This is a transcript of an actual Edmonton Eskimos radio ad:
Transcription: "You know that guy, the irritating Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. Sorry, that's redundant: the Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. He's loud, obnoxious, and somehow manages to brag about his team winning a dominant four championships in just over a century. That guy. Well, he's going to the Eskimo game this Friday, and you should go too and watch his entire world crumble around him! Support your Eskimos! Tickets to the game are at Ticketmaster, starting at $32.50."

 

I liked this ad.

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

Wrong. With a good football team, how many sellouts have you had this season when the Riders weren't in town? Zip.

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

That said, no question the Bombers have thousands of diehard fans. The numbers however suggest otherwise when comparing how many of each franchise. Take for example last season, the top 12 attended games throughout the entire season all involved the Riders. This year we have soldout the past 3 home games, were at 99% capacity for game 2 & 3 had had 31K sold for our home opener which took place during a severe flood. Add to that the Riders have helped give Wpg, Vancouver, Edmonton, & soon to be Calgary their biggest home crowds this season.

It's ok for you to claim the Bombers have more diehard fans however even though the Numbers aren't in your favour. Cheers.

 

 

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

Wrong. With a good football team, how many sellouts have you had this season when the Riders weren't in town? Zip.

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

That said, no question the Bombers have thousands of diehard fans. The numbers however suggest otherwise when comparing how many of each franchise. Take for example last season, the top 12 attended games throughout the entire season all involved the Riders. This year we have soldout the past 3 home games, were at 99% capacity for game 2 & 3 had had 31K sold for our home opener which took place during a severe flood. Add to that the Riders have helped give Wpg, Vancouver, Edmonton, & soon to be Calgary their biggest home crowds this season.

It's ok for you to claim the Bombers have more diehard fans however even though the Numbers aren't in your favour. Cheers.

 

you are using one poor year amongst a group of years where the Riders went on long playoff runs? Come on, use some common sense (asking a lot I know) How many times were the Riders selling out the building in the 90s and early 2000s? That's what people are talking about. One year where there was a power struggle with the ex coach and current coach doesn't represent much of anything. We all know what the Bombers have for attendance now, but we also know how crappy the team has been for the last stretch, that's entirely the point, even during a real ugly stretch the bombers could still fill their stadium. This year obviously they haven't but you aren't taking into account how brutal last year was. Even the die hards had a hard time watching the team last year it was THAT bad. It takes time for the faith to be rebuilt. The RIders on the other hand have been more or less solid - good for the past 10-15 years, go look how many people they would get before that though and you'll see that this massive support you think they have is just a phenomenon that is tied to their recent success. 

 

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

Winnipeg has had very good teams this past decade (ie '07 & '11), no question their fan base is among the best. Riders were downright aweful in 2011 and we did see a dip in attendance but it was still strong.

 

Stamps played the Riders in 1998. It was a game where Jeff Garcia won it in OT at Regina for the Stamps. There wasn't 15,000 at that game. Same with thr regular season. You could fire a cannon thru Mosaic Stadium & not hit anyone. 

 

 

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

Wrong. With a good football team, how many sellouts have you had this season when the Riders weren't in town? Zip.

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

That said, no question the Bombers have thousands of diehard fans. The numbers however suggest otherwise when comparing how many of each franchise. Take for example last season, the top 12 attended games throughout the entire season all involved the Riders. This year we have soldout the past 3 home games, were at 99% capacity for game 2 & 3 had had 31K sold for our home opener which took place during a severe flood. Add to that the Riders have helped give Wpg, Vancouver, Edmonton, & soon to be Calgary their biggest home crowds this season.

It's ok for you to claim the Bombers have more diehard fans however even though the Numbers aren't in your favour. Cheers.

 

 

Sure but you're only looking at the last few years, because the first century of your team's existence was an embarrassment.  Rider floozy.

 

 

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

Wrong. With a good football team, how many sellouts have you had this season when the Riders weren't in town? Zip.

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

That said, no question the Bombers have thousands of diehard fans. The numbers however suggest otherwise when comparing how many of each franchise. Take for example last season, the top 12 attended games throughout the entire season all involved the Riders. This year we have soldout the past 3 home games, were at 99% capacity for game 2 & 3 had had 31K sold for our home opener which took place during a severe flood. Add to that the Riders have helped give Wpg, Vancouver, Edmonton, & soon to be Calgary their biggest home crowds this season.

It's ok for you to claim the Bombers have more diehard fans however even though the Numbers aren't in your favour. Cheers.

 

 How many save the rider telathons have you had to have in the past?

 

We saw how fickle the fan base is when they booed their backup QB last game right before half time.

People in the marketing departments are obviously doing a great job when you continue to generate conversation about your product.

Is it just me or are Bomber fans on this site way too sensitive about the loyalty of other fan bases and how they are perceived? Seriously, why does it bother people so much that the Riders have legions of fans (who travel pretty well, judging by the Eskimo ad, the green contingent at the Banjo Bowl, and the noise at McMahon in Calgary when they visit). Frankly, I don't see Rider fans throwing their support in the faces of Bomber fans as much as I see the Bomber fans (wrongly) suggesting that they do as a means to defend how much better we are as fans. The cold hard numbers in stadiums, merchandise and in TV ratings back the idea that the Riders are the big thing in the CFL now, but they themselves also agree that the Bombers have a great fan base, so why the massive inferiority complex from Bomber fans who feel threatened by their popularity. Anything more than sour grapes?

Are they green grapes?

Is it just me or are Bomber fans on this site way too sensitive about the loyalty of other fan bases and how they are perceived? Seriously, why does it bother people so much that the Riders have legions of fans (who travel pretty well, judging by the Eskimo ad, the green contingent at the Banjo Bowl, and the noise at McMahon in Calgary when they visit). Frankly, I don't see Rider fans throwing their support in the faces of Bomber fans as much as I see the Bomber fans (wrongly) suggesting that they do as a means to defend how much better we are as fans. The cold hard numbers in stadiums, merchandise and in TV ratings back the idea that the Riders are the big thing in the CFL now, but they themselves also agree that the Bombers have a great fan base, so why the massive inferiority complex from Bomber fans who feel threatened by their popularity. Anything more than sour grapes?

Because they're not travelling, they're all people who have moved from Saskatchewan to Alberta for work. 

 

The inferiority complex comes because it was started with TSN (Glen Suitor in particular) hyping up the rider fans being the best fans in the league because there was support in the stands after the team was so bad for so long. No one ever praised the Bomber fans for sticking with their team through all the **** we've put up with, this whole "rider fans are the best" became a thing with TSN, and TSN loves to have their manufactured story, then Saskatchewan started to get it's economy in good shape and the entire province started a lot of chest thumping and it coincided with the Riders not sucking so hard anymore and everyone with even a remote tie to Saskatchewan wanted to jump on that bandwagon. There are a lot of Rider fans who act like they have been rider fans forever when the reality is that they weren't there to be counted until the team started to win and TSN started to jerk them off every chance they got. 

I think it's a great ad - and no rain tonight (cool but no rain). Should be 45k + and my bet is the 50/50 will be somewhere north of 145k. Eskies have to win with SK's backup in - if they lose it's a battle for fourth place and Reilly hasn't been good this year - as I said before - too much weight/muscle. It's not good to do bulk yourself up if you are a finesse player IF your body type doesn't warrant it. 

The ground is becoming sodden with amber fluid.

 

The inferiority complex comes because it was started with TSN (Glen Suitor in particular) hyping up the rider fans being the best fans in the league because there was support in the stands after the team was so bad for so long. No one ever praised the Bomber fans for sticking with their team through all the **** we've put up with, this whole "rider fans are the best" became a thing with TSN, and TSN loves to have their manufactured story, then Saskatchewan started to get it's economy in good shape and the entire province started a lot of chest thumping and it coincided with the Riders not sucking so hard anymore and everyone with even a remote tie to Saskatchewan wanted to jump on that bandwagon. There are a lot of Rider fans who act like they have been rider fans forever when the reality is that they weren't there to be counted until the team started to win and TSN started to jerk them off every chance they got. 

 

 

 

Oh man, did you hear the crying Rider fans did about how sooo biased Walby was back when he was announcing games on CBC?  Strangely enough, not a peep about the yearly Rider lovefest, I mean Labour Day/Banjo Bowl games featuring Glen "GO RIDERS!" Suitor...

 

Rider fans overall aren't bad at all though.  True, their bandwagoners are brutal, but what team's aren't?  The fact that a bunch of rubes with the ability to post every thought that pops into their pea brains doesn't change the fact that there are tons of Rider fans on forums like these that know that prior to 2007 it was tough sledding. Back in the 90's you couldn't give away Rider tickets and their fans from back then and beyond will be the first to tell you that.

 

And to the point of it not being limited to Rider fans, I've been on Jets boards and it's embarrassing...  But being a part of online forums for many, many years you have to realize that just because one goof posts 900 times a day, they do not represent the entire fanbase.

 

I ASSURE YOU, JETS MESSAGE BOARDS DO NOT REPRESENT ALL JETS FANS. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME!!!

Is it just me or are Bomber fans on this site way too sensitive about the loyalty of other fan bases and how they are perceived?

It's not all other fan bases. It's the Riders fan base that promotes itself as being better than everyone else.

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

Generally speaking, the year after a team goes to a GC their season ticket and single game ticket sales go up. The question is how many of the tickets sold were actually used and how many were empty for the game.

 

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have  WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

 

Rider fans used to  cry, cry, cry when Ford was GM. That era in the 90's was brutal & I know crowds of 10-12,000 wasn't  the exception but the norm. 

 

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

Generally speaking, the year after a team goes to a GC their season ticket and single game ticket sales go up. The question is how many of the tickets sold were actually used and how many were empty for the game.

 

 

Unless you're in Toronto (they don't even know what the Grey Cup is never mind who wins it)

The biggest difference I find is that since the mid 2000's, it's been trendy to be a Rider fan... Whereas since the big NFL marketing push in to Canada, a lot of Winnipeggers seem to have this arrogant attitude like they are above the CFL and that the Bombers suck! The latter has been true of late, but they're still our damn team, and whether you like the Blue & Gold or not... We've got a diehard following the likes that over time, has been unmatched!

 

 

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have  WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

 

Rider fans used to  cry, cry, cry when Ford was GM. That era in the 90's was brutal & I know crowds of 10-12,000 wasn't  the exception but the norm. 

 

When I lived in Dauphin, I had a roommate from Sask who is the most die-hard CFL fan I've ever known. Legit huge Rider fan...and I know this because he had seasons tix during the Al Ford years, earned his bragging rights, and is full marks for all the good stuff he's reaping now. I like those guys...they're the real deal, and he made me a better CFL fan. Taught me to appreciate the entire league and its history, and not just the Bombers. The post-2003 crew.......f*ck them so much.

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

Wrong. With a good football team, how many sellouts have you had this season when the Riders weren't in town? Zip.

With a bad football team, many sellouts did the Riders have in 2011 when we went 5-13? 5 is the correct answer.

That said, no question the Bombers have thousands of diehard fans. The numbers however suggest otherwise when comparing how many of each franchise. Take for example last season, the top 12 attended games throughout the entire season all involved the Riders. This year we have soldout the past 3 home games, were at 99% capacity for game 2 & 3 had had 31K sold for our home opener which took place during a severe flood. Add to that the Riders have helped give Wpg, Vancouver, Edmonton, & soon to be Calgary their biggest home crowds this season.

It's ok for you to claim the Bombers have more diehard fans however even though the Numbers aren't in your favour. Cheers.

How many save the rider telathons have you had to have in the past?

We saw how fickle the fan base is when they booed their backup QB last game right before half time.

That's funny because I heard some Bombers fans boo their starter after the banjo bowl.

The biggest difference I find is that since the mid 2000's, it's been trendy to be a Rider fan... Whereas since the big NFL marketing push in to Canada, a lot of Winnipeggers seem to have this arrogant attitude like they are above the CFL and that the Bombers suck! The latter has been true of late, but they're still our damn team, and whether you like the Blue & Gold or not... We've got a diehard following the likes that over time, has been unmatched!

The Riders have done a great job marketing since Jim Hopson took over to the point where they have a whole new generation of fans on board. Not sure how attracting a new younger fanbase constitutes bandwagon jumping. It's just good business.

If the Riders had the teams Winnipeg had the past decade, I wonder what average attendance at Mosaic would be? Especially last year? Maybe 18,000??

This is really the thing for me.....we've had some of the league's all-time worst teams over the last decade, and the fans STILL sell the place out. The Riders would be lucky to get 20k with those teams. The difference between Bombers fans and Riders fans, is we have more "die hards", but less "casuals". The Riders have WAY MORE casual fans than any other franchise and maybe even more than some NHL franchises in Canada. They're the ones who buy the merch because it's "cool" to do so right now. They badly need another extended run of Al Ford years to thin out their ranks a little and shut them up but good...

Rider fans used to c

ry, cry, cry when Ford was GM. That era in the 90's was brutal & I know crowds of 10-12,000 wasn't the exception but the norm.

The Riders organization back then was an embarrassment, an old boys club that held zero accountability. The team was a reflection of the attitude in the province during the dark NDP years. It's amazing how accountability, a new culture, & good business can turn things around.

Proof in the pudding, 20 years ago people would laugh if anyone ever suggested that Regina would build a $300M stadium. Times have changed.