NFL pre-season game won’t be played in Regina

Regina will not be playing host to an NFL pre-season game in August.

Statements released Friday by Regina Exhibition Association Ltd. – which oversees the operation of Mosaic Stadium – and promoter On Ice Entertainment Ltd., said the contest won’t be played in the Queen City.

Reports had circulated for weeks that an exhibition game between the Green Bay Packers and Oakland Raiders would be played in Regina on Aug. 23 – one day before the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders were to play host to the Ottawa Redblacks.

The Roughriders raised concerns Tuesday about the ability to reconfigure the stadium from NFL dimensions to those of the CFL in 24 hours, prompting Regina Mayor Michael Fougere to suggest Wednesday that the NFL contest could be played Aug. 22.

On Friday, the death knell sounded for the NFL game altogether.

“As with many events and consistent with best practices in scheduling, there was a conditional hold on Mosaic Stadium for an NFL pre-season game,” read a statement from REAL president and CEO Tim Reid.

“We were informed today by the promoter in writing and verbally that he chose not to pursue this event in the Regina market. As such, there will not be an NFL event at Mosaic Stadium at this time.”

The promoter’s statement also ended all speculation about the game.

“On Ice Entertainment would like to thank the people of Saskatchewan for their interest and support in a potential NFL pre-season game,” it read. “Unfortunately, we will not be able to host a game in Saskatchewan and have released our hold on Mosaic Stadium.”

That could open the door for Winnipeg, which reportedly has interest in staging the game. The CFL’s Blue Bombers are on the road that weekend, leaving Investors Group Field vacant.

On Ice praised REAL, the municipal and provincial governments, and the Regina Hotel Association for exploring the possibility of staging the game. The promoter’s statement concluded with: “We will continue to work hard to bring future events to Saskatchewan.”

REAL’s statement thanked the province, the city and the Roughriders for their “dedication, energy and commitment to this competitive process.” The association said the pursuit of the game could be helpful in the future.

“We are encouraged that organizations such as the NFL and strong national event agencies have acknowledged the assets and opportunities that exist to host major events at Evraz Place in Regina,” the statement continued. “We look forward to building upon this process in the future.”