The Saskatchewan Roughriders' attendance hit an all-time high last season with a 32,351 average, sitting second in the Canadian Football League behind the Edmonton Eskimos who averaged 1,967 more people.
The Roughriders' high attendance didn't catch anyone by surprise because they've been over the 28,000 mark since winning the Grey Cup in 2007. Frankly, everything points to Saskatchewan's attendance staying above 28,000 for at least the next three years.
The number of people in the stands has, however, come a long way since 1999 when the team only averaged 19,327 a game. At that time, one didn't have to buy a nice seat to watch the game because there was more than enough empty seats to move around until one has his/her favourite view of the field.
The most obvious explanation for the Roughriders' spike in attendance is the product on the field has greatly improved. From 1998-2002, Saskatchewan missed the playoffs, averaging only five wins a season in that time span. Following that rough patch, they made the playoffs five straight years under Roy Shivers and Danny Barrett. Since then, they have only missed the playoffs once, in 2011.
The way the "younger" generation has created excitement and gotten behind the Roughriders is ultimately one of the biggest reasons for the spike in tickets sold, as well as merchandise sales. Unlike most baby boomers, young Saskatchewanians have embraced the team. They have used the games as a reason to get together with friends and shown "Rider pride" by dressing up in green and making a lot of noise in Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field. They have practically made it cool to be a Roughrider fan.
Lastly, the Roughriders' marketing has drastically improved. They have partnered with several big-name companies such as Sask Tel, several food companies, and a handful of various random brand names. This has put their logo and name in the public eye.
From CFLscrapbook.com, here is a look at the Roughriders' average attendance for the last 20 years. 1992: 21,704. 1993: 23,851. 1994: 24,445. 1995: 28,500. 1996: 22,376. 1997: 27,038. 1998: 24,141. 1999: 19,327. 2000: 24,715. 2001: 22,097. 2002: 24,226. 2003: 29,352. 2004: 24,783. 2005: 25,454. 2006: 25,293. 2007: 28,054. 2008: 29,996. 2009: 30,606. 2010: 30,148. 2011: 29,940. 2012: 32,351.
