The B.C. Lions will don vintage 60s jerseys Saturday when they trot onto the turf against the Roughriders and lead the city back into its past in their home opener outdoors at Empire Field.
Legendary Lions Joe Kapp and Willie Fleming will welcome fans to the game, which should be a sellout given the limited seating (27,500) and the expected horde of green-clad Ridernation fans.
“People are just going to fall in love with the experience of outdoor football,” said Laura Ballance, a spokeswoman for the PNE.
For a generation of fans who have only experienced football inside cavernous B.C. Place, the temporary stadium should be an intimate affair.
“You are literally almost reach-out-and-touch distance from the players,” she said.
The PNE, which boasts about 4,500 parking stalls, has backed off on its stance against tailgating and will allow parking-lot parties as long as there is no booze and only propane barbecues are used.
Parking, however, is still $25 a spot.
