Toronto Argos Game Day Off-the-Field Action Report for Game 1

Argos 32, Ticats 14 in the home opener. But more importantly, what was going on OTHER than the football game? Here’s a report.

Anthem

The usual. Could have been faster. Nothing deflates an excited crowd faster than a slow performance of the anthem. She is a nice singer, though.

Game Day Plus

• Overall the pregame Grey Cup Banner Raising was pretty good, the banner attached to the balloon was a nice idea – I wondered how they were going to “raise” it. I’m happy they let some long time season ticket holders have the honours.

• Jason – the mascot – has been equipped with a proper T-shirt gun to reach the higher seats. (I don’t know who actually wants these free shirts, though, and I bet they’re all “Extra Medium.” A reminder, if you catch something like this thrown into the audience, give it to a kid.)

• Despite all the Ticat fans in attendance, I don’t think I heard a single “Oskee-wee-wee”. But I bet they were happy with the promotional giveaway – it’s the closest a Ticat fan will get to a Grey Cup ring.

Game Day Minus

A lot of the stunts and promotions didn’t click, or were rushed to completion before the game resumed.

• Spin a wheel to win a prize – and the wheel wouldn’t stop spinning, until the host put her hand on it to slow it down. That really looks bad.

• the Rolling across the end zone in an inflatable tube thing race probably sounded like fun in a meeting but honestly looked a little dangerous (and didn’t come close to finishing in time.)

• Father-and-son match answers on a whiteboard, well, come on, we can’t see what the wrote on the whiteboard and it looked like they spent most of their time furiously erasing the previous answer.

I hear there’s a new game day coordinator this year so it may take a game or two to work out the details.

• A north end zone full of brand new empty seats looks bad. I hear the stadium capacity needed to be expanded as part of the World Cup bid but they should find a way to put people there.

• The usual issues of inequitable distribution of “free to the first 10,000 people” handouts. We entered through Gate 1, and it was a bit of a madhouse as they were being distributed, but many who came in other gates missed out. Surely there is a better way.

I got my ring, but I gave it to a kid sitting behind me. Gotta pay it forward.

I have already seen some of these for sale on eBay. Reminder, you can just buy a new one. you don’t need to pay some ridiculous markup.

• It’s 9:30 AM the next morning and there is nothing on argonauts.ca about last night’s game.

game day travel

We took the GO Train, which was evenly split between people who wanted to see the Ticats, the Argos, and Ed Sheeran.

The Opposition

I hadn’t seen one of these before, a pop-up tent of sorts that shielded players from view of the fans. Here’s Hamilton quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell entering the Tent of Concealment.

Performances of “Go Argos Go”

I led our section in singing Go Argos Go three times – after each touchdown – and people are beginning to get the hang of it, even if the audio they play cuts off before the 2nd verse. Next time I’m bringing a baton.

Total Argonotes Alumni in Attendance

At least 6.

did anybody ask about Argonotes

One guy said to me “I loved you guys, I heard you at the Skydome 45 years ago.” Um, I’ll have to check the math on that one

was there an actual band?

No. Lots of empty seats in the North End Zone where the Burlington Teen Tour Band, a.k.a. the At One Point Argos Band, used to sit.

Signs:

Major props to whoever brought the sign that said “DAYS SINCE LAST GREY CUP WIN – ARGOS 210, TICATS 8603”. That was awesome.