Hamilton, Ontario – The Hamilton Tiger-Cats march to the 2009 Grey Cup will begin on Canada Day at Ivor Wynne Stadium, as the Ticats renew one of the greatest rivalries in Canadian sports against the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL season opener.
The July 1 season opener will also see the beginning of the battle for the Ballard Trophy, a trophy awarded annual each year to the winner of the Ticats/Argos regular season series. The Ticats currently have possession of the Ballard Cup after winning two of the three games against the Boatmen in 2008.
Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger and Toronto Mayor David Miller have joined in on the rivalry. Each mayor has agreed that if their home team loses the battle for the Ballard Trophy, they will wear the winning team’s jersey during a city council meeting and perform the winning team’s cheer, with the video being posted to the winning team’s website.
“Hamilton has a rich history of sport. The CFL presence in our city is firmly rooted and unwavering Ticat fans, including myself, will always be there to support our local team,” said Hamilton Mayor Eisenberger. “The opening game between the Ticats and Argos is a great season opener. We are ready to face the challenge.”
Toronto Mayor David Miller responded, “There are few rivalries in sports like the one between Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. It is what makes the CFL so great for the fans and I am confident the Ballard Trophy will reside in Toronto this year and I look forward to seeing ‘double blue’ worn in the Hamilton Council Chamber.”
A Canadian celebration will take place at Ivor Wynne Stadium on July 1, as thousands of miniature Canada flags and pins will be given away at the gates. The Canadian Forces Search and Rescue technicians will parachute into the stadium and two Canadian Forces CF-18 Fighter Jets will fly over the field before kickoff. At halftime, the Ticats will pay tribute to the Canadian military.
Commented Ticats President Scott Mitchell, “The Ticats are thrilled to host the CFL opener at home against our rivals on Canada Day. We encourage all of our fans throughout TigerTown to come to this much-anticipated game at Ivor Wynne Stadium to help us celebrate Canada and kick off a new CFL season.”
For ticket information, please call 905-547-CATS or visit ticats.ca.
About the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a member of the Canadian Football League (CFL) with a rich 140-year history, which includes 15 Grey Cup Championships. For more information log onto www.ticats.ca.
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