It’s hard to believe, but Tim Hortons Field is getting set for its sixth summer of welcoming people of all ages through its gates to experience everything the City of Hamilton has to offer.
From historic moments, inaugural matches, countless Tiger-Cats memories, Forge FC’s championship run, international competitions, concerts, events and hundreds of youth sports and high school games – the historic grounds of Ivor Wynne Stadium have just about seen it all.
In honour of the upcoming season, and with the 2021 Grey Cup on the near horizon, we’ve decided to countdown the top ten moments at Tim Hortons Field so far.
10. November 25th, 2017 – 53rd Vanier Cup, Laval Rouge et Or vs. Western Mustangs
For the second straight year, Tim Hortons Field hosted the Vanier Cup to determine the USports Football champions. It was an all-time classic Canadian University match up, being the Rouge et Or’s 11th appearance and the Mustangs 14th appearance in the national championship. It was also a rematch of the 44th Vanier Cup held on the same ground at old Ivor Wynne Stadium in 2008. Mustangs quarterback Chris Merchant threw for one touchdown and ran for another two en route to Western’s first title since 1994.
FUN FACT: Former Ticats head coach Greg Marshall won his first-ever Vanier Cup as head coach in a more than two-decade coaching career.
9. November 23rd, 2014 – CFL East Final, Tiger-Cats vs. Alouettes
After reeling off six straight wins at Tim Hortons Field to close out the 2014 season, the Tiger-Cats faced their biggest test on their new home turf in the East Division Final against the Alouettes. Both teams finished the season 9-9 but the Ticats were able to clinch the division thanks to their head-to-head record against Montreal. After falling behind early, Brandon Banks ran back the first of two punt returns for a touchdown to give the Ticats the lead heading into half and they did not look back. The Black & Gold punched their ticket to the Grey Cup for a second consecutive season.
FUN FACT: The Tiger-Cats regular-season finale victory that year clinched the club their first Division Title since 1998.
8. June 23rd, 2018 – Arkells The Rally
Advertised by the Hamilton-based band, Arkells promised what they called “an evening of song and dance to kick off the summer” and man, did they deliver. Thanks to their supporting acts, Cold War Kids and Bishop Briggs, as well as a city-wide list of events that included a bike ride from downtown into the stadium, Arkells brought more than 24 thousand of their closest friends together to deliver one of the biggest concerts in the city’s history. In fact, the band had so much fun, they have plans to do it again later this summer which they promise will be even bigger and better than ever.
FUN FACT: Arkells did a rare, live performed the tune “Ticats Are Hummin’” which is played after every Ticats touchdown and field goal.
7. May 29th, 2015 – Canadian Women’s National Team vs. England Women’s National Team
One of the first major events held at the stadium, outside of Tiger-Cats games, was an international friendly between the Canadian Women’s Team and the England women’s soccer team (who at the time were ranked 2nd in the world). Sophie Schmidt scored the match’s only offence in the 23rd minute to give Canada a 1-0 victory in their final match before taking part in the 2015 Women’s World Cup. The Canadian Women’s team would later host Germany again at the stadium in 2018.
FUN FACT: The announced attendance of 23,197 is among the largest ever for a soccer match in Hamilton and paved the way for soccer in the city.
6 (Tie). August 22nd, 2019 – CONCACAF League Round of 16 Forge FC v. CD Olimpia
Forge FC had already made history in the CONCACAF League prior to their late-August match in the round of 16. Having advanced from the CPL thanks to an in-season tournament with results over Valour FC and FC Edmonton, Forge upset Antigua GFC of Guatemala earlier in the month in the preliminary round. In the second round, against the heavily favoured CD Olimipia of Honduras, Chris Nanco scored a goal in the 4th minute that would end up being the winner in a 1-0 victory in the first of two legs. While Forge FC would eventually drop the second leg in Honduras the win helped put the club and the league on the international map – a gigantic achievement for the CPL and Canadian soccer.
FUN FACT: As 2019 Canadian Premier League champions, Forge FC has been automatically granted entry into the 2020 CONCACAF League.
6 (Tie). April 27th, 2019 – Canadian Premier League Finals First Leg, Forge FC v. Cavalry FC
In a season of firsts for Forge FC, it was only fitting that The Hammers would host the first match of a two-leg aggregate score final at Tim Hortons Field. The Finals 2019 stage was set for weeks leading into the match, with Forge FC and Cavalry FC locked at the top of the table after stellar regular seasons. The bitter rivals had already faced each other seven times, with each club picking up three victories and a draw. The rivalry lived up to the hype with a thrilling back and forth match, featuring a pair of red cards. Tristan Borges scored in added time at the end of the first half, and Triston Henry put up a clean sheet as Forge set themselves up to seal the deal in Calgary to claim the North Star Shield. Honourable mention to the Barton Street Battalion and the rest of the sold-out crowd for creating one of the most memorable atmospheres Tim Hortons Field had ever experienced.
FUN FACT: Tristan Borges’ 45th minute goal was his 13th of the season, which helped him clinch the Golden Boot award.
5. July 11-26th, 2015 – Pan American Games
Sixteen teams from around the world called Hamilton home for two weeks as Tim Hortons Field played host to soccer at the 2015 Pan American Games. Over the course of a fortnight, The Donut Box supported 32 matches including both the Canadian men’s and women’s squads. While it wasn’t the tournament either team was hoping for, thousands of fans came through Tim Hortons Field’s gates over two weeks in mid-July to see elite athletes represent their countries with pride. The eventual gold medal winners for the women were Brazil, while the men’s competition was won by Uruguay.
FUN FACT: Canada finished second in the 2015 Pan American Games medal count with 219 total medals (78 Gold, 70 Silver, 71 Bronze).
4. August 27th, 2015 – Angelo Mosca Night, Tiger-Cats vs. Alouettes
Every now and then, there are nights where what happens on the field is secondary. In an elaborate halftime ceremony, Tiger-Cats fans celebrated the career of a Tiger-Cats legend, Angelo Mosca. A 4x Grey Cup champion with the Black & Gold, Mosca’s #68 joined Bernie Faloney’s #10 as the only two numbers in franchise history to have their numbers retired by the organization.
FUN FACT: As part of the tribute to Mosca the Tiger-Cats erected a wrestling ring on the South Plaza to commemorate Mosca’s wrestling career.
3. November 17th, 2019 – CFL East Final, Tiger-Cats vs. Eskimos
While the first two events on the list might have been bigger on a historical scale, there’s no doubt the biggest game played in Tim Hortons Field history was the most recent. The Tiger-Cats, led by eventual MOP Speedy Banks and East Division Most Outstanding Defensive Player Simoni Lawrence, went 9-0 at home en route to a franchise-best 15-3 record in 2019. In front of the largest ever crowd the stadium had ever seen, the Ticats lived up to the hype as they led wire-to-wire to book a spot in the Grey Cup for the first time in 5 years.
FUN FACT: The announced attendance of 25,177 is the most ever to attend an event Tim Hortons Field.
2. April 27th, 2019 – Canadian Premier League Inaugural Match, Forge FC v. York 9
As early as 2013 there were reports Caretaker Bob Young was in discussions with investors to create a new pro soccer league in Canada. Fast forward to 2017, after years of hard work behind the scenes, the Canadian Soccer Association officially sanctioned the Canadian Premier League. On July 12, 2018 Forge FC was officially unveiled as the Hamilton franchise, culminating on April 27, 2019 when Forge FC and York9 FC played to a 1-1 draw in the first-ever match of the brand new league. Forge fans set the CPL attendance record that day with 17,611 soccer fans in attendance
FUN FACT: Kadell Thomas scored Forge FC’s first-ever goal in the 77th minute
1. September 1st, 2014 – 2014 Labour Day Classic Ticats vs. Argos
The one that started it all. After years of planning and almost two years of construction, Tim Hortons Field opened its doors to host the first-ever game in the new stadium – and it was only fitting it was against the Toronto Argonauts on Labour Day. While some seating and concession areas around the stadium were not yet 100 percent open, more than 18 thousand fans were in attendance to see Bakari Grant score the first touchdown in the stadium’s history in a 13-12 win over the Argonauts.
FUN FACT: The Argos have never won on Labour Day at Tim Hortons Field.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Keith Urban Concert
Canada vs. USA Men’s Rugby World Cup Qualifier
2018 East Semi-Final (Tiger-Cats)
2015 East Semi-Final (Tiger-Cats)