Calgary Herald from Calgary, Alberta, Canada • 9

CALGARY HERALD Nov. 21, 1986 D3 'ft Change proves to be the tonic Lunsford sees CFL poll as good sign for west I ills required v.11- d. Earl Lunsford Toronto Northmen, owned by Canadian John Bassett, prepared for the inaugural World Football League season, federal government legislation effectively put the team out of business. They became the Memphis Southmen. And last year when the Stamps were threatened with bankruptcy, the Alberta government committed the province to a loan guarantee, while Calgary city council had a series of intense debates about whether it should grant concessions to possible private ownership.

The CFL commissioned the Longwood Research Group to conduct a similar study in 1984. In that report, the nine franchises were encouraged by revelations that Canadians still favored the CFL over the National Football League. But that study also indicated football was the second favorite sport of Canadians, trailing hockey. The latest Angus Reid study confirmed research from last January that baseball is now the second favorite sport in the country. The new poll didn't refer to the NFL.

"Baseball is probably No. 1 in Toronto or Montreal when things are going well," acknowledged Lunsford. By Murray Rauw (Herald staff writer) Calgary Stampeders' general manager Earl Lunsford wishes someone had been around to ask the same questions last year as well. He could then fudge the figures from Thursday's poll to show a groundswell of support for Canadian football in Calgary. "Surveys have to take the mood of the people at the time into consideration," said Lunsford.

"We've had a rejuvenation here. A year ago we were the biggest problem in the league." Lunsford interpreted an Angus Reid and Associates survey on attitudes of Canadians towards the Canadian Football League as a positive reflection of the competitive base that exists in the Western Conference. He said sagging CFL interest in the east is directly related to the lack of competitiveness there. The poll indicated 50 per cent of the Alberta population paid attention to the CFL and 74 per cent considered it very or quite important. "If I was in Montreal right now, and were asked about whether I wanted the CFL to continue or not, I'd say, 'not that brand of football', said whom owner Ralph Wilson decided to invest more than $1.5 million this year.

"We give Jimmy credit for anywhere from 6,000 to 6,500 new season tickets," said Bills' marketing director Jerry Foran. At $120 a ticket for eight games, that's $720,000 to $780,000. In seven home games, after no-shows, the Bills have had an average of 69,014 people attend each game. The team also had its first two sellouts since 1983. The top six NFL teams in attendance through 11 games are New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Los Angeles Raiders, all of whom have at least seven victories.

"Ever since I've been in Buffalo, people have told me the fans will support a competitive team, and I think that's what we're seeing here," said general manager Bill Polian. The Bills, who sold 28,225 season tickets this year, hired Foran, their first marketing director, in the off-season. Wilson appealed last spring to local businesses to help employees buy season tickets. Several corporations established payroll deduction plans for ticket purchases and Marine Midland Bank started selling tickets in 83 branches Jim Kelly in western New York. More than 60,000 walk-up tickets have been sold, out of a team total of 483,100, through those branches.

The results of Wilson's appeals created some momentum toward improving the season-ticket base to about 20,000 when, on Aug. 18, the Bills signed Kelly to a five-year, contract. "The fact that Jim Kelly's part of this organization is such a dramatic change," said Louis L. Berger president of a chain of department stores and a season ticket holder since the Bills' inception in 1960. "And probably offensively, the team is upgraded by whatever percentage Kelly is better than those we've had the last few years." Within five days of Kelly's signing, 5,000 more season tickets were snapped up.

The current total is the most the team has sold since 30,139 in 1982. Despite the improvement, the Bills still rank only 26th in season-ticket sales. Lunsford. "But I like this Western Conference, it's highly competitive." Lunsford found few surprises in the poll, suggesting western interest was good and noting everyone associated with the league was aware of the decline in the high population markets of Ontario and Quebec. Lunsford did take exception to the question asking if governments should become involved and use public funding to keep the CFL in business.

"I question the question," he said. "We've never requested the government for funds. I'd be against that myself." During the 1970s when the BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) For Buffalo Bills, 1986 has been a season of change. They have a new quarterback, a new coach, a slightly better record and an average of 31,121 new faces in the stands each game.

Despite managing records of 2-14, 2-14 and 3-8 over the last three seasons, an average of 805 people have paid to see them play each Sunday at home this fall. Fans are flocking to seat Rich Stadium, itself a ques-' tionable asset located as it is in Orchard Park, 20 kilometres from downtown Buffalo. The Bills are ranked sixth in the National Football League in total home tickets sold through '11 games this year, leagup figures show. Last season, the Bills had the league's worst season-ticket base at about 14,000 and were last among the 28 teams in average home attendance with 37,893. The team has since nearly doubled each number, thanks in part to quarterback Jim Kelly, in Chargers troubled SAN DIEGO (AP) Instability at quarterback, a problem the Chargers thought they had solved last week, resurfaced on the eve of Thursday's National Football League game between San Diego and Los Angeles Raiders.

Backup up quarterback Tom Flick started in place of Dan Fouts, who has been unable to practice this week because of a sore shoulder. Fouts suffered the injury last Sunday during the Chargers' 24-, 21 loss to Dallas Cowboys. He had missed the three previous games with a concussion, an injury that also felled reserve quarterback Mark Herrmann during his first start in relief of Fouts on Oct. 26. "He's nursing an injury to his throwing arm," head coach Al Saunders said.

"It's disappointing that Dan is not able to start because we were really counting on it, but we have a great deal of confidence in Tom." Flick, a fourth-year pro who joined San Diego as a free-agent during training camp, made his first career NFL start against Kansas City on Nov. 2 in a game won by the Chiefs, 24-23. He was the starter against Denver on Nov. 9, when the Chargers upset the Broncos, 9-3, and snapped their eight-game losing streak. "One of the problems we've had is injuries to critical positions," Saunders said.

"Putting all the pieces together and playing up to our capabilities is something that's not easily accomplished but that's what we have to face. We have to play with the players we have." RENO 4 nights Sands Motor Inn CI Nov. 24 Sands Regency SO 1 Nov. 24 JL 31 LUS VEGAS 4 nights Marina Hotel SSO I Nov. 30 Tropicana or Imperial Palace JS Nov.

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