Okay, so the off season officially begins now that the Grey Cup is over. Lots of topics for discussion in the months to come with the Bombers & the League. A new CBA needs to be negotiated sooner rather than later.  Will there be an eventual agreement or a lockout? How much will the salary cap go up? Randy Ambrosie is on record that wants the cap to significantly go up so that is a positive.  Will Bo Levi Mitchell sign with an NFL or perhaps another CFL team? What about Mike Reilly & Trevor Harris who are also free agents? There's a new start up league called the  AAFL & there are legit concerns that it'll draw star CFL players away or hamper free agent signings with CFL teams. Coaching changes in BC & Toronto. The continuing evolving story of the expansion Halifax Schooners & possible exhibition games in Mexico. 

Edited November 27, 20187 yr by SpeedFlex27

Makes sense since he is town for CBA talks tomorrow 

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/29/cfl-leaning-towards-selling-alouettes-to-group-involving-montreal-businessman-stephen-bronfman/

Looks like the CFL is going to sell the als to Stephen Bronfman.  Don't know much about him except for that he's the son of billionaire Charles Bronfman who owned the Expos from 1968 to 1990.  

14 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/29/cfl-leaning-towards-selling-alouettes-to-group-involving-montreal-businessman-stephen-bronfman/

Looks like the CFL is going to sell the als to Stephen Bronfman.  Don't know much about him except for that he's the son of billionaire Charles Bronfman who owned the Expos from 1968 to 1990.  

Let's just say I think they have the necessary moola.....The family is heavily invested in the Montreal area and if any bunch can get this franchise back to respectable it's them....I can see why the league would back them as the new owners and that would be 'secure and reliable'

Just now, Stickem said:

Let's just say I think they have the necessary moola.....The family is heavily invested in the Montreal area and if any bunch can get this franchise back to respectable it's them....I can see why the league would back them as the new owners and that would be 'secure and reliable'

A billionaire owner in the CFL works pretty well because any losses are like a drop in a bucket for them while they work on turning things around.  Plus they have pro sports experience.  Seems like an ideal situation for Montreal.

32 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/29/cfl-leaning-towards-selling-alouettes-to-group-involving-montreal-businessman-stephen-bronfman/

Looks like the CFL is going to sell the als to Stephen Bronfman.  Don't know much about him except for that he's the son of billionaire Charles Bronfman who owned the Expos from 1968 to 1990.  

 

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Previoulsy bought the franchise as a distressed sale, called it the Concordes. Eventually rebranded as the Allouettes but still failed before 87.

 

Dad From Wikipedia:

Bronfman held various positions in the family's liquor empire, Seagram, from 1951 to 2000. In 1951 Bronfman's father Samuel Bronfman gave Charles a 33% ownership stake in Cemp Investments, a holding company for him and his 3 siblings which controlled the family's corporate empire. Under the leadership of Charles and brother Edgar, it controlled billions of dollars in liquor, real estate, oil and gas, and chemical companies.^[3]

Bronfman and his brother, Edgar, inherited the Seagram spirits empire in 1971 after the death of their father, Sam Bronfman. Bronfman is a former Co-Chairman of the Seagram Company Ltd. On the demise of the company: "It was a disaster, it is a disaster, it will be a disaster," he says. "It was a family tragedy."^[2][4]

Bronfman was also well known for his forays into professional sports. He was majority owner of the Montreal Expos franchise in Major League Baseball from the team's formation in 1968 until 1990. In 1982, a day after the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League collapsed due to financial troubles, Bronfman bought their remains and used them to start a new franchise, the Montreal Concordes. This venture proved far less successful – despite later rebranding the team as the Alouettes, the team folded prior to the start of the 1987 CFL season.

Since 1986, he has served as Chairman of The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, Inc.^[2] He plans to close the foundation in 2016.^[5]

From November 1997 until July 2002, Bronfman was the Chairman of the Board of Koor Industries Ltd., one of Israel's largest investment holding companies. He is the co-chairman of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. From 1999 to 2001, Bronfman was the first Chairman of the United Jewish Communities, the merged North American organization comprising United Jewish Appeal, the Council of Jewish Federations and United Israel Appeal.

In April 2013, Bronfman was one of 100 prominent American Jews who sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urging him to "work closely" with Secretary of State John Kerry "to devise pragmatic initiatives, consistent with Israel's security needs, which would represent Israel's readiness to make painful territorial sacrifices for the sake of peace."^[6]

 

They also want to bring back a baseball team. 

A scion of the Bronfman family a few weeks ago got caught up in a cult scandal of some sort, IIRC.

Just now, Tracker said:

A scion of the Bronfman family a few weeks ago got caught up in a cult scandal of some sort, IIRC.

https://people.com/crime/seagrams-heiress-clare-bronfman-pleads-guilty-in-nxivm-sex-trafficking-case/

Not like people are beating down the door to buy the team.....this is a fire sale...pure and simple

42 minutes ago, DR. CFL said:

Not like people are beating down the door to buy the team.....this is a fire sale...pure and simple

The thing people don't realize is that they never made money.  Even when they finished first in the East for 10 out of 13 seasons they were bleeding cash on operating the team.  The Alouettes existence relies on someone being willing to eat losses and pay the bills.  At this point it's doubtful they could even host a Grey Cup in Montreal with no stadium to accommodate it, so can't even get the cash that comes with that.

Edited April 29, 20196 yr by JuranBoldenRules

 

 

8 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/29/cfl-leaning-towards-selling-alouettes-to-group-involving-montreal-businessman-stephen-bronfman/

Looks like the CFL is going to sell the als to Stephen Bronfman.  Don't know much about him except for that he's the son of billionaire Charles Bronfman who owned the Expos from 1968 to 1990.  

His father Charles owned the Alouettes/ Concordes as well.

Edited April 30, 20196 yr by SpeedFlex27

2 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

 

 

Does the fact that the mood was productive not prove that steps taken by the league and the players to up the intensity were justified?

Naylor sez Riders and Cats have inside track on Sol.

Riders sign. "Look out world here we come".

Riders don't sign: "Meh, he's old , don't need him anyway"

18 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

The thing people don't realize is that they never made money.  Even when they finished first in the East for 10 out of 13 seasons they were bleeding cash on operating the team.  The Alouettes existence relies on someone being willing to eat losses and pay the bills.  At this point it's doubtful they could even host a Grey Cup in Montreal with no stadium to accommodate it, so can't even get the cash that comes with that.

Yes, Montreal needs to host a Grey Cup.  Great party city.  Is the Big O really that dilapidated that they can't use it anymore?

23 hours ago, Colin Unger said:

A billionaire owner in the CFL works pretty well because any losses are like a drop in a bucket for them while they work on turning things around.  Plus they have pro sports experience.  Seems like an ideal situation for Montreal.

we need a billionaire buying the Lions as well.  That franchise needs a lot of help.

2 hours ago, kelownabomberfan said:

we need a billionaire buying the Lions as well.  That franchise needs a lot of help.

I can’t handle the idea that the cfl’s issues run deeper than Montreal and Toronto right now.

Mike Reilly could really help attendance in BC. 

1 hour ago, Colin Unger said:

I can’t handle the idea that the cfl’s issues run deeper than Montreal and Toronto right now.

Mike Reilly could really help attendance in BC. 

Not sure what is left on the TSN deal. TV ratings are pivotal to that ongoing deal and the viability of the CFL......far more important than whatever Mexico or Europe might contribute.

 

 

The league sent a memo directly to players that basically shows they are shook by the strike vote.

Lots of threats going on, sure seems amicable.  I'm in the middle of my fourth bargaining process as part of the bargaining committee at my workplace.  Our employer has never communicated directly with the staff on bargaining.  That's drastic.

This is not encouraging:

https://3downnation.com/2019/04/30/league-says-players-arent-in-legal-strike-position-threaten-suspensions/

Quote

The CFL says that players in five cities are not in a legal strike position and that teams will issue suspensions if they don’t show up for training camp.

The league is also threatening to force players to pay for their own travel and accommodation if and when they do show up at training camp and that any “report and pass” bonuses could be at risk.

 

The letter says that players could be subject to “other disciplinary penalties as determined with the club” and the league and its teams will “avail ourselves of any and all legal remedies against the CFLPA… and any players who participate in an illegal strike.”

 

9 minutes ago, Fred C Dobbs said:

This is not encouraging:

As I first thought.

However..

It is setting the record straight.

Perhaps this will help...

 

6 minutes ago, Mr Dee said:

As I first thought.

However..

It is setting the record straight.

Perhaps this will help...

 

Guaranteed they haven't talked about any of the actual things they disagree on, mostly monetary.  That always comes last.

Leos's released the following: 

LB Solomon Elimimian (I)
DL David Menard (N)
LS Mike Benson (N)
WR Danny Vandervoort (N)
OL Charles Vaillancourt (N)
DL Mike Ramsay (I)
DL Charles Walker (I)
WR Larry Cobb (I)
WR Travion Tucker (I)
DB DeVron Davis (I)

8 minutes ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Leos's released the following: 

LB Solomon Elimimian (I)
DL David Menard (N)
LS Mike Benson (N)
WR Danny Vandervoort (N)
OL Charles Vaillancourt (N)
DL Mike Ramsay (I)
DL Charles Walker (I)
WR Larry Cobb (I)
WR Travion Tucker (I)
DB DeVron Davis (I)

I thought Vandervoort was going to be the best Fantuz.. what a bust.