Manitoba

Winnipeg Blue Bombers' profits and attendance up, annual report says

The Winnipeg Football Club gained yards in profit last year, its annual report from 2017 says.

Crowd at Investors Group Field increased from under 26,000 to more than 27,000 and profits rose $2.3M

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers' Ian Wild celebrates a tackle against the B.C. Lions during a game in October 2017. (John Woods/Canadian Press)

The Winnipeg Football Club gained yards in profit last year, its annual report from 2017 says.

The Winnipeg Football Club, the official name of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers' organization, released the report on Thursday, announcing an overall operating profit of $5.1 million — $2.3 million more than in 2016.

President Wade Miller called the results "very strong" in the news release.

"These results are a testament to the strong support from our fans, season ticket members and corporate partners. Our team should be proud of our success in 2017," Miller said.

Total revenue for the year was $32.5 million — an increase of $2.9 million over 2016 — and attendance also bumped up from just under 26,000 to roughly 27,400.

The jump in profits is mostly a result of increased attendance at Investors Group Field, the club said. The Bombers hosted a home playoff game and there were three major non-football events at the stadium last year.

Operating expenses were up $700,000 over 2016, totalling $27.4 million.