Hamilton hosts CFL season opener for first time since 1977

TORONTO (CFL) -– The road to the 96th Grey Cup begins with back-to-back division rivalry weekends, including an East-West double-header to kickoff the 2008 season on Thursday, June 26, the CFL announced today.

The CFL season opener returns to Ivor Wynne Stadium for the first time since 1977 as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats play the Montreal Alouettes. The second game of the double-header moves West as the Calgary Stampeders play host to the BC Lions. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers open the season at home against the Toronto Argonauts the following night and the Grey Cup Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders play host to the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday.

The division rivalries continue the following week as the Argonauts kickoff their home schedule against the Ticats, the Eskimos welcome the Stampeders, the Alouettes play host to the Blue Bombers and the Lions play their home opener against the Roughriders.

The 72-game regular season schedule will be played over 19 weeks and includes one bye week per team. Bye weeks will be taken consecutively by each division beginning with the West in Week 8, creating two weeks of divisional rivalry games as teams approach the midway point of the schedule.

The second half of the season includes the CFL’s annual traditional rivalries – highlighted by the Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day Classics.

The regular-season concludes with a double-header on Saturday, November 1 as teams finalize post-season positioning before the Grey Cup Playoffs get underway the following weekend. The 2008 season will officially conclude with the 96th Grey Cup on Sunday, November 23rd in Montreal, Quebec.

The entire 2008 CFL schedule, including the playoffs and the 96th Grey Cup will be televised by TSN. Montreal games, as well as the entire playoffs and Grey Cup, will be televised by RDS.



Key 2008 schedule highlights include:
Hamilton hosts CFL season opener for first time since 1977

TORONTO (CFL) -– The road to the 96th Grey Cup begins with back-to-back division rivalry weekends, including an East-West double-header to kickoff the 2008 season on Thursday, June 26, the CFL announced today.

The CFL season opener returns to Ivor Wynne Stadium for the first time since 1977 as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats play the Montreal Alouettes. The second game of the double-header moves West as the Calgary Stampeders play host to the BC Lions. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers open the season at home against the Toronto Argonauts the following night and the Grey Cup Champion Saskatchewan Roughriders play host to the Edmonton Eskimos on Saturday.

The division rivalries continue the following week as the Argonauts kickoff their home schedule against the Ticats, the Eskimos welcome the Stampeders, the Alouettes play host to the Blue Bombers and the Lions play their home opener against the Roughriders.

The 72-game regular season schedule will be played over 19 weeks and includes one bye week per team. Bye weeks will be taken consecutively by each division beginning with the West in Week 8, creating two weeks of divisional rivalry games as teams approach the midway point of the schedule.

The second half of the season includes the CFL’s annual traditional rivalries – highlighted by the Labour Day and Thanksgiving Day Classics.

The regular-season concludes with a double-header on Saturday, November 1 as teams finalize post-season positioning before the Grey Cup Playoffs get underway the following weekend. The 2008 season will officially conclude with the 96th Grey Cup on Sunday, November 23rd in Montreal, Quebec.

The entire 2008 CFL schedule, including the playoffs and the 96th Grey Cup will be televised by TSN. Montreal games, as well as the entire playoffs and Grey Cup, will be televised by RDS.

See full CFL schedule below.

Key 2008 schedule highlights include:

2008 Kicks Off at Ivor Wynne

Montreal at Hamilton – Thursday, June 26 at 7:00pm ET
BC at Calgary – Thursday, June 26 at 10:00pm ET
Toronto at Winnipeg – Friday, June 27 at 8:00pm ET
Edmonton at Saskatchewan – Saturday, June 28 at 7:30pm ET

East Division Showdown – West Division Bye Week:

Hamilton at Winnipeg – Thursday, August 14 at 8:00pm ET
Montreal at Toronto – Friday, August 15 at 7:30pm ET

West Division Showdown – East Division Bye Week:

Saskatchewan at Edmonton – Thursday, August 21 at 9:00pm ET
Calgary at BC – Friday, August 22 at 10:30pm ET

Labour Day Classics:

BC at Montreal – Friday, August 29 at 7:30pm ET
Winnipeg at Saskatchewan – Sunday, August 31 at 3:00pm ET
Edmonton at Calgary – Monday, September 1 at 4:00pm ET
Toronto at Hamilton – Monday, September 1 at 7:30pm ET

Thanksgiving Day Classics:

Toronto at Winnipeg – Friday, October 10 at 7:30pm ET
Edmonton at BC – Friday, October 10 at 10:30pm ET
Hamilton at Montreal – Monday, October 13 at 1:00pm ET
Saskatchewan at Calgary – Monday, October 13 at 4:30pm ET