'Got some work to do': With one sellout in 2024, Riders focus is on attendance in 2025

Despite a home playoff game and a hot start to the 2024 regular season, the Saskatchewan Roughriders sold out just one game this past year, the Labour Day Classic against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The team started the 2024 season 4-0 before going through a lengthy winless streak and finally finishing the regular season with four wins in their final five.

A 9-8-1 record was good enough for second in the West Division which meant a home playoff game, the Western Semi-Final, which ended in a 28-19 win over the B.C. Lions.

The Riders then went on to fall 38-22 in the Western Final to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

In a year end interview with CTV News’ Brit Dort, team president and CEO Craig Reynolds said attendance was down across the entire Canadian Football League (CFL).

“Attendance overall was really flat, and we saw some highs and some lows. When I look at Labour Day, we had the most people ever at Mosaic Stadium for a Labour Day game, it was absolutely packed.”

However, Reynolds did acknowledge that lower attended games were a reality at Mosaic Stadium.

“A lot if times, that coincides with days and times,” he said. “I think [those] were a little bit challenging in our market given the fan base drawing from outside of Regina. So that is challenging, and I think for us we’ve got some work to do, we have to really take a good look at our game day experience and make sure that we’re elevating that,” he said.

He added the organization also needs to focus on its season ticket members and a re-build of its base.

• Download the CTV News app for Sask. related breaking news alerts on your smartphone

“I think if we do that, because we sold the most single game tickets we ever have as an organization last year, so if we can rebuild that season ticket base and continue that momentum we seen on that single game basis, we will start to see those sellouts here,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds feels on the field, the team is on the verge of accomplishing great things and that alone could be enough to drive up attendance next year.

“I think we’re on the verge of something really great here. We have outstanding football leadership here. Jeremy O’Day knows what winning programs look like and him and Corey [Mace] work so well together. I think we have an outstanding young coach, and I think we have a really great core here, Reynolds said.

Reynolds feels more times than not, with the stability and continuity that will come next year a step can be taken towards a championship season.

A new coach and a veteran quarterback 

The 2024 season also brought with it a new head coach in Corey Mace after the team parted ways with Craig Dickenson following a disappointing 2023 season.

Reynolds says Mace fit in right away and embraced Rider Nation.

“I think Corey was everything we hoped for and then some. How he committed to the province and moved his whole family here really resonated with the fan base, he embraced Rider Nation, right from the get-go. I think he is very deserving of his coach of the year nomination,” Reynolds said.

Reynolds felt that the culture change that Mace brough to the organization was received well and a positive fresh perspective.

“He focuses on accountability and a standard, and I think we saw some really positive results from that,” he said.

After the 2024 season came to an end, the Riders also secured veteran quarterback Trevor Harris with a one-year deal that will keep him with the club through the 2025 season, a season in which he will be 39-years-old.

• These Riders are pending free agents heading into 2025

“From an organization perspective we are really excited,” Reynolds said of Harris’ return. “I know Jeremy and Corey and Marc [Mueller] and the personal staff all got together after the season and did a full evaluation on who we wanted to be our starting quarterback and it was unanimous that we wanted Trevor to continue.”

In 2024 Harris recorded six 300 plus yard passing games, including 390 yards in a Week 2 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

“He had such a great year, I think he’s playing his best football, and I think he said that as well,” Reynolds said.

He feels now entering a second year under offense run by Marc Mueller will lead to more progress and positive play from Harris.

The 2025 CFL schedule is expected to be released in January.