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When Paul Juzkow and Jimmy Curry show up at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg for Sunday’s Grey Cup game, there’s a good chance they won’t have tickets — but they have no doubt they’ll be in the stadium when the game kicks off.
“We’ve been coming since 2008, and we come without tickets,” Juzkow said Saturday.
For more than 15 years, the two close friends from Vancouver have travelled to every Grey Cup game, no matter where it is in Canada. They always bring along a sign asking for free Grey Cup tickets.
According to Juzkow, they’ve ended up getting free tickets on several occasions, while at other games they managed to get last-minute tickets at prices well below face value.
“I just said, ‘I’m going to bring a sign,’ and it’s worked so well that we always get tickets. We’ve never missed a game,” he said.
The sign has also led to the two friends meeting countless people in the cities they have been to for the Grey Cup.
Juzkow shows off the sign he’s brought to Grey Cup host cities since 2008, asking for free Grey Cup tickets. (Gavin Axelrod/CBC)
“I’ve been stopped already 10 times” so far in Winnipeg, Juzkow said. “It’s fabulous we’ve met so many people over the years.”
But while the thrill of trying to get free tickets keeps the two coming back, Curry said they never miss a Grey Cup because of what the game, and the CFL, mean to them.
“We meet diehard fans from all over the country,” Curry said. “I think it’s really the diehard fans that want to see the CFL game, and they will be here and enjoy a great weekend, because Grey cup is the best.”
The 112th Grey Cup will see the Saskatchewan Roughriders take on the Montreal Alouettes at Princess Auto Stadium on Sunday.
Two people who already have their tickets to Sunday’s game are brothers and Roughriders fans Josh and Nathan Siemens, who travelled to Winnipeg from their home in Saskatchewan and will be at the game Sunday to cheer on their team.
Brothers and Saskatchewan Roughriders fans Josh and Nathan Siemens travelled to Winnipeg from their home in Saskatchewan and will be at the game Sunday to cheer on their team. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)
And because of the often bitter rivalry between the Roughriders and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Nathan said he would like nothing more than to see his team win a championship on the Bombers’ home field.
“Almost as good as winning at home — probably the second-best place,” he said. “Not as good as in Regina, but a pretty close second.”
Despite the rivalry, the brothers say so far, they have been treated well by the Bomber fans they’ve met since arriving in Winnipeg.
“Everyone’s been super friendly,” Josh said. “There’s been a few friendly heckles, but for the most part the city’s been great and everyone’s been lovely.”
WATCH | Fans gather in Winnipeg for Grey Cup:
Grey Cup parties underway in Winnipeg this weekend
The Saskatchewan Roughriders face the Montreal Alouettes in the 112th Grey Cup on Sunday. CBC’s Gavin Axelrod shares more on the festivities from the downtown street party in Winnipeg.
For Surrey, B.C., resident Kyle Dunn, attending the championship is a 23-year ritual. The B.C. Lions superfan has drawn his partner, Heather Smith, into the fandom, and she’s attending her second Grey Cup this year.
“It’s just a great atmosphere,” Dunn said.
“It’s a place where you can go and we all have similar interests. We’re all here for football. We’re all here to have a good time, and it’s uniquely Canadian.”
With his team out of the running for this year’s trophy, Dunn is only cheering for a game that comes down to the last second.
“I’m cheering for both teams to lose,” he said with a laugh.
