Tickets for Moncton's Touchdown Atlantic game on Sept. 26 between our adopted hometown Toronto Argonauts and the western juggernaut Edmonton Eskimos go on sale March 25 -- a day earlier for those who register at CFL.ca/TouchdownAtlantic.

But don't bother rolling your pennies. The tickets for the historic first major league sports game ever held in Atlantic Canada start as low as $29 and top out at just $79. CFL commissioner Mark Cohon was joined by the presidents and CEOs of both teams, a player from each team and political leaders Shawn Graham and George LeBlanc in announcing the details yesterday at the Delta Beauséjour Hotel.

Also unveiled was the logo for the Touchdown Atlantic game, a distinctive wave design created by local graphic designer Lisa Gagnon of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

The big game marks the first time a major league in any sport has held anything other than an exhibition game east of Quebec, so it's therefore fitting the historic Argonauts are hosting it.

No professional sports team in North America goes back as far as the Argos, founded in 1873. The Boatmen have been to 21 Grey Cups and have won a record 15 of them. The Edmonton Eskimos' roots also go back to the Victorian era, but in their modern incarnation date to 1949. During those past 61 years their Grey Cup wins, 13, are second only to the Argonauts, and their Grey Cup appearances are a record 25 games. They also made the playoffs a whopping 34 years in a row, a record that is the envy of any North American major league team in any sport.

The historic greatness of each team was almost hard for a Moncton audience to grasp. Eskimos president and CEO Rick LeLacheur pointed out Eskis equipment manager Dwayne Mandrusiak in the audience and said, "there's a guy who's got something no one else in this room has, 10 Grey Cup rings."

Showing a bit of the good natured rivalry already developing months ahead of the Touchdown Atlantic game, Argos lineman Adriano Belli was not to be outdone, pointing out that seated right next to Mandrusiak was Argonauts equipment manager Danny Webb, the proud owner of 11 Grey Cup rings.

At any rate, LaLacheur said there had been considerable interest among all the league's teams after the idea of the Argonauts playing a home game in Atlantic Canada was announced.

"We certainly consider that we won," in getting the opportunity to come to Moncton to challenge them.

Meanwhile, Argonauts president and CEO Bob Nicholson said Argonaut fans here in their new home away from home will see some significant changes on the team's roster and in its coaching staff, and Nicholson was looking forward to a close game come September.

"We're also looking forward to the team being here for three or four practices leading up to the game," he said.

While that means we should have a full week of CFL excitement in the city this fall, things will really kick into high gear on the Thursday leading into the Sunday afternoon main event.

A full-fledged four day football fever festival -- phew! -- is also in the works, with a downtown street party, two high school football games and an Atlantic university game planned, not to mention a massive tailgate party on game day.

* Tickets for the general public go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 25. Tickets for those registered at CFL.ca/TouchdownAtlantic will be available 24 hours earlier.