Calgary Stampeders Tickets

The Calgary Stampeders, under the head coach Dave Dickenson are showing some really good form. Let’s have a look at how they got to where they are today and what the future potentially holds for them.

The History of the Calgary Stampeders

The Calgary Stampeders were officially formed in September, 1945 and started playing in October. Their first ever game was against the Regina Roughriders at the Mewata Stadium. They ended up winning the game 12-0 in front of almost 4,000 fans. But it wasn’t until the year 1948 that the team got a taste of what full-blown success felt like. Their perfect season ended with a Grey Cup victory over the Ottawa Rough Riders in Toronto.

Their next season was also a pretty good one for the team, until the final game that they lost to the Montreal Alouettes 28-15. With that loss began a long dry spell for the Stampeders, as it would be 19 years before they reached the Grey Cup again and it wasn’t until 1971 that they were crowned the champions, after defeating the Toronto Argonauts, 14-11.

1960-1971: A New Home

In 1960, the team got a new home stadium, the McMahon Stadium. Even though things started rough here in the beginning, the team eventually managed to make it to the Grey Cup, 3 out of 4 years between 1968 and 1971. They won it in 1971.

1972-1988: Tough Times

This period turned out to be another long dry spell for the Calgary Stampeders. From 1972 to 1985, the team made it to the playoffs a total of 4 times only. And things got so tough for the team that it nearly folded due to decreasing attendance, financial troubles, and a poor record. Then started a successful ‘Save Our Stamps’ campaign that boosted ticket sales and returned some level of stability to the team.

1990-2002: Wally Comes In

Wally Buono took over the position of head coach for the team in 1990 and turned the team around to give it 13 of its most successful years. With players such as Dave Dickenson, Allen Pitts, Terry Vaugh and Jeff Garcia, the Stampeders managed to rack up a record of 153-79-2 during this time. They managed to make it to the Grey Cup six times and won it in 1992, 1998 and 2001.

2008-Present: Hufnagel Era

After their fifth Grey Cup victory, the team suffered a slight slump in performance, with not a single playoff win for several years. The head coach was changed and the new man for the job was chosen to be John Hufnagel. He is still the team’s general manager and was the head coach up until the end of the 2015 season. Soon the good times were rolling. Between the years 2009 and 2014, the Calgary Stampeders made it to the Western Final every year except 2011. But it wasn’t until the 2013 season that the Stampeders lifted the title one more time. They defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 20-16 and clinched their seventh Grey Cup.

Calgary Stampeders Wall of Fame

The team is known for honoring its players. The Wall of Fame recognizes the best players and off-the field contributors that have turned the Stampeders into a legendary bunch. The Wall was instituted in 1985 and has names such as Paul Rowe, Wayne Harris, Don Luzzi, Jerry Keling, Willie Burden, Earl Lunsford, Lovell Coleman, George Hansen, Peter Liske, Keith Spaith, Doug Flutie, Tom Forzani, Allen Pitts, Will Johnson, Bernie Morrison, Kelvin Anderson, Jeff Garcia, Rudy Linterman and Ron Allbright.

In addition to the wall of fame, the Calgary Stampeders also bestow another honor to their star performers. The President’s Ring is given to players that show a great deal of leadership abilities. 29 players have won this award so far, since 2012.

The time has now come for the Calgary Stampeders to step up to the plate and show what they are made of, once again. Book your Calgary Stampeders tickets and watch one of the biggest names in the CFL play live this season.