Saskatchewan’s favorite football team may not have been in the big game, but the 109th Grey Cup hosted in Regina left a large impact on the province.
According to a study by Sport Tourism Canada, the 2022 Grey Cup and festival generated $67.8 million in economic activity across Canada and $25.7 million in GDP for Saskatchewan alone.
“The power of the Grey Cup in bringing together Canadians from coast to coast to coast never ceases to amaze me,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a press release. “We knew the City of Regina, the province of Saskatchewan and the Roughriders would put on a tremendous event but seeing that vision come to life was truly awe-inspiring.”
Across the six-day festival, an estimated 210,000 people took in the festivities across the province.
“Hosting major events like the Grey Cup brings people to our city, spurring activity for our local businesses and ultimately enhancing our quality of life and civic pride and presents an opportunity to showcase our identity as a fantastic host city,” Regina mayor Sandra Masters said.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders said outside of the big game itself, the most popular ticketed event was the team party rooms hosted by CFL teams across the country.
“Our goal was to create a provincial celebration that provided something for the entire family,” Roughriders president and CEO Craig Reynolds said.
“Through the hard work of more than 1,000 volunteers and the tremendous support of Rider Nation and CFL fans across the league, we accomplished something truly special not only for those that attended, but for the entire Saskatchewan community.”
Some additional findings from the study include:
- More than 8.2 million Canadians tuned in to parts of the 109th Grey Cup game on TSN and RDS
- $19.6 million in tourism spending was generated, with Regina welcoming 26,669 out-of-town visitors to the city.
- On average, $1,516 was spent per party attending the Grey Cup and Festival, including on accommodations, restaurants, entertainment and retail.
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