GREY CUP FEVER BUILDS

Stamps touch down in T.O.

Stampeders fans aren’t holding back from heading to Toronto to cheer their team, but they’re being severely out-hustled by their Ottawa counterparts, says an Internet ticket reseller.

As of Tuesday, about 14 per cent of Grey Cup game tickets sold on StubHub were purchased by Calgarians, compared to nearly 65% acquired by Ottawa purchasers, said company spokesman Cameron Papp.

Ottawa’s much closer proximity to Grey Cup city Toronto explains much of that discrepancy, he said.

But the national capital city’s Redblacks have been the biggestselling CFL squad on StubHub for the past two years.

As if part of an increasingly keen rivalry, Calgarians have been the second-hottest market for the ticket seller this season, said Papp.

StubHub’s Grey Cup ticket sales are 55 per cent above last year’s pace, said Papp.

So far, the highest price paid for a ticket to this year’s game at BMO Field is US$2,500 for prime field -level space, bought by someone in Mississauga, Ont., who purchased two at that price, he said.

But that was a month ago, and a repeat is doubtful, said Papp, though one seller was seeking US$3,750 for a lower midfield seat on Tuesday.

Calgary-based carrier WestJet has seen a small increase in the past few days in demand for its Calgary-Toronto flights for the weekend, said spokeswoman Lauren Stewart.

“But it’s hard to say if that’s for the Grey Cup ... we do normally see an uptick for Grey Cup,” she said.

“There’s lots of space for people to travel to Grey Cup.”

Between 32,000 and 35,000 seats are on sale for Sunday’s game, said the host Toronto Argonauts, though they wouldn’t say how many have been sold so far.

CFL spokesman Paulo Senra said things are looking up for Grey Cup attendance.

“There’s been a huge surge since Sunday and again today,” he said.

“We are expecting a full house on Sunday.”

Stampeders fan Dave Miller is in Toronto and expects to see the game at BMO Field despite not having a ticket.

“I usually wait and get in for a lot cheaper, and this year won’t be an exception,” said Miller, a member of the Calgary Grey Cup Committee.

Even so, he said an experience at the 2005 Grey Cup in Vancouver will keep him wary while purchasing re-sold tickets.

When he and four friends paid $350 for ducats from a scalper outside Vancouver’s BC Place for the 2005 Grey Cup, they were detected at the door as counterfeit.

They went back and paid another $400 for legitimate tickets “but even then, the total amount we paid was still well below the face value,” said Miller.

There’s been a huge surge since Sunday and again today. We are expecting a full house …