Riders’ Craig Reynolds looks ahead to training camp, Saskatoon pre-season game

As the off-season winds down for the Saskatchewan Roughriders, president and CEO Craig Reynolds is still riding a high from last fall’s Grey Cup championship.

So, too, are the Roughriders’ fans who have turned out in droves to purchase tickets ahead of kickoff for the 2026 Canadian Football League season.

“We’ve seen tremendous response right after the (2025 Grey Cup) win,” Reynolds said.

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“We’re up significantly on new season tickets and season (ticket) renewals were extremely, extremely strong. We’re going to see season ticket member growth which is really, really important to us, of course.”

Reynolds made an appearance Thursday in front of Saskatoon’s business community, speaking at a luncheon put on by the NBSA.

Touching on the Riders’ brand and connection to the community, Reynolds also teed up Roughriders training camp which is set to begin in the city on May 10.

This year, Saskatoon will be the home of a CFL pre-season game for the first time since 1991, with Saskatchewan slated to host the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on May 23 at Griffiths Stadium.

According to Reynolds, the demand for tickets has been immediate since first going on sale April 7.

“We were really not surprised because we expected it,” Reynolds said.

“We were really impressed with the response from Saskatoon – again, not surprising … when we announced it, we felt a lot of excitement in the city and it played out.”

The goal will be to fit 10,000 fans into Griffiths Stadium for the exhibition game, which the Roughriders are on track to achieve.

“We’re creeping towards that quite quickly,” Reynolds said. “All the seats are gone. I think there’s about 5,000 seats, so they were gone right after we went on sale. So a great response and we’re hoping to get 10,000 (fans) there.”

The remainder of tickets are being sold for standing room only, which will present a unique atmosphere at Griffiths Stadium for the team, according to Reynolds, mirroring a U Sports atmosphere akin to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies or University of Regina Rams.

“There’s an intimacy there that doesn’t exist at Mosaic (Stadium),” Reynolds said. “This is different right? It’s very close, it’s very small and intimate. I think about as players enter, there’s going to be folks that have standing room tickets that are going to be right there where the team is going to enter and run past.”

All-Canadian Plaza of Honour class

Earlier this week, the Roughriders announced their 2026 class to be inducted into the team’s Plaza of Honour this season.

Receiver Rob Bagg, offensive lineman Dan Clark and kicker Paul McCallum were chosen as part of this year’s class, with Reynolds getting the opportunity to phone all three personally.

“There’s lots of cool moments in this job,” Reynolds said. “When you get to call three great candidates like them, all folks I got to know in their time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, all great community ambassadors. That was just outstanding to welcome them all.”

The trio will be enshrined during a halftime ceremony during Saskatchewan’s game on Oct. 17 against the Montreal Alouettes.

Reynolds said it’s a special group for their on-field achievements, made even more special considering all three are Canadian-born talents.

“Top to bottom, a great class,” Reynolds said. “An all-Canadian class which doesn’t happen all the time. Each of them are really, really deserving of being in the Plaza of Honour.”

Moving on from Ajou

Reynolds also addressed the team’s decision to release slotback Ajou Ajou last week after the CFL suspended the 24-year-old for a minimum of six games for violating the league’s gender-based violence and harassment policy.

The league said their investigation revealed on Nov. 18, 2025 following the team’s Grey Cup championship parade, that Ajou engaged in “aggressive and unwelcome physical contact with multiple women at a restaurant in Regina.”

Minutes after the league’s suspension, the Riders announced they would be cutting ties with the team’s 2024 rookie of the year.

“We have a standard in our organization and unfortunately, that standard wasn’t met,” Reynolds said. “The decision was made quite quickly to move on.

“When you’re not meeting the standard we expect from all members of the organization, we’re going to take that stance.”

Ajou will be eligible for reinstatement after serving his suspension, completing a minimum of 15 mandatory counselling sessions, a psychological assessment and a meeting with CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston.

Riders general manager Jeremy O’Day confirmed they will not be offering Ajou a contract, even if the player is reinstated.

With the 2026 CFL Draft just days away, Reynolds said the team’s focus will be on adding players who will benefit the team positively, both on and off the field.

“Character is a key component of our draft evaluation,” Reynolds said.

“I know Jeremy and Corey (Mace) value character as much as anything, as much as physical attributes and trails. Obviously they need to be good football players, but their character is really important to us.”

Saskatchewan holds the ninth overall pick in the CFL Draft and will make their selections on Tuesday night.