This article mentions an anti-Indigenous slur.
Donning their iconic baby blue and white uniforms, the Toronto Argonauts defeated the Winnipeg Blue Bombers 41–24 to claim the 111th Grey Cup at BC Place in Vancouver on November 17, 2024. The victory secured the Argos’ second championship in three years, despite having to start backup quarterback Nick Arbuckle after starter Chad Kelly was injured in the East Division final.
Historically, the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Grey Cup has been one of Canada’s most-watched annual television events, comparable to America’s Super Bowl. Once a shared cultural experience and a sporting staple for Canadians, the event regularly broke Canadian viewership records in the 1980s and was even featured on the Canadian passport alongside the Stanley Cup.
Unfortunately, in recent years, viewership has stagnated due to the growing presence of the NFL and its Stanley Cup Finals’ enduring popularity in Canada.
When the Argos played the BC Lions in 1983, more than eight million viewers tuned in to the Grey Cup. In contrast, the 2024 edition averaged 3.6 million viewers across TSN, CTV, and RDS — strong numbers, but a fraction of the 19 million unique Canadian viewers who watched the 2024 Super Bowl LVIII.
It’s clear that the CFL’s presence in Canada is no longer what it once was.
Toronto Varsity Blues and the inaugural Grey Cup
But viewership isn’t the only time the Grey Cup has been blue. The historic trophy was first won by the Toronto Varsity Blues in its inaugural game in 1909. The trophy is named after Canada’s then-Governor General Earl Grey, who offered the trophy as the award for amateur rugby football in Canada — a variation of American football that has evolved into the version of Canadian football we play today.
The biggest differences between the two sports are the size of the field, the number of players, and the fact that the NFL uses four downs compared to Canada’s three.
Unlike the modern, professional iteration of the CFL, the trophy was originally contested by amateur teams like the Blues, who were the intercollegiate champions at the time of the first final.
The Blues and Toronto Parkdale Canoe Club played the first-ever Grey Cup final on December 4, 1909. The Blues defeated Parkdale 26–6 at Rosedale Park. The 1909 football team is celebrated as part of U of T’s Sports Hall of Fame and was also inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2016 for their historical significance.
The Blues went on to win three more Grey Cups in 1910, 1911, and 1920, and made appearances in the finals in 1914 and 1926. U of T’s ‘three-peat’ from the first to third editions of the Grey Cup gives the Blues the second-longest championship streak in the history of the Cup. Only the Edmonton Elks — then known as the ‘Edmonton Eskimos’ — have a longer streak, with five consecutive championships (1978-1982). The Blues are tied with the Argos (1945–1947), Queen’s University (1922–1924), and the Elks (1954–1956), all of whom have three consecutive championships.
The competition gradually became dominated by professional teams in the 1950s, and in 1966, the Grey Cup’s trusteeship was given to the CFL. The Blues’ last appearance in a Grey Cup was in 1926.
The Blues’ home ground, Varsity Stadium, is also a storied part of the Grey Cup. The stadium has hosted the Grey Cup 30 times — the most by any venue — although the last time was in 1957.
History of the Argonauts
Founded in 1873, the Argos are the oldest professional sports team in North America still using its original name and the oldest franchise in the CFL. The team was founded as part of the Argonaut Rowing Club, whose rowers could play on the football team during the off-season to maintain fitness.
The Blues and Argos share a close history. The Argos’ first Grey Cup came with a victory over the Blues in 1914. The Blues won their third and fourth cups in 1911 and 1920 respectively by defeating their city rivals. The teams shared Varsity Stadium as their home ground from 1911 to 1958, when the CFL was formed with the Argos as a founding member. Today, the Argos play at BMO Field.
With four Grey Cups, the Blues are the most successful university in Grey Cup history. Despite being ineligible to play in the competition for over 50 years, the Blues have the same number of championships as an active CFL team — Saskatchewan Roughrider fans, look away.
With their 19 Grey Cup titles in 2024, the Toronto Argonauts now hold the record for the most Grey Cups in Canadian Football history.
The iconic Canadian sporting trophy is truly Toronto’s, and the Grey Cup is blue once again, as it has been for so much of its history.
