Labour Day Classic

The Labour Day Classic is a particular week of the Canadian Football League (CFL) schedule that is 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. Mark's is the presenting sponsor of the event as of 2014.

This article is about the Canadian Football League tradition. For the college football rivalry in the Houston area, see Labor Day Classic.

The current weekend matchups involve the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the Sunday and on Labour Day itself, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats play at home against the Toronto Argonauts, while the Edmonton Eskimos visit the Calgary Stampeders. The Montreal Alouettes would normally play against the Ottawa Redblacks on the Thursday or Friday, but after both teams were given a bye week in 2019, the rivalry would be further diminished in 2020 with an Ottawa vs BC Lions matchup on the weekend.[1][2] The BC Lions have no geographic rival and would typically have a bye on Labour Day.

History

The Labour Day Classic began in 1949 and pre-dates the founding of the CFL by nine years. 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 1997–2001 and 2006–2013, the Alouettes usually played the Lions during those seasons, creating a "coast-to-coast" rivalry.

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.[3][4] While 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).[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] This was moved back to a 1pm start in 2019.[1]

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 Eskimos (see Battle of Alberta), and Tiger-Cats vs Argonauts (a rivalry which began in 1873),[8] 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 vs Calgary
Eskimos victoriesStampeders victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1949 Edmonton Stampeders 20–6
2 1950 Calgary Eskimos 19–13
3 1951 Calgary Eskimos 18–17
4 1952 Edmonton Eskimos 17–10
5 1953 Edmonton Eskimos 19–5
6 1959 Calgary Eskimos 16–10
7 1960 Calgary Eskimos 29–28
8 1961 Calgary Eskimos 10–9
9 1962 Calgary Stampeders 49–17
10 1963 Calgary Stampeders 16–14
11 1969 Calgary Stampeders 16–14
12 1970 Calgary Stampeders 28–13
13 1971 Calgary Stampeders 23–7
14 1972 Calgary Eskimos 31–19
15 1974 Calgary Eskimos 20–16
16 1975 Calgary Eskimos 35–31
17 1976 Calgary Eskimos 19–17
18 1977 Calgary Eskimos 22–8
19 1978 Calgary Tie28–28
20 1979 Calgary Eskimos 27–1
21 1980 Calgary Eskimos 38–23
22 1982 Calgary Stampeders 32–20
23 1983 Calgary Stampeders 18–15
24 1984 Calgary Eskimos 30–28
25 1985 Calgary Eskimos 34–28
26 1986 Calgary Eskimos 42–19
27 1987 Calgary Stampeders 29–20
28 1988 Calgary Eskimos 27–11
29 1989 Calgary Eskimos 31–14
30 1990 Calgary Eskimos 38–4
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
31 1991 Calgary Stampeders 48–36
32 1992 Calgary Eskimos 34–21
33 1993 Calgary Stampeders 33–13
34 1994 Calgary Stampeders 48–13
35 1995 Calgary Stampeders 51–26
36 1996 Calgary Stampeders 31–13
37 1997 Calgary Stampeders 27–14
38 1998 Calgary Stampeders 26–8
39 1999 Calgary Eskimos 33–30
40 2000 Calgary Eskimos 30–18
41 2001 Calgary Eskimos 33–32
42 2002 Calgary Eskimos 28–20
43 2003 Calgary Stampeders 28–22
44 2004 Calgary Eskimos 25–7
45 2005 Calgary Eskimos 25–23
46 2006 Calgary Stampeders 44–23
47 2007 Calgary Stampeders 35–24
48 2008 Calgary Eskimos 37–16
49 2009 Calgary Stampeders 32–8
50 2010 Calgary Stampeders 52–5
51 2011 Calgary Eskimos 35–7
52 2012 Calgary Stampeders 31–30
53 2013 Calgary Stampeders 37–34
54 2014 Calgary Stampeders 28–13
55 2015 Calgary Stampeders 16–7
56 2016 Calgary Stampeders 45–24
57 2017 Calgary Stampeders 39–18
58 2018 Calgary Stampeders 23–20
59 2019 Calgary Stampeders 25–9
Series: Tied 29–29–1

Longest Winning Streak (Eskimos): 7 (1950-1961)
Longest Winning Streak (Stampeders): 8 (2012-2019)

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

Winnipeg vs Saskatchewan
Blue Bombers victoriesRoughriders victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1949 Saskatchewan Roughriders 20–9
2 1950 Saskatchewan Roughriders 17–2
3 1951 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 24–22
4 1952 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 16–8
5 1953 Saskatchewan Roughriders 23–19
6 1954 Saskatchewan Roughriders 18–14
7 1961 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 17–11
8 1962 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 30–7
9 1963 Saskatchewan Roughriders 15–9
10 1970 Saskatchewan Roughriders 30–11
11 1972 Saskatchewan Roughriders 32–21
12 1974 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 20–18
13 1975 Saskatchewan Roughriders 27–23
14 1977 Saskatchewan Roughriders 26–18
15 1978 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 31–29
16 1979 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 28–11
17 1980 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 32–29
18 1982 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 36–35
19 1983 Saskatchewan Roughriders 32–30
20 1984 Saskatchewan Roughriders 30–25
21 1985 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 18–10
22 1986 Saskatchewan Roughriders 34–30
23 1987 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 29–25
24 1988 Saskatchewan Roughriders 29–19
25 1989 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 28–20
26 1990 Saskatchewan Roughriders 55–11
27 1991 Saskatchewan Roughriders 56–23
28 1992 Saskatchewan Roughriders 32–20
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
29 1993 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 25–24
30 1994 Saskatchewan Roughriders 42–31
31 1995 Saskatchewan Roughriders 56–4
32 1996 Saskatchewan Roughriders 41–23
33 1997 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 43–12
34 1998 Saskatchewan Roughriders 32–18
35 1999 Saskatchewan Roughriders 42–17
36 2000 Saskatchewan Roughriders 38–29
37 2001 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 20–18
38 2002 Saskatchewan Roughriders 33–19
39 2003 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 36–18
40 2004 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 17–4
41 2005 Saskatchewan Roughriders 45–26
42 2006 Saskatchewan Roughriders 39–12
43 2007 Saskatchewan Roughriders 31–26
44 2008 Saskatchewan Roughriders 19–6
45 2009 Saskatchewan Roughriders 29–14
46 2010 Saskatchewan Roughriders 27–23
47 2011 Saskatchewan Roughriders 27–7
48 2012 Saskatchewan Roughriders 52–0
49 2013 Saskatchewan Roughriders 48–25
50 2014 Saskatchewan Roughriders 35–30
51 2015 Saskatchewan Roughriders 37–19
52 2016 Saskatchewan Blue Bombers 28–25
53 2017 Saskatchewan Roughriders 38–24
54 2018 Saskatchewan Roughriders 31–23
55 2019 Saskatchewan Roughriders 19–17
Series: Roughriders leads 37–18

Longest winning streak (Roughriders): 11 (2005–2015)
Longest winning streak (Blue Bombers): 4 (1978–1982)

Did not play the following years: 1955–1960, 1964–1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1981

Toronto vs Hamilton

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.[9]

The Toronto—Hamilton contest is officially known as Football Day in Hamilton and has its own presenting sponsor, WeatherTech Canada. Since the opening of Tim Hortons Field, Football Day in Hamilton has consisted of a Tiger-Cats game as well as a concert and either a McMaster Marauders football or a Hamilton Hurricanes (CJFL) matinée.[10]

Argonauts victoriesTiger-Cats victories
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1950 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 13–6
2 1951 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27–6
3 1952 Hamilton Argonauts 33–13
4 1953 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 14–10
5 1954 Hamilton Argonauts 21–7
6 1955 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37–12
7 1956 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31–21
8 1957 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35–8
9 1958 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 31–24
10 1959 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 37–3
11 1960 Hamilton Argonauts 32–21
12 1961 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21–19
13 1963 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 7–1
14 1964 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24–8
15 1967 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12–9
16 1968 Hamilton Argonauts 18–15
17 1971 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30–17
18 1975 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20–11
19 1978 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 19–16
20 1980 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23–2
21 1987 Hamilton Argonauts 25–19
22 1988 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 56–28
23 1989 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23–18
24 1991 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 48–24
25 1992 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 27–24
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
26 1993 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23–21
27 1994 Hamilton Argonauts 31–19
28 1996 Hamilton Argonauts 38–7
29 1997 Hamilton Argonauts 46–3
30 1998 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 26–7
31 1999 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35–28
32 2000 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42–12
33 2001 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 26–13
34 2002 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 22–14
35 2003 Hamilton Argonauts 19–11
36 2004 Hamilton Tie30–30
37 2005 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33–30
38 2006 Hamilton Argonauts 40–6
39 2007 Hamilton Argonauts 32–14
40 2008 Hamilton Argonauts 34–31
41 2009 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 34–15
42 2010 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28–13
43 2012 Hamilton Argonauts 33–30
44 2014 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 13–12
45 2015 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42–12
46 2016 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 49–36
47 2017 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24–22
48 2018 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42–28
49 2019 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 38–27
Series: Tiger-Cats leads 35–13–1

Longest Winning Streak (Tiger-Cats): 6 (2014-2019)
Longest Winning Streak (Argonauts): 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

Ottawa vs Montreal
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 1949 Ottawa Rough Riders 22–21
2 1952 Montreal Rough Riders 32–21
3 1953 Ottawa Rough Riders 26–6
4 1954 Ottawa Alouettes 20–11
5 1955 Montreal Alouettes 34–22
6 1956 Montreal Alouettes 42–10
7 1957 Montreal Alouettes 22–21
8 1958 Montreal Alouettes 11–9
9 1959 Ottawa Alouettes 22–7
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 1975 Montreal Rough Riders 18–11
16 1978 Montreal Rough Riders 23–18
17 1996 Ottawa Rough Riders 17–6
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1 2003 Ottawa Renegades 43–38
2 2004 Ottawa Alouettes 22–16
3 2005 Montreal Alouettes 41–18
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
Series: Redblacks leads 13–11
Includes games from all Ottawa franchises

Longest Winning Streak (Ottawa): 8 (1961-2003)
Longest Winning Streak (Montreal): 7 (1954-1960)

Did not play in following years: 1950–1951, 1962, 1964–1966, 1968–1970, 1972–1974, 1976–1977, 1979–1986, 2002, 2015, 2019, 2020

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

Other matchups

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

BC vs Ottawa
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 BC Lions 40–10
6 1987 Ottawa Lions 55–16
7 1988 BC Lions 24–11
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
8 1989 BC Lions 49–32
9 1991 BC Lions 24–20
10 1992 BC Lions 33–27
11 1993 Ottawa Lions 25–24
12 2002 Ottawa Lions 28–4
Series: Lions leads 10–2
Ottawa known as Renegades in 2002

Montreal vs Hamilton

Hamilton has played and hosted the Labour Day Classic against Montreal (aka Labour Day Classique) nine times in CFL history. 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
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
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

References
  1. "2019 CFL season schedule". Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  2. "2020 CFL season schedule". Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  3. Gameday: The Labour Day Classique.
  4. From a purely football angle, this Labour Day Classique should be a good one. Hamilton Spectator. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  5. "Mark Your Calendars: 2013 CFL Schedule announced". March 5, 2013.
  6. Bucholtz, Andrew. Five takeaways from the CFL's 2016 schedule. 55 Yard Line (Yahoo! Sports). Retrieved February 18, 2016.
  7. Staff, 3Down (May 3, 2016). "Ticats partner with Mac to supersize Labour Day".
  8. "Canadian Football Timelines (1860–present)". Football Canada. Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. Retrieved December 23, 2006.
  9. Edwards, Drew (October 12, 2013). "Some fans might remember Harold Ballard . . . but the Ballard Cup!?". TheRecord.com. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  10. "TIGER-CATS ANNOUNCE WEATHERTECH FOOTBALL DAY IN HAMILTON TO TAKE PLACE ON LABOUR DAY – Hamilton Tiger-Cats". ticats.ca.
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