Go Lions Go!

mr.x · #1 Posted **Nov 15, 2007, 4:22 AM**

The Riders must be peeing their pants....and they must be hating BC Place - third time in a row they've come here for the Western Final.

And sales are going quite well for Sunday's big game....45,000 seats sold so far.

98fb · #2 Posted **Nov 15, 2007, 4:35 AM**

Now 48,000 sold. Expecting 55,000+. Biggest sporting event in 20 years other than the grey cup.

mr.x · #3 Posted **Nov 15, 2007, 4:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 98fb

Now 48,000 sold. Expecting 55,000+. Biggest sporting event in 20 years other than the grey cup.

there will probably be more seats filled than the 2005 Grey Cup we hosted.

excel · #4 Posted **Nov 15, 2007, 10:15 AM**

Im going for sure, its gona be a good one.

Mille Sabords · #5 Posted **Nov 15, 2007, 1:30 PM**

Win or lose, as long as it doesn't affect the quality of their calendars.

Ah, I miss having a CFL team in my town.

mr.x · #6 Posted **Nov 16, 2007, 2:45 AM**

It's gearing up to be the most attended sporting event since 1985, they are expecting a full house of 60,000.

agrant · #7 Posted **Nov 16, 2007, 5:17 AM**

I thought they sold out in the 2005 Grey Cup.

mr.x · #8 Posted **Nov 16, 2007, 5:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by agrant

I thought they sold out in the 2005 Grey Cup.

They did sell out, but attendance was terrible because we weren't in the game....something like 50,000 seats were filled, i remembered a lot of blue gaps.

This time around, with a home team to cheer for, there's no doubt it will be a capacity stadium.

btw, why is it that year after year we host the Western Final as suppose to the other team hosting it?

excel · #9 Posted **Nov 16, 2007, 8:35 PM**

^thats because we have been the conference leader year after year and get home field advantage.
Where did you hear that they might sell it out this year?

mr.x · #10 Posted **Nov 17, 2007, 9:19 PM**

Perfect storm of sports Sunday to bring downtown congestion

Kellly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun
Published: Friday, November 16, 2007

VANCOUVER - Thousands of sports fans are expected to crowd into Vancouver on Sunday as the B.C. Lions take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL Western Finals.

The 1:30 p.m. football game, at BC Place Stadium, will be followed across the street at GM Place by the 5 p.m. Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames hockey matchup.

The Lions game alone is expected to bring more than 12,000 fans through the Stadium SkyTrain station, while another 6,000 Canucks fans will likely use transit.

About 51,500 tickets to the CFL game had been sold by Friday afternoon - up from the usual football crowd of 33,000, said Lions director of communications Jamie Cartmell. BC Place holds 59,000 people.

The game has drawn a lot of interest as it will determine which team - the Lions or the Roughriders - will vie for the Grey Cup. The Lions game will kick off with a Beatty Street block party at 10:30 a.m.

"It always helps when you're playing Saskatchewan because they have fans everywhere," Cartmell said.

To accommodate the increased traffic, TransLink plans to beef up the number of SkyTrain attendants and police. It will also run "rush hour service" from 10:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., spokesman Drew Snider said.

"It's going to be a busy time at Stadium station," Snider said. "It's a weird perfect storm. We've got the Canucks playing and the Lions playing back to back in the same area of town."

Snider said despite a "little crunch time" at 4:30 p.m-5 p.m. when the Lions game ends and the Canucks start playing, he expects pedestrian traffic through the SkyTrain stadium to run smoothly on Sunday.

Fans can buy return tickets in advance at King George and Stadium stations. These tickets will have extended expiry times, allowing fans to see the whole game and stay downtown for the celebrations.

"We would encourage people to take public transit even though it's going to be cozy on there," Snider said.

Cartmell urged fans to get to the game early to ensure they don't miss any of the action. He added the traffic snarls shouldn't be too bad as the games are being held on a Sunday.

City of Vancouver spokesman Dave Rieberger warned motorists that downtown construction activity will limit parking in the area. West Hastings Street between Seymour and Howe streets will also be closed to all vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. until mid-afternoon for Canada Line construction.

The weather Sunday is forecast to be cloudy with rainy periods.

ksinoski@png.canwest.com

© Vancouver Sun