Stamps, Ticats making the most of Moncton

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The 2011 Touchdown Atlantic game in Moncton didn't sell out in 32 hours like last year's did. But there are less than 1,000 tickets left available for Sunday's event – and the CFL expects it to be just as festive and successful as the first one in 2010.

CFL commissioner Mark Cohon says there's no indication the contest between the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5-6) and Calgary Stampeders (7-4) at the University of Moncton is less anticipated than last year's between the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos.

First, Cohon says, the online purchasing system crashed for three hours when ticket sales opened on May 11. Second, some local football teams in New Brunswick had been given tickets to sell as part of a collective fundraiser, but they didn't sell every one and were recently returned for sale. Third, the remaining tickets are for end-zone areas constructed of temporary seating at Moncton Stadium, a venue which normally holds about 10,000 fans but has been boosted to roughly 21,000 for Sunday.

"I personally like sitting in the end-zone seats, but we recognize that it's a small stadium, and having half the seating constructed into the end zones is not what people may prefer," said Cohon, who was expected to fly to Moncton late Thursday.

"I've worked for a lot of leagues in professional sports in my career, and last year's game in Moncton was one of the very best sporting events I have ever experienced. There's a huge amount of support from the community in Moncton, and I believe we'll see that displayed again this year."

The lack of another speedy sellout doesn't dampen the idea of Moncton getting its own CFL team in the future. Cohon insists the second year of this series is about growing the fan base in Atlantic Canada and further analyzing the market.

A suitable stadium is a huge priority. Cohon also plans to explore how much interest there is from the area's large-scale corporations in supporting a local team, since Touchdown Atlantic is largely supported by the CFL's top-line sponsors and local Moncton businesses.

Identifying the right potential owners is key to the assessment, and something Cohon insists must not be rushed.

The CFL plans to evaluate the success of the Moncton games in the new year and decide whether to return for another contest in 2012.

Determining an East Division team to make such a trip may be tricky. The Argonauts franchise has increased obligations next season, as it prepares to host the 2012 Grey Cup in Toronto. The Ticats will have just played in Moncton, plus they are already faced with playing outside their own facility in 2013 as Ivor Wynne Stadium undergoes a complete overhaul as part of the 2015 Pan American Games plan.

The Stampeders arrived in Moncton first, and held a practice there Thursday. The Ticats were to fly later Thursday, after one last workout in Hamilton.

Both teams will take part in a slew of fan events before Sunday, from open houses and autograph sessions to hospital visits and appearances at games played by local high-school and Maritime Canadian Interuniversity Sport football teams.

"[Calgary quarterback]Henry Burris and I went to talk to some kids in Moncton a while back, and they recognized who we were. They don't have a team there, but they do love and follow CFL football," Ticats quarterback Kevin Glenn said. "Every player wants the league to expand, and we want to do our part to help that happen, so putting on a good show in Moncton will help a lot."