Labour Day Classic

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The Labour Day Classic (French : Classique de la fête du travail, branded as OK Tire Labour Day Weekend for sponsorship reasons) is a week of the Canadian Football League (CFL) schedule played over the Labour Day weekend (which includes the first Monday in September). Labour Day weekend, roughly 12 or 13 weeks into the CFL season, is known for its matchups that do not change from year to year, unlike other "rivalry" weeks of the CFL schedule. Labour Day weekend is also one of typically two weeks (the Thanksgiving Day Classic being the other) in the CFL schedule that the league plays on a Monday. Multinational Balkrishna Industries' OK Tire brand is the presenting sponsor of the event as of 2022.

Contents

The usual weekend matchups involves the Montreal Alouettes playing against the Ottawa Redblacks on the Friday before Labour Day, with host duties alternating between the two teams. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers then visit the Saskatchewan Roughriders on Sunday and on Labour Day itself, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats play at home against the Toronto Argonauts, while the Edmonton Elks visit the Calgary Stampeders. [1] [2] The BC Lions have no geographic rival and typically have a bye, having played just three times on Labour Day Weekend (2015, 2023 and 2024) since the return to nine teams in 2014. The Lions most recently played in 2024 against the Redblacks, in Victoria, British Columbia, which was the first Labour Day matchup between the Lions and an Ottawa team since 2002 and the first neutral site Labour Day Weekend game to be played. [3]

History

The Labour Day Classic Logo from 2016. Mark's was the presenting sponsor of the event from 2014 to 2021. Labour Day Classic Logo 2016.png
The Labour Day Classic Logo from 2016. Mark's was the presenting sponsor of the event from 2014 to 2021.

The Labour Day Classic began in 1949 and pre-dates the founding of the CFL by nine years.[ citation needed ] The matchups have remained mostly the same throughout history, except during Montreal and Ottawa's periods of hiatus or due to scheduling conflicts.

During the early 1980s, the Montreal Concordes played the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the remaining three teams (Toronto, Ottawa and BC) rotated each year. Ottawa and BC faced each other during the late 1980s and early 1990s while the league had no team in Montreal.

Because Ottawa had no active team from 1997 to 2001 and 2006–2013, the Alouettes usually played the Lions during those seasons, creating a "coast-to-coast" rivalry.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the entire 2020 CFL season was cancelled and therefore no Labour Day weekend games were played for the first time in CFL history. [4]

Hamilton

Due to scheduling conflicts, the Tiger-Cats temporarily revived its rivalry with the current incarnation of the Alouettes in the Labour Day game for the 2011 season; the change in opponents led Hamilton to dub the game the Labour Day Classique in reference to Montreal's francophone community. [5] [6] Therefore, in 2011, this automatically resulted in Toronto and BC facing each other.

In 2013, the Tiger-Cats' did not host a game on Labour Day for only the second time in franchise history (the first being 1995). [7] It was also the first time that they did not host a game on that weekend. Because Ivor Wynne Stadium was demolished to make way for the new Tim Hortons Field, the team played out of Alumni Stadium in Guelph. The University of Guelph Gryphons (along with most Ontario University Athletics teams) were playing that same day, so the Tiger-Cats could not host the game. To make up for it, the Toronto at Hamilton matchup was played in the Thanksgiving Day Classic.

For the 2016 contest, to avoid any further conflicts with OUA games, the CFL moved the Toronto/Hamilton matchup to prime time Labour Day evening. [8] That year, the OUA's McMaster Marauders football team moved its Labour Day matchup with the Toronto Varsity Blues football squad to Tim Hortons Field, creating a doubleheader with a series of concerts in-between games. [9] This was moved back to a 1:00 pm Eastern start in 2019. [10]

Although not directly associated with the Labour Day Classic, the week after Labour Day often has a repeat match-up of the Bombers vs Roughriders (see Banjo Bowl), Stampeders vs Elks (see Battle of Alberta), and Tiger-Cats vs Argonauts (a rivalry which began in 1873), [11] with home field advantage now to the team that did not have it during the Labour Day weekend.

As the league has been increasing in popularity in recent years, print ads for the Labour Day Classic try to evoke the tradition of watching Canadian football on the last weekend of summer. Slogans include "Long Live the Rivalries" and "Watch the Team You Love Play the Team You Love to Hate". Some of the teams wear special third jerseys or throwback uniforms if they play at home.

Current matchups

Edmonton Eskimos/Elks vs Calgary Stampeders

Eskimos victoriesStampeders victories
Elks victoriesStampeders victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 2021 Calgary Elks 32–20
2 2022 Calgary Stampeders 26–18
3 2023 Calgary Stampeders 35–31
4 2024 Calgary Elks 35–20
5 2025 Calgary Stampeders 28–7
Series: Stampeders leads 32–31–1

Longest Winning Streak (Edmonton): 7 (1950–1961)
Longest Winning Streak (Calgary): 8 (2012–2019)

Did not play in the following years: 1954–1958, 1964–1968, 1973, 1981, 2020

Television (since 1985): CTV (1985–1986); CFN (1987, 1990); CBC (1988, 1991–2007); TSN (1989, 2008–2019, 2021–2024)

Labour Day Rematch

Starting in 1989, Calgary and Edmonton have played a Labour Day home-and-home series. The Labour Day Classic game has been held in Calgary on Labour Day Monday, and the Rematch has been held in Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium the following Friday or Saturday. In 1992, the game in Edmonton was held the week before the Labour Day Classic instead of the week after.

YearDateWinning TeamScoreLosing TeamScoreOTAttendanceTV
1989 Friday, September 8Edmonton38Calgary2741,327 CFN
1990 Friday, September 7Edmonton34Calgary1757,444**CFN
1991 Friday, September 6Edmonton51Calgary3757,843** TSN
1992 *Friday, August 28Calgary45Edmonton38OT31,812TSN
1993 Friday, September 10Edmonton29Calgary1654,324**TSN
1994 Friday, September 9Edmonton38Calgary1251,180**TSN
1995 Friday, September 8Calgary33Edmonton1749,434TSN
1996 Friday, September 6Edmonton20Calgary1940,727**TSN
1997 Friday, September 5Edmonton24Calgary2043,913**TSN
1998 Friday, September 11Calgary30Edmonton2350,856**TSN
1999 Friday, September 10Calgary38Edmonton1352,458**TSN
2000 Friday, September 8Edmonton31Calgary1053,248**TSN
2001 Friday, September 7Calgary34Edmonton3348,279**TSN
2002 Friday, September 6Edmonton45Calgary1161,481**TSN
2003 Friday, September 5Edmonton38Calgary062,444**TSN
2004 Friday, September 10Edmonton44Calgary1250,366TSN
2005 Friday, September 9Calgary16Edmonton1142,654TSN
2006 Friday, September 8Edmonton35Calgary2647,965**TSN
2007 Friday, September 7Calgary20Edmonton1742,329TSN
2008 Friday, September 5Calgary38Edmonton3346,014TSN
2009 Friday, September 11Calgary35Edmonton3446,212TSN
2010 Friday, September 10Calgary36Edmonton2035,349TSN
2011 Friday, September 9Calgary30Edmonton2045,672TSN
2012 Friday, September 7Calgary20Edmonton1839,363TSN
2013 Friday, September 6Calgary22Edmonton1233,654TSN
2014 Saturday, September 6Calgary41Edmonton3440,852TSN
2015 Saturday, September 12Edmonton27Calgary1638,906**TSN
2016 Saturday, September 10Calgary34Edmonton28OT35,278TSN
2017 Saturday, September 9Calgary25Edmonton2234,312TSN
2018 Saturday, September 8Edmonton48Calgary4238,611**TSN
2019 Saturday, September 7Calgary33Edmonton1740,113**TSN
2020 Not played due to COVID-19
2021 Saturday, September 11Calgary32Edmonton1633,493**TSN
2022 Saturday, September 10Calgary56Edmonton2826,946TSN
2023 Saturday, September 9Edmonton25Calgary2332,422TSN
2024 Saturday, September 7Edmonton37Calgary1632,144TSN
2025 Saturday, September 6TSN

*Game held the week before the Labour Day Classic

**CFL's Top Regular Season Attendance

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs Saskatchewan Roughriders

Starting in the 2004 CFL season, in the week following the Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan Labour Day Classic matchup, the two teams rematch annually in the Banjo Bowl.

Blue Bombers victoriesRoughriders victories

Longest winning streak (Saskatchewan): 11 (2005–2015)
Longest winning streak (Winnipeg): 4 (1978–1982)

Did not play the following years:

Saskatchewan opponentWinnipeg oppenent
1955vs BCat Calgary
1956vs BCat Edmonton
1957vs BCat Edmonton
1958vs BCat Calgary
1959vs BCat Edmonton
1960vs BCat Edmonton
1964vs Montrealat Calgary
1965vs Edmontonat Calgary
1966vs MontrealNone
1967vs Edmontonat Calgary
1968vs EdmontonNone
1969vs BCat Montreal
1971vs BCNone
1973vs Edmontonat Calgary
1976vs BCat Hamilton
1981vs MontrealNone
2020N/A - season cancelledN/A - season cancelled

Television (since 1982): CTV (1983–1985); CBC (1982, 1986, 1989, 1993); CFN (1987–1988); TSN (1990–1991, 1994, 1997–2000, 2002–2019, 2021–2024); No TV (1992, 1995–1996, 2001)

Toronto Argonauts vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats

The Toronto—Hamilton Classic is one of the components of the Harold Ballard Trophy, an award given to the winner of the season series between the Tiger-Cats and Argonauts. The trophy is named after Harold Ballard, who owned the Tiger-Cats for much of the 1980s and owned Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for most of that time. A trophy has been awarded to the winner of the series since 1979. [12]

The Toronto—Hamilton contest is officially known as Football Day in Hamilton and has its own presenting sponsor, WeatherTech Canada. For the first several years after Tim Hortons Field opened, Football Day in Hamilton consisted of a Tiger-Cats game as well as a concert and either a McMaster Marauders football or a Hamilton Hurricanes (CJFL) matinée (this tradition has since been abandoned as of the 2020s). [13]

Argonauts victoriesTiger-Cats victories

Longest Winning Streak (Hamilton): 7 (2014–2021)
Longest Winning Streak (Toronto): 3 (1994–1997, 2006–2008)

Did not play the following years: 1962, 1965–1966, 1969–1970, 1972–1974, 1976–1977, 1979, 1981–1986, 1990, 1995, 2011, 2013, 2020

Ottawa Rough Riders/Renegades/Redblacks vs Montreal Alouettes

Rough Riders victoriesAlouettes victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1949 Ottawa Rough Riders 22–21
2 1953 Ottawa Rough Riders 26–6
3 1954 Ottawa Alouettes 20–11
4 1955 Montreal Alouettes 34–22
5 1956 Montreal Alouettes 42–10
6 1957 Montreal Alouettes 22–21
7 1958 Montreal Alouettes 11–9
8 1959 Ottawa Alouettes 22–7
9 1960 Ottawa Rough Riders 40–16
10 1960 Montreal Alouettes 39–22
11 1961 Ottawa Rough Riders 25–24
12 1963 Montreal Rough Riders 37–15
13 1967 Ottawa Rough Riders 17–5
14 1971 Ottawa Rough Riders 40–17
15 1978 Montreal Rough Riders 23–18
16 1996 Ottawa Rough Riders 17–6
Renegades victoriesAlouettes victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 2003 Ottawa Renegades 43–38
2 2004 Ottawa Alouettes 23–16
3 2005 Montreal Alouettes 41–18
Redblacks victoriesAlouettes victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 2014 Montreal Alouettes 20–10
2 2016 Montreal Redblacks 19–14
3 2017 Montreal Redblacks 32–4
4 2018 Ottawa Alouettes 21–11
5 2021 Ottawa Alouettes 51–29
6 2022 Montreal Redblacks 38–24
Series: Redblacks leads 13–12
Includes games from all Ottawa franchises

Longest Winning Streak (Ottawa): 7 (1961–2003)
Longest Winning Streak (Montreal): 6 (1954–1959)

Did not play in following years: 1950–1952, 1962, 1964–1966, 1968–1970, 1972–1977, 1979–1986, 2002, 2015, 2019–2020, 2023–2025

Notes
No Montreal team 1987–1995
No Ottawa team 1997–2001, 2006–2013

Other matchups

BC Lions vs Montreal Alouettes

Lions victoriesAlouettes victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1980 Montreal Lions 14–6
2 1997 Montreal Alouettes 26–15
3 1998 Vancouver Alouettes 26–15
4 1999 Vancouver Lions 44–23
5 2000 Vancouver Alouettes 35–25
6 2001 Montreal Alouettes 23–19
7 2006 Montreal Lions 48–13
8 2007 Vancouver Lions 46–14
9 2008 Montreal Alouettes 30–25
10 2009 Vancouver Lions 19–12
11 2010 Montreal Lions 38–17
12 2012 Montreal Alouettes 30–25
13 2015 Montreal Lions 25–16
14 2023 Montreal Lions 34–25
Series: Lions leads 8–6

BC Lions vs Ottawa Rough Riders/Renegades/Redblacks

Lions victoriesRough Riders victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1981 Ottawa Rough Riders 17–7
2 1982 Ottawa Lions 45–13
3 1983 Ottawa Rough Riders 49–19
4 1985 Ottawa Lions 18–13
5 1986 Vancouver Lions 40–10
6 1987 Ottawa Lions 55–16
7 1988 Vancouver Lions 24–11
8 1989 Vancouver Lions 49–32
9 1991 Vancouver Lions 24–20
10 1992 Vancouver Lions 33–27
11 1993 Ottawa Lions 25–24
12 2002 Ottawa Lions 28–4
13 2024 Victoria Lions 38–12
Series: Lions leads 11–2
Ottawa known as Renegades in 2002 and as Redblacks in 2024

Montreal Alouettes vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats

Hamilton has played and hosted the Labour Day Classic against Montreal (aka Labour Day Classique) nine times in CFL history, including all four years in which the team was known as the Concordes. According to a Hamilton Spectator article, 2011 marked 25 years since Montreal had battled Hamilton in this Classic at home. In previous years, Montreal has played as either the Alouettes or Concordes. The Classique has been a notoriously one-sided rivalry; Hamilton is undefeated in the Labour Day series, and Montreal is winless, with their best result being a tie in the first Classique in 1962.

Alouettes victoriesTiger-Cats victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1962 Hamilton Tie25–25
2 1965 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 17–2
3 1970 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 17–12
4 1982 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28–9
5 1983 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35–30
6 1984 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30–11
7 1985 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 19–16
8 1986 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42–7
9 2011 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 44–21
Series: Tiger-Cats leads 8–0–1
Montreal known as Concordes 1982–1985

BC at Saskatchewan (since 1949)

1955Monday, September 5BC24Saskatchewan23
1956Monday, September 3BC10Saskatchewan24
1957Monday, September 2BC13Saskatchewan28
1958Monday, September 1BC14Saskatchewan22
1959Monday, September 7BC35Saskatchewan17
1960Monday, September 5BC31Saskatchewan21
1969Monday, September 1BC14Saskatchewan32
1971Monday, September 6BC14Saskatchewan35
1976Monday, September 6BC14Saskatchewan17

Montreal at Saskatchewan (since 1949)

1964Monday, September 7Montreal0Saskatchewan32
1966Monday, September 5Montreal0Saskatchewan44
1981Sunday, September 6Montreal26Saskatchewan35

Edmonton at Saskatchewan (since 1949)

1965Monday, September 6Edmonton24Saskatchewan22
1967Monday, September 4Edmonton6Saskatchewan18
1968Monday, September 2Edmonton2Saskatchewan29
1973Monday, September 3Edmonton27Saskatchewan28

References

  1. ↑ "2021 CFL season schedule". Canadian Football League . Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  2. ↑ "2022 CFL season schedule". Canadian Football League . Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  3. ↑ "West Coast Vibes: Touchdown Series heads to Victoria in 2024". Canadian Football League. November 29, 2023.
  4. ↑ "CFL not to play shortened season in the fall". Canadian Football League. August 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Gameday: The Labour Day Classique Archived February 17, 2015, at the Wayback Machine .
  6. ↑ From a purely football angle, this Labour Day Classique should be a good one Archived September 13, 2012, at the Wayback Machine . Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Mark Your Calendars: 2013 CFL Schedule announced". March 5, 2013.
  8. ↑ Bucholtz, Andrew. Five takeaways from the CFL's 2016 schedule. 55 Yard Line (Yahoo! Sports). Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  9. ↑ 3Down Staff (May 3, 2016). "Ticats partner with Mac to supersize Labour Day".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ↑ "2019 CFL season schedule". Canadian Football League . Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Canadian Football Timelines (1860–present)". Football Canada. Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. Retrieved December 23, 2006.
  12. ↑ Edwards, Drew (October 12, 2013). "Some fans might remember Harold Ballard . . . but the Ballard Cup!?". TheRecord.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  13. ↑ "TIGER-CATS ANNOUNCE WEATHERTECH FOOTBALL DAY IN HAMILTON TO TAKE PLACE ON LABOUR DAY – Hamilton Tiger-Cats". ticats.ca.
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