Tiger-Cats improve to 5-0 at very much under-construction Tim Hortons Field

HAMILTON – Zach Collaros and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats are very much enjoying their still-not-completed new stadium. There is no doubt that when finished Tim Hortons Field will be one of the finest stadiums in the CFL, and it’s already giving the Ticats a nice home-field advantage.

The Ticats improved to 5-0 at their new digs with a 16-6 win over the Ottawa Redblacks on Friday. The game on the field was just as ugly as some of the construction sites outside the stadium.

It took 46 minutes of game time before the first touchdown was scored, a seven-yard pass from Hamilton quarterback Zach Collaros to Bakari Grant, who did a great job getting a toe in on the sideline. That touchdown sealed the game for the Ticats. Other than that major the scoring came on several singles and field goals. The lowly Redblacks’ points came on a single, a conceded safety, and a field goal. At least the Redblacks, now 2-13, doubled their scoring output from last week’s loss to the Lions.

The Ticats temporarily took over sole possession of first place in the tight East Division. Montreal visits Toronto on Saturday, both teams looking to match the Ticats’ record again. Since 1945 there had never been a three-way tie for first place in the East this late in the season.

Now with the ugly win the Tiger-Cats have the upper hand with three games to go.

“I’m just happy we got the win,” Collaros said. “We’ve got some things we have to clean up. You’re gonna have to win sloppy sometimes, as a quarterback I want to score more points. But I’m just happy we won the game and we have a great opportunity in front of us next week [against the Argos].”

The Redblacks offence has gone stone cold since a 41-point break out two weeks ago at home. Another week without a touchdown means quarterback Henry Burris is still waiting for touchdown pass No. 334 of his career. His next touchdown toss will move him past Ron Lancaster into third on the all-time CFL list.

The stadium is still very much under construction but the Tiger-Cats have enjoyed a great home-field advantage since moving in. But once you get through the gates you get a sense that it will soon be one of the best stadiums in the league. The concourses are wide, the amenities appear plentiful, the sightlines are great, and there are lots of areas to congregate. There might even be a concern that fans spend too much time out of their seats.

“It was rocking out there, hats off to the fans,” Collaros said. “I want the offence to play better at home but the defence does a great job with the noise, and it’s a great atmosphere.”

There are quirks, or outright oversights, too. The north-end jumbotron offers crystal-clear HD display but the scoreboard with the crucial game information is obscured by men working TV cameras.

When it was decided the new stadium would be built on the site of old Ivor Wynne Stadium, it was assumed there would be delays and headaches for the Ticats. The Tiger-Cats spent all of last season playing at the University of Guelph. Tim Hortons Field was supposed to be ready by Week 5 this season but several construction delays led to the Ticats playing three games at McMaster University.

Tim Hortons Field was opened on Labour Day without several bells and whistles. Seven weeks later the stadium is still a construction zone, with one entire upper deck section still not open. On Friday the announced crowd of 20,125 was full capacity for the stadium as it is.

Odds are the fans don’t mind the minor annoyances and unsightly construction zones outside. Once inside the stadium appears nearly finished. The stadium also offers views of the Niagara Escarpment from the upper decks, plus club and suite-level seating, not to mention actual seats, as opposed to the old wooden benches at Ivor Wynne. And most important, the home team keeps winning.

“You’re supposed to win at home,” Collaros said. Especially in the CFL, you have to win your home games because [wins] are so hard to come by on the road. I wouldn’t say there’s a sense of invincibility here, but you want to play your best.”