Grey Cup trophy gets new base to make room for more champions

The Grey Cup trophy has been hoisted onto a shiny new base to make room for more championship teams.

For the third time in its 110-year history, the iconic cup has received a slight makeover.

The Canadian Football League (CFL) says the change was necessary because the base had run out of room for plaques that list the names of Grey Cup champions.

Mark DeNobile, Executive Director of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF), said its silhouette remains unchanged. “The shape is the same and the cosmetic changes are very minor,” said DeNobile on the CFL website.

Starting next year, a plaque from the past will be removed each year to make room for a new one honouring the latest champion. “The Cup has such a long history, it just isn’t feasible going forward to display on its base the names of every team and every champion, not without making the trophy too large and cumbersome for it to be shared with Canadians at countless events across the country,” DeNobile said.

The sterling silver trophy was donated as an award for the amateur rugby football championship of Canada in 1909 and originally sat on a wooden base.

At the time, its total cost was said to be $48. In 1952, the wooden base was replaced by a broader, black one that featured champions’ plaques around its circumference. In 1987, it was replaced by the much larger barrel-shaped base that is now familiar to fans.

Over its lifetime, the cup has been stolen, held for ransom and stashed in a railway station locker where it was retrieved by officials. It has survived a terrible fire and has often needed repairs.

“This is our holy grail, a symbol of Canadian spirit and unity, as well as the trophy every Canadian Football League player wants to claim in victory,” said Randy Ambrosie, Commissioner of the CFL.

“We wanted any change to its appearance to be absolutely minimal as well as tasteful. We’re thrilled with the final product.”