Comment 43484

By lawrence (registered) - website | Posted July 16, 2010 at 11:41:45

Residents maintain their level of entertainment spending but alter the allocation of this spending toward sport-related spending and away from other close substitutes.

Can't say that I agree with this. I can't really afford to go to each home game but I find a way to do it because I wait all winter to return to IWS to see those 10 games.

I buy beer, food, the odd souvenir, see and hear corporate branding all over the stadium. Aren't all those people serving me and thinking up ways to entertain me and selling this product all from and living in the area creating jobs?

If the Ticats aren't around, what is going to get me off the couch to make me want to spend money I don't have just to get out. Even concerts, unless they are local, wouldn't encourage that. It's about civic pride and unless Rush is playing at Copps, there probably aren't many other things that would make me want to spend my last dollar to go out and enjoy it.

I enjoy seeing local bands and artists and such (and there are alot of things that do get me off the couch that don't cost anything), but on a larger scale, does any of this create the revenue and jobs that a sports franchise does? I understand that if the bigger business is losing money that revenue isn't helping a mom and pop restaurant like it could, but once again if I can't really afford it I am not going to spend it, unless I have been waiting all winter to enjoy it. How many people are employed on any given game day alone?

Talking of public money going to a losing cause, what about all the free festivals? What do they cost? I love them personal but it's entertainment right? Sure the Cats make no money and cost this city money, but it does so much more and it is another form of enterainment. You need things to do in a city to keep from getting depressed and sitting at home on the couch. I think we all need a little raw, raw and sure there are many ways to create that, but the Ti-Cats are one form of that I enjoy.

I don't really enjoy watching sports on television all that much. I want to be there and feel the energy. I can't afford to go to many NFL, MLB, or NHL games because the cost is pretty high. Sure the Bills are cheap and good entertainment (same goes for the Jays), but with travel and hotel and such, it adds up. Still good value for my money in the end but for $35, I can see some great football, support a local team and show my civic pride, spend another $25 on drinks, and I am only in for $60.

I hate all the money that is involved in sports. I was just talking to someone this morning at Hamilton's only walk-through coffee shop , and the very courteous woman serving me commented on my Hockey Night in Canada tee. My response, "I don't like the NHL. To me, CBC is hockey."

Sports are too much about money and in my eyes, the CFL is truly the last remaining Canadian sport standing. It could still use to get salaries and ticket prices down and promote more local talent to be a stronger league. Spread to the east coast and promote this game more at a high school and CIS level to create that Raw Raw at those events as well. That is when the CFL will be a much stronger, more successful business that actual can create true revenue for a city.

Going back to attending games at IWS, if you don't really like football per say, I have spent entire evenings at IWS and basically paid a $35 cover charge to catch up with friends in the endzone over a few wobbly pops. There is just something about all those people in one place, that makes that a cover charge I can justify, and have a great night and not even know who won or who was playing.

There are 100's of ways to enjoy a sporting event. Watch how kids entertain themselves at a game. They are proof alone that you can find fun in anything. Even if it's just watching the exctiement in the eyes of someone you love, in their element taking in something that they love and are so passionate about. Watching someone else have fun and being silly can be fun as well.

This is a great article with some great stats. I get it and on some level and it's probably all right. But this team is important to 15,000 citizens(and it's much, much more I am sure because there are many who just like watching it at home or simply can't make each game).

That's at least 15,000 people who are out in their community whether it's actualy bringing in any money or not. It's bringing 15,000 people together. I don't think you can put a price tag to that.

As for this temporary stadium thing. I am intrigued. Then put that 20 year plan in place to sustain IWS until the commonwealth games, and then the first city to host the games, hosts the centennial at the same building, rebuilt with money from those games, with an athlete village on the waterfront.

The Commonwealth games was once very proud of Hamilton as 'gracious hosts'. We lost the bid to hold the 2010 Commonwealth games, but let's slowly work on Hamilton as one poster above mentioned, from now until 2030 to once again be a city the games are proud to showcase.

Permalink | Context

Events Calendar

There are no upcoming events right now.
Why not post one?

Recent Articles

Article Archives

Blog Archives

Site Tools

Feeds