Labour Day is going to look a little bit different on the CFL schedule in 2011, as the schedule maker has decided to give the annual Argonauts/Tiger Cats Labour Day game a pass for this season.
One of the calendar type events (well we suppose calendar is a bit of an overstatement, since pretty well everyone knows when Labour Day is, but you get the idea) the match up is one of the signature games of the season for the CFL. A change for the southern Ontario rivals to gain a larger share of the media footprint in the crammed agenda of Toronto sports editors.
So it's a bit surprising that the league chose not to highlight this long running rivalry in its marquee moment, but for public consumption the Argos for their part are on board with the schedule makers for this year, though they do suggest that it is but a one year hiatus from the annual festival of madness that the game usually provides for.
And they had best get that agenda item figured out for 2012, as the reviews for the cancellation of the Argos / Ticats reunion haven't been kind to the CFL or the Commissioner.
Fortunately the schedule makers didn't totally de-construce the annual Labour Day events, as both the Stamps and Esks and Riders and Blue Bombers will meet in their annual celebration of the Labour Day rivalries, the match between the Riders and Bombers as always gaining much in the way of anticipation.
On a more proactive note on fan accommodation, the CFL will return to Atlantic Canada this season, with another of its Touchdown Atlantic sessions, once again availing itself of the hospitality of the folks in Moncton. The September 25th Atlantic experience will be provided to the Calgary Stampeders and Hamilton Tiger Cats this season, offering up the trifecta of Atlantic Lobster, Alberta steak and Oski Wee Wee down east.
Accommodation was also a feature for the BC Lions, set to return to BC Place Stadium later this summer. Should all construction schedules remain on track the Lions will vacate their temporary home at Empire Fields after the September 10th match with the Argos, relocating to their den on False Creek with what should be a fairly impressive opening night on September 30th with the Eskimos.
The season kicks off on June 20th with the Canada Day Weekend launch of the 2011 campaign, with BC visiting Montreal.
From there, through the summer and into the fall the CFL makes the pilgrimage to Grey Cup Sunday in Vancouver and the league championship at the newly refurbished BC Place on November 27th.
The CFL introduced its plans for 2011 with a press release which you can view here,
While the full CFL schedule for 2011 can be found here.
Each franchise has its positives and minuses when it comes to the schedule makers line up, the view from each of the CFL's cities can be found below
Montreal
Toronto
Hamilton
Winnipeg
Saskatchewan
Edmonton
Calgary
British Columbia
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