Elks seeing increase in ticket sales as team looks for third straight home win

The Edmonton Elks started off the season on the wrong foot with loss after loss. But as the team chases a third consecutive victory at home Friday night against the B.C. Lions, the organization says they’ve seen an increase in ticket sales.

“It’s a great position to be in with us running a home winning streak here,” said Evan Daum, Director of marketing and communications of the Edmonton Elks.

“It means a lot to everybody who stuck with us to see those victories finally come in, I think there’s going to be a great energy in the building.”

The die-hard fans have been sticking by the Elks through thick and thin. Although not always happy with what they saw on the field.

“I think in professional sports, ultimately the most important thing is winning games. If you win games, people will come, and that’s a big part of the recipe in terms of getting people into the building, and we’ve seen that over the last several weeks in terms of the result on the football field helping us on the business side, and helping in the stands and the atmosphere,” said Daum.

But the recent wins mean more fans in the stands. The organization claims their two best games this season in terms of ticket sales were the home opening when optimism was high and the game after the team broke their home-losing streak.

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“Tickets have been going well for us over the last month or so and again, it’s tied to our on-field football product,” said Daum.

“For our labour day rematch game in particular, it was an excellent crowd for us, over 30,000 people in the building, which is a good number and that’s sort of what we want to carry forward.”

Andrew Hoskins has been to each game this season, he says the organization has been great at getting fans in the stands – win or lose.

“Winning plays a part, and obviously it makes it more fun to go, and you have more people coming to see a winner, it just happens in any sport. But I think the community-side this year really did have a lot of good things that brought people out while it was not so good, and hopefully it will get better now that it is getting better,” said Hoskins, host of the Turf District Podcast.

“Do I think winning and losing is everything to bringing someone to a game? No. But I definitely think it’s important.”

But now, the Elks not only have competition on the field, but off the field too. As the cooler weather comes in, the Edmonton Oilers begin their pre-season

“I think that always plays a factor. It wouldn’t matter if they were good, bad, or otherwise, we know that Edmonton is kind of a hockey city first,” said Hoskins.

Only two home games remain for the Elks – Friday night against the BC Lions, and October 14 against the Alouettes – also game day for the Oilers.

“We play in the afternoon, they play in the evening, so it would be a great double-header for an Edmonton sports fan to come down to Commonwealth Stadium then go on down to Rogers Place if you have that opportunity as well,” said Hoskins.