The Scotiabank Saddledome is iconic, and for good reason.
It became not only an instantly recognizable part of our skyline, but part of the very fabric of our city. This season, the Flames will play their final games in one of the most legendary sporting buildings in not only Canada, but the world.
Our first home game is Oct. 1 when we host the Seattle Kraken, and the last regular-season contest comes April 10 against the Vancouver Canucks. Those two games – and everything in between – will be special in so many ways.
For more than four decades the ’Dome – as it affectionately became known – has been the scene of championships, celebrations, traditions and countless nights when the C of Red came together as one.
This go-round – our final ride – is the Saddledome Farewell Season, and I believe it will be one of the most memorable seasons in Flames history. But I don’t want this year to feel like a goodbye. I want it to feel like a celebration, because it will be just that.
The ’Dome opened in 1983, with the first game, fittingly, against the Edmonton Oilers. Since then, generations have walked through its doors. Parents brought their children, and those children grew up and brought their own families, as fans made the building part of their lives.
The ’Dome has witnessed Stanley Cup glory, unforgettable playoff runs, legendary players, and moments that brought people together, and saw the rise of the C of Red. That is why this season belongs to the fans.
We have 42 opportunities to fill the building with the energy that has made Flames hockey special.
Every game will carry a little extra meaning.
Every Battle of Alberta will feel bigger.
Every goal will be another memory.
Every time the crowd rises and celebrates together, we will be reminded of what makes the building so special. We want fans to fill the ’Dome this season, not simply to watch hockey games, but to experience Calgary history.
Bring your kids. Bring your parents. Bring your friends. If you have a story about the ’Dome, this is the season to add another chapter.
While we celebrate the past, we will also be looking ahead. Scotia Place, which has already risen to make its own mark on our skyline, represents an exciting new chapter for the Flames, our fans and Calgary. It will give us a modern home designed for the future of sports and entertainment in our city.
The transition will be significant, but it is important to remember that while buildings change, communities, tradition, and passion endure. The C of Red will move across the street, but its spirit will come with us. Before we open that new chapter, however, we have that one last ride to enjoy.
The ’Dome has given Calgary more than a roof over a sheet of ice. It has given us a place to gather, a place to dream, and a place to celebrate being Calgarians.
Now it’s our turn to give something back.
Let’s fill the ’Dome. Let’s make some noise. Let’s create memories worthy of the building that has created so many for us.
It’s going to be a heckuva ride.
Go, Flames, Go!