Eyes on McMahon Stadium for the inaugural Stampede Bowl, as the Calgary Stampeders host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to kick off the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
And the Bowl isn’t the only first. The two-and-one Stamps are facing a West Division opponent for the first time this Canadian Football League campaign. The Bombers are a formidable test, undefeated out of the gate.
“We’re coming off a bye, and we’re anxious to play,” general manager and head coach Dave Dickenson said. “We’ve got to play well. We know that. We know what kind of game it’s going to be. As a team, we want to progress and get better each and every day.
“What we want to do is play our best football at home. We want to take of our house.”
The club’s social media accounts show that multiple sections at McMahon are sold out, indicating a large crowd is expected for the Stamps’ second home game of the year.
“It’s very exciting,” quarterback Vernon Adams Jr. shared with a beaming smile on his face. “The first Stampede game — I’m just very excited to be a part of it. We had a great week of practice, great weather, great opponent coming in. We’re excited.”
Tonight’s winner will receive a custom trophy designed by MST Bronze Limited. The studio also created the hardware for the National Hockey League’s recent 4 Nations Faceoff.
Fans should stay in their seats during halftime as Bret Michaels, the frontman of Poison, will be performing.
This marks the first of three meetings this season between Calgary and Winnipeg.