Stadium Expansion and Fan Experience
To support the influx of spectators, organizers expanded the Apple Bowl capacity from 2,314 to over 20,000 seats.
Christensen admitted surprise at the scale of the facility's physical transformation.
"To me, that's the most amazing thing, is to see the finished product," said Christensen.
He reflected on how much the stadium has changed compared to his historical playing days.
"I had doubts that they could pull it off, but now you see the Apple Bowl, and it's like 'holy cow, that looks good.'
Between playing and coaching hundreds of games on that field, it doesn't even resemble it. It's fantastic and everyone in town is talking about it," said Christensen.
The former slotback believes that intense fan interaction will provide an emotional lift for the home roster.
"They're going to come up here and hopefully feed off the energy," said Christensen.
He described how the compact community setting would keep the team immersed in fan support throughout their stay.
"They're going to be able to go anywhere without people cheering and talking to them and getting autographs.
It'll be an exciting time for the players as well, just to feel that, and hopefully that motivates them a little bit on the field," said Christensen.
The event joins several high-profile gatherings hosted by Kelowna over the past calendar year, including the Memorial Cup and HOOPFEST.
"It's been a crazy year for the city, events-wise," said Christensen.
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According to CFL reports, international streaming will be handled via CFL+, while domestic television broadcasts will air on TSN in Canada and CBS Sports Network in the United States.
