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Throughout their 56-year history, the BC Lions have been the beneficiary of stellar football players, wise management, and luck. The latter is exemplified in the story of how the franchise came to be. In 1953, Vancouver was given a conditional franchise provided they would build a 15,000 seat stadium for them. In 1954, the British Empire and Commonwealth Games were hosted by Vancouver, and a stadium was needed for the event. The Stadium, known as Empire Stadium, was the perfect venue for the BC Lions beginning years.

The Lions’ first game ended in an 8-6 loss to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Their first win came later in the year against the Calgary Stampeders, whom they beat by a score of 9-4. In 1959, they ended the year with a 9-7 record, representing their first ever winning record and their first trip to the playoffs. They ended up bowing out to the Edmonton Eskimos in the West semifinal.

The nickname “Lions” was applied to the team as result of a fan contest in 1953. The name comes from The Lions, a twin mountain peak that can be seen toward the north of Vancouver. Additionally, it was decided that they would be known as the BC Lions rather than the Vancouver Lions. This was done in an effort to embrace the entire British Colombia province and not just its largest city.

The Lions have enjoyed a tradition of success. They have appeared in nine Grey Cups and have won five. Their first championship came in 1964, just ten years after they began play. Most recently, they defeated the Montreal Alouettes in the 2006 Grey Cup.

Due to consistent success, BC enjoys one of the most supportive fan bases in the league. They are regularly in the top of the league in attendance. On October 6, 2006, 50,084 people attended their game against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. It was the league record for 2006.