Unlike the Maple Leafs, who haven’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967, the Argonauts have everything they need to bring Toronto the championship. However, the club is still struggling to attract spectators.
Alouettes fans must take advantage of the situation. I am therefore calling for a “barbarian invasion” on Saturday in Toronto for the Eastern final. Let’s take the car, the bus, the train, the plane, whatever, and let’s all go to BMO Field! Let’s give the Alouettes the impression that they are playing a home game!
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After winning the Gray Cup last year, the Argos saw attendance increase by around 20% in 2023. However, with an average of 14,311 spectators per home game, they are still by far last in the league.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY CFL, Kevin Sousa/LCF.ca
Nearly 25,000 tickets will be sold for this Eastern final in Toronto, but I’m sure some seats already belong to Alouettes fans.
Regardless of whether the team wins or loses, Toronto has avoided the CFL for decades, and that’s shameful. I still applaud the Toronto fans who are there to encourage the Argos, even if there aren’t enough of them.
Pay attention to the ground game!
All in all, the fate of this Eastern final will be decided on the field. The mission promises to be difficult for the Alouettes, but not impossible. After all, the Argonauts posted an exceptional record of 16-2 this season. As for their 9-0 home record, I’m not particularly impressed because the Toronto fans just aren’t there. One cannot speak of a well-guarded fortress.
If the Alouettes want to win this game against quarterback Chad Kelly and running back AJ Ouellette, it will be crucial for the defensive unit to minimize gains in first-down situations. That’s the key!
Photo Martin Chevalier
While counting on Kelly, the Argos will be keen to utilize the ground game to tire out the Alouettes’ defensive front. Ouellette is a very physical big carrier and it wouldn’t surprise me if another running back, either Andrew Harris or Daniel Adeboboye, also emerges as a winner against Montreal depending on his health.
On the Argonauts’ defensive unit, Wynton McManis is a player the Alouettes need to be wary of. He can change a game with a single play, is a good candidate for a pick 6 or an interception returned for a touchdown. The Argos are certainly well prepared for the game against the Alouettes by head coach Ryan Dinwiddie, but the Montreal club’s coaches are also working hard.
A bad memory
It would be wrong to think that I hate Toronto, I’m just not impressed with the lack of appreciation most Torontonians have for the CFL. In 2012, I played with the Calgary Stampeders when we lost the 100th Gray Cup Final to the Argonauts in Toronto. As I left the stadium I expected to see cheering fans, but there wasn’t a single cat on the street.
AL CHAREST/CALGARY SUN/QMI AGENCY
This experience undoubtedly shaped my opinion of the CFL in Toronto. This certainly has something to do with my current call to invade BMO Field. Come on, Alouettes fans, march into Toronto on Saturday! And when they win, show them how to celebrate a big playoff win! Travel tip: Bring your hats, scarves and mittens. BMO Field – whose name actually refers to the Bank of Montreal – is located right on the water. It’s a bit cold this time of year!
Comments collected by Benoît Rioux
