Fans flocking to Saskatchewan for the Grey Cup hope to score merchandise

REGINA – Long underwear in green, rubber ducks with tiny green football helmets painted on them and a foam helmet that looks like a watermelon.

There is apparently no end to the list of things bearing a Saskatchewan Roughriders logo, and football fans flocking to Regina for the 101st Grey Cup on Sunday can’t wait to get their hands on the merchandise.

Riders vice-president of sales Steve Mazurak says Saskatchewan sells as much merchandise as all the other CFL teams combined.

The Riders have had more than $7 million in merchandise sales in each of the last four years, with sales in the 2010 centennial year reaching $10 million.

But Mazurak says it’s too early to know if sales this year will pass that $10 million mark, adding that might depend on the outcome of the game Sunday.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will face the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the championship, marking the first time the Riders have played in the Grey Cup on their home turf.