{"id":198301,"date":"2026-09-06T17:02:23","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T17:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/198301\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T17:02:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T17:02:23","slug":"elks-president-chris-morris-wants-labour-day-rematch-in-edmonton-to-outdraw-calgary-grey-cup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/198301\/","title":{"rendered":"Elks president Chris Morris wants Labour Day rematch in Edmonton to outdraw Calgary Grey Cup"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPhoto: Edmonton Elks<\/p>\n

The Edmonton Elks will take to the field on Monday for their annual Labour Day Classic clash with the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium, but team president Chris Morris is already looking ahead to the rematch.<\/p>\n

The September 12 version of the Battle of Alberta will be the next big measuring stick for the franchise\u2019s off-the-field revival, and ticket sales are trending in the right direction.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re doing really well. We\u2019re 22,000 now. We\u2019re ahead of where we were with the Saskatchewan game, with as much time to go,\u201d Morris told the media on Saturday<\/a>. \u201cWe need people to fill this place and give us that advantage over these guys. This is a very good Calgary team. I think we\u2019re going to need every possible advantage we can to get them.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The Elks made headlines last month when they drew a crowd of 31,757 for their clash against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, which prompted the opening of the upper bowl at Commonwealth Stadium for the first time since 2023<\/a>. It was viewed as a major accomplishment for an organization that had struggled at the box office in recent years amid front office dysfunction and on-field incompetence<\/a>, selling just 14,664 tickets to their season-opener due to persistent fan skepticism.<\/p>\n

Edmonton has drawn over 22,ooo for each of their subsequent home games, as they have continued to rack up victories and currently sit atop the West Division. Even in years when the team has played poorly, the Labour Day rematch has always attracted large crowds, including 28,365 last year.<\/p>\n

Morris has his sights set on a much larger number this time around, one that would also claim major bragging rights over their provincial rivals.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving 30,000+ would be great. Getting to 35,000 would be awesome,\u201d he said. \u201cI always think the biggest crowd this year in the CFL is supposed to be the Grey Cup at 35,000, so if we had 36,000 here, that means we have more than the actual Grey Cup game, which would be something the city hasn\u2019t shown or something that the team hasn\u2019t shown for decades. I think that\u2019d be really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Grey Cup is, of course, being hosted in Calgary at McMahon Stadium, which has a regular capacity of 35,400 fans. The venue has added temporary seating for Grey Cups in the past, but did not do so the last time they hosted in 2019 and have announced no plans to do so this time either. The now 66-year-old stadium is widely believed to be past its best-before date, with the city commissioning a study to evaluate its replacement<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Commonwealth Stadium, which last hosted the Grey Cup in 2018, has a capacity of 56,302. Though arguably too big for the Elks\u2019 current needs, it would have no problem accommodating an influx of fans larger than anything the Stampeders could muster.<\/p>\n

While out-drawing the Grey Cup would be cool any year, doing so this year would undoubtedly carry greater satisfaction because of Edmonton\u2019s contentious relationship with the host city. For a Green and Gold lifer like Morris, winning the Battle of Alberta \u2014 on or off the field \u2014 just means more.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis used to be\u00a0the rivalry, like nothing else was close,\u201d he said. \u201cI think that Winnipeg\/Saskatchewan game\u2019s now got some teeth to it as far as rivalry as well, but this one used to be very, very bitter. Hopefully, we get back to that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Elks\u2019 impressive recent run should aid in returning the fire to rivalry, and the revived fan support could extend well beyond Mark Kilam\u2019s proverbial Concrete Castle of the North<\/a>. A strong contingent of Edmonton supporters are expected to make the three-hour drive to McMahon this week, bringing back fond memories for Morris.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s awesome. We\u2019d love to fill their stadium with green and gold and have a bunch of guys in the stands supporting our guys,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s always nice. I can remember playing in those games down there and looking across; they\u2019d always be off to our right in the back. All our fans would be there. It was always nice to have that contingent there. It just felt like a piece of home coming with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Edmonton Elks (8-3) will visit the Calgary Stampeders (5-6) at McMahon Stadium on Monday, September 7, with kickoff scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EDT. Last week, the Elks were on bye while the Stampeders beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats thanks to a late touchdown run from Dedrick Mills.<\/p>\n

The weather forecast in Calgary calls for a high of 20 degrees and sun. The game will be broadcast on TSN in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the U.S., and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on 880 CHED in Edmonton or 770 CHQR in Calgary.<\/p>\n

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J.C. Abbott is a University of British Columbia graduate and high school football coach. He covers the CFL, B.C. Lions, CFL Draft and the three-down league’s Global initiative.<\/p>\n

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