More spectators than seats: Classic crowd count calculations raise eyebrows, excitement
The numbers tell us that the 2023 Labour Day Classic is already a smashing success.
And the much-anticipated game has yet to begin.
Another sellout is assured for the renewal of a Saskatchewan Roughriders/Winnipeg Blue Bombers showdown that has been a rite of late summer in Regina for slightly more than 40 years, in terms of the uninterrupted history of the LDC.
An attendance of 33,350 is to be announced on Sunday at Mosaic Stadium.
This year’s sellout is the Roughriders’ 37th in a span of 41 consecutive LDC games against Winnipeg, dating back to 1982. The only non-sellouts were back in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1996.
Those rare exceptions from long ago have been more than counteracted by the tendency toward overflow crowds — to the extent that, come Sunday, the Roughriders and Blue Bombers will have played to 105-per-cent capacity since 1982.
The percentage accounts for peak attendances — 44,910 (in 2013) and 40,320 (2003) — that were recorded when temporary bleachers were added and accessed with a Regina-based Grey Cup game looming.
In several other years, fans spilled over into the end zones, with a favoured location being what came to be dubbed Hemorrhoid Hill (located at the south end of old Taylor Field).
Taking everything into consideration, the Roughriders have welcomed 1,270,044 customers — or roughly 50,000 more people than currently reside in Saskatchewan — since Blue Bombers at Roughriders became an annual happening.
Prior to 1982, there were 17 Roughriders-Bombers Labour Day weekend matchups in Regina, where the first such contest was held in 1949.
Although a Labour Day weekend game in Regina has been a staple of the sporting schedule since 1948, opponents other than Winnipeg have entered the picture from time to time.
In 1981, for example, the Montreal Alouettes were greeted by 28,526 spectators at Taylor Field, which then seated 27,637 customers.
The attendance swelled to 30,621 when Winnipeg played in Regina the following September. Ever since then, a matchup between the two rivals on the last long weekend of summer has been automatic.
“There is just something special about the Labour Day Classic in Saskatchewan, and it’s all driven by the energy our fans create in that stadium, whether it be old Mosaic or our beautiful new stadium,” Roughriders President-CEO Craig Reynolds said after a 26th straight sellout was announced on Friday.
“There really is nothing like a sold-out Mosaic Stadium on Labour Day — whether it be when the jets fly over or the crowd erupts for a big hit, a big play, or a game-winning field goal.
“Some of my favourite memories are memories from Labour Day games in the past. I can’t wait for Sunday.”
Reynolds hopes that the Roughriders observe one LDC classic tradition by winning.
Over the 40 LDCs that have been played since 1982, the Roughriders have posted a 28-12 record. Average margin of victory: 19.5 points.
“Anytime we can get a lot of folks in the stadium and a lot of people in the stands, it helps us, because they get loud,” Roughriders Head Coach Craig Dickenson said. “It gives us the ability to hopefully have some home-field advantage and force the (Winnipeg) offence to go on a silent count, which is tough to do.”
Another factor is the energy provided by a gathering that, for three hours, makes Mosaic Stadium one of the five largest cities in Saskatchewan.
Think of it this way: On Sunday, one out of every 37 people who are in Saskatchewan will be at Mosaic Stadium.
As Dickenson observed, the people who aren’t at the game are likely to be following the proceedings.
“Anytime you’ve got 30,000 fans cheering for you, you can feel it,” he said. “Our guys feed off that energy.
“The more green we can get in the stands on Sunday, the better.”
That is also the perspective of Jake Dolegala, who is to make his second straight start at quarterback for the Roughriders.
“(The crowd) obviously favours us when they’re on offence, for sure,” Dolegala said. “It just makes things a lot more difficult, operation-wise. When we’re scoring and the fans are hooting and hollering, it’s great.”
It isn’t as enjoyable for a visiting quarterback, who must face the inevitable challenge of trying to be heard above the crowd noise.
“It’s hard, just communicating with your guys,” Dolegala said. “It’s a lot more on the receivers, with them having to run in and out (to hear the signals and return to their positions in time for the snap). It tests their conditioning, for sure.
“As a quarterback, you just hope you don’t lose your voice.”
CLASSIC CROWD COUNTS
Roughriders’ Labour Day Classic Attendances Since 1982
1982: Winnipeg 36, Saskatchewan 35 — 30,621 (110.8% of seating capacity)
1983: Saskatchewan 32, Winnipeg 30 — 28,237 (102.2%)
1984: Saskatchewan 30, Winnipeg 25 — 25,204 (91.2%)
1985: Winnipeg 18, Saskatchewan 10 — 29,588 (107.1%)
1986: Saskatchewan 34, Winnipeg 30 — 25,274 (91.4%)
1987: Winnipeg 29, Saskatchewan 25 — 27,457 (99.3%)
1988: Saskatchewan 29, Winnipeg 19 — 29,438 (106.5%)
1989: Winnipeg 28, Saskatchewan 20 — 28,315 (102.5%)
1990: Saskatchewan 55, Winnipeg 11 — 31,121 (112.6%)
1991: Saskatchewan 56, Winnipeg 23 — 30,314 (109.7%)
1992: Saskatchewan 32, Winnipeg 20 — 29,298 (106.0%)
1993: Winnipeg 25, Saskatchewan 24 — 30,216 (109.3%)
1994: Saskatchewan 42, Winnipeg 31 — 28,738 (104.0%)
1995: Saskatchewan 56, Winnipeg 4 — 31,308 (113.3%)
1996: Saskatchewan 41, Winnipeg 23 — 25,876 (93.6%)
1997: Winnipeg 43, Saskatchewan 12 — 29,788 (107.4%)
1998: Saskatchewan 32, Winnipeg 18 — 30,152 (108.7%)
1999: Saskatchewan 42, Winnipeg 17 — 29,249 (105.5%)
2000: Saskatchewan 38, Winnipeg 29 — 30,088 (108.5%)
2001: Winnipeg 20, Saskatchewan 18 — 30,127 (108.6%)
2002: Saskatchewan 33, Winnipeg 19 — 30,220 (109.0%)
2003: Winnipeg 36, Saskatchewan 18 — 40,320 (145.4%)
2004: Winnipeg 17, Saskatchewan 4 — 30,220 (109.0%)
2005: Saskatchewan 45, Winnipeg 26 — 28,800 (103.3%)
2006: Saskatchewan 39, Winnipeg 12 — 30,900 (110.9%)
2007: Saskatchewan 31, Winnipeg 26 — 28,800 (100.0%)
2008: Saskatchewan 19, Winnipeg 6 — 30,985 (100.0%)
2009: Saskatchewan 29, Winnipeg 14 — 30,945 (100.0%)
2010: Saskatchewan 27, Winnipeg 23 — 30,048 (100.0%)
2011: Saskatchewan 27, Winnipeg 7 — 30,048 (100.0%)
2012: Saskatchewan 52, Winnipeg 0 — 33,427 (100.0%)
2013: Saskatchewan 48, Winnipeg 25 — 44,910 (134.4%)
2014: Saskatchewan 35, Winnipeg 30 — 33,427 (100.0%)
2015: Saskatchewan 37, Winnipeg 19 — 33,427 (100.0%)
2016: Winnipeg 28, Saskatchewan 25 — 33,427 (100.0%)
2017: Saskatchewan 38, Winnipeg 24 — 33,350 (100.0%)
2018: Saskatchewan 31, Winnipeg 23 — 33,350 (100.0%)
2019: Saskatchewan 19, Winnipeg 17 — 33,356 (100.0%)
2021: Winnipeg 23, Saskatchewan 8 — 32,975 (100.0%)
2022: Winnipeg 20, Saskatchewan 18 — 33,350 (100.0%)
2023: Sunday, 5 p.m., Mosaic Stadium — 33,350 (100.0%)
TOTAL ATTENDANCE SINCE 1982: 1,270,044 (105.0%)
