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.
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.
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.
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:
With some small acknowledgements in various conference rooms or suites.
McMahon Stadium for Calgary Stampeders
Honoured players are placed on a wall above one of the grandstands.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.