Bombers may ban beer cup snake

The beer cup snake will likely be an endangered species at the next Winnipeg Blue Bombers home game.

Fans at the CFL team's most recent home game, against the Toronto Argonauts on July 9, stacked thousands of empty plastic beer cups into a serpentine shape that extended some 30 rows — almost reaching the upper grandstand level — in Section S at Canad Inns Stadium.

It caught the attention of TSN camera crews broadcasting the game and made it onto the network's highlight reel.

But it's what happened when the cup snake began to shed that has upset Bomber brass.

'We need to treat that very, very seriously.'—Jim Bell, president Winnipeg Football Club

Fans pulled the creation apart and sent the cups raining down in a plastic hailstorm, slightly injuring other spectators.

Several people have complained to the Bombers' head office, said Winnipeg Football Club president Jim Bell.

"There is a line and when people in certain areas of the stadium are having to be somewhat fearful for overall safety … it takes away from the joy of the game day experience," he said.

"We need to treat that very, very seriously."

Bell was also worried fans in the upper grandstand might try to reach over the railing to contribute to the snake's construction.

He said management and game day officials would meet this week to discuss banning the beer cup snakes.

The phenomenon is a new one and he wants it halted before someone gets seriously hurt.

The next home game is July 24 against the Edmonton Eskimos.