Without fans in attendance, the CFL faces questions about its economic viabilityGETTY IMAGES
CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie is "optimistic his league will play some form of a season before 2020 is over," according to TSN.ca. During a recent interview, Ambrosie was "pressed about a potential hub approach," which TSN's Farhan Lalji reported was "being discussed with the CFL and the CFLPA." As a gate-driven league, questions have arose surrounding the CFL's "economic viability of resuming play with limited or no fans in attendance." Ambrosie said, "That's one of the critical challenges that we face. We are a bums-in-seats league. That is the driving force that makes our league special and what makes it great. It won't be easy." The CFL in late April asked for $150M in financial assistance from the federal government. The maximum amount "would have seen the full money paid out if the 2020 season were to be cancelled." Ambrosie said, "We continue to have the discussions with government. They have asked us to look at some of the programs that they have created that are in place" (TSN.ca, 6/11).
MIXED MESSAGES: Ambrosie said the CFL had "exchanged ideas on what might have to happen in our CBA for 2020 in order to accommodate some kind of a hybrid season." He said that those conversations "had started and would be ongoing." In Toronto, Dan Barnes notes Ambrosie's hopeful statement had "barely hit the ether" when CFLPA Exec Dir Brian Ramsay "sent out a tweet disputing the essence of Ambrosie's claim." Ramsay in his tweet wrote, "The CFLPA has not received concrete ideas regarding a 2020 collective agreement from the CFL, as was promised, nor concrete direction about opportunities for a 2020 season. I am dismayed that the CFL has stated otherwise." Ramsay made it sound as if the league "has been withholding information being gathered for a possible return to play" (TORONTO SUN, 6/12).
