Football fans from across Canada in Vancouver for Gray Cup celebrate ‘glory and beauty of CFL’

When Winnipeggers Barbara and Sylvia Main traveled to Vancouver for their first Gray Cup in 1990, there was no zipline.

But being back on the West Coast for this weekend’s Gray Cup game brings a sense of nostalgia for the mother-daughter duo.

“This is where we first started — the first mother-daughter Gray Cup … so it’s a little bit sentimental for us to be back here again together enjoying that Gray Cup,” daughter Sylvia said Friday. “We’re ready for the bombers to bring (another) one home.”

The Mains are among the soccer fans from across the country who have gathered in Vancouver, eager to build relationships and strengthen their camaraderie with like-minded fans who are passionate about the Canadian Football League.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts are vying to win the 111th Gray Cup on Sunday. Winnipeg and Toronto fans, along with those representing the league’s other seven teams, have taken part in activities at the Gray Cup Festival, including concerts, parties, a drone show and a zip line that runs down the harbor.

BC’s Ministry of Tourism says it expects the festivities to bring 30,000 fans from outside the province and create an economic boost of $125 million.

The Mains, who have been Bombers season ticket holders since 1987, have been in the stands together at an estimated 20 Gray Cup games over the past 35 years, including each of Winnipeg’s last three triumphs.

In the 1990 game they saw, Winnipeg, led by the CFL’s top defense, crushed Edmonton 50-11 for the Bombers’ 10th Gray Cup title. But Bombers fans had to wait until 2019 for Winnipeg to reclaim the CFL’s holy grail before getting a repeat championship win in 2021 after the pandemic canceled the 2020 season.

Over decades of playing, Mains says they’ve made many friendships — a big reason they’ve attended so many Gray Cups.

“We’ve met so many great fans across the league. This is our time to get together with fans again just to celebrate the CFL and our friendship, and hopefully cheer on our teams when they’re in the Gray Cup,” Sylvia said.

They’ve already invited some friends to come to their tailgate party at next year’s Gray Cup, which will be played at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg.

40. Gray Cup for Winnipeggers

Hans Stasiuk won’t be traveling to next year’s game either, but this year’s edition is a milestone for the Winnipegger — Sunday will be his 40th Gray Cup game.

“When my dad started taking me back in 1980, I enjoyed it, but I never thought I would reach this stage with 40 Gray Cups,” he told CBC News on Friday, calling it “a wonderful feeling.”

Stasiuk said he loves getting the opportunity to reconnect with the same people year after year, including CFL Hall of Famer Wally Buono.

“Every Gray Cup I run into Wally Buono and I saw him (Friday) and I said, ‘You know Wally, it’s not the same if I don’t see you at a Gray Cup,'” Stasiuk said.

“People are just so friendly. I’ve never really met one person in 40 years at Gray Cups who wasn’t nice.”

Like Stasiuk and the Mains, Montreal’s Dino Mazzone plans to be in Winnipeg for the 2025 Gray Cup.

He has been to six Gray Cups dating back to the late 1970s when he went with his father.

He was so confident his beloved Alouettes would defend the title they won last year against the Bombers that he booked his hotel room for this year’s Gray Cup a week after the final game.

“It was a little disappointing, but we’re proud CFL fans and I still want to go to a CFL game every year,” Mazzone said. “The Gray Cup for me is part of my life now.”

Without the Alouettes in the game, following the team’s East final loss to the Argos, he will hit the Bombers hard on Sunday.

“I’m a big fan of (Bombers running back) Brady Oliveira — the most outstanding Canadian and the most outstanding player,” he said. “I think they will definitely beat Toronto this year.”

Regardless of who is playing, Mazzone wishes more Canadians would come out and experience Gray Cup week.

“The people have been great and all these Canadians from across the country are just really nice to each other, enjoying our culture and our camaraderie and our love for this game,” he said.

“It’s been a beautiful thing and I think that’s the glory and the beauty of the CFL.”

Toronto fans have confidence

Toronto fans in Vancouver this week, meanwhile, say they are confident in their team.

The Argonauts lost starting quarterback and 2023 CFL Most Outstanding Player Chad Kelly to a leg injury in the East final, but fan David Brown said he has confidence in backup Nick Arbuckle.

“(I’m) very optimistic, feel very strong about it. Arbuckle has this,” Brown said.

“We have a very strong team all the way through. I mean, the loss with Kelly is a big, big, big loss for this team, but they’re going to do this for Chad.”

Fan Glenn Stevenson understands why Winnipeg is considered the favorite to win, but cautions against underestimating Arbuckle and the underdog Argos.

“I think it’s going to be a lot closer than people expect. I think Arbuckle is ready. He’s got a good strong arm. He knows the offense. He’s going to do extremely well,” Stevenson said.

Toronto was also the underdog in 2022, as the team earned a 24-23 Gray Cup victory over the Bombers on a last-minute blocked field goal, preventing a three-peat in Winnipeg.

Regardless of Sunday’s outcome, Stevenson is enjoying his 14th Gray Cup week with CFL fans from across Canada.

“It’s great because even though fans come from all over the country – cheering on different teams – it’s always very friendly,” he said. “It’s a great time, great atmosphere.”