DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Manitoba is a football province

As someone who closely followed the Winnipeg Jets return 14-years-ago, one thing has surprised me about the pro sports scene in Manitoba.

How quickly the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were able to re-claim ownership as the dominant team in the province. That was shown by the two teams directly competing for eyeballs Oct. 11. While the Jets couldn’t even sell every ticket in the building for their home opener, an all-but locked up Bomber team notched their fourth-straight sell-out. They’re also set to lead the CFL in attendance for the third consecutive season.

The pandemic hit the Jets hard, while the Bombers have just kept rolling. The Jets were averaging at or near capacity until the lost 2020/2021 season, and have never come close to selling out since, averaging roughly 13,500 per game last year.

The most obvious place to look for explanations are results. The Bombers have been the dominant team in the CFL since 2019, going to consecutive Grey Cups and finishing with strong results every game.

While the Jets have had their moments, success on the ice in the post-season has been rare. Outside of the pandemic playoffs, Winnipeg has only one season with a playoff series victory.

Another reason could be atmosphere. Bomber games have turned into an event to attend, drawing in non-fans to take in a game, even if they know nothing about football.

The early kinks with the Bombers’ new stadium have also been ironed out, with Princess Auto Stadium a great place to not only watch a game, but partake in the events around it. It could also be true more people are willing to go to an outdoor event post COVID-19 pandemic than jam inside a cramped hockey arena.

Whatever the reason, it’s clear in 2024 the Winnipeg Jets are playing second fiddle in Manitoba to the Bombers and for the Jets to be a success off the ice, they need to narrow that gap.