‘Painting the province green:’ Lauther returns to Nova Scotia for Touchdown Atlantic

There’s no place like home for Brett Lauther.

While his hometown of Truro is 157 kilometres from Wolfville, Lauther is excited to play in the first CFL regular-season game to be played in his home province of Nova Scotia.

And nearly 200 of the tickets sold for the game are friends or family of the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ kicker.

“I did what I could. I know a lot of people didn’t reach out; they just bought their own. I’ve said this before, but this is going to be another home game for the Riders, that’s for sure,” Lauther said as the Riders prepared to take on the Toronto Argonauts.

“I’m just trying to make sure that everyone can get there who hasn’t got to see a game live before or come out. It’s going to be a unique, cool setting with all the temporary stands. Down in Wolfville, it’s a cool little college town so I’m excited for everyone to see it.”

Kickoff for the game is set for noon. The Green Zone pre-game show begins at 10 a.m.

This will be the fifth edition of Touchdown Atlantic, with the previous four (2010, 2011, 2013, 2019) taking place in Moncton, N.B.

“I see a ton of CFL fans and I feel like I’ve been painting the province pretty green the last little while,” Lauther said. “I think this game, you’re going to see a lot more excitement and a lot more around it than what is probably expected.

“I know the fans and everything, they are going to show up and they are going to be loud. I bet you if we could get a 15,000-to 20,000 (-seat facility) it would have sold out the same (as this one has).”

It’s a return to the CFL event for Lauther, whose first CFL game was the 2013 edition of the game when he was a member of a victorious Hamilton Tiger-Cats team.

“It was pretty cool then to have all my family and friends come up. We won, so hopefully (we’ll) try to repeat that performance,” Lauther said.

But while it’s a nice return to his home province, the 31-year-old hopes the game can start to lead to something bigger for Atlantic Canada.

The past few years have seen whispers and rumours of a 10th CFL franchise put in the Maritimes, but nothing has come to fruition.

Lauther hopes this game, as well as the previous ones, will lead to a team someday.

“There’s a lot of kids who play hockey and a number of other sports out there and while football is growing, it’s one of those things (kids need to see),” Lauther said. “Here in Saskatchewan, the kids have a team to look up to and a stadium to come to. Until we get something like that, it’s tough for the kids to know and see that dream.

“Even myself growing up, I didn’t grow up thinking I was going to be a football player. I didn’t even start football until high school. I think it leads to a lot of different things so hopefully someday this does lead to getting a team.”

While there’s no set timeline for if another team will ever get placed in the Maritimes, Lauther is remaining optimistic.

“I’ve been out there for a couple of the announcements and talked to some people who are pretty high up with what is going on. I’m just staying optimistic that it could happen within my playing career and, if it doesn’t, hopefully after,” Lauther said.

“I think it completes the coast-to-coast, 10-team league and it’s what the CFL needs but there’s a lot more that goes into it behind the scenes. It’s got to make sense financially and for the province and a number of other things.

“Halifax is up and coming, it’s growing. You see how some of the other pro to semi-pro sports have done out there and even the (QMJHL’s) Mooseheads in the past. It’s a real kind of big chance for the province to have stuff to bring in – bigger concerts, Winter Classic hockey games – other revenue that isn’t just football.”

While the focus is on the game, Lauther said he was going to try and show some of his teammates what makes Nova Scotia so special.

“We don’t have a ton of time with stuff but I’ve been showing some guys some stuff online – the white sand beaches, the golf courses, the ocean, whale watching. I’m the most excited to eat some real seafood again so I’m looking forward to that but the game is the No. 1 thing,” Lauther said.

“It’s hard to put into words. I’m just excited for everyone else – the team, family, friends, everyone. It’s going to be a good time, but we’ve got to keep the tunnel vision on why we are out there. We are out there to win a football game.”