VANSTONE: Lingerie Football League’s Regina debut was “fun” – Regina Leader

Local sporting history was made on Saturday night, when a Regina-based football team finally got to play indoors — at a venue that is far beyond the always-crucial roof-ready stage.

An estimated 2,000 spectators, some of whom have been lifelong fans of the Regina Rage since a couple of days ago, visited the Brandt Centre to watch the Lingerie Football League Canada team’s inaugural home game.

For the record, the Rage defeated the Toronto Triumph 40-32, thereby compounding the woes endured by long-suffering sports fans in Canada’s largest city. The battered Blue Jays are playing out the string, the Maple Leafs are about to be locked out of something other than the Stanley Cup playoffs, Steve Nash has spurned the hapless Raptors … and now this.

Forgive inhabitants of the Rage Nation, as they were dubbed by the public-address announcer on Saturday, for being unsympathetic to the trauma that Toronto’s Lingerie Football League diehards must be experiencing.

Members of the Triumph were more than happy to play the villains’ role in a WWE-style clash of Good vs. Evil. Opportunities to engage in trash-talking with the boisterous crowd were repeatedly seized. Ultimately, justice prevailed.

The league as a whole was able to claim victory during its first foray into Regina. Although a modest crowd turned out to watch immodestly clad players, the spectators were clearly entertained.

Twice as many people wouldn’t make half as much noise at a Regina Pats game (which is sad, really). Then again, Pats president Brent Parker and Lingerie Football League operatives are aiming at entirely different demographics.

Upon waddling into the Brandt Centre on Saturday, I single-handedly increased the average age by six years. Having succumbed to curiosity, I was anxious to see how much support the landmark contest would garter … er, garner. That sentiment was shared by my wife, Chryssoula, who has requested anonymity.

The Brandt Centre box office was congested when we arrived 15 minutes before the scheduled 8 p.m. kickoff. By the time we acquired tickets — we opted for the cheapies at $15 each, whereas others in attendance relinquished as much as $70 for preferred locations — it was just after eight o’clock.

Nobody was flagged for delay of game, even though the kickoff did not take place until 8:40 — by which time the walk-up customers had found their seats.

We were supposed to be in Section 210, in the upper level. Shortly after sitting down, though, a cordial Brandt Centre staffer approached us. This was surprising, being that we had not committed the heinous crime of placing our feet on the unoccupied seats directly in front of us. So, really, what else could it be?

“Would you like to move down to Section 109, Row 11 or 12?’’ she said. “They’d like the seats filled up down there.’’

We had more than our fill of entertainment upon descending to the lower bowl.

My wife, who is very discerning except when selecting a husband, turned to me at one point and exclaimed: “This is fun!’’ (Words I did not hear on our first date.)

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