2019-20 CFL Offseason

[DR. CFL]

3 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

Sounds about right.

If the expectation is to start in Sept. I think given all the logistics required to put things in motion August seems  a little late for a decision.

 

[Tracker]

9 hours ago, Noeller said:

Am I the only one who's literally never heard of this guy before? I didn't even know we had a CFL Head Of Football Operations...

He's a real ****.

[HardCoreBlue]

On 2020-05-23 at 12:45 PM, JCon said:

I don't know the answer to that. That's the big question - shut it down? Or stay the course? 

League has to decide that with the players, coaches and staff. And, the policy needs to be in place prior to everyone getting together. 

Not to mention the fact that local sports will probably follow the lead of pro sports. My son is currently heading into his second year of high school football. How is that going to look?

[JCon]

3 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Not to mention the fact that local sports will probably follow the lead of pro sports. My son is currently heading into his second year of high school football. How is that going to look?

I would be shocked if there are school sports this year. I will also be shocked if they're back in class at full capacity too. 

[DR. CFL]

3 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Not to mention the fact that local sports will probably follow the lead of pro sports. My son is currently heading into his second year of high school football. How is that going to look?

I would have to think that school boards, local health officials and government would have the final say on school activities. They aren’t going to take risks.

[Mr Dee]

 

 

[DR. CFL]

5 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

 

 

Maybe get your own house in order first. Do you think either country is going to let teams go back and forth across the border at will. The NHL might be faced with the same potential problem. That is why the a Blue Jays are likely going to play all their games in the US.

[M.Silverback]

On 2020-05-27 at 11:14 AM, HardCoreBlue said:

Not to mention the fact that local sports will probably follow the lead of pro sports. My son is currently heading into his second year of high school football. How is that going to look?

I agree with JCon and Dr. CFL. Unlikely that there will be high school sports. Definitely not in the Fall. Slim chance they might try to do some Spring 2021 sports. My son plays USports football and that's what they're talking about as a possibility - potential Spring 2021 league. They haven't officially said no USports football for the Fall 2020, but, it's pretty much guaranteed not happening. No or very few on campus courses, means no students on campus, and no sports. Bummer year for so many. 

[HardCoreBlue]

32 minutes ago, M.Silverback said:

I agree with JCon and Dr. CFL. Unlikely that there will be high school sports. Definitely not in the Fall. Slim chance they might try to do some Spring 2021 sports. My son plays USports football and that's what they're talking about as a possibility - potential Spring 2021 league. They haven't officially said no USports football for the Fall 2020, but, it's pretty much guaranteed not happening. No or very few on campus courses, means no students on campus, and no sports. Bummer year for so many. 

Yes thanks I probably needed to hear that.  Truly a huge bummer. I didn’t realize a big part of my life revolves around sport until it was taken away. I’m so into my sons football and soccer that I’m probably hanging on to false hope he will have a season this fall. This is such an important year for him development wise and potential scouting for post secondary recruitment. Health and academics are number one obviously but dad really enjoys watching his son play sports, especially football. The funny thing is I think this is uncertainty around getting back to contact sports is affecting me way more than it is him. I try to keep that to myself except here where I’m only known as HardCoreBlue. Well that and other names I’m sure others have called me over the years.

Edited May 28, 2020 by HardCoreBlue

[Noeller]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/football/cfl/cfl-owners-not-unanimous-playing-shortened-2020-season/

In an interview Thursday with an Edmonton radio station, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie explained that his latest focus will be determining a “go-no go date” on a 2020 CFL season.

Multiple sources have told Sportsnet, however, that there are some franchises in the league unsure at the moment on whether or not to proceed with playing games at all this year.

 

 

Those sources say there are at least two privately-run teams that have expressed reservations about going forward with a reduced schedule this fall under the present circumstances. Ambrosie said last week the league was exploring plans of potentially beginning a modified run of games beginning in September.

The belief is that the CFL’s community-run franchises – in Saskatchewan, Edmonton and Winnipeg – are on-board with getting some kind of football in to help with their bottom line. Those three organizations do not have the benefit of a single owner who can write cheques to cover financial losses. On the other hand, Montreal, B.C., Calgary, Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto are privately-run franchises.

Ambrosie’s latest comments came on 630 CHED, where he told host Morley Scott that he has been asked by presidents and owners of the CFL franchises to “really focus” on when the league’s drop-dead date on this season would be.

“I have been challenged to come back to the governors with a recommendation on our ‘go-no go’ date,” Ambrosie told Scott on Thursday.

As Sportsnet first reported last week, the CFL created a return to play committee – which includes doctors, immunologists and other specialists – and they have presented a model featuring two hub cities for the league’s nine teams to be based out of. The system unveiled by the committee was thorough from a health and wellness standpoint, complete with a comprehensive series of testing protocols and detail on cleaning and sanitation. While that may be the best way to proceed medically, team and league sources do not believe this format is economically viable.

To help on the financial side, the league continues to lobby the federal government for up to $150 million in funding. Things had been relatively quiet between the CFL and Ottawa since May 11, but over the last two days there was contact with two departments that had been previously untapped.

There was communication on the league’s behalf with Aneil Jaswal, a senior policy advisor to the Minister of Finance, both Wednesday and Thursday. On Thursday, there was also communication on the CFL’s behalf with Kyle Nicholson, a senior policy advisor for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, and with Olga Radchenko, a policy advisor for IRCC.

There have been five Members of Parliament known to have had contact with the CFL, and in most cases specifically with Ambrosie. There has also been communication on the league’s behalf with at least two members of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet: on May 11 with Minister of Justice David Lametti, and on April 6 with Catherine McKenna, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities.

 

[Note: The Toronto Argonauts are owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). Rogers Communications holds an ownership stake in MLSE.]

[Noeller]

Larry Arugala with the leg........

 

[Colin Unger]

The CFL has now asked the Spring League for a proposal. Can anyone wrap your brains around what exactly the Spring League is proposing?  Their message on what exactly they are offering the CFL has been convoluted. 

[Noeller]

.....basically they want to play exhibition games against CFL teams in the States, which is insane, and Naylor basically laughed at it. I'm not sure what exactly we have to gain from any of it except money, if they're going to pony up a whole bunch. Those guys want in on our TV exposure for their players, I think...

[Mr Dee]

 

 

[Mr Dee]

Leave it to Pinball to tell it so simply and and put the onus back where it belongs.

 

 

[Brandon]

22 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

Leave it to Pinball to tell it so simply and and put the onus back where it belongs.

 

 

Pinball for commissioner? 

[Mr Dee]

6 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Pinball for commissioner? 

Eventually..

[SpeedFlex27]

On 2020-05-28 at 2:35 PM, M.Silverback said:

I agree with JCon and Dr. CFL. Unlikely that there will be high school sports. Definitely not in the Fall. Slim chance they might try to do some Spring 2021 sports. My son plays USports football and that's what they're talking about as a possibility - potential Spring 2021 league. They haven't officially said no USports football for the Fall 2020, but, it's pretty much guaranteed not happening. No or very few on campus courses, means no students on campus, and no sports. Bummer year for so many. 

Calgary has a successful spring league that has been in operation since the early 2000's. My son played in it & I coached in it. I haven't coached since 2009 & don't really follow much local football anymore so I'm not 100% sure about the number of teams in the league. I think there are now 8 teams in Calgary. It would be interesting if the Spring League  would cease operations for  a year if the high schools wanted to play next spring. That is,  if high school ball is cancelled in September.

The problem is fields are booked for traditional spring sports both in high school & the community. Does football in high school tell rugby that  you can't play because we want your players as well as fields for practices & games? How does high school football tell community sports like soccer that we want your fields? I doubt it. The pushback from the community would be intense.

I'm sure in Calgary at least, the spring league will continue next season. They will have their fields booked  to practice on & to play. Only thing that may change is allowing Grade 12's to play if they miss their fall season coming up. The rules are Grades 9-11 can play but no Grade 12's. I can see that changing to accommodate the seniors if they have a lost season. I'd be in favour of allowing all 4 grades to participate permanently. 

While the spring season is lost for 2020, I can really see it roaring back to life next year if the coming HS season is lost & they are allowed to play next spring. 

Edited May 30, 2020 by SpeedFlex27

[Mr Dee]

Bob knows..

 

 

[bustamente]

3 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

Leave it to Pinball to tell it so simply and and put the onus back where it belongs.

 

 

Dropping the price of tickets across the board would be a great start, make attending games more family friendly, no one wants to seat next to a fat drunken slob spouting fouls language and acting like an idiot.

[Noeller]

57 minutes ago, bustamente said:

Dropping the price of tickets across the board would be a great start, make attending games more family friendly, no one wants to seat next to a fat drunken slob spouting fouls language and acting like an idiot.

At least find a way to keep those very different groups away form each other... 

[Mr Dee]

15 minutes ago, Noeller said:

no one wants to seat next to a fat drunken slob spouting fouls language and acting like an idiot.

I’m not sure Trump has ever attended a Bomber game 😁

[DR. CFL]

40 minutes ago, Noeller said:

At least find a way to keep those very different groups away form each other... 

At one point there were alcohol free family sections....I’m not sure if they still exist?
 

As to Pinball’s revelation...that is old news there has been constant talk of the lost generation and the gap between the older fans and the young people who have found other things to spend their discretionary dollars. There is far more options in this day and age. You better have an appealing entertaining product to complete for their business.

[Brandon]

2 hours ago, Noeller said:

At least find a way to keep those very different groups away form each other... 

Is this really a problem though?  At the new stadium I have not seen really any of this.

[SpeedFlex27]

3 hours ago, DR. CFL said:

At one point there were alcohol free family sections....I’m not sure if they still exist?
 

As to Pinball’s revelation...that is old news there has been constant talk of the lost generation and the gap between the older fans and the young people who have found other things to spend their discretionary dollars. There is far more options in this day and age. You better have an appealing entertaining product to complete for their business.

They do at McMahon Stadium.