Big Blue sell out Bombers fans fill stands for every home game of 2025 By: Taylor Allen Posted: 6:05 PM CDT Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers were coming off a dreadful 3-15 campaign in 2013 when Wade Miller internally discussed a lofty long-term goal.

By 2025, the president and CEO of the Winnipeg Football Club wanted the organization to have a season in which every single home game was sold out — a feat that had never been accomplished by the franchise.

On Thursday, the Bombers announced their diehards officially made Miller’s dream a reality. The club sold the few remaining tickets for Saturday afternoon’s tilt with the visiting Montreal Alouettes to go a perfect nine-for-nine on home sellouts in 2025.

Dating back to August 2024, the Bombers have reached their 32,343 capacity in 14 consecutive games.

“It turns out we did it,” said Miller in a phone interview with the Free Press.

“Our fans have just created something unique and special here. It’s an atmosphere that stands on its own. For Canadian sports, this is a place where people want to come see a game.”

They’re the first CFL team to sell all its regular-season tickets since the Montreal Alouettes did it from 2000-2010 at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium — a building with nearly 10,000 fewer seats than Winnipeg’s Princess Auto Stadium.

“It’s truly remarkable what can happen when everyone is working hard together and doing it year over year and just making it an amazing fan experience, which Princess Auto Stadium delivers on each time you come here,” said Miller.

Coming off five consecutive trips to the Grey Cup hasn’t hurt the cause, but considering how strongly Winnipeg supports its pro sports teams — the Sea Bears top the CEBL in attendance, the Goldeyes rank second in the American Association, and the Jets are, the Jets — it should come as no surprise the Blue and Gold have been able to reach the milestone.

The Bombers have led the league in attendance over the last four years.

“Our fans have just created something unique and special here… For Canadian sports, this is a place where people want to come see a game.”

“It is a fantastic sports town, and I’m not sure people around North America know that,” said Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea.

“But it is a terrific sports town. I don’t know why that is. You would hope it’s the accessibility and the willingness of the athletes to really get into the community. I think that’s a part of it. The CFL has always been that way, it’s that type of league where you have to be a part of the community.

“I can’t comment on the NHL, but it seems like what you hear the guys saying on other teams (in Winnipeg) is how much they do feel at home here… And when professional athletes feel that, they’re more apt to be involved in the community, and it’s reciprocated (by fans).”

Rookie returner Trey Vaval didn’t know what to expect when he arrived in the Manitoba capital. The 25-year-old Minnesota State Mankato product has been blown away by game days on Chancellor Matheson Road.

“I played D2 football. The most fans I ever had at a game was like 7,000 people. So, coming here, people were like ‘This is the best fan base.’ And after the first preseason game, I was like ‘Yo, this is crazy. This is a preseason game and there are so many people here,’” said Vaval.

“And throughout the whole season, they’re packing out every game, going crazy and they’re DMing me and stuff — it’s amazing. The fans are super dope.”

The Bombers are 9-8 heading into the regular season finale. With a loss to the Als, it’ll be their first time they’ve failed to hit 10 or more wins since 2015. Even though the Bombers haven’t been anywhere near as dominant as they have been in recent years, the faithful continue to come out in full force.

Zach Schnitzer, a season ticket holder since 1996 who also co-hosts a Bombers podcast/YouTube show for Bonfire Sports Winnipeg alongside former TSN 1290 personality Darrin Bauming, said winning helps, but it’s not the only thing that brings people through the gates.

“I think there’s a sense of pride amongst the fans, at least I feel it, and you want to support it. I also think the team is likeable. The star players, the coach — I know O’Shea is prickly with the media — but fans really like O’Shea for the most part. You see Wade Miller going around shaking fans’ hands before the game. Zach Collaros, Brady Oliveira, Willie Jefferson, they’re all likeable guys,” said Schnitzer.

“I know it’s cliché to say in the CFL, but the club does a lot to be present in the community. You see what they do with the Orange Shirt Game and theme nights like that. They’re not just virtue signaling, they actually care about Manitoba. They brought in a thousand people from way up north, it’s the real deal. They’re legit. They were the first club to do a land acknowledgement in professional sports in North America so they really have integrity, and I think people like that.”

Since 2017, the Blue and Gold have given their crowd a lot to cheer for by going 55-14 in Bomberland. They’ve also hosted a home playoff game every year since 2021, but that’s a luxury this group won’t have since they’re destined to finish third or fourth in the West Division.

After Saturday, the only way these Bombers will see their supporters again this year is if they go on a late rally and make it to the Grey Cup which is being hosted in Winnipeg.

“I don’t really care how you end up in the Grey Cup. We’re going to end up in the Grey Cup and find a way to do and have that opportunity to win,” said Miller. “That’s our job every year: to go out and win the Grey Cup, and we will find a way to make that happen.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca