Dave Campbell
CFL.ca
The Edmonton Eskimos began their 10-day Eastern Canadian road trip last Friday in Montreal. The team suffered another disappointing loss on Sunday falling 31-14 to the Montreal Alouettes.
Following the game, the team loaded up their charter airplane and headed for Moncton, New Brunswick. The team, obviously dejected, landed in Moncton late Sunday night and was greeted with a hero’s welcome by fans at Moncton International Airport. A live band along with high school football teams were there just to say “Hi, it’s nice to have you in our neck of the woods.”
Quarterback Ricky Ray says after another tough loss, the reception lifted the spirits of the players.
“Normally we just fly home, get in your car and drive home but it was nice to get here. They’re excited to have us here; it just put a smile on your face in a tough time.”
If you’re asking yourself “Why are the Eskimos in Moncton?” On Sunday they meet the Toronto Argonauts at Moncton Stadium in what the Canadian Football League is dubbing “Scotiabank Touchdown Atlantic.”
The teams will play in front of 21,000 fans on get this…on a grass surface. It’s all part of the CFL’s initiative to test the market of fans in Atlantic Canada to see if this untapped region of the country could support a franchise.
This week is being treated as a Grey Cup like festival; the Spirit of Edmonton is even in attendance. The Argos have their headquarters at a local downtown pub. Commissioner Mark Cohon is in attendance. Banners are set-up throughout the downtown corps letting everyone know that professional football is front and centre this week.
On Tuesday, the Eskimos loaded a bus and crossed the Confederation Bridge into Prince Edward Island. They consumed a large amount of lobster and mussels. They visited Charlottetown, the birthplace of this great country. They ended the day by holding a football clinic for kids in nearby Cornwall.
Eskimo safety Elliot Richardson played for the Acadia Axemen of the CIS. He feels Atlantic Canada is poised to house a CFL franchise in the future.
“I’ve been out here for four and a half years and I’ve seen football grow in Atlantic Canada especially in Nova Scotia,” explained Richardson. “When I came out here, youth football was just starting; there were minimal high school teams. Now I know there’s football as young as eight years old in Nova Scotia alone. Every high school in the Acadia area has a high school team.”
Atlantic Canada almost landed a team in the mid-80s. The CFL awarded a conditional franchise to Halifax. The team was named the Atlantic Schooners and they even sported a logo. The problem was no suitable stadium which is the big issue for future expansion. Moncton Stadium will seat 21,000 fans on Sunday, 11,000 of those are temporary. It’s very possible to make permanent seats but the CFL’s priority right now according to Commissioner Mark Cohon is to make sure Ottawa and Hamilton have suitable stadiums to play in to ensure their long-term viability. Of course there has to be a will from local, provincial, and the federal government to throw the money in to upgrade the stadium.
I can see Moncton having the same effect the Roughriders have in Saskatchewan. Moncton can draw from a million people in a radius of two and half hours from the city. Can you imagine what game days could be like, a big party that’s what. It sounds the like the CFL would like to have Touchdown Atlantic on their regular season schedule for the next few years. All in the efforts of continuing to gauge the interest level of fans in the region.
The game Sunday matters greatly to both teams. The Eskimos even with a 2-9 record are still just two points back of the B.C. Lions for third place in the Western Division. The Argo’ still have a great shot at second and perhaps first place in the Eastern Division. Both teams won’t have to worry about fans getting on them throwing catcalls their way. The fans are just thrilled to have the Canadian Football League in their city for one week of the year.
For the Eskimos it’s a chance to play in front of fans that don’t care about their record.
Heck, they may want to stay in Moncton if they fall to 2-10.
Notes: After originally saying he would stay away, General Manager Eric Tillman will be in attendance for Sunday’s game in Moncton. Slotback Kelly Campbell will be out of the lineup because of an ankle injury which has been nagging him for about a month, Jamaica Rector will play in the receiving corps. Left tackle Jeremy Parquet had to leave the team last week in Montreal to go home and care for his two-year old son who fell ill. Parquet is back with the team and will start Sunday. Defensive back Randee Drew has been hit with the flu and will sit out, Jason Goss comes back into the lineup.
