Upper bowl open: Lions ready for big playoff crowd at BC Place
It looks like the BC Lions are anticipating another big crowd at BC Place this weekend.
The CFL playoffs kick off on Saturday at 3:30 pm, with the Lions hosting the Calgary Stampeders in the West semi-final.
To accommodate an influx of fans, the Lions have announced that they’re opening the upper bowl of BC Place.
The Lions averaged 23,208 fans per game at BC Place this season, which is the team’s highest average since 2014. Saturday marks the fourth time this season that the Lions have opened the upper bowl.
The upper bowl was open twice last year, including for BC’s home playoff game that drew over 30,000 fans.
“You can’t beat November football in Vancouver. As we saw first-hand in last year’s playoff game and some of the bigger regular season nights in 2023, our stadium has proven to be one of the best in-game experiences across the CFL,” said Lions president Duane Vienneau.
“Our players and coaches can’t say enough great things about the privilege of playing in front of our great Lions fans. We can’t wait to see what Saturday brings.”
Tickets start at $30 for adults or $15 for children 17 years old and under. The Backyard Brunch party begins at noon at the Terry Fox Plaza. Port Moody native and American Idol star Tyson Venegas will sing the national anthem.
It’s set to be a busy sports weekend in Vancouver, with both the Lions (Saturday) and Whitecaps (Sunday) hosting playoff games at BC Place. The Whitecaps are also expecting a big crowd for their match. The Canucks play Saturday night, across the street at Rogers Arena, with puck drop likely after the football game concludes.
The 12-6 Lions are heavy favourites to beat the 6-12 Stampeders. The winner will head to Winnipeg for the Western Final on November 11 to take on the 14-4 Blue Bombers.
In the East, the Montreal Alouettes (11-7) host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8-10), with the winner facing the 16-2 Toronto Argonauts. The Grey Cup is set for November 19 in Hamilton.
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