Arash Madani of Sportsnet, is reporting that the CFL will officially announce a delay to the 2021 season on April 19th. Most people within the CFL world knew this was coming but now we have a potential date of an announcement.
April 19 is scheduled as the date the #CFL "officially" confirms the 2021 season won't start on time.
Wouldn't expect all elements with other parties to be fully completed by then. As I reported on @DTonSC April 1, the league + federal gov't continue talks on funding for 2021. https://t.co/aeIDjbpzj7
Madani hinted that there could be some clarity announced also as it pertains to ‘talks’ between the CFL and XFL. Madani was a guest on the XFLMarkcast last week.
Sports radio host Rod Pederson also reported over the weekend a potential reason why the CFL season will be delayed and why the XFL and CFL are even talking in the first place.
This is what he wrote about the situation on his website.
“I’ve spoken with five solid sources whose stories on the CFL/XFL merger and 2021 season are all generally the same. One of their messages began with “You deserve to know truth'”
He goes on the say his sources are telling him that MLSE, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the owners of the Toronto Argonauts want to delay/cancel the season and are the driving force behind talks with the XFL.
It should be noted that MLSE also owns the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL and, Toronto Raptors of the NBA. Also, Rogers Communications, who owns Sportsnet is also a 37% owner of MLSE. Bell Media Inc, which owns TSN is a subsidiary of BCE Inc, which also is a 37% owner of MLSE. These are all important facts to know.
“MLSE realized it’s impossible to turn a profit with the Argonauts (roughly two years ago), they immediately turned their attention to blowing up the CFL and making it a profit-making venture.”
He goes on to say that the COVID situation is potentially being used as a cover to try and scrap the CFL season and start over with the XFL.
“The Covid situation is what it is and likely the smartest/safest scenario is to scrap this season and build for whatever the next version of the CFL is to be.
However current CFL operators, the majority anyway, want to play for the good of the league and their employees and the fact is the majority of them wanted to play LAST YEAR.
But sources have all confirmed to me that MLSE is all about – entirely about – balance sheets and care little for the history and viability of the CFL nor the people who keep it running.”
The issue is MLSE clearly has the money to run a season. They reportedly have an equity value of CA $1.66 billion. But they refuse to do it because they want to bring drastic changes to the CFL. Now enter the XFL with Dany Garcia, Dwayne’ The Rock’ Johnson, and RedBird Capital.
To be fair, the fact that the CFL in 2021 is still seeking money from the Canadian government shows you how bad the financials are for the league and that a drastic change is needed for the league to survive.
At the same time, very wealthy individuals and corporations own CFL teams. Why are they not stepping up, probably because they are tired of losing money? To say the situation with the CFL is complicated is an understatement.
We should learn more about this story as the week unfolds. Canada is the size of California so entities like TSN, Rogers, Sportnet, and MLSE are all intertwined making the situation even more complicated.
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11 Comments
11 Comments
David Tress
April 12, 2021 at 10:56 am
The CFL should start the regular season July 1st with a 16 game schedule including two XFL teams to create some excitement.
Randy Ambrosie should be fired from the CFL. He thinks Internationally but can’t get his act together at home. The Rock and Redbird Capital haven’t spent a dime on the XFL. The CFL should start the regular season July 1st with a 16 game regular season and two XFL teams should be entered to play in the CFL in 2021.
What are you talking about they bought the league for 15 million and have been making a plan for the next XFL they still have workers they pay, they have got leases for stadiums that all cost money. I get annoyed when Canadians dont get how much money red bird capital has. They literally just bought 30% of the Red Sox which that team alone is worth more then the whole CFL.
Blowup the CFL? Wow!…and even wow may be an understatement. Is this the Donald Trump USFL failed strategy that MLSE pulls to get more money? I get they are tired of losing money, but whatever the reboot is, it better not be a reboot of the failed WLAF strategy. Will the CFL prairie league teams go for this? Is this just a move so Toronto can bail out and go for an NFL team?
As much as I’d love a CFL-US league with teams also in Monterrey and Mexico City. You’d have to really have some cash up front, decent players, and a twist to the rules. And of course a TV contract that makes it profitable. I just don’t know if some CFL owners will go for this, there likely will need to be some “bribe” of bigger money. I guess if it fails they can go back to the original CFL ways, but likely with fewer teams.
A more apt description of Canada is that despite having the second largest country in the world, its population is slightly less than California. This adds the complications of logistics because it spreads that small population across a very wide area!
if the xfl moves in they have to pay out for the stadium in sask. that one is own by the fans of sask. and provincial government for the riders to play in the cfl not the xfl. we can use the money for more hosipitals. instead of letting the Americans to move in
Lol ok typical toronto(Americana) attitude
We know better than anyone else
The city of Toronto cannot even support the leagues they have
And also MLSE is a joke
They have ruined the argos
Toronto fc
And the maple leafs and blue Jay’s
And they have nerve enough to say they are for profit lol
Them put a better product on the field
To which these SO CALLED MONEYMEN HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT
SO ASSHATS YOU DONT SPEEK FOR ME
LEAVE MY CFL ALONE !!!!!
I was XFL I would build a stadium.in Halifax and have a Halifax team. guarantee the existence of Canadian clubs for 50+yrs and expect to play 5down. maybe pay for stadium renos to get to 4 down field. this mi and match stuff won’t work but the infrastructure of the league and ABILITY to pay players consistently will always be a thorn in any startup leageue, hence merger only true viable solution. both need each other. XFL has opportunity to dump a bunch of goodwill in to Canada to make it a seamless transisition. 3 down football has got to go. infrastructure is in place and small-town Canada has opportunity to host worldwide class football not just Canadian class football. I think it will lean on more free market labor than quota but as said XFL has opportunity to create unique pockets of goodwill to make this deal happen.
FIRE AMBROSIE, AND JUST LET THE DAMN ARGOS SINK INTO LAKE ONTARIO I AM SICK AND TIRED OF TORONTO THINKING THEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER TEAM, CITY IN ONTARIO. MLSE CAN GO BUCK A FUFFALO LEAVE OUR CFL ALONE !!!!!!!!! I RATHER PLAY TO AN EMPTY STADIUM FOR ANOTHER YEAR, THEN LOOSE AN OVER 100 YEAR OLD TRADITION IN THIS COUNTRY. ITS THE ONLY THING WE HAVE LEFT THAT THE STATES HASNT KILLED. THE NHL IS GONE, THE GREY CUP IS THE ONLY THING OTHER THAN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS IE’ THE OLYMPICS THAT IS STILL COAST TO COAST TO COAST TRULY CANADIAN. ( don’t get picky and through American players in my face I know that)
LEAVE THE CFL ALONE, OR PAINFULLY LET IT DIE, BUT DO NOT DO NOT, HOOK UP WITH THE CFL, LET MLSE MESS AROUND WITH IT
David Tress
April 12, 2021 at 10:56 am
The CFL should start the regular season July 1st with a 16 game schedule including two XFL teams to create some excitement.
David Tress
April 12, 2021 at 11:50 am
Randy Ambrosie should be fired from the CFL. He thinks Internationally but can’t get his act together at home. The Rock and Redbird Capital haven’t spent a dime on the XFL. The CFL should start the regular season July 1st with a 16 game regular season and two XFL teams should be entered to play in the CFL in 2021.
Ethan
April 14, 2021 at 10:18 am
What are you talking about they bought the league for 15 million and have been making a plan for the next XFL they still have workers they pay, they have got leases for stadiums that all cost money. I get annoyed when Canadians dont get how much money red bird capital has. They literally just bought 30% of the Red Sox which that team alone is worth more then the whole CFL.
Dude
April 12, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Blowup the CFL? Wow!…and even wow may be an understatement. Is this the Donald Trump USFL failed strategy that MLSE pulls to get more money? I get they are tired of losing money, but whatever the reboot is, it better not be a reboot of the failed WLAF strategy. Will the CFL prairie league teams go for this? Is this just a move so Toronto can bail out and go for an NFL team?
As much as I’d love a CFL-US league with teams also in Monterrey and Mexico City. You’d have to really have some cash up front, decent players, and a twist to the rules. And of course a TV contract that makes it profitable. I just don’t know if some CFL owners will go for this, there likely will need to be some “bribe” of bigger money. I guess if it fails they can go back to the original CFL ways, but likely with fewer teams.
Ben
April 12, 2021 at 3:27 pm
A more apt description of Canada is that despite having the second largest country in the world, its population is slightly less than California. This adds the complications of logistics because it spreads that small population across a very wide area!
Mike
April 12, 2021 at 8:51 pm
Blow up the CFL. F THAT
Blow up the Argos. They are the only unsuccessful team.
rick b.
April 13, 2021 at 2:30 am
if the xfl moves in they have to pay out for the stadium in sask. that one is own by the fans of sask. and provincial government for the riders to play in the cfl not the xfl. we can use the money for more hosipitals. instead of letting the Americans to move in
Dave stinson
April 13, 2021 at 8:24 am
Lol ok typical toronto(Americana) attitude
We know better than anyone else
The city of Toronto cannot even support the leagues they have
And also MLSE is a joke
They have ruined the argos
Toronto fc
And the maple leafs and blue Jay’s
And they have nerve enough to say they are for profit lol
Them put a better product on the field
To which these SO CALLED MONEYMEN HAVE NO CLUE ABOUT
SO ASSHATS YOU DONT SPEEK FOR ME
LEAVE MY CFL ALONE !!!!!
D
April 13, 2021 at 5:20 pm
I was XFL I would build a stadium.in Halifax and have a Halifax team. guarantee the existence of Canadian clubs for 50+yrs and expect to play 5down. maybe pay for stadium renos to get to 4 down field. this mi and match stuff won’t work but the infrastructure of the league and ABILITY to pay players consistently will always be a thorn in any startup leageue, hence merger only true viable solution. both need each other. XFL has opportunity to dump a bunch of goodwill in to Canada to make it a seamless transisition. 3 down football has got to go. infrastructure is in place and small-town Canada has opportunity to host worldwide class football not just Canadian class football. I think it will lean on more free market labor than quota but as said XFL has opportunity to create unique pockets of goodwill to make this deal happen.
D. BURKE
April 13, 2021 at 6:36 pm
FIRE AMBROSIE, AND JUST LET THE DAMN ARGOS SINK INTO LAKE ONTARIO I AM SICK AND TIRED OF TORONTO THINKING THEY ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER TEAM, CITY IN ONTARIO. MLSE CAN GO BUCK A FUFFALO LEAVE OUR CFL ALONE !!!!!!!!! I RATHER PLAY TO AN EMPTY STADIUM FOR ANOTHER YEAR, THEN LOOSE AN OVER 100 YEAR OLD TRADITION IN THIS COUNTRY. ITS THE ONLY THING WE HAVE LEFT THAT THE STATES HASNT KILLED. THE NHL IS GONE, THE GREY CUP IS THE ONLY THING OTHER THAN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS IE’ THE OLYMPICS THAT IS STILL COAST TO COAST TO COAST TRULY CANADIAN. ( don’t get picky and through American players in my face I know that)
LEAVE THE CFL ALONE, OR PAINFULLY LET IT DIE, BUT DO NOT DO NOT, HOOK UP WITH THE CFL, LET MLSE MESS AROUND WITH IT
Matt Peters
April 14, 2021 at 9:59 am
Canada isn’t the size of California, it is about 20x bigger. However, its population is about the size of California. That’s quite a difference