Banjo Bowl

Saskatchewan Roughriders Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Banjo Bowl series history
First meeting	September 12, 2004
First result	WPG 27, SSK 24
Last Meeting	September 10, 2016
Last Result	WPG 17, SSK 10
Next Meeting
Largest Victory	SSK 55, WPG 10 (2009)
Smallest Victory	SSK 25, WPG 24 (2012)
Largest Point Total	SSK 55 (2009)
Smallest Point Total	SSK 2 (2010)
Current streak	WPG W2 (2015 – present)
All-time series	WPG Leads 7–6

The Banjo Bowl is the annual rematch game between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL) after the Labour Day Classic.

While the traditional Labour Day Classic game is always played on the Sunday before Labour Day at Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field in Regina, Saskatchewan, there is usually a rematch on the following weekend between these two rival prairie teams at Investors Group Field (previously held at Canad Inns Stadium) in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The "Banjo Bowl" moniker was coined by Blue Bombers board member David Asper in early 2004, inspired by an infamous comment made by Bombers placekicker Troy Westwood in the week prior to a 2003 Western Division Semi-final game between the two teams. Westwood was quoted in the media as saying that people from Regina were "a bunch of banjo-pickin' inbreds."^[1] He later apologized halfheartedly for those comments, saying that "the vast majority of the people in Saskatchewan have no idea how to play the banjo."^[2] This further fueled the Winnipeg–Saskatchewan football rivalry and has made the rematch game even more of an event. The game is sponsored by the Manitoba Lotteries Corporation. The game has been sold out every year since 2005. As of the 2016 season, Winnipeg leads the series 7-6.

As on Labour Day weekend when many Winnipeg fans visit Regina to support the Bombers, many Saskatchewan fans visit Winnipeg the following weekend to support the 'Riders. Many come, tongue-in-cheek, with banjos.

Despite not being an official event, the Canadian Football League website promotes the game by referring to it as "Banjo Bowl" in some of its online coverage^[3] as does the league's official television broadcaster, TSN.^[4] In 2013, the Premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, joined in the spirit of the event by posting a video on his YouTube channel making reference to the rivalry and the Banjo Bowl game.^[5]

Results

• September 12, 2004: Saskatchewan 24 – Winnipeg 27^[6]
• September 10, 2005: Saskatchewan 19 – Winnipeg 17^[7]
• September 10, 2006: Saskatchewan 23 – Winnipeg 27^[8]
• September 9, 2007: Saskatchewan 15 – Winnipeg 34^[9]
• September 7, 2008: Saskatchewan 34 – Winnipeg 31^[10]
• September 13, 2009: Saskatchewan 55 – Winnipeg 10^[11]
• September 12, 2010: Saskatchewan 2 – Winnipeg 31^[12]
• September 11, 2011: Saskatchewan 45 – Winnipeg 23^[13]
• September 9, 2012: Saskatchewan 25 – Winnipeg 24^[14]
• September 8, 2013: Saskatchewan 13 – Winnipeg 25^[15]
• September 7, 2014: Saskatchewan 30 – Winnipeg 24^[16]
• September 12, 2015: Saskatchewan 7 – Winnipeg 22^[17]
• September 10, 2016: Saskachewan 10 - Winnipeg 17^[18]

References