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There has been some pushback from ticket buyers unhappy with the team’s poor record on the field, Hunt said, describing Redblacks fans as patient and understanding of the team-building process, but not forever so.

“I think we need to show great improvement next year to have the confidence of the fans,” he said.

In late November, Hunt sat in on a focus group of about 15 young adults discussing Redblacks game experiences. It was largely a positive response, he said, producing only mild criticism for things like a relative lack of selection in apparel for young women and a sense that on-site post-game parties petered out toward the end of the season.

The former is always something to be considered, Hunt said, and the latter should be less of a concern in Year 2 and beyond, when Lansdowne Park won’t be a giant construction site, as it was this past season. Restaurants, bars and retail outlets will all be open, yielding opportunities for fans to spend time and money there before and after games.

“Certainly everybody wants to see the team on the field win, but, for the fun fan, it’s about social (aspects) more,” Hunt said. “They come in large groups, and it’s about concessions and food and atmosphere and being with their friends in a fun place. The game on the field is almost secondary.”

Next June, the Redblacks will play a “home” preseason game somewhere other than TD Place stadium because of the Women’s World Cup of soccer, but the CFL club should be at home by the second week of the regular season. The league schedule is usually announced in February.