The Calgary Stampeders know BC Place is going to be loco.

And hopefully on Saturday night, they can put the Lions in a chokehold.

With apologies for that strained attempt at shoehorning 50 Cent lyrics into the lead of this story, the Stampeders are hyped up about Saturday night in Vancouver.

More than 50,000 fans are expected to cram into BC Place for an evening of entertainment that includes a performance by rapper 50 Cent and a game that features a ton of early season intrigue in the CFL’s West Division.

You don’t get crowds that big for football in Canada very often. It’s a big deal and proof that with a little investment in the game-day product from ownership, audiences will happily show up for CFL contests.

“Hell yeah, I’m excited for 50 Cent,” Stampeders quarterback Jake Maier said. “I don’t know how much we’ll be able to listen or watch, but that’s just great for our league, man. What a great promotion, that’s big time.

“You dream about 50,000 people. Big crowd, big event. For us to almost main event after he performs, that’s unbelievable.”

There’s a football game with high stakes that’s going to be played on Saturday night, but it’s worth celebrating the level of fan engagement that’s happening in Vancouver.

The CFL rightfully takes a lot of criticism for its marketing and its attempts to connect with fans outside of its traditional, aging fanbase.

But since taking over as owner of the Lions in 2021, Amar Doman has invested in the organization’s game-day product and seen crowds grow. Will all 50,000 people in attendance on Saturday night come back for the next game when 50 Cent isn’t performing? Probably not, but who cares?

Having 50,000 people in the stands for a CFL game in Vancouver is a huge deal. It matters. It’s important for the league.

Bringing in one of the top-selling rappers of all time is fun and exciting for fans — and for coaches and players, too.

“We played some (50 Cent) to get the guys ready,” Stamps GM/head coach Dave Dickenson admitted. “I like making CFL football important and concerts and events that people want to go to and that pair with our game. Then, it’s the players and coaches, it’s our job to put on a good performance, as well.

“I like it. For me, that’s a Grey Cup-worthy act and they’ve got it for Week 1 for them, at home. That’s a good thing.”

Are there lessons to be learned from the success the Lions have had in getting fans into the stadium for Saturday’s game? Probably, although it’s not exactly rocket science to say that investing in game-day promotions and bringing in A-list celebrity performers is an effective tool for attracting fans.

That’s not something that happens in most markets. Really, it’s not something that happens in any markets outside of Vancouver these days.

But the old saying goes ‘you’ve got to spend money to make money’ and Doman appears a lot more willing to make that happen than a lot of the CFL’s other owners.

And that, in and of itself, is exciting for players to see.

“Hey man, their owner is doing a really good job of helping build the league and as a member of the (CFLPA), we need big stuff,” Stamps defensive tackle Mike Rose said. “We want the CFL to grow, so thank you to 50 Cent for doing it, but it’s not going to stop us from trying to win this game.”

That last part was repeated by all of the Stampeders, too. They’re excited to play in front of so many people. The bigger the crowd, the bigger the sense of occasion.

But it also means there are going to be a lot of eyes on the Stampeders and a lot of loud Lions fans cheering against them.

“I know what 50,000 looks like in that stadium,” said Stamps receiver Jalen Philpot, who attended the 2011 Grey Cup as a young fan. “I think it’s going to be a cool atmosphere and I think if we can go out there and show them what this team is about, we might quiet them down a little bit.”