Molson Stadium
Prior to World War I, McGill University authorised construction of a new stadium on the slope of Mount Royal, at the corner of University and Pine Avenues. On July 5, 1917, Captain Percival Molson, a McGill University alumnus and sports star who had been instrumental in getting the stadium plan approved, was killed in action in France. His will left $75,000 to the university to help pay most of the total costs for the construction of the stadium. Other individual donors whose generosity built and renovated the stadium were William C. Macdonald, John W. McConnell. When it was officially opened on October 25, 1919, the Board of Governors of the university named it in honour of this fallen hero.
Today the stadium is the home of the McGill Redmen football team and was the home of the Montreal Alouettes from 1947–1967 and again since 1997. It also served as a venue for field hockey during the 1976 Summer Olympics. It seats 20,202, and is always sold out for Alouettes games.
The stadium was built during a time when title sponsorship of sporting venues was not the norm. Nonetheless, the Alouettes' decision to return to the venue was problematic because it was being sponsored by Molson Breweries competitor Labatt's. Eventually, the team was forced to change sponsors, and is now sponsored by Molson.
