REPLAY: Details of Bombers season ticket transfer unveiled

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This article was published 21/09/2011 (5316 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The game of musical chairs is underway for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Initial details on how the organization plans to move over 21,000 season ticket holders from Canad Inns Stadium to the new 33,500 facility at the University of Manitoba were unveiled today.

According to Jeff Thompson, chief transition officer for the Winnipeg Football Club, current season ticket holders will be asked to put down a $50 deposit before Oct. 24 to secure their intention of renewing tickets for next season. The next phase falls between November and March, when season ticket holders will have a chance to select and secure their current allotment of seats.

Seat selection will be done on a seniority basis — meaning those who have held tickets for decades will be moved into new seats beforethose who have just picked up season tickets in the last couple years.

“We set a goal to sell every seat in the house,” Thompson said. “We want to make sure that everyone who currently has an amount of season tickets is going to be able to get those seat in roughly the same areas they are today.”

The club will send out letters to season ticket holders this week, explaining the first phase of the process.

Season ticket holders will also have first priority to purchase more seats if they wish, Thompson said, but only after the first phase of selection is complete.

Those looking to purchase season tickets for the first time will have to wait until April 2012.

Using a ‘Virtual Venue’ website (found at bluebombers.com), current season ticket holders can click through different seats, sections, and price points to get a better understanding of what a  live CFL game will look like next season.

Sections for the new bowl stadium, which can be expanded to 40,000 seats for things like concerts and Grey Cups, are broken up into six price points. Those range from $795 for P2 seats (lower bowl sideline seats between the 15-yard lines) to $196.95 for P7 (far corners of the second level).

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The 46 luxury suites, the two suite level Blue and Gold Club seats, and all Stadium Club seats (P1, $1,546 per ticket) are already sold out. A waiting list has been set up for those looking to upgrade.

While it is conceivable that the club could sell most of the tickets through the season ticket transfer window, Thompson said the club is planning to hold back 2,000-3,000 seats for general sale.

Thompson said the stadium will have all the amenities of a modern facility. Two, 30-foot by 100-foot video boards will be a part of the experience, with 250 monitors situated throughout the concourse. Live audio will be available in the 28 washrooms (14 men, 14 women) is also going to be made available, so the fans won’t miss a second of the action.

As for the construction of the stadium, WFC interim CEO Ossama AbouZeid said everything is on schedule. He figures things will be ready by the end of June 2012, but stopped short of promising the club would be in the new digs when the CFL season starts in July.

Watch a replay of the announcement on YouTube or below: