that will
be good for our future." Bombers GM Ken Bishop, who
"eagerly lifted" the blackout: "I'm a believer that having
CFL on TV helps our cause, not hurts our cause" (Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, 8/13). The CFL said that it has spent "about"
C$125,000 "promoting" the game through its new "Join the
Party" marketing campaign (Chris Cobb, NATIONAL POST, 8/13).
