Bombers out on the road at start of 2012 season

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This article was published 17/02/2012 (5296 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Call the Winnipeg Blue Bombers “Road Warriors” for the first month of the 2012 season.

The 2012 CFL regular season schedule came out Friday and as expected, the Bombers will begin action with four straight games away from the Manitoba capital. Winnipeg opens defence of its East Division title with a Grey Cup rematch, taking on the defending champion B.C. Lions at BC Place Friday, June 29.

The Bombers next three games are as follows: at Montreal (Friday, July 6); at Edmonton (Friday, July 13); at Toronto (Wednesday, July 18).

Winnipeg opens up the home portion of the schedule Thursday, July 26 when they welcome the Eskimos to town. Construction crews are diligently working to get things ready at the 33,500-seat Investors Group Field in time for this game. As of right now, the Bombers plan to have their home opener at the new University of Manitoba stadium.

“Right now we are in the process of reviewing our construction timelines and will be in a much better position to update everyone further in the next short while,” a club spokesman said Friday when asked for a comment on what venue the Bombers will be using to start the 2012 season.

If Winnipeg can’t play at Investors Group Field, the club will return to Canad Inns Stadium.

The July 26 game versus Edmonton is the first of four straight at-home for the Bombers, though the club does have a bye week in Week Seven.

The Bombers’ home schedule features three Friday night games, two Thursday night games, three Saturday games and the Banjo Bowl on Sunday, Sept. 9 against the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Winnipeg travels to Regina for the annual Labour Day Classic Sunday, Sept. 2.

Winnipeg plays Montreal four times this season. A potential key match-up comes in the regular season finale, when the Bombers host the Alouettes Nov. 3.

The Bombers will host a preseason game Wednesday, June 20 against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. That game is expected to be played at Canad Inns Stadium, though no formal announcement has been made from the club.