Mosaic Stadium set for second viewing party

Sports fans will be glued to the largest TV screen in the province Thursday.

The MaxTron screen at Mosaic Stadium is to show the TSN telecast of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ game in Hamilton against the Tiger-Cats, starting at 5 p.m. It’s the first game of the CFL regular season.

At 6:30 p.m., the screen’s operators are to switch over to TSN’s coverage of Game 6 of the NBA Finals between the visiting Toronto Raptors and the Golden State Warriors. Toronto leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 and can win its first NBA title with a victory.

When the main screen switches to the NBA game, the CFL telecast will move to the secondary screen in the northeast corner of Mosaic Stadium and to screens in one of the lounges on the concourse.

Admission is free. Non-perishable food items will be accepted at the gate for those who want to contribute.

It’s the first time the stadium will play host to a televised doubleheader. Game 5 of the NBA Finals was shown Monday night; a crowd of nearly 14,000 showed up.

Regina Exhibition Association Limited (REAL), which operates the stadium, expected about 5,000 patrons to attend Monday’s event. On Tuesday, REAL president and CEO Tim Reid said the association was planning for 20,000 people to show up for Thursday’s showing.

Mayor Michael Fougere wouldn’t be surprised if that happened.

“That’s why we have the stadium, for these kind of unique events, just to make sure people enjoy and see what’s happening and have a unique experience,” Fougere said during an appearance on Gormley on Thursday morning.

There won’t be any parking at Evraz Place on Thursday — the Farm Progress Show is setting up — so fans are being reminded to find another way to get to the stadium.

Patrons can drive to another location, park there and walk to Mosaic Stadium. Other options include Uber, taxi and the city’s normal Rider Transit shuttle service.

The trouble is, the city’s buses will be occupied with normal service Thursday afternoon. The free shuttle service won’t begin until 5 p.m., which is when the Roughriders’ game is to begin.

“It will be a bit awkward in that regard, but there will be a service that will be to the stadium by shuttle as we do during regular Rider games,” Fougere said. “It just won’t be matching in sync exactly with when the Riders play at 5 o’clock.”

The shuttle service will run to the stadium until 6:45 p.m., with pickups at the normal Downtown, Southland Mall, Warehouse District and University of Regina locations. The Northgate Mall stop isn’t available Thursday due to a conflicting event.

Return shuttles are to start at the beginning of the fourth quarter and end one hour after the game.

Fougere admitted there has been “pushback” due to the parking issues this week. But he added that “people understand and have found ways to get to the stadium.”

Those who do drive are reminded of traffic restrictions on Lewvan Drive, Albert Street and Dewdney Avenue and throughout the downtown. Elphinstone Street by the stadium was closed at 2 p.m.

Upon arrival, patrons will find that Gates 2, 3 and 4 of the stadium are to open at 4:30 p.m. Inside the stadium, more food and beverage concessions are to be open than were available Monday.

As with any Roughriders home game, outside food or beverages won’t be permitted, other than sealed bottles of water.

Patrons can sit wherever they want in the stadium’s lower bowl. If that level is filled, fans will be allowed to move into the upper level.

REMINDER: There is NO parking available on site tonight due to equipment moving in for Canada's Farm Progress Show.

Please consider alternate forms of transportation. The @CityofRegina will be implementing their Park & Ride service#WeTheNorth #GoRaps #GoRiders 🏀🏈 pic.twitter.com/N4pTX2nQgN

— REAL District (@REALDistrictyqr) June 13, 2019