VANCOUVER — There was an obvious obsidian obsession.
Saskatchewan Roughriders fans flocked to the merchandise tables outside BC Place on Saturday, purchasing apparel that showcases an alternate logo and colour scheme.
Six players were present at the launch on May 31. The entire team will wear the Rider Nation Alt Jerseys on Friday when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit Mosaic Stadium (7:30 p.m., TSN, CKRM).
“It’s really cool how much the players love it,” President-CEO Craig Reynolds said before the Roughriders opposed the B.C. Lions on Saturday.
“They are so excited to wear it. I keep picturing them running out of the tunnel for the first time wearing the obsidian jerseys.
“Bring ’Em Out is an energizing moment in our game day. But to have them run out for the first time wearing the obsidian jerseys will be electric.”
The buzz was evident outside the Lions’ home stadium this past weekend as fans snapped up Roughriders garb that accentuates the darkest shade of green (obsidian) and an insignia that will be showcased on special occasions such as Friday’s game.
“I love it,” Calgary-based Mindy Bell, who travelled to Vancouver to visit a friend and attend the game, said after buying a T-shirt and cap.
“I like the new design, which mixes light green and dark green, and I think it’s really sharp.
“My old hat is faded and worn, so I needed a new one. I thought, ‘I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get to Mosaic,’ so I was really hoping I could get it here.”
Mission accomplished.
Bell referred to the new jerseys as “stunning.”
Robby Williams of Abbotsford, B.C., opted for “very sleek.”
“They’re really nice and they represent Saskatchewan really well,” said Williams, whose father (Robert) grew up in Regina.
Aesthetics aside, Williams said he purchased alt apparel as a show of support for the Roughriders and the CFL.
The team is to wear the alternate jerseys twice this season. After Friday, the players will sport the obsidian look on Oct. 26 against the visiting Calgary Stampeders.
The way things are going, an untold number of Rider Priders will be resplendent in obsidian well in advance of the players.
“Our fans are loving it,” Reynolds said. “We’re seeing it with the merchandise sales and with the number of jerseys and hats you’re seeing. You’re seeing that new logo a lot.
“I was amazed. I saw them at Commonwealth Stadium (on June 8) and we had just announced it on the Thursday of the previous week.
“For someone to go online and order that jersey and get it on time, they had to be an early adopter. It has really resonated with the fans.
“I’ve seen it a lot around Saskatchewan and at the away games. When we were in Hamilton, I saw it in the stands.
“I’m really looking forward to Friday, because we haven’t even worn them yet.”
The Rider Nation Alt Jerseys and the accompanying accessories were in the works for about five years before being unveiled.
“Internally, you’re always sort of cautious when you’re introducing anything new,” Reynolds said. “We did some focus-group testing and we felt really good about it, but anytime you launch something you just don’t know what the response is going to be.
“I believed that our fans would love it because our players love it. When we started showing them to our players during the content shoots, they were just beside themselves with excitement around it. They just loved the look.
“Actually, (Player Personnel Co-ordinator and former Roughriders middle linebacker) Larry Dean was one of the first guys who got to see it. He took it over to football operations and he kept talking about how he wanted to go back on the field and play, just to wear those jerseys.
“That’s when I started thinking that the response here might be really, really good. But even saying that, it’s just way more than I thought.
“The morning after we launched it, there was a lineup at the store. It’s awesome to see that kind of response from the fans, because the jersey is for them.”
