The 1961 BC Lions finished the season in fifth place in the West Division with a disappointing 1–13–2 record and failed to make the playoffs. There was, however, a bright side to the season as fundamental building blocks were in place. In the off-season, the Lions signed Linebacker/Guard Tom Brown who would become an important part of the Lions' defense. On Aug. 24, the Lions traded four players to Calgary for Quarterback Joe Kapp and while the results weren't immediate they would prove to be critical in future seasons. Due to the poor record and play, fan attendance dropped drastically, as the Lions averaged 24,000 fans per game. It also cost head coach Wayne Robinson his job as he was fired after seven games in favour of Dave Skrien. This was also the first season that the CFL introduced