Rider Pride continues to thrive as CFL labour talks continue

Even as the CFL labour talks continue off the field, Saskatchewan Roughriders fans continue to show up at Griffiths Stadium to support the team.

“I didn’t even think they were going to have a practice today. So I’m glad they did,” one Rider fan said Tuesday.

It wasn’t clear there would be a training-camp workout Tuesday after the majority of CFL players voted against the proposed collective bargaining agreement during the ratification process.

But just before 7 a.m., the Roughriders announced they would be practising.

There doesn’t seem to be anything that will stop fans from showing up day in and day out, but overall, fans just want to see a deal get done. They say those at the negotiating table need to take a look at the bigger picture.

“It’s time everybody realizes we’ve got a special thing and if you’re lucky enough to be an owner, you better understand there’s a price to pay and it’s not always dollars,” another fan said.

But the fans will still come out, rain or shine. There isn’t much that will deter them from coming out to cheer and watch the Green and White.

Not even the weather.

“Other than how I’m going to schedule my day whether or not I come here, no,” one fan added.

There are obstacles in the way right now for a new collective bargaining agreement even though the league proposed a new deal early Tuesday.

For now, the Roughriders will continue to hold camp until further notice. As long as the players show up for workouts, so will the fans.

“It’s not a deterrent to me that there’s unrest and, as a longtime fan, I hope they work through it,” one fan said.

Currently, there haven’t been any major changes to the training-camp schedule and there isn’t any word if pre-season games will be rescheduled or cancelled.

The CFL’s exhibition slate is to start Friday. Saskatchewan is to play host to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in its pre-season opener next Tuesday.