Brandon Sun - PRINT EDITION
COLIN CORNEAU/BRANDON SUN Enlarge Image
Brian Barnes, owner and manager of Source for Sports, shows jerseys from CFL rivals Saskatchewan Roughriders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Do you bleed Bomber blue, or Roughrider green?
A new Probe Research poll surveyed 800 Westman residents, asking which CFL team is their favourite, and the results show western Manitobans are "True Blue" by a mile.
Seventy-three per cent of respondents said they cheer for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, while only 17 per cent said their team is the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
"This result was a bit of a surprise," said Curtis Brown, senior research associate with Probe Research Inc. "I certainly expected it to be a little bit more evenly balanced."
The Riders and Bombers share a long-standing rivalry, meeting up in two epic battles every year: the Labour Day Classic in Regina and the Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg. The teams compete for the loyalty of fans in the western half of Manitoba.
"I would presume that the communities that are closer to the border are more likely to have Roughrider fans but if you look at the region as a whole … Bomber fans certainly seem to outnumber them," Brown said. "We have heard and seen anecdotally that the Saskatchewan Roughriders enjoy a fair bit of cross-border support among western Manitobans. But these results suggest that it’s really no contest when it comes to which CFL team is No. 1."
The poll surveyed 400 residents of Brandon and 400 in rural Westman, which includes the region east of the Saskatchewan border between the Swan River Valley and the Canada-U.S. border. The polling area stretched west to the Carberry area. The telephone poll was conducted between Jan. 16 and Jan. 23.
According to the survey, the Calgary Stampeders came in third at five per cent. "Other" CFL teams also came in at five per cent.
Brian Barnes, owner of Source for Sports in Brandon said the poll results are surprising.
"Traditionally, honestly our sales would show that we sell more Riders than Bombers," Barnes said. "That being said, our customer base reaches into Saskatchewan … so that would have something to do with it I think too."
Barnes said the Blue Bombers and Roughriders are by far the most popular CFL teams, when it comes to selling gear.
"We sell very little, if any, product outside of Bombers and Riders for CFL," he said.
Barnes said in his experience Saskatchewan fans are some of the "most passionate sports fans around."
"That certainly plays into it," he said. "I think that people who are Riders fans are ‘all in,’ so to speak … The more gear, the more stuff, the better."
Meanwhile, Bomber fans seem to be the majority at Huggy’s Sports Bar.
"Bomber pride, not Rider pride … is more prevalent in the western region than the Green Machine is," said owner Trevor Peters.
Dan Barnlund, general manager of Joe Beeverz Bar & Grill, said when people come into watch football games, it’s typically a 50/50 mix of Bomber and Rider fans.
» jaustin@brandonsun.com
Republished from the Brandon Sun print edition February 9, 2013
We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.
You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.
Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.
The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
Do you bleed Bomber blue, or Roughrider green?
A new Probe Research poll surveyed 800 Westman residents, asking which CFL team is their favourite, and the results show western Manitobans are "True Blue" by a mile.
Already subscribed? Login to view full article.
Not yet a subscriber? Click Here to Signup
Do you bleed Bomber blue, or Roughrider green?
A new Probe Research poll surveyed 800 Westman residents, asking which CFL team is their favourite, and the results show western Manitobans are "True Blue" by a mile.
A subscription to the Brandon Sun Newspaper is required to view this article. Please update your user information if you are already a newspaper subscriber.
Most Popular
Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments
You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.