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Published Sep 27, 2025 • Last updated 23 hours ago • 3 minute read
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“In brighter times: Fans in blue and gold cheer during the 2021 Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg — a reminder of the passion and pride many now feel is under threat as the CFL moves toward major rule changes.” Photo by KEVIN KING /Winnipeg SunArticle content
Phillip Bruneau walked through the gates at the home of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Saturday for what he fears will be one of the last times.
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A 10-year season-ticket holder, the 40-year-old was wearing black instead of a blue jersey, and not because he was pulling for the visiting Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
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Bruneau was protesting the rule changes planned by the CFL over the next two years, changes that will erase two unique aspects of the Canadian game: shortening the field by 10 yards and moving the goal posts to the back of the end zones.
“The CFL is its own game,” Bruneau told the Winnipeg Sun. “The history and tradition of the rules as they are. And every rule it seems that they made is just being more like the NFL. I never had a problem with the rules. Every rule change is just making it less like the Canadian game.”
Bruneau was one of the fans who signed an online petition calling on CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston and the league governors to at least pause their plans and consult with the people who pay the freight.
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Fans against the move were also encouraged to wear black to games this weekend and next, sending a message while continuing to support their teams.
Bruneau is so disappointed, he planned to go one step further.
“I think it’s the death of the CFL,” he said. “I’m going to cancel my season tickets because of these rules. I’ve been a season-ticket holder for over 10 years. And I will not put another dime into the CFL after these rule changes. I’m going to call them next week and just cancel.
“I was a Bomber for life, and I’m cancelling my tickets.”
And if the team begs him to remain on board?
“They have to put back the rules. It’s not the CFL anymore.”
At another gate, Rylan Feakes hadn’t decided to go that far, yet.
But the 19-year-old was no less passionate about the game being Americanized.
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“It’s a unique game,” Feakes said. “Especially in a year that’s so rah-rah Canada, and they’re doing this. I don’t care if it’s two years down the line. I want to put a stop to it.”
Feakes also showed up in black. To hammer home his message, he had an image of the Canadian flag taped onto the front of his black ball cap.
Where he spoke from, though, was the centre of his chest.
“This is not just for me,” Feakes said. “My family’s been CFL and Bomber fans since the ’50s. This is for my late uncle, my grandfather and everyone else. They loved the Canadian game. And now it’s my job to protect it. What the league’s doing is disgraceful.
“And I just hope that Mr. Johnston and the board of governors will come to their wits and save our game.”
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Asked where a 19-year-old finds such a passion for the game, Feakes was succinct.
“It comes from the heart.”
The petition was started by a group calling itself Concerned Fans of Canadian Football.
Former Hamilton resident Matthew Campbell, who remains a die-hard CFL fan now living in Houston, was behind it.
“We’re at 4,900 and still growing strong,” Campbell reported on Saturday.
The planned changes, announced on Monday, drew a backlash from high-profile players and coaches, too, led by star Canadian quarterback Nathan Rourke of the B.C. Lions, who called them “garbage.”
“What we’re moving towards is not the Canadian football game that I grew up loving,” Rourke said. “We’re getting away from that. And frankly that makes me pretty pissed off.”
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Bombers head coach Mike O’Shea, a Canadian and Hall of Fame player, praised Rourke for speaking out.
“If we’re going to be altering the game and removing uniquely Canadian items from the game, I would never be in favour of that,” O’Shea said. “Because it’s ours. Uniquely ours.”
O’Shea was among those who questioned the lack of transparency. Neither coaches nor players were consulted.
Bombers running back Brady Oliveira, a Winnipegger who won awards for top Canadian player and top player overall last season, was puzzled.
“I didn’t think there needed to be any rule changes,” Oliveira said. “Getting rid of the 55-yard line, I don’t know why that’s even a thing. Why did they shorten it by 10 yards?”
Winnipeg special teams coordinator Mike Miller said watching Monday’s announcement made him feel ill.
“A little sickening,” Miller said. “Just felt it in my stomach… like I ate something bad.”
paul.friesen@kleinmedia.ca
X: @friesensunmedia
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