Victoria to host B.C. Lions for regular-season game against Ottawa Redblacks

The B.C. Lions will host the Ottawa Redblacks in a regular-season CFL game in Victoria next season.

The game, dubbed "Touchdown Pacific" by the league, will be played Saturday Aug. 31 at Royal Athletic Park.

The league says the venue will be expanded to accommodate between 10,000 and 14,000 fans, including standing room.

"We have long stated that the Lions are British Columbia’s team and being born and raised in Victoria, I am honoured to have the opportunity to see our team play in the provincial capital," Lions owner Amar Doman said in a release.

The game will mark the sixth instalment of the CFL's "Touchdown Series," which seeks to grow the game by bringing a regular-season game to a neutral site, but the first in Victoria.

The previous five versions, all dubbed "Touchdown Atlantic," were all hosted by cities in Atlantic Canada.

The Toronto Argonauts defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders on July 29 in Halifax in the last "Touchdown Atlantic" game.

“Through this series of neutral site games, we’re building bridges and helping ensure the future of our game," CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said.

British Columbia will also host next season's Grey Cup at Vancouver's BC Place.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 29, 2023.