This Saturday, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats make their long awaited 2017 regular season debut at Tim Hortons Field. A sea of Black & Gold in the stands will be a welcome sight for the Ticats.
Much of the talk leading into last week’s showdown against the Roughriders centered around the Riders loud, sold out crowd. The Roughriders melon-headed contingent was boisterous as always, however they aren’t the only fan-base in the league renowned for making themselves heard. Tiger-Cats fans have been terrorizing opposing offences at Tim Hortons Field since the stadium opened its doors in 2014.
The impact of home field advantage is particularly important in football, with relatively few games making up a season. On Saturday, Ticats fans will ratchet up the volume to silence Jonathon Jennings and the BC Lions offence. If the Lions aren’t prepared to run a silent count, they will struggle in Hamilton.
One major benefit of playing at home is that unlike the Lions, who have to worry about battling an impassioned Hamilton crowd, the Tiger-Cats are able to focus on football.
“The focus is pretty much the same every week,” said special teams captain and long-time Hamiltonian, Mike Daly. “You just try to do everything in your power to get prepared leading up to it. You just really have to focus on putting your best foot forward.”
Perennial all-star John Chick believes the luxury of a home game can help the team achieve its goals.
“If we realize our potential, it’s going to be pretty scary,” Chick said.
On Saturday, Tiger-Cats fans will try their best to make it impossible for the Lions offence to run at a normal cadence. There is a sentiment that’s been echoed by Tiger-Cats players since the league’s humble beginnings: Hamilton has the best fans in the league.
The Tiger-Cats host the Lions in home opener action at Tim Hortons Field this Saturday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. Click here to score last minute tickets.
