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CFL ratings report: tight Labour Day games deliver a viewership boost

by
Drew Edwards
September 7, 2018

The CFL’s recent run of ratings success continued over the Labour Day weekend.

The overall average audience on English-language TSN for the four games played – all of which were competitive – were up by just over five per cent from Labour Day in 2017.

And while the Saskatchewan Roughrider game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers posted the biggest number – it was the second-highest rated game of the CFL season – the ratings for the Montreal-Ottawa, Hamilton-Toronto and Calgary-Edmonton contests were up across the board.

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That said, the numbers for the Ticat-Argo and Stamps-Esks games are still down from where they were in 2016 when the East Division clash posted 902,000 and the West did 781,000. Of course, the digital landscape has changed significantly since then.

Overall, the league and TSN has seen its ratings climb by almost four per cent so far this season – a number that has the potential to grow the longer multiple teams stay competitive in the playoff race.

Week 12 ratings

Friday
Montreal at Ottawa: 333,100 (+11.7 per cent over 2017)

Saturday
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan: 838,300 (+2.5 per cent)

Monday
Edmonton at Calgary: 683,300 (+1.7 per cent)
Toronto at Hamilton: 744,100 (+9.1 per cent)

Labour Day 2018 vs Labour Day 2017: + 5.2 per cent

Year-to-date (46 games) vs 2017 (45 games) : +3.9 per cent