WATCH ABOVE: A record number of people came out for the Calgary Stampeders annual Fanfest Saturday. As Sarah Offin reports, the excitement for next year is bigger than ever.
CALGARY – A kick-start Saturday for the Calgary Stampeders, who will be back in action in a couple of weeks to begin their CFL pre-season.
Several thousand fans showed up for the annual FanFest and it seems the excitement from last year’s Grey Cup win hasn’t subsided yet. A record crowd of more than 12,000 passed through the gates at McMahon Stadium on Saturday for the popular event.
It began the same way it has since 1948 but fueling the fanfare was a bigger crowd than ever before.
“That’s what we’re here for, bringing the Grey Cup back to Calgary,” one fan said.
Phil Landon, chair of the Calgary Grey Cup Committee, says the traditions of the event that fans love are still around.
“It’s still the same stuff, the pancake sandwich with sausage in the middle and just a lot of fun and festivities,” Landon said.
The day got under way with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. in the parking lot as the Calgary Grey Cup committee served breakfast to more than 1,200 fans.
Stamps fans also had the opportunity to cuddle up to the trophy that their dedication and enthusiasm helped earn.
Dennis Dowell is the Grey Cup handler from the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and says there’s just one rule when it comes to fans and touching the Grey Cup.
“They can get up close to it, they can touch it, they can hug it, the only rule they have is that you have to have your name on it to pick it up,” Dowell said.
The question is, will the excitement of last year’s playoff win carry on to 2015?
“This is amazing, last year I felt like there was a lot of people here, ready for football season again,” said Stamps QB Bo Levi Mitchell. The momentum, it stops at the Grey Cup. We gotta go out there and find ways to create new momentum going into the first game against Hamilton.”
There’ll be some new faces on the team this year with rookies shouldering big expectations.
“It’s a great veteran room and we’re going to pass on that message to the new faces in the locker room. We expect big things each year and I don’t think anything will change this year,” Corey Mace said.
Despite a slumping economy, ticket sales are holding strong.
Even flip flop fans begin this season dressed in red.
“The smiles, just seeing all these fans so happy and so ready to go, it just makes me so excited,” Mitchell said.
Corey Mace was honoured with the president’s choice ring which is chosen by his peers.
The Grey Cup rings should be handed out to the players on Friday.
“It was a beautiful day and a fantastic event and I can’t think of a better way to kick off the season,” said Stampeders president Gordon Norrie. “Thanks to everyone who turned up in record numbers today.”
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