Labour Day Classic

The Labour Day Classic is a particular week of the Canadian Football League schedule that is played over the Labour Day weekend. This particular weekend, typically the tenth or eleventh week in the season, is known for its matchups that do not change from year to year, unlike other weeks of the CFL schedule, which are also rivalry games (with the exception of the BC-Montreal game which just takes place during the absence of Montreal's traditional rival Ottawa (both the Rough Riders and Renegades played in it). It is also only one of two weeks (the Thanksgiving Day Classic being the other) in the CFL schedule that the league plays on a Monday. Scotiabank is the event's presenting sponsor as of 2011.

The traditional Labour Day weekend matchups involve the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visiting the Saskatchewan Roughriders on the day before Labour Day, while on Labour Day itself, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are at home against the Toronto Argonauts while the Edmonton Eskimos visit the Calgary Stampeders. The Montreal Alouettes face Ottawa to round out the weekend. The BC Lions have no Labour Day rivals and have had a bye week on Labour Day in the past. Because Ottawa has been dormant since the 2006 season (and will remain so until at least 2014), the Alouettes have usually played the Lions during these times of dormancy, creating a "Coast-to-Coast" rivalry; also during these times, the Alouettes have received an annual home game in the Thanksgiving Day Classic in most of these years.

During the early 1980s, the Montreal Concordes instead played the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as their Labour Day rival instead of the Ottawa Rough Riders. Due to scheduling conflicts, the Tiger-Cats temporarily revived its rivalry with the current incarnation of the Alouettes in the Labour Day game for the 2011 season; the change in opponents led Hamilton to dub the game the Labour Day Classique in reference to Montréal's Francophone community. While in 2011, this automatically resulted in Toronto and BC facing each other, in the 1980s, the three teams (Toronto, Ottawa and BC) rotated each year. Ottawa and BC would face each other during the late 1980s and the first half of the 1990s. The Tiger-Cats' hosting of the Labour Day Classic is in jeopardy for 2013 due to a schedule conflict at the team's home stadium.

Some of the teams wear special third jerseys or throwback uniforms if they play at home.

Although not associated with the Labour Day Classic, the week after Labour Day often has a repeat match-up of the Bombers vs Roughriders (see Banjo Bowl), Stampeders vs Eskimos (see Battle of Alberta), and Tiger-Cats vs Argonauts, (a rivalry which began in 1873 ) with home field advantage now to the team that did not have it during the Labour Day weekend. While this did not occur for the 2008 Classics, it was brought back in 2009.

As the league has been increasing in popularity in recent years, print ads for the Labour Day Classic try to evoke the tradition of watching Canadian football on the last weekend of summer. Slogans include "Long Live the Rivalries" and "Watch the Team You Love Play the Team You Love to Hate".

The rivalries between these pairings are long-standing, based on both the physical proximity of the competing cities and the relatively small number of teams within a league that has existed for so long. Fans of each team regularly claim their matchup to be the Labour Day Classic, as if there was only one game.

Montreal vs Ottawa
1949: Alouettes 21 - Rough Riders 22 1952: Rough Riders 32 - Alouettes 21 1953: Alouettes 6 - Rough Riders 26 1954: Alouettes 20 - Rough Riders 11 1955: Rough Riders 22 - Alouettes 34 1956: Rough Riders 10 - Alouettes 42 1957: Rough Riders 21 - Alouettes 22 1958: Rough Riders 9 - Alouettes 11 1959: Alouettes 22 - Rough Riders 7 1960: Rough Riders 22 - Alouettes 39 1961: Alouettes 24 - Rough Riders 25 1963: Rough Riders 37 - Alouettes 15 1967: Alouettes 5 - Rough Riders 17 1971: Alouettes 17 - Rough Riders 40 1975: Rough Riders 18 - Alouettes 11 1978: Rough Riders 23 - Alouettes 18 1996: Alouettes 6 - Rough Riders 17

2003: Alouettes 38 - Renegades 43 2004: Alouettes 22 - Renegades 16 2005: Renegades 18 - Alouettes 41

Montreal Alouettes 9-11 Ottawa Rough Riders and Renegades 11-9

Did not play in following years: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 2002

No Montreal team from 1987 to 1995 No Ottawa team from 1997 to 2001 No Ottawa team from 2006 to 2013


 * Montreal Alouettes were founded in 1946

Montreal vs British Columbia
1980: Lions 14 - Alouettes 6 1997: Lions 15 - '''Alouettes 26 1998: Alouettes 26 - Lions 15 1999: Alouettes 23 - Lions 44 2000: Alouettes 35 - Lions 25 2001: Lions 19 - Alouettes 23 2006: Lions 48 - Alouettes 13 2007: Alouettes 14 - Lions 46 2008: Lions 25 - Alouettes 30 2009: Alouettes 12 - Lions 19 2010: Lions 38 - Alouettes 17 2012: Lions 25 - Alouettes 30

Montreal Alouettes 6-6 B.C. Lions 6-6

Did not play the following years: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1996, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2011

Winnipeg at Saskatchewan
1949: Blue Bombers 9 - Roughriders 20 1950: Blue Bombers 2 - Roughriders 17 1951: Blue Bombers 24 - Roughriders 22 1952: Blue Bombers 16 - Roughriders 8 1953: Blue Bombers 19 - Roughriders 23 1954: Blue Bombers 14 - Roughriders 18 1961: Blue Bombers 17 - Roughriders 11 1962: Blue Bombers 30 - Roughriders 7 1963: Blue Bombers 9 - Roughriders 15 1970: Blue Bombers 11 - Roughriders 30 1972: Blue Bombers 21 - Roughriders 32 1974: Blue Bombers 20 - Roughriders 18 1975: Blue Bombers 23 - Roughriders 27 1977: Blue Bombers 18 - Roughriders 26 1978: Blue Bombers 31 - Roughriders 29 1979: Blue Bombers 28 - Roughriders 11 1980: Blue Bombers 32 - Roughriders 29 1982: Blue Bombers 36 - Roughriders 35 1983: Blue Bombers 30 - Roughriders 32 1984: Blue Bombers 25 - Roughriders 30 1985: Blue Bombers 18 - Roughriders 10 1986: Blue Bombers 30 - Roughriders 34 1987: Blue Bombers 29 - Roughriders 25 1988: Blue Bombers 19 - Roughriders 29 1989: Blue Bombers 28 - Roughriders 20 1990: Blue Bombers 11 - Roughriders 55 1991: Blue Bombers 23 - Roughriders 56 1992: Blue Bombers 20 - Roughriders 32 1993: Blue Bombers 25 - Roughriders 24 1994: Blue Bombers 31 - Roughriders 42 1995: Blue Bombers 4 - Roughriders 56 1996: Blue Bombers 23 - Roughriders 41 1997: Blue Bombers 43 - Roughriders 12 1998: Blue Bombers 18 - Roughriders 32 1999: Blue Bombers 17 - Roughriders 42 2000: Blue Bombers 29 - Roughriders 38 2001: Blue Bombers 20 - Roughriders 18 2002: Blue Bombers 19 - Roughriders 33 2003: Blue Bombers 36 - Roughriders 18 2004: Blue Bombers 17 - Roughriders 4 2005: Blue Bombers 26 - Roughriders 45 2006: Blue Bombers 12 - Roughriders 39 2007: Blue Bombers 26 - Roughriders 31 2008: Blue Bombers 6 - Roughriders 19 2009: Blue Bombers 14 - Roughriders 29 2010: Blue Bombers 23 - Roughriders 27 2011: Blue Bombers 7 - Roughriders 27 2012: Blue Bombers 0 - Roughriders 52

Saskatchewan Roughriders 30-17 Winnipeg Blue Bombers 17-30

Did not play the following years: 1946, 1947, 1948, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1973, 1976, 1981

Edmonton at Calgary
1949: Stampeders 20 - Eskimos 6 1950: Eskimos 19 - Stampeders 13 1951: Eskimos 18 - Stampeders 17 1952: Stampeders 10 - Eskimos 17 1953: Stampeders 5 - Eskimos 19 1959: Eskimos 16 - Stampeders 10 1960: Eskimos 27 - Stampeders 28 1961: Eskimos 10 - Stampeders 9 1962: Eskimos 17 - Stampeders 49 1963: Eskimos 14 - Stampeders 16 1968: Eskimos 10 - Stampeders 8 1969: Eskimos 14 - Stampeders 16 1970: Eskimos 13 - Stampeders 28 1971: Eskimos 7 - Stampeders 23 1972: Eskimos 31 - Stampeders 19 1974: Eskimos 20 - Stampeders 16 1975: Eskimos 35 - Stampeders 31 1976: Eskimos 19 - Stampeders 17 1977: Eskimos 22 - Stampeders 8 1978: Eskimos 28 - Stampeders 28 1979: Eskimos 27 - Stampeders 1 1980: Eskimos 38 - Stampeders 23 1982: Eskimos 20 - Stampeders 32 1983: Eskimos 15 - Stampeders 18 1984: Eskimos 30 - Stampeders 28 1985: Eskimos 34 - Stampeders 28 1986: Eskimos 42 - Stampeders 19 1987: Eskimos 20 - Stampeders 29 1988: Eskimos 27 - Stampeders 11 1989: Eskimos 31 - Stampeders 14 1990: Eskimos 38 - Stampeders 4 1991: Eskimos 36 - Stampeders 48 1992: Eskimos 34 - Stampeders 21 1993: Eskimos 13 - Stampeders 33 1994: Eskimos 13 - Stampeders 48 1995: Eskimos 26 - Stampeders 51 1996: Eskimos 13 - Stampeders 31 1997: Eskimos 14 - Stampeders 27 1998: Eskimos 8 - Stampeders 26 1999: Eskimos 33 - Stampeders 30 2000: Eskimos 30 - Stampeders 18 2001: Eskimos 33 - Stampeders 32 2002: Eskimos 28 - Stampeders 20 2003: Eskimos 22 - Stampeders 28 2004: Eskimos 25 - Stampeders 7 2005: Eskimos 25 - Stampeders 23 2006: Eskimos 23 - Stampeders 44 2007: Eskimos 24 - Stampeders 35 2008: Eskimos 37 - Stampeders 16 2009: Eskimos 8 - Stampeders 32 2010: Eskimos 5 - Stampeders 52 2011: Eskimos 35 - Stampeders 7 2012: Eskimos 30 - Stampeders 31

Edmonton Eskimos 30-20-1 Calgary Stampeders 20-30-1

Did not play in following years: 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1973, 1981


 * 1949, 1952 and 1953 games played in Edmonton
 * Edmonton Eskimos were founded in 1949

Toronto at Hamilton
1948: Argonauts 14 - Wildcats 7 1949: Argonauts 36 - Wildcats 14 1950: Argonauts 6 - Tiger-Cats 13 1951: Argonauts 6 - Tiger-Cats 27 1952: Argonauts 33 - Tiger-Cats 13 1953: Argonauts 10 - Tiger-Cats 14 1954: Argonauts 21 - Tiger-Cats 7 1955: Argonauts 12 - Tiger-Cats 37 1956: Argonauts 21 - Tiger-Cats 31 1957: Argonauts 8 - Tiger-Cats 35 1958: Argonauts 24 - Tiger-Cats 31 1959: Argonauts 3 - Tiger-Cats 37 1960: Argonauts 32 - Tiger-Cats 21 1961: Argonauts 19 - Tiger-Cats 21 1963: Argonauts 1 - Tiger-Cats 7 1964: Argonauts 8 - Tiger-Cats 24 1967: Argonauts 9 - Tiger-Cats 12 1968: Argonauts 18 - Tiger-Cats 15 1971: Argonauts 17 - Tiger-Cats 30 1975: Argonauts 11 - Tiger-Cats 20 1978: Argonauts 16 - Tiger-Cats 19 1980: Argonauts 2 - Tiger-Cats 23 1987: Argonauts 25 - Tiger-Cats 19 1988: Argonauts 28 - Tiger-Cats 56 1989: Argonauts 18 - Tiger-Cats 23 1991: Argonauts 24 - Tiger-Cats 48 1992: Argonauts 24 - Tiger-Cats 27 1993: Argonauts 21 - Tiger-Cats 23 1994: Argonauts 31 - Tiger-Cats 19 1996: Argonauts 38 - Tiger-Cats 7 1997: Argonauts 46 - Tiger-Cats 3 1998: Argonauts 7 - Tiger-Cats 26 1999: Argonauts 28 - Tiger-Cats 35 2000: Argonauts 12 - Tiger-Cats 42 2001: Argonauts 13 - Tiger-Cats 26 2002: Argonauts 14 - Tiger-Cats 22 2003: Argonauts 19 - Tiger-Cats 11 2004: Argonauts 30 - Tiger-Cats 30 2005: Argonauts 30 - Tiger-Cats 33 2006: Argonauts 40 - Tiger-Cats 6 2007: Argonauts 32 - Tiger-Cats 14 2008: Argonauts 34 - Tiger-Cats 31 2009: Argonauts 15 - Tiger-Cats 34 2010: Argonauts 13 - Tiger-Cats 28 2012: Argonauts 33 - Tiger-Cats 30

Toronto Argonauts 15-29-1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Wildcats 29-15-1

Did not play the following years: 1946, 1947, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1995, 2011

Montreal at Hamilton
Currently, Hamilton has played and hosted the Labour Day Classic against Montreal (aka Labour Day Classique) nine times in CFL history. According to a Hamilton Spectator article, 2011 marked 25 years since Montreal had battled Hamilton in this Classic at home. In previous years, Montreal has played as either the Alouettes or Concordes.

1962: Alouettes 25 - Tiger-Cats 25 1965: Alouettes 2 - Tiger-Cats 17 1970: Alouettes 12 - Tiger-Cats 17 1982: Concordes 9 - Tiger-Cats 28 1983: Concordes 30 - Tiger-Cats 35 1984: Concordes 11 - Tiger-Cats 30 1985: Concordes 16 - Tiger-Cats 19 1986: Alouettes 7 - Tiger-Cats 42 2011: Alouettes 21 - Tiger-Cats 44

Montreal Alouettes and Concordes 0-8-1 Hamilton Tiger-Cats 8-0-1