SportsFootballBC Lions

Upper bowl open: Big BC Place crowd expected for Lions and LL Cool J

Rob Williams
Rob Williams
|
Jun 7 2023, 6:32 pm
Upper bowl open: Big BC Place crowd expected for Lions and LL Cool J
BC Lions

Tickets are flying off the shelves for next week’s BC Lions home opener.

The upper bowl is open, the Lions announced, as under 1,000 seats remain in the lower bowl at BC Place, according to team president Duane Vienneau. It means we could see a crowd of over 30,000 for the game.

Tickets to the Saturday, June 17, afternoon game against the Edmonton Elks include a pre-game concert from LL Cool J, which has helped build excitement. The two-time Grammy Award winner will begin his performance at 3 pm, ahead of the 4 pm game.

ā€œItā€™s been a huge buzz. People are excited. Less than 1,000 tickets remain in the lower bowl,ā€ Vienneau said.

The lower bowl at BC Place holds approximately 27,000 seats. Tickets for Lions games start at just $25 and only $10 for children 17 and under.

Lions owner Amar Doman deserves a lot of credit for reenergizing the fanbase.

The Lions drew crowds of over 30,000 twice last season. A season-high 34,082 attended the 2022 season opener, which featured a concert from OneRepublic. Their home playoff game drew an attendance of 30,114.

ā€œThis is going to take it to another level, thereā€™s no question,ā€ said Doman after the LL Cool J announcement. ā€œWeā€™re gonna pack the dome; itā€™s going to be the loudest opener weā€™ve ever had here in BC.ā€

In addition to LL Cool J, the Lions will have musical performances outside the stadium, both on June 16 and June 17. The “two-day extravaganza” includes a performance by Famous Players Band on Friday, starting at 6 pm at Terry Fox Plaza. The Trews will perform on Saturday on Robson Street.

BC begins the season on the road in Calgary tomorrow. They’re looking for a second straight trip to the playoffs, on the heels of a season that saw the Lions post the CFL’s second-best regular season record (12-6).

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