The Canadian Football League has changed the start time of two of its playoff games at the request of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
The West Final was originally slated for 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, Dec. 5 but will now begin a half-hour earlier at 4:00 p.m. ET. In a corresponding move, the East Final has also been moved up thirty minutes from 1:00 p.m. ET to 12:30 p.m. ET.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers clinched first place in the West Division in a 45-0 win over the B.C. Lions in Week 12 and will host the West Final for the first time since 1972. The postseason contest was originally set to overlap with a local NHL game, which drove the Blue Bombers’ request for the time change.
The Winnipeg Jets are scheduled to play at home on Dec. 5 with a matchup against the Toronto Maple Leafs set for 8:00 p.m. ET. The game was originally slated for 7:00 p.m. ET but was pushed back an hour after the Blue Bombers clinched the top spot in the West Division.
IG Field is located in the south end of the city at the University of Manitoba, which is 10 kilometres south of the Canada Life Centre in downtown Winnipeg. Changing the start times of both games should allow fans the opportunity to attend both events in what will be one of the most memorable sports days in the city’s history.