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Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have officially sold out Thursday’s matchup against the B.C. Lions, properly honouring a couple of local heroes.
The Week 10 matchup will feature dual celebrations, serving as both the Wall of Honour induction for legendary offensive lineman Mile Gorrell and “Shai Rally Day” in honour of reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Hamilton native recently completed his sixth season with the Oklahoma City Thunder during which he averaged 32.7 points per game, 6.4 assists per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, 1.7 steals per game, and 1.0 blocks per game. He also led the Thunder to its first-ever NBA championship as he was named the NBA Finals MVP.
Gorrell played eight of his 19 CFL seasons in Hamilton, receiving three of his five career East Division All-Star selections while with the Tabbies. He twice took home the Leo Dandurand Trophy as the top offensive lineman in the East, and earned All-CFL honours in 1989. The Canadian Football Hall of Famer helped anchor the offensive line that powered Hamilton to three East Division titles (1985, 1986, 1989) and a Grey Cup victory in 1986.
The Ticats have been the CFL’s hottest team this season and are currently riding a six-game win streak. They have averaged crowds of 22,211 through three home games, but have drawn the ire of TSN commentator Luke Willson for not consistently selling out games. As a result of a recent bet on X, the former NFL player will now be donating a signed Seattle Seahawks jersey to be auctioned off in support of CFL Fans Fight Cancer.
Hamilton Stadium regularly sells out with crowds of over 25,000 for the annual Labour Day Classic against the Toronto Argonauts, but the Ticats have struggled to match that mark for any other game. It is unclear exactly have many tickets have been sold for this contest, with a limited number of end zone social tickets being released to meet the demand. No matter what, the result at the box office is impressive for a weekday game against a non-traditional draw in B.C.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats (6-2) will kick off against the B.C. Lions (3-5) at 7:30 p.m. EDT. The weather forecast calls for a high of 28 degrees and a mix of sun and cloud.
The game will be broadcast on TSN and RDS in Canada, CBS Sports Network in the United States, and CFL+ internationally. Radio listeners can tune in on 730 CKNW in Vancouver and the Ticats Audio Network in Hamilton.