Grey Cup ticket resales ticking up, but local businesses still eager to see fans

With less than one month to go until the Grey Cup, fans’ hopes of the Saskatchewan Roughriders playing in the CFL final at their own stadium are drying up.

As of Friday morning, the soldout Grey Cup game — set for Nov. 20 at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium — now has around 1,000 tickets up for resale, and 32 seats were available on Ticketmaster.

Many of the tickets’ resale prices range from $266 to $1,208.

Gary Stettner bought tickets to the Grey Cup, but has put them up for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

“I’m a big Rider fan, and there’s no hope in hell of them making the playoffs, (for reasons ranging) from the coaching right down to the players,” Stettner said. “So I have no interest in attending.”

The Roughriders have a 6-10-0 record entering this week, the same as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Saskatchewan can only reach the post-season by crossing over into the East Division and to do so, it must finish the regular season with more wins than the third-place team in the East.

The Grey Cup Festival is to run from Nov. 15 to Nov. 20, with family-friendly events and other activities. Many local business owners are excited to host the legions of fans who will be travelling to Regina.

Grant Freu, the bar manager at the Bushwakker Brewpub, said he isn’t worried that people reselling their tickets will take away from his business.

“Obviously with the Roughriders doing as poorly as they are, that takes the wind out of our sails a little bit,” said Freu. “But we still have to remember that it is the most-watched CFL game of the entire year.”

Freu has worked “crazy” Grey Cup after-parties in Regina in the past and said people are eager to go out after the game is over. With a special Grey Cup week menu, specialty beer and an “eat the competition challenge,” Freu is eager to host fans at his establishment.

“People are going to go to the game, and then see what the city has to offer,” said Freu.

Freu said it might be a little bit quieter with just the locals leading up to the festival, but hopes for full tables as planeloads of people begin arriving.

“I’m expecting the fact that there is going to be a good turnout this year, so despite the fact that the Riders aren’t doing very well, they are still doing the Grey Cup,” he said.

Regina originally was to play host to the Grey Cup in 2020, but the CFL cancelled that season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Freu said it’s a win for Regina to be able to host the game this year.