Montreal Alouettes unveil Grey Cup banner and defeat Ottawa Redblacks
Posted June 21, 2024 1:27 am.
Last Updated June 21, 2024 1:34 am.
Huddle up!
More than 20,000 fans made their way to Montreal’s Percival Molson Stadium on Thursday for the Alouettes’ 2024 home opener.
“We’re going to present our banner tonight,” said Jean-Marc Edmé, Alouettes Senior Personnel Executive. “We’re going to put the 2023 season to bed tonight.”
“It’s going to be an emotional night.”
“It means a lot,” added Edmé. “But it’s mostly for the fans.”
“The fans in Montreal, they waited for so long to get a Grey Cup,” he added. “So tonight it’s going to be a big celebration.”
“It’s really big for the organization, but it’s mostly for the fans tonight.”
The team beat the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the championship game back in November – their first game home for this season, facing the Ottawa Redblacks.
“We are a team of champions,” said Tristan Mac, Montreal Alouettes fan. “Montreal football is a champion city.”
“I think Alouettes is going to win,” said Vincent Fortin, fan and football player from the Démons de Ste-Agathe. “They have a good team, good coach.”
“The message to the team is team playing,” said Heather Lowengren, Montreal Alouettes superfan. “They understand that, they’re all a team.”
Lowengren has been delivering her delicious brownies and cookies to the team every week at their practices for more than 10 years.
Even landing herself a championship ring – a gift from the team.
“Little did I know not only was I invited but they gave me a ring,” she explained. “They said I’m part of their family and I always will be.”
“It means the world to me.”
The home opener festivities included a flyby by two CF-18 jets.
Musical performances from Quebec bands, fun and more.
The Alouettes beat the Ottawa Redblacks 47 to 21 – a great way to have spent the first day of summer.
“Keep coming,” said Edmé. “We have a great team.”
“We love our fans,” he added. “We love Montreal.”
