Kickoff 2012 May 12

[SJ46]

I thought it was a great event and the turnout by the ST holders was good considering the beautiful weather outside. Nice to see that Wally and Geroy sent video greetings even though they couldn't be there in person. Really interesting to hear Dennis Skulsky's comments about the state of the CFL, new stadium updates in other cities, etc. I think the ST holders really felt appreciated by the Lions staff. First time I had ever seen the Lions locker room. It was functional but sure not luxurious. Anyway it was good to be there and I'm getting excited about the season starting.

[David]

Always jostens will be making a replica championship ring for the loyal fan

10kt gold with diamonds 3200$
10kt (I think) with cubic zirconia 290$

That had sheets at the kick off but I lost the one I had. ANYONE KNOW THE LINK OR WHEN THEY ARE SELLLING THEM

I have the sell sheet. The company is called Jostens. PM me with your email address. I will scan it and sent it to you.


DH

[David]

I thought it was a great event and the turnout by the ST holders was good considering the beautiful weather outside.

Considering the weather outside? Can that excuse be used any more now that we have an open air roof?

Nice to see that Wally and Geroy sent video greetings even though they couldn't be there in person.

They explained why Wally wasn't there. I just wish they'd explained why Geroy wasn't there. In fact, I heard this young lady express her disappointment to someone in the Lions front office. The reason Geroy couldn't attend was that he was in Kelowna coaching up some young kids at football. That should definitely have been noted.

First time I had ever seen the Lions locker room. It was functional but sure not luxurious. Anyway it was good to be there and I'm getting excited about the season starting.

Not the biggest I've seen but not the smallest either. Not sure if you saw all the adjoining rooms, but they have a player's lounge with large screen TVs, leather couches, and a glass cooler filled with water/soft drinks. There's also the large shower area/bathrooms and adjacent room with massage tables etc.


DH

[sj-roc]

I've never understood how/why the Lions' dressing room and sideline bench are on different sides of the field. It just seems completely avoidable and unnecessary to have opposing players crossing paths at halftime and game's end.

[notahomer]

First time I had ever seen the Lions locker room. It was functional but sure not luxurious. Anyway it was good to be there and I'm getting excited about the season starting.

Not the biggest I've seen but not the smallest either. Not sure if you saw all the adjoining rooms, but they have a player's lounge with large screen TVs, leather couches, and a glass cooler filled with water/soft drinks. There's also the large shower area/bathrooms and adjacent room with massage tables etc.


DH

First time I'd seen the Lions locker room too. I thought it was small too but I didn't see all the adjoining rooms you described.

I've never understood how/why the Lions' dressing room and sideline bench are on different sides of the field. It just seems completely avoidable and unnecessary to have opposing players crossing paths at halftime and game's end.

I wonder if there has been any 'disagreements' due to having to cross paths? At one time I think this would have been a bigger issue but these days it seems like Players don't even wait for the final gun before they get friendly with opponents. Its just too small a world and both sides (players/teams) know its a business. If a fight happens it'll probably be a carryover from something that happened on the field before, I'm guessing. Good point though......

[David]

I've never understood how/why the Lions' dressing room and sideline bench are on different sides of the field. It just seems completely avoidable and unnecessary to have opposing players crossing paths at halftime and game's end.

I can't explain why the locker rooms were built where they are but I can explain why the Lion's bench is where it is.

The Lions are the home team and, as such, must face the TV cameras which are situated on the north side of the stadium (and press areas). Again, why they built them there and not the reverse, I'm not sure. Probably something to do with the access to the TV trucks from one of the airlocks.

It was the same situation at Empire. People could never figure out why were the ones at Tempire and Empire (and for many years wearing black) standing in the sweltering summer sun. But as the home team, we had to face the TV cameras which were always on the west side (same side as the sun). They couldn't have the cameras facing west - into the evening sun.


DH

[Centrum22]

I've never understood how/why the Lions' dressing room and sideline bench are on different sides of the field. It just seems completely avoidable and unnecessary to have opposing players crossing paths at halftime and game's end.

The Lions are the home team and, as such, must face the TV cameras which are situated on the north side of the stadium (and press areas).

This is completely untrue. The Lions don't have to face the TV cameras; they choose to. Each home team decides which side of the field it wants its bench on. Some teams choose the TV side; some don't. For example, in Commonwealth Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras. In McMahon Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras. In Mosaic Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras. And in Canad Inns Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras.

The only home team in the West Division that faces the TV cameras is the BC Lions. And only three home teams in the East Division face the TV cameras (and of those three, two stadiums have both the visitors and the home team on the same side).

[dtrain]

Is anyone else noticing how the season ticket 'package' is becoming cheaper all the time?
First they reduced the calendar size, then they got rid of it last year, replacing it with a car flag (no thanks).
This year, neither.
I really looked forward to the large calendar we used to get.
You would think they could spring for it, especially after all that Grey Cup 2011 coin.

[David]

This is completely untrue. The Lions don't have to face the TV cameras; they choose to. Each home team decides which side of the field it wants its bench on. Some teams choose the TV side; some don't. For example, in Commonwealth Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras. In McMahon Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras. In Mosaic Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras. And in Canad Inns Stadium, the visitors' bench faces the TV cameras.

The only home team in the West Division that faces the TV cameras is the BC Lions. And only three home teams in the East Division face the TV cameras (and of those three, two stadiums have both the visitors and the home team on the same side).

My mistake. I am just going by what was explained to me, obviously realizing now it could not have been a league wide directive.

It will be interesting to see which side of the field the home team takes with the new stadiums being built (i.e. Winnipeg, Hamilton and possibly Saskatchewan).


DH

[notahomer]

Is anyone else noticing how the season ticket 'package' is becoming cheaper all the time?
First they reduced the calendar size, then they got rid of it last year, replacing it with a car flag (no thanks).
This year, neither.
I really looked forward to the large calendar we used to get.
You would think they could spring for it, especially after all that Grey Cup 2011 coin.

X2 on the calendar. I used it as my main calendar and it always had all the home/away games listed. Made it easy to say no to offers of parties, lunches or dinners simply because I knew I had something to do...watch a Lions game.

One thing I will give the Lions credit for is the 'surprise' extras. From time to time you'll get home and find a unexpected package from the Lions. For me, IIRC, we got a Lions scarf this off-season and the Ackles book the Waterboy. IMO, those are things many ST Holders would buy anyways but the Lions end up giving one to ST Holders. Under-promising and over-delivering is always a good plan if at all feasible, IMO.

[sj-roc]

I've never understood how/why the Lions' dressing room and sideline bench are on different sides of the field. It just seems completely avoidable and unnecessary to have opposing players crossing paths at halftime and game's end.

The Lions are the home team and, as such, must face the TV cameras which are situated on the north side of the stadium (and press areas). Again, why they built them there and not the reverse, I'm not sure. Probably something to do with the access to the TV trucks from one of the airlocks.

I was gonna say "sez who?" to that but I see others have already addressed the point.

It was the same situation at Empire. People could never figure out why were the ones at Tempire and Empire (and for many years wearing black) standing in the sweltering summer sun. But as the home team, we had to face the TV cameras which were always on the west side (same side as the sun). They couldn't have the cameras facing west - into the evening sun.

During our last foray into Empire I recall someone on here mentioning that facing the sun in the old days of Empire wasn't really that much of an issue because the west grandstand was much higher than in 2010 and the games started later, about 8 or 8:30pm. But it definitely seemed to be more an issue during the BCP facelift; even more so for myself — I sat high in the east grandstand and for the first few games, at the height of summer, the sun was in my face until the 2nd half was well underway. As far as dressing room logistics, I don't know about the original Empire era, but they kept teams well separated last time, even having the visitors walk along some sort of above-ground bridge to get to their trailers (maybe they were hoping some opposing players were afraid of heights lol).

[B.C.FAN]

I don't know about the original Empire era, but they kept teams well separated last time, even having the visitors walk along some sort of above-ground bridge to get to their trailers (maybe they were hoping some opposing players were afraid of heights lol).

In the original Empire Stadium, each team had a tunnel to a locker room on its side of the field, the Lions on the east and the visitors on the west. The Lions' players had their own parking lot just outside the east side grandstand. I would often walk through the parking lot before the games and look at their cars. Like today, a few players drove flashy vehicles but most were practical.

[274always]

Is anyone else noticing how the season ticket 'package' is becoming cheaper all the time?
First they reduced the calendar size, then they got rid of it last year, replacing it with a car flag (no thanks).
This year, neither.
I really looked forward to the large calendar we used to get.
You would think they could spring for it, especially after all that Grey Cup 2011 coin.

Just got my season tix in the mail. Coupla grey cup champ stickers is nice.

[274always]

Always jostens will be making a replica championship ring for the loyal fan

10kt gold with diamonds 3200$
10kt (I think) with cubic zirconia 290$

That had sheets at the kick off but I lost the one I had. ANYONE KNOW THE LINK OR WHEN THEY ARE SELLLING THEM

I have the sell sheet. The company is called Jostens. PM me with your email address. I will scan it and sent it to you.


DH

Really? Sucks they didn't do that for the als.