On game day Sunday, Montreal and Saskatchewan football fans were able to root for his or her teams because the Alouettes and Roughriders face off within the Grey Cup in Winnipeg.
A lot of those supporters were already tailgating ahead of the sport, with food and drinks on the ready, and Winnipeg Blue Bomber fans were amongst them despite their team not playing.
“All of the ribbing is in good fun – all of us bug one another – but then we go to the sport together, have a beer together and have a very good time,” said Dennis Giesbrecht, a Bombers fan who organized a tailgate within the parking zone next to the Princess Auto Stadium.
The 112th Grey Cup championship is being held in Winnipeg for its fifth time, but it surely’s been 10 years for the reason that city last hosted the massive game.
Montreal is seeking to win its second CFL title in three years, after winning in 2023.
Saskatchewan, meanwhile, is hoping to finish a 12-year drought and win its first Grey Cup championship since 2013, which might even be the fifth in franchise history.
Despite being in Blue Bomber territory, a number of green was seen with many Roughrider fans making the trip to observe their team play.
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Corey Ginther, who was together with his father and son at the sport, said being in Winnipeg for the championship was emotional.
“It’s so special,” he said. “As you understand, the Riders have only won 4 Grey Cups in over 100 years and it happens so seldom, so the chance to return here, I get emotional because to do that with my dad and my son it means so much.”
Some Alouette supporters also made the trek to Manitoba and while there weren’t as many because the Roughriders, they’re receiving some support from the Blue Bombers’ fans.
“They like Montreal, they need us to win because they don’t like Saskatchewan,” Talia Guzzo said.
In keeping with Winnipeg Blue Bomber president Wade Miller, about 75 per cent of the ticket-holders on the sold-out Princess Auto Stadium were Bomber fans.
Many fans tailgating Sunday morning, like Giesbrecht, were decked out in Bomber attire but they’re mixed on who they’ll support.
“As much as we hate the Riders, and I can’t cheer for them today, they’re tolerable,” Giesbrecht said.
Some say they’re keeping their Western Canada pride, although it’s not Winnipeg in the ultimate.
“Being from the West I feel we’ve got to tug for Saskatchewan,” said Bombers fan Kevin Kull. “We got a pair ex-Bombers on there as well with Harris and Hardrick, so I feel our hearts are going to be with them today.”
Despite the Bombers not being in the competition, the Grey Cup championship Sunday was the Winnipeg arena’s Fifteenth-straight sold out game.
—with files from Global News’ Melissa Ridgen and Vasilios Bellos
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