Sports in Calgary

Thanks largely to the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, Calgary has a proud sports culture. The legacy of the Games to Calgary is the number of facilities left behind. 'Olympic' is a word that describes many of Calgary's athletic buildings. We also have a lot of park spaces, golf courses, and professional sports teams to enjoy.

The Calgary Flames came to the city from Atlanta in 1979. The "Flames" are named after the great Atlanta fire, if you were wondering. They won the 1989 Stanley Cup, and had a miraculous run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2004, during which 17th Avenue became forever known as "The Red Mile" (because the Flames wear red jerseys) as hundreds of thousands of Calgarians would flock to 17th to celebrate wins. Although the Flames have fallen on losing times, recently, there's still a lot of love in this city for them. Tickets are becoming easier to get, now, though. They play in the Scotiabank Saddledome (formerly known as the Olympic Saddledome).

The Stampeders are Calgary's CFL team. The Canadian Football League has its own unique rules that Americans probably don't understand or appreciate. They play at McMahon Stadium near the U of C. The Hitmen are Calgary's junior hockey team. They also play at the 'Dome. The Hitmen are a cheaper event than the Flames, and it's good hockey.

Canada Olympic Park has lots of sporty things to do: ski, bike, luge, etc. It's famous for its iconic ski jumps that really stand out on Calgary's western horizon.

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