CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the league is examining all options B次元官网网址 including a resumption of talks with the federal government, playing in hub cities and holding games with no fans or limited spectators B次元官网网址 to get back on the field in 2021.
The CFL cancelled its 2020 season Aug. 17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision that came after it was unable to secure financial assistance from Ottawa. The league had hoped to play a shortened campaign in Winnipeg.
The CFL had maintained it required government funding to stage a shortened season. In April, it presented Ottawa a three-tiered request that began with $30 million initially, more in the event of a shortened season and up to $150 million for a cancelled campaign.
In July, the CFL modified that request to $44 million before asking Ottawa for a $30-million, interest-free loan on Aug. 3. However, the two sides couldnB次元官网网址檛 agree on a deal.
B次元官网网址淲hen we didnB次元官网网址檛 succeed in August in our discussions, the federal government did leave the door open to ongoing discussions,B次元官网网址 Ambrosie said in a telephone interview Thursday. B次元官网网址淢y strong feeling is that part of the responsibility is to be optimistic that conversations can restart and take us somewhere.
B次元官网网址淵ou have to be thoughtful about it, you have to be realistic. But in the end I believe there was a genuine interest in resuming conversations and you have to hope that will lead us to an outcome that helps us to get back on to the field.B次元官网网址
Ambrosie believes the relationship between the CFL and federal government remains strong.
B次元官网网址淟ook, I believe it would be foolish not to acknowledge the overwhelming challenge it takes to govern in this time,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址淭o be negative and hostile towards them would be, I think, a mistake.
B次元官网网址淵ou acknowledge we werenB次元官网网址檛 successful, then you just have to dust yourself off and be willing to open up a new set of discussions. Frankly, thatB次元官网网址檚 how IB次元官网网址檝e approached this, just to be a person with a positive energy and bring that energy to every discussion we have.B次元官网网址
But the CFL isnB次元官网网址檛 pinning all of its hopes for 2021 solely on Ottawa. Ambrosie said the league and its nine teams are considering all options for a return to the field.
That includes playing in a hub city, staging games in an empty stadium or before reduced crowds. All of those options would be difficult ones for CFL franchises, which all rely heavily on ticket sales to generate revenue.
Ambrosie expects to have some answers about the CFLB次元官网网址檚 future Nov. 16. ThatB次元官网网址檚 when heB次元官网网址檒l hold a townhall with fans to kick off Grey Cup Unite, an initiative where the league will hold many of the events usually held during Grey Cup week virtually.
However, a big challenge facing the CFL is the uncertainty surrounding the novel coronavirus. ItB次元官网网址檚 unclear what the numbers will be like next summer or when a vaccine might be widely available.
B次元官网网址淲e are looking at a no-fan scenario, weB次元官网网址檙e looking at a couple of levels of limited fans,B次元官网网址 Ambrosie said. B次元官网网址淭he most optimistic version of our plan is the vaccine is out and taking a positive footing and weB次元官网网址檙e looking at hub city again because you have to account for all of these things as possibilities.
B次元官网网址淏ut the challenge weB次元官网网址檙e all facing, not just football, is that we donB次元官网网址檛 know where the pandemic is going to take us in the short to medium term. WeB次元官网网址檙e going to look at every possible way to get back on the field B次元官网网址 one way or the other weB次元官网网址檙e going to try to the best of our ability to figure out a way to do it.B次元官网网址
Another issue for Ambrosie and the CFL is the state of the B.C. Lions following the death Monday of owner David Braley.
B次元官网网址淥bviously itB次元官网网址檚 a conversation weB次元官网网址檒l have with his family about the future of the team,B次元官网网址 Ambrosie said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to have to work through the challenge of DavidB次元官网网址檚 passing in the middle of this pandemic B次元官网网址 but I really believe thereB次元官网网址檚 a bright and great future for the B.C. Lions.
B次元官网网址淚 spent a lot of time with David as commissioner and IB次元官网网址檒l tell you this: HeB次元官网网址檇 give me a hard time because he liked to give me a hard time. But then heB次元官网网址檇 remind me at the end, B次元官网网址楻andy, remember. YouB次元官网网址檙e the commissioner. YouB次元官网网址檝e got a job to do and go get it done.B次元官网网址 I feel in my head and heart that what David wants from me today is to find solutions and to get this league going.B次元官网网址
The CFL has been one of the lone major sports leagues not to operate during the pandemic. Ambrosie admits that doesnB次元官网网址檛 sit well with him.
B次元官网网址淚t will always be, for me, disappointing that we didnB次元官网网址檛 but I do think itB次元官网网址檚 important to make some distinctions,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址淔irst of all, the NHL was largely through most of its regular season B次元官网网址 when it went into the bubble to finish it off. Similarly with basketball.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 not started and faced the daunting task of bringing together the largest group that we have to bring together every year, that being your pre-training camp roster. That made our situation considerably different than what some of the other leagues were facing. Now, it is what it is and you canB次元官网网址檛 moan about it but we did face some unique challenges. I can honestly say we tried everything we could to try to get back on our feet and came up a little short.B次元官网网址
A burning question remains what the CFLB次元官网网址檚 future will be if it canB次元官网网址檛 play again in 2021, especially considering the league reportedly lost between $60 and $80 million because of the cancelled season. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a scenario, Ambrosie said, heB次元官网网址檚 not considering.
B次元官网网址淚 just feel like weB次元官网网址檙e going to find a way,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址淲ould it be good not to play in 2021? No way.
B次元官网网址淏ut I know how much our fans want us back on the field and its through that lens IB次元官网网址檓 looking at all of our activities so that we make sure we have a good outcome in 2021.B次元官网网址
Ambrosie said the CFL has to examine how it does everything.
B次元官网网址淨uite honestly IB次元官网网址檓 optimistic about everything,B次元官网网址 he said. B次元官网网址淚 have to believe the work weB次元官网网址檙e doing, the appetite I feel for our game, the importance of football in Canada, the importance of the game itself and all that it stands for will lead us to being back on the field in 2021.
B次元官网网址淩ight now weB次元官网网址檙e looking at many scenarios. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a word we used a lot in the spring and summer. The time we sadly havenB次元官网网址檛 been playing has given us a chance to do that kind of work and come back not just in our previous version but in a new and really re-energized version of our league.B次元官网网址
Dan Ralph, The Canadian Press
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