The Great Canadian Ratings Report: CFL gets off to promising start with big bump in ratings

[JonLP24]

Maybe it was the rule changes designed to increase offence. Maybe it was the thrill of yet another new stadium. Maybe it was all that TV coverage of people barbecuing in the parking lot at BMO Stadium.
Or maybe it was the start of a revival of interest in the CFL.

Whatever the reason, the CFL's opening week produced a 13 per cent increase in television ratings over last season. And while it's a tad early to start talking about trends, any increase in eyeballs these days has to be considered an accomplishment.

The CFL got off to a great start in trying to recoup two consecutive years of ratings decreases when the season opener between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts on Thursday averaged 692,000 viewers on TSN -- a 46 per cent increase over the 2015 lid-lifter between Ottawa and Montreal.

(Snip)

But even with that impressive opening, the CFL didn't dominate the ratings. That honour went to the Toronto Blue Jays, who drew almost a million viewers on Saturday afternoon.

Second to that was the NHL entry draft on Friday, which somehow convinced an average of 902,000 people to spend their evening watching young hockey players put on baseball caps on Sportsnet. The audience for that thriller peaked at 1.57 million around the time the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Auston Matthews.

(Snip)

1. MLB, Blue Jays at White Sox, Saturday, Sportsnet: 947,000

2. NHL, NHL entry draft, Friday, Sportsnet: 902,000

3. MLB, Blue Jays at White Sox, Sunday, Sportsnet: 897,000

4. MLB, Blue Jays at White Sox, Friday, Sportsnet One: 740,000

5. Euro soccer, Croatia vs. Portugal, Saturday, TSN: 665,000

6. Euro soccer, Germany vs. Slovakia, Sunday, TSN: 628,000

7. CFL, Stampeders at Lions, Saturday, TSN: 614,000

8. CFL, Redblacks at Eskimos, Saturay, TSN: 569,000

9. Euro soccer, Wales vs. Northern Ireland, Saturday, TSN: 563,000

10. Euro soccer, Hugary vs. Belgium, Sunday, TSN: 509,000

11. Euro soccer, France vs. Ireland, Sunday, TSN: 506,000

12. CFL, Alouettes at Blue Bombers, Friday, TSN: 495,000

13. Euro soccer, Switzerland vs. Poland, Saturday, TSN: 395,000

14. MLB, Cardinals at Mariners, Sunday, Sportsnet: 185,000

15. MLB, Red Sox at Yankees, Saturday, Sportsnet: 136,000
https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh-game/the-great-canadian-ratings-report--cfl-gets-off-to-promising-start-with-big-bump-in-ratings-210401737.html

[KamaAina]

1. "Maybe it was the rule changes designed to increase offence."

What? Do they have to punt on second down now?

[ProfessorGAC]

2. I've Been Watching

I don't know that i've watched an entire single game, but i've seen quarters or halves of 3 or 4 now.

I prefer it to college football, for sure.

[JonLP24]

3. I recognize a few qbs from college

Specifically from the Pac 12. Mike Reilly from Oregon State and Jeremiah Masouli from Oregon (the qb before Mariota) who recently led Hamilton a great comeback where he completed something like 29 passes in a row.

Montreal also has Rakeem Cato from Marshall though he appears to be second string.

I agree and certainly prefer it to the AFL even though the Rattlers are a successful franchise.