rider Fandemonium
Jonathan shares his Grey Cup experiences
Grey Cup weekend is about far more than who wins or loses.
This is a realization that dawned on me several times during two my recent trips to the Grey Cup to watch the Saskatchewan Roughriders battle the Montreal Alouettes for the Canadian Football League’s top prize.
With Regina playing host to the 2013 Grey Cup, I thought I’d share my past experiences to show residents of the city and province how important it is to take in the festivities and make the most of the weekend.
The years I went to the Grey Cup were 2009 and 2010. They were magical years. The Riders made two improbable trips to the CFL championship game considering they were led by raw quarterback Darian Durant. The 2009 season marked the first time I’d ever been to a Grey Cup. My father, Ken — a diehard Rider fan who is more deserving of being featured on this page than I am — had also never been to a Grey Cup and we decided this would be the perfect opportunity.
Upon arriving in Calgary, we were immediately in a festive mood and ready to cheer on the Green and White. This could have had something to do with the fact that many of the league’s cheerleading squads were staying at the same hotel as us…
Once we hit the streets, we were amazed by the number of football fans walking around — many wearing elaborate get-ups — and making a lot of noise. And I’m not talking just about Roughrider and Alouette fans. There were fans present from every CFL team, even fans sporting Atlantic Schooners jerseys. The Schooners were a conditional CFL franchise in 1984 that were to play out of Dartmouth, N.S., before things fell through.
So why do fans travel to the Grey Cup if their teams aren’t in it?
These fans, especially the ones who make it out to Grey Cup every year, aren’t concerned that their teams aren’t competing — they’re there to celebrate the CFL and meet others who want to do the same. It made more sense to me the longer I thought about it: how can you truly enjoy the CFL if you’re only happy when your team is winning? It’s our league, after all. Seeing a group of passionate Toronto Argonauts fans or rowdy Winnipeg Blue Bomber ones heightened the atmosphere of Grey Cup weekend.
And you couldn’t go far without hearing the Rider Pep Band, which always shows up at Grey Cup, firing up the crowd by playing a classic Rider tune or making up songs for other teams.
One of the major selling points of the Grey
These fans, especially the ones who make it out to Grey Cup every year, aren’t concerned that their teams aren’t competing — they’re there to celebrate the CFL and meet others who want to do the same.”
Cup is the team-themed party rooms. From the popular Riderville to the Hamilton TigerCats’ TigerTown, fans can hang out with other fans of their team or mingle with “the enemy.” At the 2009 Cup, we made several trips to team-themed party rooms. Many of these trips involved stops at Riderville, and it was worth it, despite having to wait in line for a considerable amount of time. We met some of the most passionate fans, enjoyed live entertainment from bands such as Wonderland, Faster Gun and Trooper and different teams’ cheer squads, and chatted/ got pictures taken with Roughrider players Kitwana Jones and Stu Foord.
Then there was the Grey Cup game itself. We were lucky enough to sit on the 35-yard line, but I don’t think it mattered where you sat. For the most part, those who attend a Grey Cup really want to be there and there’s no shortage of noise. Watching a live game where every play matters and one mistake could cost a team the title has you on the edge of your seat the entire time. The 2009 game didn’t end positively — we all remember The 13th Man — but it was still one of the most exciting games I’ve seen. The underdog Rider squad pushed Montreal to the brink and had the lead with literally zero seconds on the clock.
The 2010 experience in Edmonton was very similar. Although the game wasn’t as exciting, my dad and I came out of that weekend with a greater appreciation for the CFL.
That leads me to the 2013 edition in the Queen City, which has been dubbed a “Celebration in Rider Nation.” With Rider fans always accounting for a large number of the people at the Grey Cup, just imagine what the atmosphere will be like this year. If you miss out on that atmosphere, you’ll regret it. With the Grey Cup being in our own backyard, and new initiatives such as the Team Party Pass, it’s easier than ever to take part. Visit http://101greycupfestival.ca often to keep up to date on all things Grey Cup.
I’d encourage all members of Rider Nation to make their way to the festivities and just take it all in. Go to the different team parties, watch some live entertainment and visit the different booths. If you can’t make it to Regina on Grey Cup weekend, there are events happening all year round across the province as part of the celebrations. We’d all like the Green and White to be competing for the Cup, but it will be a rocking celebration either way.
My last point is for those attending the game. If the Riders aren’t in the game, please don’t go to cheer against the fans of the Western team. In both Calgary and Edmonton, some local fans held on to their tickets just to cheer against the Riders and their fans, and there were some who rubbed the defeats in our faces.
Let’s prove that we can be great ambassadors of Canadian football and make the Grey Cup experience one that people will remember.
It should truly be a Celebration in Rider Nation.