CFL® Fans Get to Choose the Band’s Play List at greycuphalftimeshow.ca
There’s big news for Canadian football fans and Canadian music fans: Blue Rodeo is going to play this year’s Pepsi Max Grey Cup Halftime Show and you get to play producer.
“I’m thrilled to announce that one of the truly great Canadian bands will take centre stage at Canada’s largest single day sporting event, in front of a sold-out McMahon Stadium in Calgary, and a television audience of millions more watching on TSN,” said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon.
Pepsi is once again looking forward to its entitlement of the Grey Cup Halftime Show, especially the unprecedented fan engagement that is being introduced this year in partnership with the CFL and Blue Rodeo.
“Pepsi Max is pumped to be the title sponsor of the Grey Cup Halftime Show; but what’s even more exciting is how we’re going to kick it up a few notches to make the fan’s Grey Cup experience even more enjoyable,” said Dale Hooper, Vice President Marketing, PepsiCo Beverages Canada. “This year’s show is going to take halftime entertainment to an entirely new level, enabling fans - for the first time ever - to participate in the show’s programming. It’s this kind of innovation that ultimately connects with our fans – making our brands accessible to the everyday consumer.”
“We’re equally excited that Blue Rodeo and Pepsi Max have agreed to continue our league’s tradition of reaching out to our fans by asking Canadians to select the band’s Grey Cup play list in a national, online vote,” added Cohon.
Fans can visit www.greycuphalftimeshow.ca to choose three of their favourite Blue Rodeo songs from a list of ten of the band’s famous hits from their incredible 30-year-career.

“I’ve been watching the Grey Cup all my life and it’s really exciting to be playing the Half-time show,” said Jim Cuddy whose partnership with Greg Keelor has evolved into one of the most storied songwriting teams in Canadian music history. 
 

While music is undoubtedly the duo’s bond, football also brought them together – literally.
 
“I was the quarterback of the junior team at our high school, and Greg was a senior defensive end, and somehow he missed the memo about not rocking the quarterback during a scrimmage,” Cuddy joked.
“To this day, I tell Jim that I knew back then: as quarterbacks go, he was going to be a great musician. It’s funny to think that 30 years later that we’re actually playing the Grey Cup,” Greg explained.
In total, Blue Rodeo has sold more than four million records and won 10 Juno Awards, including an unprecedented five Group of the Year Awards. Their thirteenth album, The Things We Left Behind, is slated for release later this Fall. From their 1987 debut album, Outskirts, and its breakthrough single “Try”, through sold out shows at clubs and concert halls alike, to Five Days in July, the biggest album in the band’s career, and a host of other successful recordings, Blue Rodeo has been a leader in Canadian music.


As part of the Pepsi Max “Name Your Playlist” Contest, which runs until November 20th, fans can win great weekly Pepsi Max and CFL Blue Rodeo Prize packs by choosing three Blue Rodeo songs from the following hits:
- Lost Together
- Hasn’t Hit Me Yet
- Rose Coloured Glasses
- Heart Like Mine
- Diamond Mine
- Trust Yourself
- C’mon
- Til I am Myself Again
- Walk Like You Don’t Mind
- Head Over Heels

“Like the Grey Cup itself, Blue Rodeo is an authentic Canadian classic that remains full of energy, passion and excitement.” Cohon said. “Our teams are battling to make it to Calgary. We’re pleased that, with this announcement, Blue Rodeo is all set to share the national spotlight with them, come the best day in Canadian sport.”

Blue Rodeo is: Jim Cuddy (vocals/guitar), Greg Keelor (vocals/guitar), Bazil Donovan (bass), Glenn Milchem (drums), and Bob Egan (pedal steel).

The 97th Grey Cup game will be played November 29th in Calgary, and broadcast nationally on TSN and RDS. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET. The game, Canada’s national pro football championship, is already sold out.

About the Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League is our league. It’s built on a tradition as proud, staged on a field as broad, and played at a pace as exciting as the country we are proud to call home. Our championship game, the Grey Cup, is the biggest single annual sporting event in Canada. And the 97th edition will be played on November 29, 2009 in Calgary, Alberta. For additional information, visit CFL.ca.
® Registered trade-mark of the Canadian Football League.
Contact Information:
Jamie Dykstra
Manager, Communications
Canadian Football League
416-865-2664
jdykstra@cfl.ca