Candian Football League fans in Atlantic Canada have reason to be excited this summer. The CFL returns for a game at Raymond Field, at Acadia University. Where 10,000 cheering CFL fans will witness a showdown between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Toronto Argonauts this July.
The CFL has not held a game in eastern Canada since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire season back in 2020, like many other sports and activities, but with safety measures on the decline and fans ready for football, the one-off game will be back for the 2022 CFL season.
The game will bring in some much-needed local tourism as well.
“Very positive, very ecstatic, and very happy because we have had such a challenging two years with this pandemic,” said local hotel general manager Loretta Buchanan.
Althougth the game is not in Halifax, the city has been trying to get a CFL expansion team there for years, and this game will likely stir up those conversations again.
In the past Schooner Sports and Entertainmetn had attempted a Halifax CFL expansion franchise. Bruce Bowser, who works with SSE has said that this Atlantic regular-season game could be a precursor for future success.
“The commissioner has been very clear about wanting to keep the dream of CFL in Atlantic Canada alive,” Bruce Bowser said. “By committing to do regular-season games down there, it’s just that, a commitment to do it.”
The game between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Toronto Argonauts will be played at Raymond Field of Acadia University in Nova Scotia on July 16th. Acadia University is no stranger to high-level sports play boasting more national championships in athletics than any other team in Canada.
The past four Atlantic Canada games were at Moncton, N.B. The last CFL Atlantic game was in 2019 when the Montreal Alouettes played the Toronto Argonauts. The Alouettes defeated the Argonauts in front of a packed house of over 10,000 fans.
The Toronto Argonauts have played in the Atlantic game more than any other team in the league with four appearances. They were the home team in the inaugural Atlantic game that ended in a 16-16 tie with Hamilton in 2005.
It will be the fourth Touchdown Atlantic appearance for the Argos, who played in the inaugural contest – a 16-16 exhibition tie with Hamilton in 2005.
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