MONTREAL — Wade Miller could only chuckle when asked whether he had any concerns over his Winnipeg Blue Bombers getting outplayed in a Week 3 match-up against the B.C. Lions.
If the president and CEO of the CFL club did quietly worry, those feelings were likely extinguished following a 17-3 victory over the Montreal Alouettes at Molson Stadium on Saturday.
But Miller, in a wide-ranging chat with the Free Press prior to kick-off in the heart of La Belle Province, wasn’t nearly as sure in his response when asked about Kenny Lawler and when the all-star receiver might return to action. Lawler has yet to play a game this season as he works with Canadian immigration officers to obtain a working visa after he pleaded guilty to a 2021 impaired driving charge back in April.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
Winnipeg Football Club President and CEO Wade Miller sat down with the Free Press for a chinwag prior to Saturday night’s game in Montreal.
The Bombers had originally predicted Lawler, who signed a two-year deal over the offseason, would be back somewhere between three and four weeks. That timeline has now passed, with next week marking a potentially fifth straight week Lawler could be sidelined, and there’s been little as far as updates from the team.
“It remains a work in progress,” Miller said. “It’s just taking a little bit longer than everybody thought it would. We hope to get a resolution very shortly.”
Miller said the process is a time-consuming one and there’s nothing the club can do to speed it up. Lawler isn’t permitted to be with the team while he occupies a spot on the club’s suspended list but has been staying in shape and wouldn’t require much to be inserted back into the lineup.
Miller said Lawler’s spirits remain high and he’s eager to rejoin the team and contribute both on and off the field, with community work already something he and the Bombers had been discussing before news broke of his current situation. As far as giving back to the community, Lawler hopes to run a football camp for kids over the first bye week, assuming everything can get figured out, which isn’t a guarantee just yet.
The next topic of discussion was the controversy around the CFL’s stats software, which, owing to the league’s relationship with Genius Sports, is currently going through a complete revamp. While league commissioner Randy Ambrosie has promised it will revolutionize how media and fans watch and analyze the game, there are several issues with the program right now, including the distribution of inaccurate data and, in some cases, none at all.
Miller said he’s received calls and emails from frustrated fans that can’t read player bios on the team website or check on league stat leaders on the CFL’s site.
“Genius is a great partner and has been, and when we get to this new stats program, it’s going to be fantastic for everybody,” Miller said. “We’re not there yet and it’s disappointing that we’re not across that finish line. So, it’s very frustrating. It’s frustrating for our fans, and for the teams and for our broadcaster and for everyone. But once we get there, it’s going to be good.”
Miller is mostly happy with the direction the CFL is headed, particularly with the leadership and ownership across the league. He pointed specifically to what Amar Doman is doing in B.C. to rejuvenate the community there, and the new owner in Montreal, Pierre Karl Peladeau, whose local roots should help bolster the Alouettes franchise.
“No matter what you’re doing you got to focus on the fans,” Miller said. “And every game-day experience is different in every market, the traditions are different, what you’re going to do, how you activate with your fans, and I think you’re seeing that across the league.”
Expansion talk has ramped up over the last few months, with Ambrosie talking about a 10th CFL team — even suggesting as many as 12 clubs — every time he steps up to a microphone.
Miller agreed that an even number of teams is an important goal, as 10 clubs would allow for one fewer bye week for each club, resulting in a shorter season.
Various locations have been rumoured for future expansion, most notably a team on the east coast, ideally Halifax. Other cities that have been talked about include Quebec City and London, Ont.
“Getting to 10 teams really helps with a lot of things. I would love to see that,” Miller said. “Obviously, there’s a lot of work to get done. I’ll focus on our game-day experience and winning championships, and when that 10th team comes, I look forward to welcoming them into the league.”
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES
“It remains a work in progress,” said Wade Miller on the status of receiver Kenny Lawler. “It’s just taking a little bit longer than everybody thought it would.”
There was a bump in season tickets this season, Miller said, though he didn’t discuss exact numbers. Miller added he’s a fan of the new Sunday games, that he prefers CFL weekend games rather than doubleheaders on Friday.
The Bombers prefer Thursday and Friday home games, but Miller, while certainly not complaining, would prefer fewer Thursday games than the Bombers have now, which is at a league-high four.
Asked about plans for the 2025 Grey Cup in Winnipeg, all Miller could reveal at this point was that when season tickets renewals start, they’re going to allow fans to incorporate Grey Cup tickets into their monthly payments.
“So when the game comes, you’re already $300 or $400 into a ticket,” Miller said. “So, we’re going to start that two years early to take advantage of that.”
As a final piece of business, Miller was asked about the contract status for general manager Kyle Walters, who is in the final year of his current deal.
It’s not uncommon for Miller to work out a new contract in the final year. It’s something he’s done every time head coach Mike O’Shea has needed a deal.
“Kyle has been part of this organization for a long time and we’ll get this resolved,” Miller said. “You know that we do things maybe a little differently in Winnipeg.”
Twitter: @jeffkhamilton
Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer
After a slew of injuries playing hockey that included breaks to the wrist, arm, and collar bone; a tear of the medial collateral ligament in both knees; as well as a collapsed lung, Jeff figured it was a good idea to take his interest in sports off the ice and in to the classroom.
