If it wasn't for immediate family coming over to watch the Grey Cup at our house later today, I doubt I'd watch the game. We all know that barring an unforseen catastrophe that the Riders will win their 4th Grey Cup later today.

I don't know what it's like in Winnipeg but if it's anything like here in Calgary there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of interest or anything to get excited about regarding the game except by Rider Nation who live here. I don't like feeling this way as I've seen every Grey Cup game on tv or in person since 1965. I've always viewed the Grey Cup game proudly as a true Canadian spectacle that is uniquely ours & always enjoyed it but certainly I don't feel that way this year. I just want the game to be finished, over & done with so we can get on with naming people to run the Bombers asap.

I hate this embargo on CFL news imposed by the league although I understand why it is being done. So, I guess I'll just try to enjoy the game with my wife, son & daughter in law this afternoon all the while awaiting news from the Bombers about stewardship of the team. Please just get the game over with so we can move on as a fanbase on Monday. Whoever wins, wins. I don't care anymore. Even if it is the gawd damned Riders.

I just want to see the end to this nightmarish season we've all endured as Bomber fans & with the final gun at Grey Cup's end we can finally do just  that. The 2013 season will then be officially over. Right now, I have a total disconnect with the Grey Cup game for the first time that I can remember. Someone please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way.

 

• It also really felt like a local only event.  Many of the sponsors were local, and gave local prizes.  Even the good things, like large donations to charity that were announced, were all local....so a business guy in a Rider jersey presenting a cheque to a local charity rep in a Rider jersey.    Nothing was national.  To me, at the Grey Cup, it should be a guy in a suit presenting a cheque to a national organization.  It should recognize the whole league.

 

Jaxon and iso have the right of it.

 

TSN announced a 4.5 Million average viewership. Last year was a record 5.4 Million. Both were lopsided games so you couldn't say it was because of that.

Thanks Jaxon, that was the first firsthand account of the GC I've heard so far.  The locals only thing really bugs me - even when it was in BC it wasn't that bad (although I did get told off for being "too" loud when their team was on offense... hello, my team was on defense? I did have an air horn though...).  Half the fun is hanging out with people you see once a year.  And while we could have driven, had family/friends to stay with, it just wasn't worth it.  

 

And yes, Vegas was much more fun, although a b!tch to find a place to watch the game with sound without paying $100, so we got a 1200 sq ft suite for $100 (how much were hotels in Regina?  If yours didn't get cancelled on you?) and watched it there.  Suck it, Regina!

I agree with everything Jaxon. The only improvement from last year was that instead of needing to buy a ticket for each team party you could get access to everyone for one price. It was a nightmare leaving there though if you did not stay at a hotel. Getting a taxi was nearly impossible. We took one of the buses that were going to the hotels and got dropped off some what near my place. Getting into the stadium was also horrendous they have basically 4 gates to get 45000 people in, I was in line for hour to get into the game.

 

 

 let me be very clear for all of the kneejerk apologists: this is not a slam against Regina nor the people who live there. it is a statement of fact. the Grey Cup can not be played in markets too small to house the fans seeking to attend it. end of.

yeah don't worry, this place is not somewhere you'd find Regina apologists. Facts are that it's a city of 200000 people roughly, it is way too small time for an event where you expect 40k plus in the stands. Maybe if the league stops jerking off that fanbase to no ends they'll realize that you can't host it in a small time city like that. 

 

 

that may well be true... but i broached this topic very candidly on OB (remember that shithole?lol) and no matter how plain i made it that Regina simply isn't able to support this event to the level it (and the fans) deserve, the troll-baiting apologists took swipes at me for it until i eventually cracked and told them to **** themselves. (somehow i didn't get banned for that... my ban ultimately came for something entirely different)

 

That probably had more to do with who posted it than what you said. God damn centre of the universe big city ******* trashing the prairies! Let's sacrifice him to our gods!

 

 

 

 let me be very clear for all of the kneejerk apologists: this is not a slam against Regina nor the people who live there. it is a statement of fact. the Grey Cup can not be played in markets too small to house the fans seeking to attend it. end of.

yeah don't worry, this place is not somewhere you'd find Regina apologists. Facts are that it's a city of 200000 people roughly, it is way too small time for an event where you expect 40k plus in the stands. Maybe if the league stops jerking off that fanbase to no ends they'll realize that you can't host it in a small time city like that. 

 

 

that may well be true... but i broached this topic very candidly on OB (remember that shithole?lol) and no matter how plain i made it that Regina simply isn't able to support this event to the level it (and the fans) deserve, the troll-baiting apologists took swipes at me for it until i eventually cracked and told them to **** themselves. (somehow i didn't get banned for that... my ban ultimately came for something entirely different)

 

That probably had more to do with who posted it than what you said. God damn centre of the universe big city ******* trashing the prairies! Let's sacrifice him to our gods

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Interesting takes from those who went, so thanks.

 

Bluto, I've said many of the same things and agree. Winnipeg got blasted for the transportation for the first two home games (rightly so) but the media wrote very little about the inability of Regina to host this event.

Only the CFL & Rider Nation thinks a Grey Cup in Regina is a good thing. Too small, not enough hotels, bus company holding up out of town fans for ransom. Making a national event a regional one. I could care less where Bluto is from because he's right.

What's interesting is that some fans in Regina think the Riders can win the Grey Cup bid in  2018 - only 5 years from now.  New stadium obviously helps, but what's funny is they feel the hotel situation will be resolved by then.  One poster was saying they would have an additional 1400 - 1500 rooms which I believe would still put them around 30 - 40% of the hotel capacity of Winnipeg. 

 

Assuming similar growth rates as the past few years (around 8,000 - 10,000 persons) Regina will probably need another 25 years or so to get to 500,000 people and a corresponding increase in hotel rooms to adequately supply out-of-towners for Grey Cup week.  Hopefully by then they have an actual convention centre as well.

 

Still, I think it's fine for the city to have the Grey Cup every 8-10 years.  Anything more though and that's pushing it..unless other cities in the rotation do not want or incapable of hosting it (see Montreal and the problems with the Big O's roof)

Interesting takes from those who went, so thanks.

 

Bluto, I've said many of the same things and agree. Winnipeg got blasted for the transportation for the first two home games (rightly so) but the media wrote very little about the inability of Regina to host this event.

Rebus, refresh my memories about the 91 and 98 Grey Cup in Winnipeg.  I can't seem to recall the issues with the transportation.  I remember Winnipeg being praised for the 1991 Grey Cup as the city appeared to reinvigorate Grey Cup week after many years of it languishing in larger cities.

What's interesting is that some fans in Regina think the Riders can win the Grey Cup bid in  2018 - only 5 years from now.  

Good luck to them with that. BC next year then Winnipeg, Hamilton and Ottawa will be in line for those and by that point it will have been right around 10 years since Calgary or Edmonton hosted and you gotta think they would be due. Montreal will be in line to host again at that point as well. 

They could build 10-15 hotels right this moment and still have a need for more during all points of the year.

They could build 10-15 hotels right this moment and still have a need for more during all points of the year.

That's just it.  I think they are building that many over the next few years.  Problem is they would need at least 60 - 70 hotels or 8,000 - 10,000 additional rooms to meet the current needs for Grey Cup week.

 

Interesting takes from those who went, so thanks.

 

Bluto, I've said many of the same things and agree. Winnipeg got blasted for the transportation for the first two home games (rightly so) but the media wrote very little about the inability of Regina to host this event.

Rebus, refresh my memories about the 91 and 98 Grey Cup in Winnipeg.  I can't seem to recall the issues with the transportation.  I remember Winnipeg being praised for the 1991 Grey Cup as the city appeared to reinvigorate Grey Cup week after many years of it languishing in larger cities.

 

Sorry, I meant this year related to IGF. I know that's local versus national but really something the media should focus on instead of kissing Rider butt.

 

They could build 10-15 hotels right this moment and still have a need for more during all points of the year.

That's just it.  I think they are building that many over the next few years.  Problem is they would need at least 60 - 70 hotels or 8,000 - 10,000 additional rooms to meet the current needs for Grey Cup week.

 

 

that's a big ask. not sure how you figure on that specific number.

 

Toronto had just under 36k hotel rooms as of 2004... so it's hard to see a town like Regina adding 10k to however many they have

 

 

They could build 10-15 hotels right this moment and still have a need for more during all points of the year.

That's just it.  I think they are building that many over the next few years.  Problem is they would need at least 60 - 70 hotels or 8,000 - 10,000 additional rooms to meet the current needs for Grey Cup week.

 

 

that's a big ask. not sure how you figure on that specific number.

 

Toronto had just under 36k hotel rooms as of 2004... so it's hard to see a town like Regina adding 10k to however many they have

 

Might be off on the number of hotel rooms.  Thought I heard Winnipeg had something like 13,000 rooms which I was trying to use as a comparable, but if the GMA of Toronto (6 million) only has 36k, then my numbers are obviously off.

 

Anyways Regina would need to add several thousand more rooms so that every out-of-towner has a chance at getting accomodations at a reasonable price and even with that city's recent impressive growth rate that will take decades.