So, the CFL season is half-way over, and the West Division is hot and competitive. Going into tonight’s game, the Lions and the Riders were both hunting to move up the standings, with the Riders visiting BC today.
Earlier this week, the Riders took out a billboard ad near the Lions’ stadium, showing an attractive young lady decked out in Rider green, with the tag, “Green is the new Orange” (orange being the colour for the Lions.) The Riders also sponsored a pep rally outside the stadium before the game day.
The Lions took umbrage at both of these playful little gestures by the Riders, and the GM of the Lions came out and said that the Lions guaranteed they were going to win. When asked what “guaranteed” meant, he said that if the Lions didn’t win, everyone who had a ticket for today’s game would get a free ticket to one of the four remaining games this season.
Hmmm. A bit of a pricey venture, essentially putting one-tenth of your season’s gate on the line.
Well, the poor little kitties got punted this evening: Riders 20, Lions 16. And true to their word, the Lions are offering the free tickets: Guaranteed Win Ticket Redemption.
Is this at all common? I’ve heard of players and coaches using the language of “we guarantee we’ll win”, to psych themselves up, but actually following through with it and giving away a game’s worth of home tickets?