Sold-out Grey Cup part of ‘unbelievable ride’ for Redblacks
Fun events surrounding CFL championship game always a highlight
It’s almost been a blur to Jeff Hunt — four years have gone by so quickly and in a month the Ottawa Redblacks will host the Grey Cup, a game that is officially sold out.
The Redblacks, of course, are the defending Grey Cup champions.
“I remember when we were negotiating our expansion franchise,” said Hunt, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group’s president of sports and a catalyst in bringing the Canadian Football League back to Ottawa for the 2014 season. “We put very high at the top of our list having a Grey Cup in the first four years. I remember thinking how far off that seemed off at the time. You almost don’t even think of it as real. Now to be a month away from hosting a Grey Cup, with everything that’s happened here in the past four years, it’s just been an unbelievable ride.”
With the addition of temporary stands in both the east and west end zones, capacity at TD Place will increase from 24,000 to 36,000. About 10,000 of those seats are already in place and could be used in either a semi-final or division championship game.
“I’m not surprised (at the early sellout) with the way RNation has supported the Redblacks all along,” said Hunt. “You have to figure 80 per cent of the tickets would be sold here in Ottawa. It shows you the interest level. To have it sold out, it’s one less thing to worry about.”
The Grey Cup is much more than a game, it’s a week full of activities for all ages. For those who like such things, it’s also a big party. The Grey Cup arrives in the nation’s capital Nov. 21 to kick off the Grey Cup Festival , which features more than 30 free and ticketed events - headlined by the Concert Series, 2017 Shaw CFL Awards and Rev-Up Party, Nissan Titan Street Festival, Gridiron Gals event, Family Fun Zone and the RNation Party.
“I always say the Grey Cup isn’t a game, it’s a festival, it’s a weeklong event,” said Hunt. “It’s all of the fun around the game that’s the highlight.”