NEW LIONS OWNER HOPING TO SELL EXCITEMENT
By: Andrew Benson
RP Show Intern
The CFL is hands down one of the best football experiences fans can have. Exciting plays, big scores, and wire to wire action has been the staple for the league over the last number of years.
For some fans, this year has not met the high expectations set by the league over the last few seasons, and as a result, it feels as though excitement for games has dropped. For the new owner of the BC Lions Amar Doman, keeping the league exciting and the team growing throughout the next few years is of the utmost importance to him.
“There are a few things that are broken,” Doman said on Friday’s The Rod Pedersen Show. “The pricing strategies are difficult. Concessions are tough and we have to make sure it’s affordable for families. Not just corporate guys going in. We have to make sure we have families coming to the games and they can afford and really enjoy coming to watch football.”
On top of trying to address how to get families to the games, Doman is also focusing heavily on getting the youth crowd engaged in the game. Something Darren Dupont said is critical for long term success of any brand.
“If you have the patience, it will allow you to invest in all the little things,” said Dupont. “Going out to schools, reaching out to the communities, and putting in the work that won’t yield immediate results, but will lay the foundation for long term success. He seems like the right guy for the job.”
The new job is still very fresh for Doman, after starting as owner on August 18th.
“There is nothing I can put into words how much owning this franchise means to me and my family,” said Doman.
The BC Lions have an incredible amount of history attached to their name but continuing to manage and grow the brand will be important for Doman to achieve.
“We’ve got a lot of work to revitalize the team, because the product is excellent, and the athletes are first class, and the league is first class,” said Doman. “Our job is to get out there and promote it. We have an excellent league and I’m really thankful to be part of it.”
With so much talk the last few weeks surrounding the battles between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, or the downfall of the Calgary Stampeders, the BC Lions have been quietly moving up in the standings in the west.
And it has caught the attention of fans.
“Right now, we are at this 50 per cent capacity but it’s pretty special. We keep selling out already even at 50 per cent and you got to love that. There are people that are looking for tickets today and they can’t get in,” said Doman.
The Lions have strung three wins in a row, and all of them without much competition.
“There’s just a lot of good things going on and it’s been a subtle build here of a really good football team that looks like we’re going to do some damage,” said Doman. “I think quietly we are getting the job done and the BC Lions are a team you don’t want to play right now.”
Anar Doman on the exterior seems a fine upstanding gentleman, well spoken with good intention but the CFL at seasons end 2021 will let him down as attendance figures across the board are terrible. The CFL is in disastrous financial crisis, it’s best this league go on hiatus, take a break from a world pandemic until further notice.
Roy I think you should go on a hiatus until further notice. This guy will be a good owner and its not “families” he needs to worry about. Most families cant stand each other. This is a dad and son deal. They need to get that happening, and has anyone been to downtown vancouver? Everyone who looks like the owner needs to have a red carper rolled out. We has 17,000 diehards at a Rider game. Fine by me as i am there regardless. The “youth” that caught on in 2007. – forget youth. New Canadians that is the future… Read more »
Hey Pachoe,
No questioning if this man is a good owner or not, it’s the underbelly of the league he got himself into, league is in big trouble financially and that will be front and center during the upcoming off season. The CFL needs to change their business model, they had ample opportunity to do so during the one and half year layoff but choose to be operations status quo, not good moving forward from a business perspective. End result, CFL is in trouble.
Okay. Respect. Here is what will happen. The attendance is abysmal. Nobody is going to buy a CFL in this climate without being 3 steps ahead. Simply put the private owners will be putting a hammer down startinG with MLSE. That is apparent with them being over the coaching salary cap and all but stating do something I dare you. Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and B.C will drive a new model with revenue sharing or simply out they are going xfl. The same 6000 that show up to games can do that in the xfl and the costs lower. Things change.… Read more »
Change change change, change of fools. Wait till the CFL off season when team clubs come crying for another foolish 150m. dollar ask of the Federal Gov’t, real hilarious how Ambrosie stumbled mumbled, CFL needs a more articulate voice. You know, that ask is not actually off the table just yet, it’s for more this time, (200m.) Trudeau should just give it after all the foolish money spent and thrown around on a needless election. But this time when the CFL comes knocking lets have a real good plan in place before any league representative opens their mouth.