Lions Ring of Honour

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dtrain
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Does anyone else who attends home games on a regular basis find that the Lions 'Ring of Honour' is less than impressive?
To be clear, I'm not talking about the players honoured, but the so-called 'ring' itself - these banners are tucked up at the top of the lower bowl, I've had to point them out to people before they would ever notice them.
These should be displayed in a more prominent manner inside the bowl, i think along the grey wall just below the roof (as they used to be before renos).
They could also be hung as banners, just like the Grey Cup banners that they did a nice job on displaying.
Either option would be a huge improvement.
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Lions4ever
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dtrain wrote:Does anyone else who attends home games on a regular basis find that the Lions 'Ring of Honour' is less than impressive?
To be clear, I'm not talking about the players honoured, but the so-called 'ring' itself - these banners are tucked up at the top of the lower bowl, I've had to point them out to people before they would ever notice them.
These should be displayed in a more prominent manner inside the bowl, i think along the grey wall just below the roof (as they used to be before renos).
They could also be hung as banners, just like the Grey Cup banners that they did a nice job on displaying.
Either option would be a huge improvement.
Yeah, it's kind of pathetic.

Also, what's up with those "BC LIONS" flags that the guys run around with at the start of game and after TDs etc.? I've been to college games in the States where they do that but the flags are huge. Ours are so tiny my wife and I break into laughter every time we see them. It's like they got the guy from Spinal Tap who did up the 18" Stonehenge set. Is there some sort of fabric shortage?
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dtrain
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At least the new speaker system has Dobly sound! ;}
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sj-roc
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Lions4ever wrote:
dtrain wrote:Does anyone else who attends home games on a regular basis find that the Lions 'Ring of Honour' is less than impressive?
To be clear, I'm not talking about the players honoured, but the so-called 'ring' itself - these banners are tucked up at the top of the lower bowl, I've had to point them out to people before they would ever notice them.
These should be displayed in a more prominent manner inside the bowl, i think along the grey wall just below the roof (as they used to be before renos).
They could also be hung as banners, just like the Grey Cup banners that they did a nice job on displaying.
Either option would be a huge improvement.
Yeah, it's kind of pathetic.

Also, what's up with those "BC LIONS" flags that the guys run around with at the start of game and after TDs etc.? I've been to college games in the States where they do that but the flags are huge. Ours are so tiny my wife and I break into laughter every time we see them. It's like they got the guy from Spinal Tap who did up the 18" Stonehenge set. Is there some sort of fabric shortage?
Yep. They need it for all the flags they've been throwing on the field.

As for the RoH, agreed with the OP on the presentation thereof. They were originally on the edge of the upper deck before the advertising ribbon was put in with all the renos but they won't be going back there anytime soon for obvious reasons. With the architecture of the building as it is, there seems no ideal, omnivisible place to display the banners. I agree with the top of the upper deck as the area of maximal visibility. As for the Grey Cup banners, I sit on that side of the building and can't really see any of them. If I crane my neck around fully and stand on my seat I can maybe see the corner ones. I suppose that area was chosen as it faces the main live action camera, which is the same reason they chose that part of the upper deck to open to STHs.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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Spud387
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sj-roc wrote:
Lions4ever wrote:
dtrain wrote:Does anyone else who attends home games on a regular basis find that the Lions 'Ring of Honour' is less than impressive?
To be clear, I'm not talking about the players honoured, but the so-called 'ring' itself - these banners are tucked up at the top of the lower bowl, I've had to point them out to people before they would ever notice them.
These should be displayed in a more prominent manner inside the bowl, i think along the grey wall just below the roof (as they used to be before renos).
They could also be hung as banners, just like the Grey Cup banners that they did a nice job on displaying.
Either option would be a huge improvement.
Yeah, it's kind of pathetic.

Also, what's up with those "BC LIONS" flags that the guys run around with at the start of game and after TDs etc.? I've been to college games in the States where they do that but the flags are huge. Ours are so tiny my wife and I break into laughter every time we see them. It's like they got the guy from Spinal Tap who did up the 18" Stonehenge set. Is there some sort of fabric shortage?
Yep. They need it for all the flags they've been throwing on the field.

As for the RoH, agreed with the OP on the presentation thereof. They were originally on the edge of the upper deck before the advertising ribbon was put in with all the renos but they won't be going back there anytime soon for obvious reasons. With the architecture of the building as it is, there seems no ideal, omnivisible place to display the banners. I agree with the top of the upper deck as the area of maximal visibility. As for the Grey Cup banners, I sit on that side of the building and can't really see any of them. If I crane my neck around fully and stand on my seat I can maybe see the corner ones. I suppose that area was chosen as it faces the main live action camera, which is the same reason they chose that part of the upper deck to open to STHs.
Ummmm... I recall there being a perfectly suitable bar running around the perimeter of the stadium that already has some championship banners hanging from it :)

That would be the next logical place to position the wall of fame player banners
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sj-roc
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Spud387 wrote:Ummmm... I recall there being a perfectly suitable bar running around the perimeter of the stadium that already has some championship banners hanging from it :)

That would be the next logical place to position the wall of fame player banners
I'm not sure what you're talking about. Do you mean hanging from the ceiling? I recall this was the case in the old roof days, especially before 2000 when the 64/85/94 banners were hung above the field from the middle of the teflon ceiling along with flags of Canada, USA and BC.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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Spud387
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Where these hang from:
Image

Best picture I could find online, look at top right hand corner:
Image

The bar/support they hang from runs the entire circumference of the stadium
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Robbie
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sj-roc wrote:
Spud387 wrote:Ummmm... I recall there being a perfectly suitable bar running around the perimeter of the stadium that already has some championship banners hanging from it :)

That would be the next logical place to position the wall of fame player banners
I'm not sure what you're talking about. Do you mean hanging from the ceiling? I recall this was the case in the old roof days, especially before 2000 when the 64/85/94 banners were hung above the field from the middle of the teflon ceiling along with flags of Canada, USA and BC.
And after the 2000 Grey Cup championship, they moved the banners to either end of the replay screen and added a pair of banners to commemorate the West Division championships as well.
Image

And after the 2006 Grey Cup championship, the white banners were replaced by new orange banners.
Image

----------------------------------------------------
Do you like how the banners are situated in CenturyLink Field in Seattle? All the team banners are hung on the west end rafters. There are 8 banners for the Seahawks with two more coming up. And even though the Sounders are completely overshadowed by the Seahawks at the stadium, it's good to still acknowledge the past achievements of the team by hanging a total of 5 banners for them: 2 for USL-1 championships and 3 for U.S. Open Cup championships with a possible fourth coming up and a possible first MLS Cup since the team are the current league leaders by a big margin.

Image

That said, should there be at least 8 banners for the Whitecaps at BC Place for their past achievements:

NASL Soccer Bowl: 1979
CSL championship (as 86ers): 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
North American championship: 1990
USL-1 championship: 2006, 2008
Last edited by Robbie on Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:37 pm, edited 5 times in total.
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
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sj-roc
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Okay, I see what you mean now. I can't see any of the banners from my seat so I had trouble picturing it.

I wonder if there's any way to use this bar (circled in red) to hang banners; they might block the view of the videoboard from some seats. Also, not that the banners would be all that heavy, but it may not have been intended to support much more than the load that it already bears.

Image
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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Toppy Vann
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As to where they can hang the ring of honour flags - well it's not their own stadium - and it's multi purpose use precludes the Lions doing their own thing.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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sj-roc
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Toppy Vann wrote:As to where they can hang the ring of honour flags - well it's not their own stadium - and it's multi purpose use precludes the Lions doing their own thing.
I've noticed the Whitecaps cover/replace the Lions' RoH banners with Bell advertising as per this photo. I suppose some Lion fans might balk at this but it strikes me as more about branding the Whitecaps gameday experience in what is as you imply a shared facility.

Image

I would think on banner placement, the Lions ought to be free to put them wherever they want in the building as long they're prepared to cede control of their visibility at non-Lion events and/or take them down when the game is over.
Sports can be a peculiar thing. When partaking in fiction, like a book or movie, we adopt a "Willing Suspension of Disbelief" for enjoyment's sake. There's a similar force at work in sports: "Willing Suspension of Rationality". If you doubt this, listen to any conversation between rival team fans. You even see it among fans of the same team. Fans argue over who's the better QB or goalie, and selectively cite stats that support their views while ignoring those that don't.
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dtrain
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I tend to think the best place would be splitting them up over both end zones, that way all stadiums patrons would be able to see them.
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Robbie
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Here's a thread I opened seven years ago comparing the various CFL stadiums with regards to game day experiences and the general decoration and ambience of the stadium:
http://lionbackers.com/bc_lions/viewtopic.php?t=14142

One question I asked was:
6. The decoration of the stadium with regards to how it acknowledges past championships and retired/honoured players.

In light of this discussion with regards to Grey Cup and retired player banners in BC Place, let's revisit this topic again.

Relatively speaking, which stadium has the best decoration with regards to acknowledging past championships and retired/honoured players?

This is what I've come up with for certain CFL stadiums.

BC Place for BC Lions
The ring of honour is no longer at the bottom ring of the upper bowl as now it's a screen and instead, it's placed at a wall at the top of the lower bowl.
Image
Image
It's quite hard to see as it can be dark in that area.

And the Grey Cup banners are placed on portrusions above a wall above the upper bowl.
Image


Commonwealth Stadium for Edmonton Eskimos
The Eskimos have their own ring of honour at the bottom ring of the upper bowl and unlike BC Place, it's still a wall and not a screen.
Image
Image

And I know that at the south end INSIDE the stadium there were small banners acknowledging their previous Grey Cups but it's not there anymore. Instead, it appears that the Grey Cup acknowledgements are in the form of a small mural painted on the OUTSIDE wall:
Image
With some small acknowledgements in various conference rooms or suites.
Image
Image


McMahon Stadium for Calgary Stampeders
Honoured players are placed on a wall above one of the grandstands.
Image
Couldn't find any pictures of Grey Cup acknowledgements.


Mosaic Stadium for Saskatchewan Roughriders
Couldn't find any pictures for honoured players or past championships other than a large billboard.
Image


Ivor Wynne for Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Honoured players are on the wall above the main grandstand and there appears to be a small Walk of Fame with plaques in the concourse near one of the gates similar to the Lions Wall of Fame. Couldn't find any pictures honouring past Grey Cup wins.
Image
Image


Percival Molson Memorial Stadium for Montreal Alouettes
Honoured player and past Grey Cup wins are acknowledged on the ring below the upper bowl and more Grey Cup acknowledgements appear in the form of small flags near the entrance.
Image
Image


Rogers Centre for Toronto Argonauts
Several banners acknowledging their Grey Cup wins. With so many GC wins, it looks a single banner needs to represent multiple championships according to the team's logo at the time of the win. These banners are alongside the various banners for the Blue Jays. While there are banners to honour various Blue Jays, couldn't see any such banners for honoured Argonauts. Ironically even though the Argonauts lead the league with most championships at 16, there are only actually 4 Argonauts with their numbers retired the most recent being Michael "Pinball" Clemons' #31. I guess the other great players didn't play with the team long enough to have their number retired, although there is a larger list for the Argos Hall of Fame.
Image
I'd say Rogers Centre is by far the most decorated with regards to banners.

Couldn't find any such pictures for Investors Group Field for Winnipeg Blue Bombers or for TD Place Stadium for all the Ottawa-based CFL teams. I've noticed that Investors Group Field with the blue seats and the roof design somewhat resembles CenturyLink Field in Seattle.

Anyways, with all that said which stadium best acknowledges past championships and honoured players?

For honoured players, I'd say the Commonwealth Stadium for the Eskimos since their entry is clearly visible around the ring and is not crowded unlike the entries in Ivor Wynne and McMahon Stadium whereas BC Place it's harder to see.

For the Grey Cup banners, I like the fact that BC Place has hung a standalone single banner where it's still relatively easy to see unlike the too complex decorations in Rogers Centre or the too informal design at Commonwealth Stadium and Percival Molson Memorial Stadium.
祝加拿大加式足球聯賽不列颠哥伦比亚卑詩雄獅隊今年贏格雷杯冠軍。此外祝溫哥華加人隊贏總統獎座·卡雲斯·甘保杯·史丹利盃。還每年祝溫哥華白頭浪隊贏美國足球大联盟杯。不要忘記每年祝溫哥華巨人贏西部冰球聯盟冠軍。
改建後的卑詩體育館於二十十一年九月三十日重新對外開放,首場體育活動為同日舉行的加拿大足球聯賽賽事,由主場的卑詩雄獅隊以三十三比二十四擊敗愛民頓愛斯基摩人隊。
祝你龍年行大運。
恭喜西雅图海鹰直到第四十八屆超級盃最終四十三比八大勝曾拿下兩次超級盃冠軍的丹佛野馬拿下隊史第一個超級盃冠軍。
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Toppy Vann
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sj-roc wrote:
Toppy Vann wrote:As to where they can hang the ring of honour flags - well it's not their own stadium - and it's multi purpose use precludes the Lions doing their own thing.
I've noticed the Whitecaps cover/replace the Lions' RoH banners with Bell advertising as per this photo. I suppose some Lion fans might balk at this but it strikes me as more about branding the Whitecaps gameday experience in what is as you imply a shared facility.

Image

I would think on banner placement, the Lions ought to be free to put them wherever they want in the building as long they're prepared to cede control of their visibility at non-Lion events and/or take them down when the game is over.
What Lion fans have to be concerned about is the tarping off of seats a la Whitecaps so that they are not there for last minute or walk ups. It might drive more marginals to buy season packages or partials but that's a maybe.

What a reduced seating capacity gives the team is more leeway to raise prices per seat and less costs to staff the stadium.
"Ability without character will lose." - Marv Levy
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Lions4ever
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Toppy Vann wrote:As to where they can hang the ring of honour flags - well it's not their own stadium - and it's multi purpose use precludes the Lions doing their own thing.
True enough, but it's the only home they have and they're a significant reason the stadium exists at all.
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