Saskatchewan Roughriders

The Saskatchewan Roughriders, are a professional football team based in Regina, Saskatchewan who play in the West Division of the Canadian Football League. Founded in 1910, they play their home games at 2940 10th Avenue in Regina, which has been the team's home base for its entire history, even prior to the construction of Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field. Originally known as the Regina Rugby Club from 1910 to 1923, they changed their name to the Regina Roughriders in 1924 and finally to the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1948.

The team draws fans from across Saskatchewan and Canada who are affectionately known as the "Rider Nation". They have won the CFL Western Division regular season championship 11 times: 1951, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1976, 1989, 1997, 2007, 2009 and 2010. But, despite playing in the championship game 18 times they have won only three Grey Cups over their 100 year history. The fans are known for their loyalty and "Rider Pride", and it is not unusual to find a group of Rider fans following the team on their road games across the country. The team has had 17 players inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Their rivalry with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers is arguably the most passionate and intense in the league, as games between the two are often sold out before the beginning of the season. The Roughriders Football Club and the city of Regina have been chosen to host the 101st Grey Cup.

Team facts

 * Formerly known as: Regina Rugby Club 1910 to 1923, Regina Roughriders 1924 to 1947
 * Helmet design: Green helmet with a black and white "S" and stalks of wheat on each side with a black background.
 * Retro helmet design: Green helmet with logo of a green wreath surrounding a green S on a white background
 * Uniform colours: Green and white, with black accents
 * Nickname: Riders, the green and white
 * Western first place regular season finishes: 7—1951, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1976, 2009
 * Grey Cup final appearances: 18;—1923 (lost), 1928 (lost), 1929 (lost), 1930 (lost), 1931 (lost), 1932 (lost), 1934 (lost), 1951 (lost), 1966 (won), 1967 (lost), 1969 (lost), 1972 (lost), 1976 (lost), 1989 (won), 1997 (lost), 2007 (won), 2009 (lost). 2010 (lost)
 * '''Grey Cup wins: 3—1966, 1989, 2007
 * Hosted the Grey Cup two times: 1995 (83rd Grey Cup), 2003 (91st Grey Cup)
 *  Main rivals: Winnipeg Blue Bombers (see Labour Day Classic and Banjo Bowl), Edmonton Eskimos, Calgary Stampeders.
 * 2011 regular season record: 5 wins, 13 losses. 10 points

Public company
The Roughriders are one of only a few publicly owned professional sports companies in North America, complete with a board of directors. The Roughriders' public ownership model is similar to the Green Bay Packers where a limited number of shares have been sold to the public. It is not possible to resell these shares, no dividend payment is possible and no person may hold more than 20 voting shares. A recent public offering of Rider Shares — Series 1 — commenced in 2004 at an offering price of $250 per share In 2006 the Ottawa Sun reported that the Roughriders had sold around 3,000 at $250 each. The Series 1 offering closed in 2008 after all 6,000 shares were sold. A second public offering, Series 2, was launched in 2010 in honour of the team's 100th anniversary.

Board of directors
Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club, Inc., is governed by an 11 member Board of Directors. As of 2011 the board consists of Chairman Roger Brandvold, Vice-Chair Rory Picklyk, Doug Emsley, Paul Hill, Twyla Meredith, Wayne Morsky, Dennis Mulvihill, Robert Leurer, Laurie Powers, Jeff Stusek and Joel Teal. Although not technically a member of the Board of Directors, Jim Hopson serves as the teams President and Chief Executive Officer.

Financial statements
On April 5, 2008, a report was released saying that the Roughriders set a new record for earnings in a single season. In 2007 the Roughriders generated $22,950,489 in revenue, with a profit of $1,737,377. These earnings were due in part to the championship season the Roughriders sported, which included 8 home game sellouts and their first home playoff game in 19 years.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club generated $6.6 million in profits in 2010. The club exceeded the $38 million plateau in total gross revenues. The team enjoyed record sales in all areas of its operation, from sell-out crowds in the stands to merchandise sales and sponsorship deals.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders exceeded the 2010 CFL SEC of the Salary Management System by $26,677. The team was fined $26,677 in accordance with the punishment provisions set out in the SMS.

Franchise history
The team was founded as the Regina Rugby Club on Tuesday, September 13, 1910, adopting the colours of old gold and purple. Regina played their first game against the Moose Jaw Tigers on October 1, 1910 at the Moose Jaw Baseball Grounds where they were defeated 16–6. For the 1911 season, the team changed their colours to blue and white and changed them again in 1912 to red and black. In 1923, they played in the Grey Cup final for the first time, losing 54–0 to Queen's University in Toronto. The following year, they changed their name to the Regina Roughriders adopting the colours of red and black. (Ottawa's Rugby Club had been called the Rough Riders since 1890s.) With dominant players such as Eddie James, the Roughriders were a perennial contender from the West, reaching the Grey Cup finals five consecutive years from 1928–32, and again in 1934 but each time coming up short against their eastern opponents. In 1936, Regina banded with Winnipeg to form the (Western Interprovincial Football Union) Western Conference. With the folding of both clubs in Moose Jaw and Saskatoon, the Regina Roughriders became a provincially-owned and -operated club, surviving only on the undying support from the entire province. They became the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 1948, while adopting their current colours of green and white. The name change was made official on l April 1, 1950.

There are two theories on where the name "Roughriders" came from. One states that it came from the North West Mounted Police who were called Roughriders because they broke the wild horse broncos used by the force. The other states there was a Canadian contingent who fought with Teddy Roosevelt in the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt’s troops became known as the Roughriders. Following the war, the troops returned to Canada, part settling in Ottawa, and the rest moving out West. The colours of the Roosevelt infantry were red and black.

Notable seasons
League annals show 11 CFL Western Division regular season championship: 1951, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1976, 1989, 1997, 2007, 2009 and 2010. 18 Grey cup appearances and three Grey Cups (1966, 1989, 2007) in their 100 year history.

1951–1956
In 1951, the Roughriders, led by quarterback Glenn Dobbs advanced to the Grey Cup final where they faced the Ottawa Rough Riders for the first time. Eventually, the formation of what became the CFL brought both teams into a 9-team league, each with the same established nickname which they were allowed to keep although different in spelling were identically pronounced. This situation continued until the Ottawa folded in 1996. The Rough Riders were named for the log rollers of the region's rivers, while the Roughriders were named for an elite North-West Mounted Police corps of expert horsemen. The Eastern Riders finished first in the WIFU with an 8–6 record. They won the W.I.F.U. Finals against the Edmonton Eskimos in a 2–1 series (42–38 points), but they lost the Grey Cup to the Ottawa Rough Riders 21–14 Saskatchewan contended on and off in the 1950s, with standouts such as Frank Tripucka, Reggie Whitehouse, Ken Carpenter, Mike Cassidy, player-coach Frank Filchock and Cookie Gilchrist who was the first Roughrider to rush for 1,000 yards in 1958. Even with that talent, they didn't return to the Grey Cup in part because of very strong championship clubs fielded by the Edmonton Eskimos and Winnipeg Blue Bombers from that era.

In 1952 the riders finished fourth in the WIFU with a 3–13 record and missed the playoffs.

In 1953 they finished second in the WIFU with an 8–7–1 record. They lost in the W.I.F.U. Semi-Finals to the Blue Bombers in a 1–1 series (60–23 points).

1954 the riders finished 2nd in the WIFU with a 10–4–2 record and lost in the W.I.F.U. Semi-Finals to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in an 0–1–1 series (27–25 points).

1955 saw them finish second once again in the WIFU with a 10–6 record. They lost once again in the W.I.F.U. Semi-Finals to the Blue Bombers in a 1–1 series (24–16 points).

In 1956 they finished second in the WIFU for the 3rd straight year with a 10–6 record. This time they beat the Blue Bombers in the W.I.F.U. Semi-Finals 1–1 series (50–26 points). But, lost the W.I.F.U. Finals to the Edmonton Eskimos in a 2–1 series (93–42 points). The Roughriders' darkest day came on December 9, 1956 when four members of the team were killed in a plane crash while returning from the CFL All-Star game in Vancouver. Gordon Sturtridge, Mel Becket, Ray Syrnyk, and Mario DeMarco were killed when Flight 810 crashed into Slesse Mountain near Chilliwack, British Columbia. The team retired the numbers of the four players shortly after the tragedy.

The lean years: 1957–1962
In 1957 the Roughriders finished 5th in the WIFU, with a 3–12–1 record and missed the playoffs.

In 1959 the Roughriders finished 5th in the WIFU, with a very disappointing 1–15 season.

In 1960 the Roughriders finished 5th in the WIFU once again, with a dismal 2–12–2 record.

In 1961 the Roughriders finished 4th in the WIFU, with a 5–10–1.

In 1962 the Roughriders finished 3rd in the WIFU, with a 8–7–1 record and lost in the W.I.F.U. Semi-Finals to the Calgary Stampeders in a 2–0 series (43–7 points).

1963–1976: the Ronnie and George show
In 1963, with the acquisition of quarterback Ron Lancaster from Ottawa, the Riders ushered in a era of greatness which during his sixteen years donning the Green and White, led Saskatchewan to five Western Conference titles, a Grey Cup title in 1966 winning 29–14 victory over the now-defunct Ottawa Rough Riders, and making the playoffs fourteen times during his tenure which included a CFL record 11 straight appearances in the Western finals from 1966–76. They also posted the best regular season record in all of pro football over that time period. He was joined by running back George Reed in 1965 to form the league's most productive offensive backfield year in and year out. Reed retired after the 1975 season as the all time leading rusher in all of pro football and Lancaster retired after the 1978 season as the CFL's all time passing leader in yards, completions and touchdown passes.

Other notable players during this era was Lancaster's favorite target, Hugh Campbell at wide receiver while Ed McQuarters, Alan Ford, Ted Provost and Bill Baker were standouts on defense.

1977–1987: decline and a playoff drought
After their loss in the 1976 Grey Cup game to the Eastern Riders, Saskatchewan fell into a period of decline that was unprecedented in the CFL. From 1977 to 1987, they failed to qualify for the postseason despite having talented players like Joey Walters at receiver, Vince Goldsmith at defensive end, offensive lineman Roger Aldag from Gull Lake and Dave Ridgway who became one of the greatest kickers in CFL history. The closest the Riders came to making the playoffs was 1981 when they finished fourth in a competitive West Division with a 9–7 record. It was also the only winning record the Riders recorded during that span. However, in a division dominated by Edmonton and Calgary, the Riders usually found themselves in a three-way battle with BC and Winnipeg for the last playoff spot in the West.

1988–1999
The Roughriders finally ended their 11 year playoff drought in 1988 when they tied for first in the West along with Edmonton finishing with identical records of 11–7, but lost to the BC Lions in the Western semifinal 42–18. The next season, despite finishing 9–9, the Riders got hot in the playoffs, beating the Calgary Stampeders in the semis and upset the 16–2 Edmonton Eskimos in the West final to advance to the Grey Cup where they would face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. With a talented roster that included Kent Austin at quarterback, receivers Ray Elgaard, Donald Narcisse, Jeff Fairholm and James "Duke" Ellingson, and a outstanding offensive line featuring Aldag, Vic Stevenson, Dan Payne and Bob Poley, the 1989 Grey Cup was one of the most thrilling finals ever, with Saskatchewan coming out on top 43–40 on Dave Ridgway's GW 35-yd FG simply known as "The Kick."

The Danny Barrett era: 2000–2006
In 1999, Roy Shivers, the former Director of Player Personnel for the Calgary Stampeders, assumed the duties of general manager of the Roughriders. Shivers hired Danny Barrett as the head coach despite the latter's limited coaching experience. The Roughriders made football history by being the first professional team with a black general manager and head coach.

In the 2000 football season the Roughriders finished 5–12–1 and 4th in the West and they missed the Playoffs. In the 2001 football season the Roughriders finished 6–12 and 4th in the West and they missed the Playoffs. In the 2002 football season the Roughriders finished 8–10 and 4th in the West and they lost the East Semi-Final (Crossover) 24–14 to Toronto. In the 2003 football season the Roughriders finished 11–7 and 3rd in the West and they won the West Semi-Final 37–21 over Winnipeg and lost the West Final 30–23 to Edmonton. In the 2004 football season the Roughriders finished 9–9 and 3rd in the West and they won West Semi-Final 14–6 over Edmonton and lost West Final 27–25 to B.C. in OT. In the 2005 football season the Roughriders finished 9–9 and 4th in the West and they lost the East Semi-Final (Crossover) 30–14 to Montreal. In the 2006 football season the Roughriders finished 9–9 and 3rd in the West and they Won West Semi-Final 30–21 over Calgary and they lost West Final 45–18 to B.C..

2007 to present
After contending on and off in the 1990s and in the first part of the 21st century. In the 2007 season, the Riders hired '89 Grey Cup hero Kent Austin as head coach, the team jumped out to a 7–2 start, their best since 1976. Notable was a last-minute victory over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the annual Labour Day Classic. The Riders wore retro uniforms for the occasion, with stylistic similarities to jerseys worn in the 1960s and 70s.

The 2007 season brought along with it the Roughriders' first home playoff game since 1988, which was played at Mosaic Stadium on November 11 against the Calgary Stampeders. The Riders once again wore their retro uniforms and took a close victory 26–24. This was also their first home playoff win since 1976.

The team followed up on November 18 with a 26–17 win at BC Place over the BC Lions in the West Division final to give the Roughriders a berth in their first Grey Cup final since 1997.

On November 25, 2007, the Riders played the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the 95th Grey Cup. This marked the first time that two Labour Day Classic opponents played each other in a Grey Cup game. Saskatchewan won 23–19 in a game where James Johnson recorded three interceptions, a Grey Cup record. He was named MVP of the 2007 Grey Cup, with Roughrider Andy Fantuz being named the Canadian MVP in the game. He had 70 yards receiving and the game-winning touchdown.

A month and a half after capturing the 2007 Grey Cup, Austin stepped down as head coach to become the offensive co-ordinator at Ole Miss. In accepting this position in the NCAA, Austin turned down a very lucrative contract that the Riders had offered. On February 6, 2008, Roughriders GM Eric Tillman announced that the new head coach would be Ken Miller. Miller was formerly an offensive coordinator under Austin.

The 2008 season began with a 6–0 record with wins shared between three quarterbacks. This is the team's best record since 1934 when they were still known as the Regina Roughriders. On August 24, 2008, the team's General Manager, Eric Tillman, announced the acquisition of Quarterback Michael Bishop; the Toronto Argonauts backup quarterback at the time of the trade, he went 11–1 as a starter for the Argonauts in 2007. This was the end of Marcus Crandell's run with the Roughriders, and he was released four days later. After the 6–0 start, the Riders would go on to finish the 2008 CFL Regular season with the same record they finished with in 2007, at 12–6. The Roughriders finished in second place in the CFL West Division and earned the right to host the CFL West Division Semi-Final for the second consecutive year. The Roughriders suffered a devastating 33–12 loss to the BC Lions in the western semi-final game on November 8, 2008. Michael Bishop was released by the Riders shortly after the Riders November 8, 2008 lost.

In 2009 the Roughriders led by star quarterback Darian Durant won the West Division with a 10–7–1 record, they won the Western Divisional Finals by beating Calgary 27 to 17. They lost the Grey Cup game by one point to Montreal 28 to 27.

The Roughrideres celebrated their 100th year anniversary as a football club during the 2010 season. The Roughriders finished second in the West with a 10–8 record. The Roughriders won the Western Divisional Semifinals over the B.C. Lions 41–38, and lost the Grey Cup championship game to Montreal by three points 21 to 18.

In the 2011 Saskatchewan Roughriders season, the Roughriders finished last in the West with a 5–13 record and missed the playoffs.

Mascot
The current official Rider mascot is Gainer the Gopher, who made his first appearance in 1977. "Gainer" is an anagram of Regina and the gopher, or more properly, Richardson's Ground Squirrel (not a Gopher) is a common animal on the Canadian Prairies.

Band
In 1993 the 620 CKRM Saskatchewan Roughrider Pep Band was formed under the direction of band director, Bob Mossing. The Band plays at each Saskatchewan Roughrider home game, both in the stands and in front of the stadium before games. The band was fashioned after a USA College football team band, and it is a high energy “rah-rah” group.

The band was the first in the CFL, to be fashioned after a USA College Band. Its first major trip was to the 1993 Grey Cup in Calgary, Alberta. The Pep Band has gone to every Grey Cup since 1993. The Band is comprised of volunteer musicians who enjoy a good time and the members range in age from the late teens to seniors.

Fan support
Rider fans have been referred to as the best fans in the league and were ranked the rowdiest fans of any sports team in Canada by MSN Sports, ranking ahead of the Canada men's national junior ice hockey team and the Montreal Canadiens. The team is third behind the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs for merchandise sales of Canadian sports teams, and in 2009 the team played in 5 of the 6 most viewed games on television as well as breaking a ratings record for the West Final against the Calgary Stampeders and a Grey Cup ratings record of 43% of the national population against the Montreal Alouettes. The Riders typically bring an upsurge in attendance at all or most of their various away venues, drawing crowds of their own fans, as well as home-town fans whose interest is heightened when the Roughriders come to town. The province of Saskatchewan went through tough economic times during the 1980s and 1990s and as a result thousands of Rider fans left the province for work, particularly to Alberta. In Edmonton and especially Calgary, Rider fans make up to half the crowd, and many violent clashes between fans have resulted in recent years between Roughrider and Stampeder fans. The Riders have led road attendance in the CFL every year this decade,. and local support has skyrocketed in recent years due to the on-field success of the club, including the first sold-out season in 2008. The Roughriders attendance record came in 1995 in a win over the Calgary Stampeders as 55,438 (more than 25% of Regina's population) fans watched on. This crowd was attainable that year because of the increased capacity of Taylor Field in preparation of hosting the Grey Cup. Rider fans are also known for dressing up in unique and often bizarre Rider-themed costumes, the most popular being the watermelon helmet. The Rider Nation was honored with the 2010 Commissioner's award for their exceptional fan support. Randy Goulden accepted the prize on behalf of the Rider Fans.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders Football Club saw record revenue from ticket sales during the 2010 season as a result of the sell-out of all regular season games. Gate receipts totaled $11.3 million surpassing the prior year’s record by 9%. The Club’s season ticket base continued to grow with an increase of 8% seen in the year. The Club’s Centennial celebrations and strong playoff run helped drive sales to a new level. The Club exceeded $10.3 million in merchandise revenue during 2010/11 which was an increase of 45% over the prior year’s record sales of $7.1 million. The Roughriders had 7 sell-outs in 10 home games in 2011 despite going 5–13. The average home attendance for the Roughriders in 2011 including preseason and regular season was 30,051.

University Section
The University Section is a notorious group of season ticket holders who occupy Section 28 in the East Side bleachers at Taylor Field. They are known for their strict allegiance to the Riders, standing through the entire game, and often being merciless to opposing fans who sit in the section and cheer for the road team. They enjoy taunting the opposing team's bench with a series of chanting and slandering. The University Section got its nickname from the section's main purpose in the 1980s and 1990s and was a discount section offered to university students in Saskatchewan. The section no longer serves as a university section but still retains the name because of the rowdy behaviour of the fans.

Fight and theme songs
The Roughriders are unique among sports teams for the amount of songs written about them. The official Rider songs are played regularly at the stadium, and include "Rider Pride", and "Paint the Whole World Green." and also 'borrowed songs' "Green is the Colour"(edited copy of the original "Blue is the Colour" written by D Boone and R McQueen for the Chelsea Football Club) and "On Roughriders" (edited from On Wisconsin, the fight song for the Wisonsin Badgers). In addition, during every fourth quarter intermission, the P.A. system plays the cult hit "The Last Saskatchewan Pirate" by The Arrogant Worms, and the Riders Cheer Team leads the crowd in a fourth quarter stretch. There are many other songs that have been created over the years to tribute the team as well. Many of these songs have proved so popular in Western Canada that they have become popular culture phenomena. The music selection at Mosaic Stadium is mostly consisted of mainstream popular music.

Radio and television
The Co-operators Roughrider Football Network comprises the radio stations CKRM in Regina, CJWW in Saskatoon and CJGX in Yorkton. Rod Pedersen is the play-by-play announcer, and game broadcasts are available throughout much of Saskatchewan via CKRM and worldwide on the internet through the station's website. Rider coverage is also available on News talk 980 CJME which is heard thru out Saskatchewan.

Sirius Satellite Radio also enjoys an exclusive deal with the CFL, including the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and all games are available on Sirius. On television in Canada, all Roughrider games are broadcast nationally in English on TSN and select games are available in French on RDS. Outside of Canada, some of the team's games can be viewed in the United States on NFL Network and on the Internet via ESPN3.

Canadian Football Hall of Famers

 * Ron Atchison
 * Roger Aldag
 * Bill Baker
 * Al Benecick
 * "Gluey" Hugh Campbell
 * Ken Charlton
 * Bill Clarke
 * Ray Elgaard
 * Edwin "Eddie" "Dynamite" James
 * Bobby Jurasin
 * Ron Lancaster
 * Ed McQuarters
 * Don Narcisse
 * George Reed
 * Dave Ridgway
 * Martin Ruby
 * N. J. "Piffles" Taylor
 * Ted Urness

The 1990s
Legend: F = For, A = Against

* For the 1995 Season, all 8 Canadian teams were featured in the Northern Division.

The Danny Barrett era
* From 2000 to 2002, the CFL awarded a single point to teams losing in overtime. The Riders had two such losses during the 2002 season.

Media

 * Hitstory of the Watermelon Helmet - Saskatchewan Roughriders
 * Saskatchewan Roughriders - 100 Years of Pride