Argonauts to open milestone 150th season against the Tiger-Cats

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The Toronto Argonauts will once again be looking to rise to the occasion of a milestone season when they open defence of their Grey Cup championship in June.

This will be the 150th season for the Boatmen, who predate the Canadian Football League and are North America’s oldest professional sport team still playing under its original name.

Not that it is going to necessarily provide any extra incentive, but the previous time the Argos embarked on an historically significant season — 2017, the 100th anniversary of the CFL — they also captured the Grey Cup, upsetting Calgary on home field.

The 2023 Grey Cup is scheduled for Tim Hortons Field in Hamilton but there is plenty to do between now and then for head coach Ryan Dinwiddie and the Double Blue as they try to reshape a veteran roster through free agency and the draft.

It all begins on Sunday, June 18 when the Argonauts open their regular schedule at BMO Field against their arch-rivals, the Tiger-Cats.

The CFL officially released its 2023 schedule on Thursday and here are some highlights from a Toronto perspective:

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♦ The Argos open up at home following a Week 1 bye for the second year in a row and will host the Ticats on June 18. This will be the fifth time in the past 10 seasons Toronto has opened up a season against the Ticats. The 2022 Grey Cup champion Boatmen will be honoured prior to the game.

♦ Toronto’s Week 8 game vs. Saskatchewan on July 29 will be a neutral site game but will officially be an Argos home game.

♦ The annual CNE game will take place on Aug. 25 when the Argos take on Calgary at 7:30 p.m. A ticket to the game will get fans free admission into the CNE.

♦ Oct. 6 vs. Edmonton will be a 150th anniversary celebration game.

♦ Seven of the Argos eight home games at BMO Field will be night games; three on Sunday nights, two on Friday and Saturday nights, and one Monday kickoff.

♦ Bye weeks are in Week 1, 5 and 11.

♦ The Boatmen’s pre-season game on June 1 against the Ottawa Redblacks, will be played at the University of Guelph, for the second season in a row. That’s also where the team will hold its 2023 training camp. The first pre-season game will be played on May 27 (4 p.m.) in Hamilton.

♦ Toronto will play the Ticats four times in a season for the third straight season. Prior to the two teams playing four times in 2021, this many games between the two rivals hadn’t happened since 2012. Toronto is 6-2 in those games over the past two seasons.
♦ The Labour Day Classic in Hamilton continues on Sept. 4 in the 52st chapter of the traditional clash. The Argos won their first LDC since 2012 last season with a 28-8 victory.