Smoke delayed Roughrider game caused logistic problems for organizers and fans alike

WATCH: Mick Favel shows us the process behind the decision that delayed the Rider game for hours before rescheduling.

Thousands of Saskatchewan Roughrider fans were left in the smoke Friday night, as the team’s faceoff against the Calgary Stampeders was delayed by 19 hours.

Kickoff was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday. However, due to smoke moving in from the west and the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) not improving, players were prevented from taking the field.

“We wanted to get the football game played,” said Saskatchewan Roughriders CEO Craig Reynolds. “Our intent was to wait as long as possible to try and make that happen,” he added.

Thanks to changing winds that night – the smoke slowed right down and settled in across the Queen City.

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According to the Canadian Football League (CFL), if the AQHI reaches a metric of eight or higher during warmups or gameplay, the game will be stopped or delayed. On Friday, the AQHI at Regina’s Mosaic Stadium never reached a level below eight.

As a result, the game called off at around 10:45 p.m. Friday and rescheduled for 2:00 p.m. the following day.

The game’s rescheduling created a quick turnaround for everyone involved, including the hosts at the REAL District, who were able to have the venue ready for another game less than 24 hours later.

“From venue operations and concessions to clean crews and logistics, our staff worked late into the night and returned early the next morning, fully committed to delivering an exceptional fan experience,” REAL said in a statement.

The City of Regina’s Rider Transit buses were also provided again for the next day.

Although the game went ahead as planned on Saturday, there was a notable drop in attendance.

The league’s weather protocol clearly outlines procedures for in-game delays. The protocol states that if a game is delayed after becoming official (at the 7:30 mark of the third quarter) and the stoppage exceeds 60 minutes, the game will be considered final.

The leading team will be awarded two points, or one point each in the event of a tie. If a delay occurs before the 7:30 mark and lasts for more than three hours, the game is considered cancelled.

For games that have not started yet, there is no time limit specified in the protocol.

The league says it is planning to continue reviewing and adjusting its policies and protocols as needed.