Thanksgiving Day Classic

This article is about Canadian Football League competition. For the series of National Football League games, see NFL on Thanksgiving Day.

The Thanksgiving Day Classic (French: Classique de jour de l'Action de grâce) is an annual doubleheader held on Thanksgiving in the Canadian Football League (CFL). It is typically one of two days in which the league plays on a Monday afternoon; the other is the Labour Day Classic. Unlike the Labour Day Classic, the teams in the Thanksgiving Day Classic rotate each year. Purolator is the presenting sponsor of the event as of 2022.[1]

The Montreal Alouettes have traditionally been given hosting duties for the opening game. This was originally started in 1997 to compensate for not being part of the Labour Day Classic festivities; Montreal and the various Ottawa franchises normally play on Labour Day when both franchises are active. The Alouettes' permanent hosting of Thanksgiving remained in place after Ottawa returned to the league in 2014. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats played CFL games annually in all but three years between 1958 and 1982, hosting the vast majority of them; Hamilton also hosted three times in four years from 1990 to 1993 and again hosted a Thanksgiving matchup in 2013 due to stadium construction disrupting their hosting of the 2013 Labour Day Classic.

Since the CFL's creation in 1958 to the 2018, there have been 120 games played on Thanksgiving Day.[2] The 2019 CFL season was the first in league history to feature no games on Thanksgiving Day.[3] The league scheduled the Classic for the 2020 CFL season, with one game being played on Thanksgiving Day.[4] However, due to financial issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the entire 2020 CFL season was cancelled and this game was not played.[5]

Despite Canadian Thanksgiving being a legal holiday in the United States (Columbus Day at the time), none of the CFL's American teams ever played the Thanksgiving Day Classic during the league's presence there in the mid-1990s.

Possible discontinuation or reformatting

[edit]

In late 2017, a proposal emerged to move the start of the CFL season to five or six weeks earlier than it begins in the present day, so that the Grey Cup would have been held on the third weekend of October, as opposed to the fourth Sunday in November as it stands as of 2024. The change, designed to accommodate a potential U.S. television agreement with NFL Network, had support among CFL owners and would have, if approved, taken effect for the 2019 CFL season. If the proposal had taken effect, Thanksgiving Day weekend would have overlaped with the CFL's division championship games.[6] While this change was not implemented and the season schedule remained the same, the league did not schedule any Thanksgiving Day games in 2019.[3] The league has indicated that such a schedule change would have needed to be negotiated in the league's collective bargaining agreement with the players' association. The CBA at the time expired in 2019; at the same time, the league renewed its existing agreement with ESPN, making a schedule change unnecessary, and the new CBA approved that year made no provision for a change.[7]

Results

[edit]

By year

[edit]
Year Visiting Team Score Home Team Score Source
1958 Ottawa Rough Riders 13 Montreal Alouettes 34 [8]
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 0 Toronto Argonauts 37
BC Lions 34 Saskatchewan Roughriders 16
Edmonton Eskimos 19 Calgary Stampeders 14
1959 Ottawa Rough Riders 28 Montreal Alouettes 12 [9]
Toronto Argonauts 7 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27 Saskatchewan Roughriders 14
Calgary Stampeders 41 Edmonton Eskimos 23
1960 Ottawa Rough Riders 51 Montreal Alouettes 21 [10]
Toronto Argonauts 16 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 48 Saskatchewan Roughriders 7
1961 Ottawa Rough Riders 14 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 10 [11]
BC Lions 7 Saskatchewan Roughriders 17
1962 Ottawa Rough Riders 26 Montreal Alouettes 24 [12]
Edmonton Eskimos 20 Saskatchewan Roughriders 28
1963 Edmonton Eskimos 17 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28 [13]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 8 Calgary Stampeders 14
1964 Ottawa Rough Riders 1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23 [14]
Montreal Alouettes 21 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 20
Toronto Argonauts 14 Saskatchewan Roughriders 31
1965 Calgary Stampeders 36 Montreal Alouettes 21 [15]
Ottawa Rough Riders 23 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 25
Saskatchewan Roughriders 20 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21
1966 Toronto Argonauts 9 Montreal Alouettes 8 [16]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 8
BC Lions 19 Edmonton Eskimos 7
1967 Montreal Alouettes 6 Ottawa Rough Riders 40 [17]
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 21 Saskatchewan Roughriders 22
1968 BC Lions 13 Montreal Alouettes 4 [18]
Calgary Stampeders 15 Saskatchewan Roughriders 19
1969 Toronto Argonauts 17 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 7 [19]
Montreal Alouettes 14 Edmonton Eskimos 20
1970 Ottawa Rough Riders 17 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24 [20]
Calgary Stampeders 13 Edmonton Eskimos 16
1971 BC Lions 3 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 36 [21]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24 Calgary Stampeders 17
1972 Calgary Stampeders 30 Ottawa Rough Riders 45 [22]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 15 Edmonton Eskimos 24
1973 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 14 Edmonton Eskimos 14 [23]
Ottawa Rough Riders 16 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 13
Calgary Stampeders 0 Montreal Alouettes 45
1974 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 19 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12 [24]
Calgary Stampeders 24 Edmonton Eskimos 10
1975 Toronto Argonauts 13 Montreal Alouettes 24 [25]
Calgary Stampeders 12 Edmonton Eskimos 21
1976 Montreal Alouettes 34 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 9 [26]
BC Lions 12 Edmonton Eskimos 16
1977 Toronto Argonauts 43 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 2 [27]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 24 Edmonton Eskimos 31
1978 Ottawa Rough Riders 5 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 25 [28]
BC Lions 15 Edmonton Eskimos 3
1979 Toronto Argonauts 3 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42 [29]
Calgary Stampeders 16 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 13
Montreal Alouettes 6 Edmonton Eskimos 47
1980 Calgary Stampeders 28 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 30 [30]
BC Lions 9 Edmonton Eskimos 33
1981 Saskatchewan Roughriders 28 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 12 [31]
Ottawa Rough Riders 6 Edmonton Eskimos 24
1982 Saskatchewan Roughriders 24 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24 [32]
Toronto Argonauts 35 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 39
1983 BC Lions 30 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18 [33]
1984 Calgary Stampeders 8 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 46 [34]
1985 Saskatchewan Roughriders 14 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 51 [35]
Toronto Argonauts 17 Calgary Stampeders 28
1986 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18 Ottawa Rough Riders 16 [36]
Toronto Argonauts 14 Calgary Stampeders 37
1987 Edmonton Eskimos 20 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 38 [37]
1988 Edmonton Eskimos 17 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 21 [38]
1989 Ottawa Rough Riders 21 Toronto Argonauts 49 [39]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 7 Edmonton Eskimos 45
1990 Edmonton Eskimos 23 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 25 [40]
1991 Saskatchewan Roughriders 21 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 42 [41]
1992 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 49 Ottawa Rough Riders 47 [42]
1993 Toronto Argonauts 20 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28 [43]
1994 Ottawa Rough Riders 24 Calgary Stampeders 28 [44]
1995 Calgary Stampeders 41 BC Lions 27 [45]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 20 Toronto Argonauts 31
1996 Montreal Alouettes 25 Ottawa Rough Riders 18 [46]
Toronto Argonauts 23 Calgary Stampeders 30
1997 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 13 Calgary Stampeders 31 [47]
1998 Toronto Argonauts 40 Montreal Alouettes 13 [48]
Edmonton Eskimos 40 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 20
1999 Saskatchewan Roughriders 7 Montreal Alouettes 43 [49]
Edmonton Eskimos 26 BC Lions 20
2000 Edmonton Eskimos 15 Montreal Alouettes 45 [50]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 40 BC Lions 33
2001 Saskatchewan Roughriders 13 Montreal Alouettes 7 [51]
Hamilton Tiger-Cats 35 Calgary Stampeders 33
2002 Toronto Argonauts 29 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28 [52] (OT)
Montreal Alouettes 48 Edmonton Eskimos 30
2003 Toronto Argonauts 15 Ottawa Renegades 21 [53]
Calgary Stampeders 22 Saskatchewan Roughriders 24
2004 BC Lions 16 Toronto Argonauts 22 [54]
Montreal Alouettes 19 Edmonton Eskimos 39
2005 Edmonton Eskimos 17 Toronto Argonauts 13 [55]
BC Lions 23 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 44
2006 Saskatchewan Roughriders 8 Montreal Alouettes 35 [56]
Edmonton Eskimos 23 Toronto Argonauts 28
2007 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 19 Montreal Alouettes 27 [57]
Saskatchewan Roughriders 33 Calgary Stampeders 21
2008 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 11 Montreal Alouettes 42 [58]
Saskatchewan Roughriders 5 Calgary Stampeders 42
2009 Calgary Stampeders 11 Montreal Alouettes 32 [59]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 38 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 28
2010 Calgary Stampeders 19 Montreal Alouettes 46 [60]
BC Lions 35 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 47
2011 Toronto Argonauts 19 Montreal Alouettes 29 [61]
Saskatchewan Roughriders 1 Edmonton Eskimos 17
2012 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 27 Montreal Alouettes 22 [62]
Saskatchewan Roughriders 36 Toronto Argonauts 10
2013 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 34 Montreal Alouettes 27 [63]
Toronto Argonauts 18 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 24
2014 Saskatchewan Roughriders 9 Montreal Alouettes 40 [64]
Winnipeg Blue Bombers 9 Edmonton Eskimos 41
2015 Toronto Argonauts 25 Montreal Alouettes 17 [65]
2016 Edmonton Eskimos 40 Montreal Alouettes 20 [66]
Calgary Stampeders 48 Toronto Argonauts 20
2017 Edmonton Eskimos 42 Montreal Alouettes 24 [67]
2018 Calgary Stampeders 12 Montreal Alouettes 6 [68]
Edmonton Eskimos 12 Saskatchewan Roughriders 19
2019 None [3]
2020 Toronto Argonauts vs. Montreal Alouettes cancelled [4][5]
2021 Ottawa Redblacks 16 Montreal Alouettes 20 [69]
Toronto Argonauts 24 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 23
2022 Ottawa Redblacks 24 Montreal Alouettes 18 [70]
2023 Ottawa Redblacks 3 Montreal Alouettes 29 [71]
2024 Ottawa Redblacks 12 Montreal Alouettes 19 [72]

By appearance

[edit]
Appearances Hosted Team Wins Losses Ties Win % Streak
33 27 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 17 15 1 .530 W1
38 30 Montreal Alouettes 19 19 0 .500 W2
29 11 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 18 10 1 .638 L1
33 19 Edmonton Eskimos/Elks 19 13 1 .591 L1
28 11 Calgary Stampeders 14 14 0 .500 W2
28 8 Toronto Argonauts 11 17 0 .393 W1
23 10 Saskatchewan Roughriders 11 11 1 .500 W1
23 6 Ottawa Rough Riders/Renegades/Redblacks 9 14 0 .391 L2
15 3 BC Lions 5 10 0 .333 L6

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "CFL and Purolator deepen commitment to food security". Canadian Football League. October 6, 2022.
  2. ^ 2018 CFL Game Notes, Calgary at Montreal
  3. ^ a b c "2019 CFL season schedule". cfl.ca. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  4. ^ a b "2020 CFL season schedule". cfl.ca. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  5. ^ a b "CFL not to play shortened season in the fall". Canadian Football League. August 17, 2020.
  6. ^ Baines, Tim (November 24, 2017). "Grey Cup in October? NFL Network TV deal could follow for CFL". Sun Media. Retrieved May 24, 2018.
  7. ^ "CFL players search for unified voice as CBA talks loom". cbc.ca. March 23, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  8. ^ "1958 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  9. ^ "1959 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  10. ^ "1960 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  11. ^ "1961 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  12. ^ "1962 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  13. ^ "1963 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  14. ^ "1964 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  15. ^ "1965 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  16. ^ "1966 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  17. ^ "1967 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  18. ^ "1968 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  19. ^ "1969 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  20. ^ "1970 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  21. ^ "1971 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  22. ^ "1972 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  23. ^ "1973 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  24. ^ "1974 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  25. ^ "1975 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  26. ^ "1976 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  27. ^ "1977 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  28. ^ "1978 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  29. ^ "1979 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  30. ^ "1980 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-12-13. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  31. ^ "1981 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  32. ^ "1982 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  33. ^ "1983 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  34. ^ "1984 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  35. ^ "1985 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  36. ^ "1986 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  37. ^ "1987 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  38. ^ "1988 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  39. ^ "1989 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  40. ^ "1990 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  41. ^ "1991 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  42. ^ "1992 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  43. ^ "1993 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  44. ^ "1994 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  45. ^ "1995 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-09-22. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  46. ^ "1996 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  47. ^ "1997 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  48. ^ "1998 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  49. ^ "1999 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  50. ^ "CFL Teams". 2003-12-11. Archived from the original on December 11, 2003. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  51. ^ "CFL Teams". 2004-02-03. Archived from the original on February 3, 2004. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  52. ^ "CFL Teams". 2004-02-03. Archived from the original on February 3, 2004. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  53. ^ "CFL Schedules". 2003-12-04. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  54. ^ "CFL Schedules". 2004-12-04. Archived from the original on December 4, 2004. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  55. ^ "2005 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2009-04-19. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  56. ^ "2006 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-05-24. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  57. ^ "2007 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2012-05-27. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  58. ^ "2008 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  59. ^ "2009 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-07-20. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  60. ^ "2010 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  61. ^ "2011 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  62. ^ "2012 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  63. ^ "2013 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-12-28. Retrieved 2013-11-29.
  64. ^ "2014 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2014-02-12.
  65. ^ "2015 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2015-10-12.
  66. ^ "2016 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2016-02-21.
  67. ^ "2017 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2017-02-08.
  68. ^ "2018 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved 2017-12-14.
  69. ^ "2021 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  70. ^ "2022 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  71. ^ "2023 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  72. ^ "2024 Schedule | CFL.ca | Official Site of the Canadian Football League". CFL.ca. Retrieved December 14, 2023.
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