Argos games more fan-friendly but still lacking

They still have the horns.

I remembered those thin blue plastic noise-makers from attending countless Argos games over the years, their hoarse honk rising above the din of the crowd at Toronto's Exhibition Stadium and then the SkyDome/Rogers Centre. It was comforting to see one last night in the crowd at BMO field, the team's new home.

It had been a long time since I'd attended an Argos game, but when my Dad called with an extra ticket for Wednesday's matchup against Ottawa, I jumped at the chance.

I was excited about all the great things being said about the team's new digs, and I couldn`t wait to spend a summer evening (outside!) enjoying some football.

The stadium is beautiful. It's great place to watch football. There's definitely a sense among faithful fans that the team has been unshackled from the dungeon that was the Rogers Centre (which perhaps makes it more disconcerting that only 12,373 bothered to show up on a mid-week summer evening).

As I found out, many of the problems that pushed me away from the CFL when I last checked in on the league persist.

The officiating remains comically bad. Yes, refereeing in all sports is under increased scrutiny these days with technology usurping more and more responsibility from on-field officials, but in the CFL there is a level of bungling not seen elsewhere.

Last evening there was a flag on virtually every play — not completely the fault of the refs, but it killed what little flow the game had. On a number of occasions, plays were allowed to continue when they should have been blown dead. Another time, the referee left his microphone open before reversing an obviously incorrect call. Not exactly a model of professionalism or competence.

The players try and rise above this. They put on a good show and play high-quality football. Compared to its U.S. counterpart, the CFL is less predictable than the mechanical, copycat NFL, where it seems variations of the same 10 plays are run.

But at least casual NFL fans can actually identify the players they're cheering for. It's a lot more exciting to cheer for a quarterback sack or a deep pass when you have a stake in the players participating, if you know a little bit about them or a least their names.

Shrinking fan base

The Argos don't sell programs at their games. They should. The roster is a collection of anonymous names. Only diehards could name five players on this team. This has been an issue in the CFL for at least 25 years. The Argos do nothing to change this. There is little effort, it seems, to promote personalities or identify stars and create buzz.  

For example, the one player casual fans may know — quarterback Ricky Ray — became the fourth leading passer in CFL history last night. That's quite something in a league that's been around for nearly six decades. But there was no sense of history. The feat was given a brief announcement. Can you imagine the hype if a Leaf player became the fourth highest goal scorer in NHL history?

The team's apparent apathy extends to a shrinking fan base. Judging by last night's crowd, simply moving outdoors will not be enough. After a near sellout in the opener, only about half returned last night. And those are the diehards.

The guys of my father's generation, who love the CFL and remember when the league was a giant on the Canadian sports landscape, will always show up. They've done it for years and nothing will drive them away. It's attracting a younger and more diverse crowd that remains elusive.

It is possible. Look at the Blue Jays. After 20 years in the wilderness the team has been able to connect with a new generation of fans,  never before seen at baseball games in this city. The now raucous Rogers Centre is a hipster destination, a place to be, and the Jays again lead the league in attendance — a combination of marketing and on field success. There is no reason this can't be duplicated for nine Argos home games a year at BMO field.

Going back to an Argos game was like visiting an old friend I hadn't seen in a while. I was happy to see he was doing well, but the encounter reminded me why we didn't stay in touch. And I can't say when we'll cross paths again