Interest in Grey Cup may be waning in Regina, as hundreds of tickets being resold online

On Sept. 28, the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Canadian Football League announced that the 109th Grey Cup game at Regina's Mosaic Stadium had sold out. 

But now, people appear to be ticket dumping.

On the the Ticketmaster website, nearly every section has tickets for the Nov. 20 CFL championship game available for resale. Some of the tickets posted hover around the $1,000 price point. 

The Grey Cup match is finally coming to Regina, after it was originally intended to be held in the city in 2020 — but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the game, and later the entire season.

For some in Regina, the Grey Cup game is now not top of mind.

"I went off and started watching the NFL, so I lost interest in the CFL," said Regina's Judy Simpson. "Unfortunately, it could be performance in general, the lack of our bums in the stands, the community involvement."

In addition to the game itself, fans are also invited to the Grey Cup Festival, which runs from Nov. 15-20 — kicking off in Saskatoon on Nov. 15 before moving to Regina, where all festival events and the 109th Grey Cup will take place. 

It features family-friendly events, team parties like Riderville, and a daily entertainment lineup.

But some in Regina are still undecided about how much of the Grey Cup activities they'll take in.

"Currently I'm unsure," said Rebecca Henricksen. "I mean, if the Riders were in a better position, I'd be game for it. But because they're not, I don't care much."

The Riders are currently 6-10, after an Oct. 7 loss to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

While interest may be waning with local fans, Regina hotels say they're fully booked during the Grey Cup.

Attia Syed, general manager of the Days Inn East, said the hotel has a waiting list for rooms.

However, Syed said when a room becomes available people on the waiting list are telling them they're not sure they want a room anymore. 

"They're asking for some time to think about it," he said.

Online, some Saskatchewan Reddit users are still steamed volunteers are being asked to pay an $85 "commitment fee."

"[I'm] not going and not volunteering, I did both last time it was here," said one poster.

Another said they might keep their tickets if Saskatchewan is playing, but travelling from Saskatoon to Regina "is too expensive to justify watching other teams play."

On Wednesday, Regina city council's executive committee voted in favour of almost $50,000 more funding for Grey Cup festivities downtown.

The Regina Downtown Business Improvement District requested the funding in support of Touchdown Downtown, which will include family-friendly activities such as live music, movies and an outdoor family dance at Pat Fiacco Plaza.

That's on top of the $1 million the city has already put toward the Grey Cup.

"A million dollars is a lot of money," said Ward 4 Coun. Lori Bresciani, adding she thought downtown activities would get some of that money.

"It was my expectation that that was what we were going to give and there was not going to be a further ask," she said. "But it's imperative that our downtown be included in a Grey Cup festival."

CBC reached out to the Roughriders and the CFL for comment on how many volunteers have been recruited and ticket resales.

Neither would comment on the Grey Cup at this time.