The Winnipeg Football Club’s operating profit grew to a record $7 million in 2024 and marked the Blue Bombers continued evolution as the Canadian Football League’s flagship franchise.
The club released its annual report on Wednesday, highlighted by a robust bottom line bolstered by an 8.2 percent jump in total revenue to $54.7 million, a 5.1 percent bump in gate receipts to $15.9 million and corporate partnership numbers which helped grow revenues to another record, of $14.4 million.
Just to put this into perspective, after the club lost $7 million in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the cancelled season, the operating profits have grown from $2.1 million in 2021 to $4.9 million in 2022 to $5.7 million in 2023 and now the record $7 million last year.
“Our entire team and organization have been focussed on creating an amazing game-day experience and the numbers prove that,” said Blue Bombers President and CEO Wade Miller. “It’s thanks to the strong support of our fans, our corporate partners and everyone involved.
“We’ve got a great team on and off the field that continue to make Princess Auto Stadium a place you just can’t miss being at a game every year.”
Worth noting: four years ago the club entered into an agreement with the provincial government and Triple B Stadium Inc. to establish a capital fund dedicated to long-term improvements to Princess Auto Stadium. Last year, $7.1 million was pumped into projects including the new turf, a renovation of The Bomber Store, a new Daktronics ribbon board, two new grab-and-go concession locations as well as a permanent stage and BBQ shack in the tailgate area.
This year work is already underway for a new players’ lounge, HVAC and mechanical improvements in football operations and security enhancements throughout the facility.
The Blue Bombers led the CFL in attendance for a third consecutive season in 2024, averaging 31,166 and selling out five games. Dating back to 2022 and including last year’s Western Final the Blue Bombers have had 18 crowds of 30,000 or more — more than all other CFL teams combined. Winning consistently helps, of course, with the Blue Bombers having made the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons, including four first place finishes in the West Division and five straight appearances in the Grey Cup, with victories in 2019 and 2021.
Over the last five seasons the team is 62-24, including a remarkable 37-6 mark at home.
The Grey Cup will be held in Winnipeg this year — the fifth time for the city — and Miller was asked to comment on the suggestion the club was not planning spending to the cap in a year after February’s free-agent period saw stars like Kenny Lawler, Tyrell Ford and Liam Dobson exit with Dillon Mitchell, James Vaughters, Jonathan Jones, Peyton Logan, Reggie White, Jr., and Shea Patterson coming aboard.
“We keep investing in our football operations (an increase in $1 million in expenses from 2023 to 2024) and we had a budget in place as to what we were going to spend to in free agency this year and we’ve spent to it so far,” he said. “We’re at a good position and feel comfortable with where we’re at right now.”
The CFL recently announced Stewart Johnston as the new commissioner — he replaces Randy Ambrosie — and Miller lauded the former TSN president’s depth of experience he brings to the role as well as the league’s potential for growth.
“He loves the CFL and is passionate about it. We’re looking forward to working with him as he moves this league forward,” Miller said. “There’s some real positive momentum in our league with what’s happened in B.C. and Montreal and the big cities, Hamilton and Calgary as well as Edmonton and their new direction.
“Off the field, the nine teams work extremely well together and want to see everyone be successful. We’ll share and work with anybody and we learn from others, too.
“On the field,” he added with a grin, “we want to beat you.”
