Courtesy Regina Leader Post:

The Saskatchewan Roughriders had an impressive starting lineup on Sunday.

On the first morning of training camp, fans arrived at the Canadian Football League team’s ticket office as early as 5:30 a.m., even though the doors did not open for another 31/2 hours.

Within an hour of single-game tickets going on sale, all remaining available seats for the Labour Day Classic — an Aug. 31 engagement with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers — were gone.

The football fervour was evident on Family Fun Day, as several dozen fans were waiting for hot dogs and refreshments outside the stadium.

“Nothing amazes me here anymore,” Roughriders general manager Eric Tillman marvelled. “When there’s a line all the way out into the parking lot an hour before the ticket office opens …

“Remember, I’m a product of the 1997 Toronto Argonauts championship team where 24 people greeted us at the airport. There were more people there wondering who we were than were there to greet us. I’ve seen a warmer response for a flag football team.

“This is pretty special. This is why there’s no place like it.”

That was obvious on Sunday.

Plenty of oohs and ahhs emanated from a lively crowd — especially, it seemed, when rapid rookie receiver Weston Dressler was diving for passes.

“If you’re a rookie and you look up in the stands and see a nice group of fans, you’ve got to be thinking, ‘This is a pretty good place,’ ” Roughriders president-CEO Jim Hopson said while wearing a 32-pound Grey Cup ring.

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