CFL not to play shortened season in the fall
August 17th, 2020
The Canadian Football League is shifting its focus to 2021 and beyond after deciding not to play a shortened season this Fall.
"Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future," said Commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
"We are absolutely committed to 2021, to the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of a bigger, stronger, more global CFL."
Season ticket holders can expect to hear soon from their clubs with news on how they can apply their deposits to next season or other offers.
And the CFL will have lots to say in the days ahead on next season, including the 2021 Grey Cup in Hamilton, which Ambrosie predicted will be the largest “reunion” in Canadian sports history.
He added the league and its teams are working together on a new initiative that will allow fans to show their pride in the CFL’s storied history at the same time they pledge their support for the future, which will be unveiled in the coming days.
The league lost its number one source of revenue – fans in the stands – when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented large gatherings.
Unlike US-based leagues that can count on television or streaming to provide the lion’s share of their revenue, the CFL depends heavily on its live gate.
Still, it spent the past several weeks working on a plan to launch a shortened season this September.
It was to be played in a single location – Winnipeg had been chosen as the hub city – with players living in a protected 'bubble' consisting of the gameday stadium, practice fields and hotels.
But the league also consistently said the plan would require some meaningful federal government support, sign-off from public health authorities, and a new collective bargaining agreement with the Canadian Football League Players’ Association.
The league and the union worked together towards an agreement that would see players return to the field this year. Public health authorities in Manitoba had formally approved the safe return to play plan and federal authorities had praised it publicly. The league and its governors worked tirelessly to explore options to enable play in 2020. However, despite months of discussions, the government ultimately declined the CFL’s appeal for financial support.