The BC Lions are a professional Canadian football team competing in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Lions play their home games at BC Place in Downtown Vancouver, having previously played at Empire Stadium in east Vancouver from 1954 to 1982. Due to the installation of a retractable roof at BC Place, the Lions played at a temporary stadium located at Empire Field for the 2010 season and for the first five regular season games of the 2011 season.
The Lions played their first season in 1954, making them the youngest franchise in the CFL, and have played every season since. As such, they are the oldest professional sports franchise in the city of Vancouver and in the province of British Columbia. They have appeared in the league's Grey Cup championship game ten times, winning six of those games, with their most recent championship occurring in 2011.
The Lions are also the only Western Canada team to have won the Grey Cup at home, having done so in 1994 & 2011, while also becoming the only team to beat an American based franchise in a championship game, a feat accomplished in the former game. The Lions currently have the second longest active playoff streak, and third longest of all time, having made the playoffs for 16 straight seasons.
Read more about BC Lions: Team Facts, Ownership, Cheer Team, Notable Seasons, Current Roster, Current Coaching Staff, Radio, Stadium
Famous quotes containing the word lions:
“Probably more than youngsters at any age, early adolescents expect the adults they care about to demonstrate the virtues they want demonstrated. They also tend to expect adults they admire to be absolutely perfect. When adults disappoint them, they can be critical and intolerant.”
—The Lions Clubs International and the Quest Nation. The Surprising Years, I, ch.4 (1985)