
Finally, after the CFL offseason passed, it’s three-down vs. four-down chatter. The CBA is signed, and the season is underway. All seemed well in the Canadian Football League.
Before the season started, MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum talked with the Globe & Mail about various topics, including the CFL. Tanenbaum was rumored to be high on the XFL/CFL partnership/merger talks.
MLSE owns the CFL’s Toronto Argonauts. They also own the Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL), the Toronto Raptors (NBA), the Toronto Marlies (AHL), and Toronto FC (MLS). All those franchises have gone up in value since MLSE has purchased them. The Argonauts have not.
When asked about the current CFL business model and prospects, he said.
“The community-owned teams seem to be satisfied with what’s happening in the CFL, so we’re working to see how the Argos fit into that scenario. I’m not happy with it. I’m not happy with the structure of the league.
My concern is, in the major cities of Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, it’s not attracted the younger fan engagement. You look at value creation and, you know, quite, unfortunately, these teams are not worth that much money.
The hockey, basketball, or soccer teams are trading at hundreds of millions of dollars, in some cases billions of dollars. And you see the Argos, you know, a 106-year-old league, and what value creation are these franchises trading at? You’ve got to look at that and say, Is that success?”
There had been rumors that the Argonauts could join the XFL or MLSE would sell the team and start a new one with the XFL. XFL Chairwoman and Co-Owner Dany Garcia has repeatedly mentioned that the 3.0 era is looking to go global.
The XFL and CFL formally announced their talks were underway in March of 2021. The talks were held under tight wraps with NDA’s.
XFL News Hub heard about the talks in February. Later we learned that talks began months earlier, in October. These two sides talked about everything under the sun. Larry Tanenbaum was very much interested in shaking things up with the XFL. There was mutual respect from both the MLSE and the XFL sides with Garcia, The Rock, and RedBird Capital.
TSN Insider Dave Naylor was asked about Tanenbaum’s comments on a recent radio appearance. CFL News paraphrased his remarks.
“@TSNDaveNaylor says Larry Tanenbaum’s comments were aimed more at differing opinions about “XFL option,” & joining forces with @TheRock, & 4 downs, N. American football. Tanenbaum sees it one way, the league went in another direction. #CFL #Argos via @FirstUp1050“
,@TSNDaveNaylor says Larry Tanenbaum's comments were aimed more at differing opinions about "XFL option," & joining forces with @TheRock, & 4 downs, N. American football.
— CFL News (@CFL_News) June 11, 2022
Tanenbaum sees it one way, the league went in another direction. #CFL #Argos via @FirstUp1050
To the fan’s surprise, The Rock was paying attention and chimed in.
“Love the grammar citations, which I have received many over the years Larry was a great partner & advocate who I found to be a gutsy visionary who saw an amazing opportunity to grow the game of football that we all love – in a very exciting & electrifying way for the FANS.”
Love the grammar citations, which I have received many over the years 😂🙋🏽♂️
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) June 11, 2022
Larry was a great partner & advocate who I found to be a gutsy visionary who saw an amazing opportunity to grow the game of football that we all love – in a very exciting & electrifying way for the FANS.
What does this all mean? Probably nothing more than admiration in working with Tanenbaum from Dwayne Johnson. But, if you haven’t figured it out by now, nothing put in the press, or social media doesn’t have some thought or strategy behind it.
This is something to keep an eye on in the months ahead.
📢 Attention XFL News Hub community! We've got a quick 30-second survey and we need your thoughts. Your feedback will help us to bring you the XFL content you love even better. Just click the link in the description below to get started. Thanks for being a part of our team!
Unleash the Action: Sign up for XFL Insider and Fuel Your Passion for Football!
Mark Perry, a passionate sports journalist and the founder and editor of XFL News Hub, has been at the forefront of covering the XFL since its revival in 2018. Within days of the XFL's announced return, Mark initiated XFL News Hub to keep the fans abreast of every detail, game, and development of the league. Mark's extensive knowledge of the sport, combined with his unwavering dedication to providing comprehensive and accurate reporting, has made XFL News Hub the go-to platform for all things related to the XFL. His work over the years has brought him recognition in the world of sports journalism, solidifying his place as a leading voice in XFL coverage. Beyond just reporting, Mark believes in fostering a community around the XFL, engaging fans through his innovative content and discussions. If you have any inquiries, comments, or insights you'd like to share, Mark welcomes you to contact him directly at mark.perry@xflnewshub.com.

XFL News Alerts

Seattle Sea Dragons
Nick Rolovich Named Seattle Sea Dragons New OC

Seattle Sea Dragons
EXCLUSIVE: June Jones Likely Will Not Return As Seattle Sea Dragons OC In 2024
XFL 2023 Season Attendance Recap: The Ups and Downs
Latest Podcast
-
XFL Podcast
/ 2 weeks agoVipers Leaving Vegas, NFL Cutdown Day Which XFL Players Made It, Season Tickets, Exclusive Combine Insights & More!
Join us on ‘XFL Week In Review’ as we cover the Vegas Vipers leaving...
By Mark Perry