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Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Pierce drawing from his time with the Bombers
VANCOUVER — The West Coast looks good on Buck Pierce. Sure, the B.C. Lions' head coach is a little busier these days than the last time pro football brought him here as a player, but he's often reminded why this was the perfect place to land his first gig as a bench boss. 'It's good. It's kind of full circle, right? I grew up on the West Coast, so being back out here, I consistently have family and friends coming up to games. So, there's some familiar parts about it,' Pierce, who was raised in Crescent City, Calif., said Friday in a chat with the Free Press. DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES B.C. Lions' Buck Pierce was handed his first loss as head coach of the club last week by his former team. 'There's some familiarity, absolutely, but being in Winnipeg for the time that I was there, I also got accustomed to that. Life moves a little faster out here,' he added while chuckling. 'It's a little busier. But there's obviously things that I've missed about living here, but there's things that I miss about Winnipeg, too.' The 43-year-old spent the first 10 years of his coaching career with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, two as a running backs coach and three working with quarterbacks, before taking offensive co-ordinator duties for four seasons. Hired by Bombers head coach Mike O'Shea at the beginning of his tenure in 2014, Pierce didn't waste many opportunities to learn from one of the all-time winningest coaches. That time together has already served him well, as Pierce often finds himself drawing back on his time with O'Shea. 'I mean, I learned a ton — football related, unfootball related. I really enjoyed our relationship, obviously, as co-workers, but just as two guys who wanted the same thing, and very like-minded. I ask myself all the time, 'What would we have done in that situation?'… and I have no issues ever picking up the phone and asking either.' The off-season was different than what he was used to, being onboarded then getting right into building a roster around his franchise quarterback Nathan Rourke. Pierce was quick to correct himself, saying he doesn't have an off-season now. His phone is always on because he needs to be reachable. He's also spent less time watching TV, something he was able to do as an offensive co-ordinator. Though the added responsibilities have life moving at Mach 50, Pierce said those are the most enjoyable parts of the job. 'You understand the role to an extent, but you don't know until you actually do it. It's more of the off-the-field stuff. It's being more involved with communications throughout the organization, on every level. And then the field stuff is the field stuff. It's about football and getting to know the guys, and all those types of things,' he said. 'Somebody asked me about what was one of my favourite things about it: it's just about being around the players and seeing how they react, and what they need. So being able to help it in that role of being a provider for them and making sure that their needs are being met, and if they're not, what can I do to help?' That was also his favourite part about being an offensive co-ordinator, but now that duty is extrapolated as the leader of an entire team. 'Being able to communicate with the entire roster, and getting to know guys, maybe a little bit more personally than what you would in different roles. But, as far as being a co-ordinator, to a head coach, I think you have more communication with the whole team, and I think that's excellent and that's what I enjoy.' That sentiment quickly resonated with his players. It didn't take long for Pierce to win over the locker room and get team members to buy into his message. 'He kind of just wears it on his sleeve. It's kind of who he is,' said quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, who will start for the Lions when they face the Bombers at BC Place on Saturday (6 p.m. CT). Masoli called Pierce 'an open book' who has instilled a 'no-nonsense' mentality around the club. It's made it easy to rally behind him. 'We talk about grit at this place and just having that heart, and he kind of walks around and exudes it just with his personality,' he added. 'It just kind of permeates through the locker room, and we all got to follow suit.' How Pierce has changed from his time as an offensive co-ordinator is a question perhaps only centre Michael Couture can answer. The nine-year vet spent seven of those working with Pierce in Winnipeg — two of which he was calling plays for — before heading west in 2023. 'For me? No,' said Couture. 'I'm getting the same guy, the same guy that I remember. He was one of the first people I got to talk to when I got into the building in Winnipeg, my rookie year in 2016, and to me, he's been the same guy ever since then. It's been familiar, which is nice.' Couture was asked by several teammates about their new head coach when he was hired in December. The centre did his best to talk him up, but it appears Pierce has done a fine job of selling himself. 'His attention to the details as a coach,' Couture said was his best quality as a head coach. 'I think that's something I've heard throughout the locker room that has been a big point so far this year, and I think guys respond really well to his message day in and day out. It's very consistent, and it's something that a lot of guys can relate to, being that he's been in our position before. So that's huge coming from the head guy.' Pierce has already won and lost as a head coach, as the Lions carry a 1-1 record into Week 3. His first tick in the loss column came against his former longtime club in disappointing fashion — a 34-20 decision in Winnipeg — but not all was bad on the trip. It was an emotional return to a familiar place for Pierce, who was honoured with a tribute video and a standing ovation from the sellout crowd inside Princess Auto Stadium. A defeat is never enjoyable, but that moment certainly took a bit of the sting out of the final result. 'I would not be telling the truth if I said there wasn't emotion going back into the building and being on the other side. We're humans, and they did a great tribute there during the game. I have such fond memories of the people there. It's the people there that I've been through it with and got relationships with,' Pierce said. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'So, yeah, it was good to be back.' He paused briefly and revealed a telling grin. 'But we're excited to see them again, too.' X: @jfreysam Joshua Frey-SamReporter Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh. Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. 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Vancouver Sun
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. Lions: Aiming high with Canadian supply in the season opener
Justin McInnis knows who will have the biggest pre-game impact Saturday at B.C. Place . After all, the B.C. Lions' standout wide receiver understands that you can't beat legendary American rapper Snoop Dogg to get more than 50,000 fans jacked for the club's CFL opener against the Edmonton Elks. 'I'm excited,' McInnis said Thursday following practice. 'I grew up listening to Snoop. But honestly, I'm one of the weirder guys on the team. I don't wear headphones on game day or anything like that. I just like to soak up the crowd and be in the pre-game environment. 'Hear everything and it should be fun for our fans. It's Snoop Dog. Everyone is excited to see him.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. McInnis will do his part to entertain when the ball is snapped. And that could also be quite the show after a career season in 2024. McInnis led all receivers last campaign in league yardage with 1,469, and was the first Canadian since Andy Fantuz in 2010 to lead that category. He was also second with 92 receptions and third in touchdown grabs with seven. H is yards total was second highest by a Canadian member of the Lions after Matt Clark (1,530 yards), and the eighth-best for a Canadian all-time. Check out our Top 10 CFL players heading into the 2025 season! 🇨🇦🏈 Do you agree with our list? 🤔 FULL TOP 50 LIST | The 28-year-old Pierrefonds, Que., native is an imposing target for quarterback Nathan Rourke with a 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and plenty of zip and zag to leave defensive backs in his wake, or use his vertical skills to out-contest any defender. He did that in practice Wednesday and it bodes well as a weapon. 'The best part of my game is I've got to use my height,' said McInnis. 'I'm not the fastest in the league, and I'm not able to do a lot of things that smaller guys can do. I'm always going to continuously work on getting better body control and things that will be a big advantage.' Add a full-season pull with Rourke, who spent the last two seasons with four NFL teams before returning to the Lions last August, and the dynamic duo could develop the kind of chemistry to intimidate and dominate. 'Even in the off-season, we threw quite a bit, and at training camp,' said McInnis. 'One thing I like about Nate is that he's always communicating about things he sees and likes, and how he wants us to run certain routes. At the end of the day, it's being on the same page and he does a great job of expressing that. 'What's so good about him is if we see things a certain way as receivers, we'll all give input and get to common ground on that. That's what has been super refreshing, to have that chemistry where we can talk instead of what's just drawn up. 'We can put our own little tweaks on it and make it better.' The best combos get to a place where the quarterback will instinctively know when a receiver might switch up a route that is not working because of coverage and break in a certain direction. That's another asset. 'We talk about that suff all the time, and even certain looks,' added McInnis. 'To this day, we're not perfect.' If practise makes perfect, then Rourke has taken it to another level. He didn't let snow get in the way in February of getting off-season reps with McInnis. He shovelled an area at the Lions' practice facility to get in another day of work. 'I don't think I shovelled that much, but we were out there,' laughed McInnis. 'We had a little square on the field and we were able to get some throwing in. We made a square track and got our work in for the day. 'Nate is one of the hardest-working guys I've ever been around. He's in here every day, and in the off-season he's throwing four or five times a week. I've never seen anyone as locked in and as dedicated as he is. Not just the game and the team, but himself.' Run all this by Rourke and you get the feeling that mutual admiration is the real deal and not just words. After all, any quarterback loves the option of throwing balls to a certain height and knowing his guy is probably going to win that battle. 'You put (McInnis) in the right spot and there's not too many people who can go up and get it,' said Rourke. 'He has a wide catch radius and you don't have to be perfect with him. Just put it in the general area and he's going to come down with it most of the time. 'For his size, he surprises people with how polished he is. And blows by people more often than not. His speed is something that people take for granted.' McInnis is buoyed by potential of the Lions improving on an uneven 9-9-0 record last season and then suffering a stinging West Division semi-final loss on home turf. The vibe seems different. 'There's a different feeling in the air with intensity and physicality,' he stressed. 'I think that's something we're going to be able to show Saturday.' It will also be the first opening week since 1968 featuring two Canadian starting quarterbacks — Rourke and the Eskimos' Tre Ford — and the first time it has occurred in the same game. The impact of McInnis is reflected in being named among top-10 players expected to excel in 2025. He is listed sixth overall by TSN and first among receivers. If that isn't enough incentive to help get the Lions get back to the Grey Cup for the first time in 14 years, he knows proving his worth will help move the win meter. Will one of these teams snap their Grey Cup appearance droughts? 🫣🫣 Must-see games at a B.C. Place this season: Who: Saturday, June 21 vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 4 p.m. Why: Running back Brady Oliveira won most outstanding player and top Canadian honours last season with 1,353 yards on 239 carries. The Winnipeg native also rushed for three TDs. Who: Saturday, July 19 vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders , 4 p.m. Why: Transplanted prairie fans always add to buzz. Lions eager to avenge 28-19 semifinal playoff loss to the Riders last November. The Lions outscored the Riders 35-20 on July 13 at home. Who: Friday, Sept. 26 vs. Toronto Argonauts, 7 p.m. Why: Who are these guys? The Argos stunned the heavily favoured Bombers 41-24 in the Grey Cup last November at B.C. Place. EXTRA POINTS — F ans are encouraged to be in their seats at 5:45 p.m. in advance of Snoop Dogg's performance. The pre-game Backyard Party is back at Terry Fox Plaza starting at 2 p.m. A portion of Robson Street will be blocked off to allow more fans to celebrate another season. bkuzma@
Vancouver Sun
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. Lions: Justin McInnis is quite the catch for the season opener
Justin McInnis knows who will have the biggest pre-game impact Saturday at B.C. Place . After all, the B.C. Lions' standout wide receiver understands that you can't beat legendary American rapper Snoop Dogg to get more than 50,000 fans jacked for the club's CFL opener against the Edmonton Elks. 'I'm excited,' McInnis said Thursday following practice. 'I grew up listening to Snoop. But honestly, I'm one of the weirder guys on the team. I don't wear headphones on game day or anything like that. I just like to soak up the crowd and be in the pre-game environment. 'Hear everything and it should be fun for our fans. It's Snoop Dog. Everyone is excited to see him.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. McInnis will do his part to entertain when the ball is snapped. And that could also be quite the show after a career season in 2024. McInnis led all receivers last campaign in league yardage with 1,469, and was the first Canadian since Andy Fantuz in 2010 to lead that category. He was also second with 92 receptions and third in touchdown grabs with seven. H is yards total was second highest by a Canadian member of the Lions after Matt Clark (1,530 yards), and the eighth-best for a Canadian all-time. Check out our Top 10 CFL players heading into the 2025 season! 🇨🇦🏈 Do you agree with our list? 🤔 FULL TOP 50 LIST | The 28-year-old Pierrefonds, Que., native is an imposing target for quarterback Nathan Rourke with a 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame and plenty of zip and zag to leave defensive backs in his wake, or use his vertical skills to out-contest any defender. He did that in practice Wednesday and it bodes well as a weapon. 'The best part of my game is I've got to use my height,' said McInnis. 'I'm not the fastest in the league, and I'm not able to do a lot of things that smaller guys can do. I'm always going to continuously work on getting better body control and things that will be a big advantage.' Add a full-season pull with Rourke, who spent the last two seasons with four NFL teams before returning to the Lions last August, and the dynamic duo could develop the kind of chemistry to intimidate and dominate. 'Even in the off-season, we threw quite a bit, and at training camp,' said McInnis. 'One thing I like about Nate is that he's always communicating about things he sees and likes, and how he wants us to run certain routes. At the end of the day, it's being on the same page and he does a great job of expressing that. 'What's so good about him is if we see things a certain way as receivers, we'll all give input and get to common ground on that. That's what has been super refreshing, to have that chemistry where we can talk instead of what's just drawn up. 'We can put our own little tweaks on it and make it better.' The best combos get to a place where the quarterback will instinctively know when a receiver might switch up a route that is not working because of coverage and break in a certain direction. That's another asset. 'We talk about that suff all the time, and even certain looks,' added McInnis. 'To this day, we're not perfect.' If practise makes perfect, then Rourke has taken it to another level. He didn't let snow get in the way in February of getting off-season reps with McInnis. He shovelled an area at the Lions' practice facility to get in another day of work. 'I don't think I shovelled that much, but we were out there,' laughed McInnis. 'We had a little square on the field and we were able to get some throwing in. We made a square track and got our work in for the day. 'Nate is one of the hardest-working guys I've ever been around. He's in here every day, and in the off-season he's throwing four or five times a week. I've never seen anyone as locked in and as dedicated as he is. Not just the game and the team, but himself.' Run all this by Rourke and you get the feeling that mutual admiration is the real deal and not just words. After all, any quarterback loves the option of throwing balls to a certain height and knowing his guy is probably going to win that battle. 'You put (McInnis) in the right spot and there's not too many people who can go up and get it,' said Rourke. 'He has a wide catch radius and you don't have to be perfect with him. Just put it in the general area and he's going to come down with it most of the time. 'For his size, he surprises people with how polished he is. And blows by people more often than not. His speed is something that people take for granted.' McInnis is buoyed by potential of the Lions improving on an uneven 9-9-0 record last season and then suffering a stinging West Division semi-final loss on home turf. The vibe seems different. 'There's a different feeling in the air with intensity and physicality,' he stressed. 'I think that's something we're going to be able to show Saturday.' It will also be the first opening week since 1968 featuring two Canadian starting quarterbacks — Rourke and the Eskimos' Tre Ford — and the first time it has occurred in the same game. The impact of McInnis is reflected in being named among top-10 players expected to excel in 2025. He is listed sixth overall by TSN and first among receivers. If that isn't enough incentive to help get the Lions get back to the Grey Cup for the first time in 14 years, he knows proving his worth will help move the win meter. Will one of these teams snap their Grey Cup appearance droughts? 🫣🫣 Must-see games at a B.C. Place this season: Who: Saturday, June 21 vs. Winnipeg Blue Bombers, 4 p.m. Why: Running back Brady Oliveira won most outstanding player and top Canadian honours last season with 1,353 yards on 239 carries. The Winnipeg native also rushed for three TDs. Who: Saturday, July 19 vs. Saskatchewan Roughriders , 4 p.m. Why: Transplanted prairie fans always add to buzz. Lions eager to avenge 28-19 semifinal playoff loss to the Riders last November. The Lions outscored the Riders 35-20 on July 13 at home. Who: Friday, Sept. 26 vs. Toronto Argonauts, 7 p.m. Why: Who are these guys? The Argos stunned the heavily favoured Bombers 41-24 in the Grey Cup last November at B.C. Place. EXTRA POINTS — F ans are encouraged to be in their seats at 5:45 p.m. in advance of Snoop Dogg's performance. The pre-game Backyard Party is back at Terry Fox Plaza starting at 2 p.m. A portion of Robson Street will be blocked off to allow more fans to celebrate another season. bkuzma@
Vancouver Sun
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Know before you go: Some of the 'Chronic' problems expected for Snoop's B.C. Lions concert
You may be Young, Wild and Free , but if you try to light up a joint for Snoop Dogg, B.C. Place stadium security will tell you to Drop it Like it's Hot , and escort you out of the building while lecturing you on making Bad Decisions . In short, if the roof is open for the B.C. Lions' home-opener and pre-game concert on June 7, it won't be to let the smoke out. 'That will be a weather decision, not a ventilation decision,' B.C. Place general manager Chris May said with a chuckle. 'As long as it's nice weather, the decision is up to (the Lions), but I'm sure if it's a beautiful day, that it'll be open. 'As much as I would love to be able to say yes, we are a completely non-smoking, non-vaping venue, so that is not allowed,' he added, referring to the chronic hopefuls in the crowd. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While those weed hopes have been snuffed out, there's an alternative for the Snoop hardcores: Gin and Juice . 'We have a Dylan's gin bar. It's in Section 213, and that bar will be a gin and juice bar for the game,' said May. 'They're going to have three different gin and juices — a classic Dylan's gin and OJ; a Gin and Juicy, which is Dylan's gin with tangerine, mint and tonic; and then they're going to have a Gin and Juicier, which is a Dylan's gin with pineapple, orange guava and a splash of lime.' The perfect pairing for it will be The Dogfather, a bacon-wrapped, all-beef hotdog, with hot honey aioli, and pineapple, mango and jalapeño salsa. Edmonton Elks at B.C. Lions Saturday, June 7, 7 p.m. TV: TSN. Radio: AM730 Pregame concert 5:45, Doors open 4:45 The Lions' annual pre-game concerts, a tradition that started after Amar Doman purchased the team in 2021, have grown in popularity every year. One Republic started the trend, followed by LL Cool and 50 Cent in the following seasons, with the crowds increasing including last year's capacity crowd of 53,788 for 50 and the Calgary Stampeders game. Tickets reached the 50,000-sold threshold on Friday, a week out from the game. May had three words for those planning to attend next week's game. 'Show. Up. Early,' he said. 'We have seen, actually, over the past seasons, people arriving closer and closer to game time overall. The (best) way to get in quickly is to show up right at doors (open) time and get in the building. Doors open at 4:45 p.m., Snoop's supposed to be on at 5:45; do not show up at 5:30 thinking that there's going to be no line and you're going to be able to walk straight in. Show up early. 'With the incredible job that (owner) Amar (Doman) and (president) Dwayne Vienneau have done with his team around this opening game, it's really becoming an event. And that brings with it, every year, a whole new demographic of people that may not come to regular Lions games or be used to things and how it works here.' Another major trip-up for new attendees to B.C. Place: the bag policy. Opaque bags larger than 6.5 by 8.5 inches (16 by 21 centimetres) aren't permitted, and clear plastic bags can't be bigger than 12 x 12 x 6 (30 x 30 x 15 cm). Diaper bags and medically necessary items are exempted from this rule. But leave the purses, backpacks, camera bags and rolling luggage at home. Same for selfie sticks, vuvuzelas and tripods. Further details can be found on the B.C. Place website by clicking here . Gin & Juice — $10.75: The Classic — Dillon's Gin & Orange Juice Gin & Juicy — $12.75: A Refreshing Twist — Dillon's Gin, Tangerine, Mint, Tonic Gin & Juicier — $12.75: Tropical Flavours — Dillon's Gin, Pineapple, Orange, Guava, Splash of Lime The Dogfather — $17.25: Bacon wrapped foot-long all-beef wiener, hot honey aioli, pineapple, mango and jalapeño salsa Prime Rib Sundae — $23: Sliced Prime Rib, mashed potato, crispy onions, red wine demi, Yorkshire pudding The stadium has had some massive crowds in recent years, the most recent being the 53,387 who showed up to see Lionel Messi and Inter Miami play the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 25. That game, from a logistics standpoint, went smoothly. Not so much for the Argentine superstar and his team, which lost the game 2-0. 'When we look back at our last year to 12 months, we've had more sold-out stadium events and large crowds than we've ever had before,' said May. 'And our team is on it. We're not perfect, and at every event, we try to get better and provide a better experience and a smoother experience. 'We didn't do anything substantially different for Messi; there were a few precautions taken because of his personal profile and the security of the team, but we didn't change, really, how we operated. We didn't change how we did bag checks. We didn't change how the gates operated. We generally did keep that the same. 'I will say that I think we may be the only stadium that Messi has played out of in North America where there wasn't an attempt of someone to get on the field. That's saying something.' No drama. No pressure. No problem. This year, the B.C. Lions get to focus strictly on football. The quarterback carousel that spun the locker-room out of control last year is consigned to history. Vernon Adams Jr. has found a new home with the Calgary Stampeders, and Nathan Rourke has got a full off-season and training camp under his belt, and comes into 2025 leading a united locker-room. There's no championship game pressure, with the Grey Cup in Winnipeg this year. The pressure's on the Blue Bombers — after five straight trips to the big game, they've lost the past three. No Touchdown Pacific or 'home' game played in a neutral site, either. Every home game is at B.C. Place. Here's what you need to know about the Leos this year: The stadium is right smack downtown at 777 Pacific Blvd. There are parking garage options off of Expo Blvd and Beatty St., but the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain stop lets you off just steps from the gates. There is also a bike valet available for those wanting to pedal to the game and leave their bicycle in safety. Pro tip for getting in the building: use Gate G, which is down the stairs to the right of Gate H off of Terry Fox Plaza. The Doggfather: Saturday, June 7, vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m. The season kicks off with the annual pre-game concert, this time from legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. Tickets have already cracked the 50,000 mark, and the 50/50 is also already a guaranteed $150,000. Come early, as doors open at 4:45. Summer Camp: Saturday, June 21 vs. Winnipeg, 4 p.m. Here's the best way to celebrate the end of the school year and kick off summer vacation. There will be 'camping-style' pre-game festivities, a chance to cheer on Grade 7 and Grade 12 grads at a halftime graduation walk, and the new Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? show. Watermelon Smash: Saturday, July 19, vs. Saskatchewan, 4 p.m Games with the Roughriders are always one of the most well-attended of the year. And this year the Lions are bringing in even more watermelons for the pregame fruit smashing. The event provides money for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and the leftover watermelons go to the B.C. Farmers Association to be used as livestock feed. Family Traditions: Sunday, July 27, vs. Hamilton, 4 p.m. 'Everyone's looking for the thrill, but what's real is family.' CFL games are fast, furious and all about family. This game celebrates the generations of Lions fans who together share their love for the great CFL and Lions tradition. Show N Shine: Saturday, Aug 16, vs. Montreal, 4 p.m. There will be 350 classic cars, super cars and B.C. Lions Hot Wheels cars — 7,500 of the die-cast toys going first through the gates — in a massive show and shine in front of B.C. Place. Game tickets will double as admission into the PNE. Campus Clash: Friday, Sept. 12, vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m. Time to show your college pride; all attendees are encouraged to represent their alma mater by wearing their school sweaters or colours and/or sitting in designated student sections. Orange Shirt Day Game: Friday, Sept 26, vs. Toronto, 7 p.m. The Lions have been long-time partners of the First Nations, and for the fifth straight year, they will honour Canada's National Day For Truth and Reconciliation. It includes the Orange Shirt giveaway, Indigenous marketplace featuring authentic arts, crafts, and food; and live musical entertainment by Indigenous artists. The Gravy Bowl: Saturday, Oct. 4, vs. Calgary, 4 p.m. The fall tradition continues and for the third straight year fans will be greeted with a large beer garden and free(!) Thanksgiving turkey carvings, topped off with the classic pie-eating contest. Also of note it's the return of Vernon Adams Jr. to B.C. Place, after being traded to the Stampeders in the off-season. Wild Wild West: Friday Oct. 17, vs. Edmonton, 7:30 p.m. The Lions wrap up their home schedule with a second battle against the Elks. The West Division is always wild, and this game will celebrate country and western culture. There will be special performances by the Uproar Dance Team, a mechanical bull on the concourse, a lasso performer and, for the first time, a country music halftime show. There are options available for just about any budget. Single-game tickets are as low as $17 plus fees and taxes, while season-ticket packages range from $200 for the nine home games, all the way to $2,000 for premium field-side seats. Here are some of the best offerings the Lions have: The White Spot Family Pak : A family of four gets four game tickets and a White Spot gift card worth $50 for $99 dollars before taxes and fees. That's a screaming deal, possibly the best in town. The Quarterback Club : One adult season ticket, one youth season ticket, all nine home games for $200. The Wings Express : Love chicken wings? Love football? Hate driving? This is for you. The Lions have teamed up with Wings Express to bus fans to and from the six weekend home games. Participating Wings locations are in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Langley, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey and Tsawwassen, for games June 7 (against Edmonton), June 21 (Winnipeg), July 19 (Saskatchewan), July 27 (Hamilton), Aug. 16 (Montreal) and Oct. 4 (Calgary). Each restaurant will have different specials and pricing, with charter buses arriving at B.C. Place 45 minutes before game time, and leaving 30 minutes after the game to return to the pickup point. Flexibility options : The Lions have three-game packs, half-season season ticket packages, and flex packs. The latter gives 10 individual tickets which can be used over a minimum of two games, or spread out over all nine home games. Unsure of the best place to book your seats at B.C. Place? The best place for those with kids, young or old, is in the Family Zone: the upper end zone area between Sections 246-251. There are family washrooms, breastfeeding pods, and that's where the kids club is. Fanatics want to be behind the benches close to the action, and that's between Sections 207 and 213. The closer to field level, the better. For those wanting to harass the visiting team, Sections 216-219 border their bench. Due to construction at B.C. Place, there is no standing room area this season. Let's start with the suds, first. • Beer Express (Coors, Molson, Heineken, Granville Island, Hop Valley) — Sections 208, 213, 219, 240, 401, 415, 442, and 454) • The Thirsty Pigeon (specialty beer concession) — Sections 234 and 248) On to the food … • Dawson's Hot Dogs — Sections 201, 214, 227, 233, and 241 This is the place to snag the value package, including the $7.50 kids meal. There's also a $5 menu, including beer, hot dogs nachos and popcorn. • Dawson's Deluxe gourmet hot dogs — Section 244 • Beast on Fire grill — Sections 217 and 236 • Beast Unleashed grill — Section 230 • Bombay South Asian Kitchen — Section 220 • Boom Kitchen bowls — Section 210 • Pizza Pizza — Sections 222 and 249 • Lionsgate Grill (burgers and tenders) — Sections 215, 228, 242, and 254 • Seoul Food Korean Fried Chicken — Section 206 • Snack Shack self serve — Section 212 • The Mac Bar (Mac & Cheese) — Section 207 • The Poutinerie — Sections 212 and 239
Winnipeg Free Press
04-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
New CFL commissioner Johnston plans to be very visible at start of regular season
TORONTO – Stewart Johnston is set for his first CFL season as commissioner. Just six weeks after replacing Randy Ambrosie, Johnston is preparing to oversee his first regular season. And the 54-year-old Toronto native plans to visit all nine league cities by the middle of next month. In fact, Johnston has already started his cross-country trek, having attended the B.C. Lions' exhibition game May 19 in Langford, B.C., and the Montreal Alouettes' pre-season contest there May 24. 'I'm so anxious to get out to each market to meet with club personnel, local media and the fans,' Johnston said. 'I'll heading out to Regina for the season opener (between Ottawa and Saskatchewan on Thursday), then off to Vancouver for B.C.'s first home game (Saturday versus Edmonton). 'I liken it to feeling like a kid before Christmas. My schedule is going to be filled with travel over the first six weeks and I couldn't be more excited to visit those markets.' The opening week will continue with Montreal hosting the Toronto Argonauts on Friday night. Action concludes Saturday with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats facing the Calgary Stampeders before B.C. hosts the Edmonton Elks. That final contest will mark the head-coaching debuts of Buck Pierce (B.C.) and Mark Kilam (Edmonton). Johnston had the luxury of easing into his new job as the CFL begins the 2025 campaign with no major issues lingering. There are no ownership fires to put out, the league has labour peace and its TV deal with TSN runs through the '26 season. 'I feel like I'm coming in at an excellent time,' Johnston said. 'There are always areas for improvement and that's a journey that won't end. 'But I feel like we're in really good shape, the foundation is strong and I think we're going to have an excellent year.' The 'C' in CFL will certainly be featured very prominently in 2025. Two CFL teams will have Canadian starting quarterbacks this season. Victoria's Nathan Rourke returns with the Lions while Tre Ford, of Niagara Falls, Ont., begins his first full season under centre for Edmonton. Rourke, 27, returned to B.C. last season following NFL stints with Jacksonville, Atlanta and the New York Giants. Rourke headed south after being named the CFL's top Canadian in 2022. Edmonton selected Ford, the '21 Hec Crighton Trophy winner at Waterloo, in the first round of the '22 CFL draft. He has only made 18 starts over that span but boasts a 9-9 record. Ford made just four starts last year, winning three, completing 71.8 per cent of his passes for 1,137 yards and 10 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He also ran 26 times for 206 yards (nine-yard average) and was rewarded in the off-season with a three-year extension. The CFL's most decorated player last season was also a Canadian. Brady Oliveira of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers was not only the league's top Canadian for a second straight year but also it's outstanding player. The five-foot-11, 222-pound running back earned a second straight CFL rushing title with 1,353 yards with his hometown team while topping the league in yards from scrimmage (1,829) for a second consecutive season. Also enjoying a standout '24 campaign was B.C. receiver Justin McInnis. The six-foot-five, 210-pound native of Pierrefonds, Que., led the league in receiving yards (1,469) with 92 catches and seven TDs. And in 2025, there'll be four Canadian-born head coaches for the first time, led by Winnipeg's Mike O'Shea, of North Bay, Ont. O'Shea, entering his 11th season with the Blue Bombers is the league's longest-tenured head coach. Winnipeg native Bob Dyce is heading into his third full season as Ottawa's head coach while Corey Mace, of Port Moody, B.C., is in his second CFL campaign with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Kilam, of Lethbridge, Alta., is the other. 'There are more Canadian stars in the CFL,' Johnston said. 'There's more Canadians playing in the NFL, there's more Canadian talent coming at us through the NCAA and U Sports. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'You've got this incredible Canadian representation at a star level across football and certainly in the CFL and that's being reflected in the wave of patriotism and interest in all things Canadiana. It's a perfect time for those influences to mesh.' Veteran receiver Eugene Lewis begins the season with a new team (Ottawa) but looks to continue his record quest. Lewis registered TD grabs in Edmonton's final eight regular-season games in 2024, leaving him two short of Terry Evanshen's league mark of 10 consecutive contests. Winnipeg chases a sixth straight Grey Cup appearance with definite purpose, as this year's game will be held at Princess Auto Stadium. The Bombers will have an opening-week bye but will be without veteran starter Zach Collaros when they host B.C. on June 12. Last month, the CFL suspended Collaros for one game for failing to respond to an off-season drug-testing request. That game will also feature Pierce's return to Winnipeg, where he spent 10 seasons as an assistant before being hired by B.C. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2025.
