Banjo Bowl beats Labour Day Classic to sellout

Winnipeg Blue Bombers' fan offers the Saskatchewan Roughriders' bench $20 during first half CFL action in Winnipeg, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods

Neither rivalry matchup between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders has been played yet, but the Bombers are winning in terms of ticket sales.

The Bombers announced Wednesday this year’s “Banjo Bowl” against the Riders in Winnipeg is sold out, beating the Labour Day Classic to the punch.

The sellout comes despite the fact the Labour Day Classic is set to be played a week prior to the Banjo Bowl on Sept. 4 at Mosaic Stadium.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Labour Day Classic is down to resale tickets in the lower bowl but several upper sections have numerous tickets available, according to Ticketmaster.

More than 100 tickets are still up for grabs in Section 639, while all but 12 seats remain available in Section 573, both on the stadium’s east side.

Remaining Labour Day Classic tickets are shown as of Aug. 17, 2022. (Source: Ticketmaster)

Most of the tickets available cost between $70.50 and $88.50 each for a Standard Adult Ticket.

A Rider fan could claim seats in the same sections for Friday’s game against the B.C. Lions for between $32.25 and $64.50.

The Riders have yet to record a sellout so far in the 2022 season and have only posted paid attendance above 28,000 once so far. That crowd of 28,216 was recorded in the home opener against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on June 11.

According to a release from the club last week, the team has reviewed ticket sales to reduce prices for around 2,700 seats during the 2023 season along with other changes like additional locations for Family Ticket Packages.

The Riders have four home games remaining in the 2022 regular season.