So you've found RiderFans.com... what took you so long?  Although you may have figured that since you just found this site, it must be new, that's not exactly the case.  RiderFans.com has been around, in one form or another, since 2000.  It started out known as saskriders.8m.com hosted on a free web hosting account by myself, Shane Chapman at the age of 18.  Eventually people found the site through search engines and word of mouth, and the site began its journey.  By 2002, saskriders.8m.com had outgrown its free web hosting account, and was in need of a paid account to support the traffic.  Along with a new web host, came a new name, voted on by the users of the website... and RiderFans.com was born.  After a couple years with that host, RiderFans.com had once again outgrown its surroundings and was forced to move once again to a new host and eventually to a fully dedicated server (on full server to run only RiderFans.com).

RiderFans.com has gone through many face lifts, features and web hosts to its current state today.  As much as things changed, one thing stayed the same... people we coming to RiderFans.com to talk on the message board.  Even today, the message board remains the most used feature of the website.  With well over 4000 registered members (and growing at about 5 per day), and nearly 600,000 posts, the message board has its work cut out attracting 15,000 to 18,000 Rider fans each month.  Even at non-peak hours, over 100 people can be found reading the message board at any time.  Busy times can find as many as 600 people online at once.  The website currently averages about 9,000,000 hits per month.

In 2005, RiderFans.com launched its own touch football league located in Regina.  The RiderFans Summer Football League started out with 4 teams, and a total of about 30 people in the league.  By 2006, the league had grown to 8 teams and over 100 people registered.  The season is currently underway, and more information can be found in the 'RSFL' link in the menu.

RiderFans.com is the largest and busiest CFL fan site on the internet.  It receives much media attention from both local and national outlets.  Many RiderFans.com users have become celebrities in the local community, and many celebrities in the community have become RiderFans.com members.  For example, in 2003, we launched a new feature called RiderFans.com Radio.  The radio show was a weekly one hour show talking about everything Riders, and included celebrity guests such as Donald Narcisse, Scott Flory, and Bobby Jurasin.  It was broadcast over the internet, and quickly became a very popular feature... a little too popular.  After only a couple months broadcasting the show, CKRM offered the host of RiderFans.com Radio a spot doing Rider pregame shows and Rider Roundtable, and now includes Sportsline.  For those who listen to CKRM's Rider coverage, you'll recognize Mr. Joe Hadesbeck... or as we refer to him here, 'Racer.'  Other 'now famous' RiderFans.com members include Govind Achyuthan, who started out and still writes the Man in the Stands column, and now co-hosts RiderFans.com Radio.  Govind, or CRF (CalgaryRiderFan) as we know him, has become a regular caller on CKRM Rider call-in shows, giving insight to the hosts.  Who would have thought the voices you hear on the radio now, made their way by starting at RiderFans.com.  And although there are more, I will finish by mentioning Terry McEvoy (Minnesota Gopher) who is a long time RiderFans.com member who was made famous because of his diehard drive which has him travel from his home in Minnesota to Regina numerous times a year to watch the Roughriders play.  This American born and raised Rider fan makes the 14 hour trip to see his Riders play and has become a large celebrity within the Rider community.  He also just finished and released a book titled 'The American Side' about his adventures as an American CFL/Rider fan which can be purchased directly from him, or from the official Saskatchewan Roughriders Store.

RiderFans.com has always been, and will always be a free-to-use website for ALL Rider fans to enjoy.  Rider Pride is something that should be accessible to ALL fans.  However, because of the large costs (and growing as the site grows), we do accept donations.  Any amount is appreciated, and in the 'Become a VIP/Donations' section, you can find some of the perks of donating.

I sincerely hope you enjoy the website.  It had been a lot of work over the years, and a lot of people have been involved in making this happen.  It's been a great 7 years, and here's to 7 more.

Thank you for visiting RiderFans.com.