WINNIPEG FOOTBALL CLUB 2020 Annual Report
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WINNIPEG FOOTBALL CLUB 2020 annual report TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 16 2020 ANNUAL REPORT Winnipeg Football Club CHAIRPERSON’S TREASURER’S REPORT REPORT 7 18 PRESIDENT & 2021 CEO'S REPORT OUTLOOK 8 19 FOOTBALL FINANCIAL OPERATIONS STATEMENTS 11 COMMUNITY RELATIONS CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT " I am proud of After the jubilation of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 2019 season, we were met with the crushing and disappointing reality of 2020. COVID-19 has our team – from created significant challenges, not just for the Winnipeg Football Club, our Board to our but for everyone worldwide. It was disappointing for the team to be denied Despite the challenges of 2020, our staff, players and the opportunity to defend its Grey Cup title, organization showed strength in the face of but in the midst of a global pandemic, we knew a global pandemic. A special thanks to retiring coaches – who there were more important things to focus on. Board members Kenny Boyce, Bill Baines, and We collectively joined forces (remotely, from Chris Lorenc for their years of service on the have shown the safety of our homes) in working towards Winnipeg Football Club Board of Directors. keeping ourselves, our staff and our community As we look ahead to a more promising 2021 and resilience, empathy safe as we navigated unchartered waters. to getting back on the field, I want to thank all The Winnipeg Football Club remains resolute the season ticket members and fans who have and an incredible in its resolve to help our community in any supported and continue to support the Club. way possible. passion for our I can’t wait to cheer on our team together and While we weren’t preparing for game days and I can’t wait for our return to IG Field! community." events at IG Field, we instead found creative ways to help Winnipeg Harvest through the incredible generosity of our fan base. Be it through t-shirt or mask purchases, initiatives like the Jim Beam partnership saw proceeds donated to the food bank and the collection of non-perishable food items for those who needed it most. Bombers fans proved once again that when we put out the call to help our community, they will always respond and they will exceed our expectations. Our players were key in motivating and interacting with our community and fans through one of the most difficult years many of us have ever experienced. Through social Dayna Spiring media and virtual platforms, our players have Chair of the Board reached out, checked in and launched their Winnipeg Football Club own initiatives to help keep our community motivated, safe and better equipped to get through this difficult time. I am proud of our team – from our Board to our staff, players and coaches – who have shown resilience, empathy and an incredible passion for our community. 4 2020 ANNUAL REPORT WINNIPEG FOOTBALL CLUB PRESIDENT & CEO'S REPORT It goes without saying, 2020 was not the year we expected or wanted. In August the CFL regrettably announced that we wouldn’t be returning to the field in 2020 - truly disappointing for our players, coaches and the entire organization. We were ready to defend our Grey Cup championship in front of the most passionate fans in the CFL. I can assure you, our organization did everything possible to get on the field in 2020 including securing Winnipeg as the hub city for a potential bubble-format shortened 2020 CFL season. Even though we didn’t play, I want to We also celebrated Canada Day in a different As much as we were able to relive the 2019 acknowledge the hard work our staff put in way last year, hosting a virtual concert at season with our fans and celebrate through to prepare for a potential season as well as IG Field featuring local artists, our own Blue virtual round table talks, a podcast recording, the unwavering support of the Province of Bombers receiver Drew Wolitarsky, as well as and a concert for our fans to enjoy from home Manitoba, Economic Development Winnipeg a few of his teammates and Valour FC players over the course of a virtual Grey Cup week in and the City of Winnipeg as well as our local delivering uplifting messages and words of November, we were ready to turn the page hospitality industry. support for the Black Lives Matter movement. on 2020. While it was a devastating year for the team and league, we will remember the The support we received throughout the year continued support from our corporate partners from our long list of corporate partners who " To take a phrase and our fans. joined the 2020 Blue Bombers Championship Program was truly humbling and inspiring, from Andrew We are focused on returning to play in 2021 with a special thank you to our stadium naming to defend our Grey Cup championship and rights partner, IG Wealth Management. Harris: “You got stabilize our organization as we move into a new season with fans back in attendance The unbelievable support continued with our at IG Field. I want to finish by saying thank you fans who purchased the CFL Fan Base, our my back, I got for the consistent support of the entire Board suite, loge, and premium seat holders who led by Chair Dayna Spiring, and to each staff got involved, and every single season ticket your back.” Our member who put the team before themselves member who committed to 2021. sponsors, season in 2020. To take a phrase from Andrew Harris: “You got my back, I got your back.” Our sponsors, season ticket members ticket members and fans had our back in 2020. We also had our community’s back as we and fans had our collectively helped each other through a difficult year. In March, the team launched back in 2020." its Heroes of Champions Way campaign with A bright spot in the calendar came in August a special parallel campaign to honour this with the presentation of the 2019 Grey Cup year’s true heroes; the frontline workers in rings to our players and coaches. The rings were our communities. greeted with overwhelming awe – a moment We also knew that our local food bank was I will remember forever. It was special that struggling to keep up with demands in the our rings and fan line of Grey Cup jewelry was midst of the pandemic, which prompted us made by Baron Championship Rings – a proud to launch retail campaigns to bring in funds Canadian company. for Winnipeg Harvest. A t-shirt voting campaign Wade Miller was launched, with all proceeds from the President & CEO winning t-shirt design going to Winnipeg Winnipeg Football Club Harvest. Similarly, proceeds from mask sales in the store were given to Harvest. WINNIPEG FOOTBALL CLUB 2020 ANNUAL REPORT 7 FOOTBALL OPERATIONS " What is The Winnipeg Blue Bombers began 2020 with so much momentum and optimism after the spectacular end to 2019 which saw the Club capture encouraging the 11th Grey Cup championship in franchise history. for Bombers Management immediately got to work on trying to mount a repeat in fans is the work 2020, a feat that hasn’t been accomplished in the Canadian Football League since the Montreal Alouettes of 2009-10. done from late That task first began in December of ’19, as GM What is encouraging for Bombers fans is the December of Kyle Walters and Head Coach Mike O’Shea were work done from late December of 2020 into signed to contract extensions. At the same time, free agency this February. A number of players 2020 into free the football management team began attacking who were prospective free agents agreed the free agent list and before the market to return under new deals, including running agency this opened in February, had re-signed a number back Andrew Harris; offensive linemen Stanley of players, while adding veteran defenders like Bryant, Jermarcus Hardrick, Pat Neufeld and February." Josh Johnson and Tobi Antigha. Unfortunately, Geoff Gray; quarterback Sean McGuire; fullback everyone knows what happened next. Mike Miller; receivers Nic Demski, Kenny Lawler, Rasheed Bailey and Janarion Grant; As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March, defensive linemen Jake Thomas, Jackson all the momentum and optimism the Bombers Jeffcoat, Steven Richardson and Thiadric had built up was put on hold as the CFL season Hansen; defensive backs Mercy Maston, Nick was first delayed and then cancelled in August Taylor, Brandon Alexander and Josh Johnson; – even after some diligent work was done by linebackers Shayne Gauthier, Kyrie Wilson, the franchise to prepare for the possibility of Jesse Briggs and Tobi Antigha. a campaign being held here in Winnipeg in a bubble. All of those players agreeing to return – plus the many others who restructured their current That news was both shocking and disappointing contracts to remain with the team – serve as for the entire league, but for our franchise clear evidence of the work our organization has especially. Earlier in August, players and staff done to build a winning and sustainable culture. had received their phenomenal Grey Cup rings made by Baron Championship Rings. That was then further reinforced by the free At that time, there was the belief an abridged agent signing of receiver Bryant Mitchell in ’20 season would take place and that fueled February. Mitchell told reporters on a media everyone’s desire to take another run at a conference call that the Bombers were ‘a team championship. that people want to play for.’ Unfortunately, Mitchell chose to announce his retirement in It took a while for the sting of the cancellation March of 2021 before even stepping foot onto of the season to fade, and during the CFL’s the field as a Bomber, but the addition of long- Grey Cup Unite event in November, the 2021 snapper Mike Benson – a Winnipeg product season schedule was unveiled.