https://www.tsn.ca/naylor-many-questions-but-few-answers-on-a-2021-cfl-season-1.1543725

The Canadian Football League has been outrageously quiet since it pulled the plug on its season more than two months ago, leaving behind a wake of speculation about where things are headed next.

With the reality setting in that COVID-19 is likely to still be around in some form next summer, there is real concern about what the 2021 season might look like or if it will occur at all.

There are teams that believe it is vitally important to play in 2021 and that without a season the CFL is in danger of being mothballed. Whether every team believes that is another question. And there is a lot to sort out before anyone can accurately predict what a season might look like and how much pain the teams are collectively willing to stomach to make it happen.

The league and its franchises are currently running through various scenarios for next season, trying to get a handle on true costs of each and working at ways to trim budgets and save money. That’s likely to continue until the league can truly choose a course of action, which feels like next April at the earliest.

Why? Well, there’s not much point in fully committing to a scenario that’s seven months away if that scenario might be totally unrealistic by the time you get there.

There has been no 2021 business plan presented yet, only regular updates to the presidents and governors about what the league is doing to prepare for the unknown.

It should be noted that teams will need to make decisions about retaining assistant coaches with expiring contracts by December, which will be the first real economic commitments to a 2021 season. Restrictions on signing players will need to be lifted well before the opening of February free agency, where players are likely to meet a cautious market – one in which signing bonuses will probably be absent.

There’s a collective bargaining agreement to amend, if not renegotiate, with the players, which will require some kind of pressure point because it always does. But the league can’t sit down with the players until it gets a true handle on revenues and it can’t do that until it chooses a course of action.

Will CFL teams be allowed to have full stadiums next summer? It doesn't seem likely. But just what percentage of capacity will be allowed – if any at all – is impossible to guess. It seems as if the league is counting on the restrictions that currently prevent fans from being in stadiums being lifted. But to what degree?

When will we see a schedule? Good question. Or could we see multiple schedules for different scenarios? Never say never.

Could it be a 21-week, 18-game season played in home stadiums? Unlikely, given the losses teams are expected to take with reduced numbers of fans in the stands. Could we see a return to the 10-week bubble? Maybe. A nine-game schedule played in home stadiums before fans? Perhaps.

The point is no one knows, so demanding answers to questions that can’t possibly be answered right now is a waste of time.

All we know is that there’s going to be a lot less revenue for teams to operate with under any scenario, not just because of crowd restrictions but also due to older fans choosing to stay home for their safety. The CFL’s fan demographics do it no favours in this regard.

Getting consensus on a best course of action won’t be easy for the CFL’s nine teams. Back in the summer, there were teams that were willing to play without government support and teams that weren’t. And just like then, the biggest challenge commissioner Randy Ambrosie faces now is finding a scenario they can all live with.

Adopting a revenue-sharing model so that each team absorbs the same amount of red ink would certainly make consensus-building easier, which many believe should be the direction for the future, COVID-19 or not.

The other elephant in the room is federal government, which many in the CFL believe left it high and dry last summer after months of back-and-forth talks where the league believed it was making progress.

Is the CFL prepared to go down that road again, knowing it doesn’t control the timeline and larger forces can change things in an instant? Perhaps, although it’s not as though the feds don’t have a long list of people coming at them with their hands out.

There will be voices demanding the owners suck up the losses of playing a season under any circumstance, as owners have done in other sports. But the business calculation in sports such as MLB, NFL, NHL and NBA is different because of the percentage of revenues those leagues derive from television.

Losses sustained by playing in those leagues can also be viewed as investments towards protecting massive franchise values. That’s not the case in the CFL, where teams can’t just float money on the backs of their franchise values, and where one third of the teams are publicly owned.

It would be beneficial for the league to soon announce its formal commitment to play some kind of season in 2021.

But beyond that, get ready for months more of waiting with lots of questions and speculation but very few answers.

Good god make the 2021 season happen CFL!

 

Sadly, I really don't believe the season is going to happen. With Manitoba Health saying today that only 70% of MB will be inoculated by the end of the year, there's just no chance fans are allowed in stadiums, and with no fans, there is no season. They still have absolutely no plan for how to operate with no fans in attendance. Just incredibly depressing. 

3 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Sadly, I really don't believe the season is going to happen. With Manitoba Health saying today that only 70% of MB will be inoculated by the end of the year, there's just no chance fans are allowed in stadiums, and with no fans, there is no season. They still have absolutely no plan for how to operate with no fans in attendance. Just incredibly depressing. 

I was thinking this too. Assuming that the lack of vaccines is the reason, and not just mismanagement of the vaccine rollout, that means it will be like this across the country. No one will be able to go to games. The CFL clearly can't operate without fans in the stands, so doesn't this all seem moot?

Sadly, I agree with you guys. We just don’t have the resources

and I think the TRULY unfortunate thing is.......if we lose a second season, we might lose the league entirely. I don't think they can survive a second lost season.

I think we are going to have a season with fans, limited thought, as I said in the Covid thread even if everyone who wants the vaccination doesn't get one vaccinating as many as possible brings down the chance of you getting the virus and stops the virus from spreading easily, that's my hope anyways

7 minutes ago, bustamente said:

I think we are going to have a season with fans, limited thought, as I said in the Covid thread even if everyone who wants the vaccination doesn't get one vaccinating as many as possible brings down the chance of you getting the virus and stops the virus from spreading easily, that's my hope anyways

They won't be vaccinating the gen pop until the fall and there are no vaccines approved for children yet. I just don't see them opening up stadiums and arenas until 2022. 

1 hour ago, JCon said:

They won't be vaccinating the gen pop until the fall and there are no vaccines approved for children yet. I just don't see them opening up stadiums and arenas until 2022. 

These are predictions with the current 2 vaccines, I believe in the next few months a 3rd and 4th option will be available which will help immensely.

3 hours ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

Good god make the 2021 season happen CFL!

 

If he were to stay and retire a Bomber he would forever be beloved in this city.   

2 hours ago, Noeller said:

and I think the TRULY unfortunate thing is.......if we lose a second season, we might lose the league entirely. I don't think they can survive a second lost season.

Can we somehow get True North + Thompson to buy out the league please and thank you?  

I remember listening to some Bombers content...don't remember if it was on CJOB or if it was the Bombers Podcast feat Irving, but either way..... Bob said "they HAVE to come back in 2021...there's no other choice....because if they have to shut down for two years in a row, they won't make it.... it'll be done".

Maybe I'm just feeling the January Winter Blues + COVID + Terrorism...... but man, I just don't see how they'll possibly run this year unless they figure out a way to play without fans in the stands. And Ambrosie wouldn't even entertain the notion in November. There was no other way, without fans in the stands. 

2 minutes ago, Brandon said:

Can we somehow get True North + Thompson to buy out the league please and thank you?  

I doubt that ever happens. I don't think the CFL is profitable enough (if at all) to attract the attention of TNSE or its ownership group.

2 hours ago, bustamente said:

These are predictions with the current 2 vaccines, I believe in the next few months a 3rd and 4th option will be available which will help immensely.

It won't matter if governments can't get the  into people. It's not like they have given all the vaccines they currently have. 

Ellingson is up for trade or hit free agency per article. 
https://3downnation.com/2021/01/07/edmonton-football-team-expected-to-sign-star-receiver-derel-walker/

Edited January 8, 20215 yr by M.O.A.B.

Walker would've been a really nice addition here. The EE look to be loading up - and I don't like that.

41 minutes ago, blue_gold_84 said:

Walker would've been a really nice addition here. The EE look to be loading up - and I don't like that.

Lets go get Ellingson!

On 2021-01-06 at 11:57 AM, JCon said:

What astounds me most about the deal is that the Riders were bidding against themselves. No one is interested in him. 

 

 

But, the Riders will probably be spending to the cap again. They probably have more flexibility than anyone else on this. They have the room and will probably do well in FA. 

I retract my statement. Clearly the RedBlacks would have been interested in him. 

 

4 hours ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Ellingson is up for trade or hit free agency per article. 
https://3downnation.com/2021/01/07/edmonton-football-team-expected-to-sign-star-receiver-derel-walker/

sad I really wanted him to end up here. 

1 hour ago, JCon said:

I retract my statement. Clearly the RedBlacks would have been interested in him. 

 

The poor get poorer. Every year in the cfl 1 or 2 teams go into TC with out a legit starting qb. And they always end up with a terrible season.  Looks like ottawa is stocking up for another run at the basement. 

5 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

sad I really wanted him to end up here. 

The poor get poorer. Every year in the cfl 1 or 2 teams go into TC with out a legit starting qb. And they always end up with a terrible season.  Looks like ottawa is stocking up for another run at the basement. 

money better spent elsewhere..not a dire need

https://3downnation.com/2021/01/07/argos-redblacks-playing-game-of-chicken-with-their-quarterback-situation/

It's not impossible Nichols may end up as the odd man out when all is said and done. 

1 minute ago, Booch said:

money better spent elsewhere..not a dire need

Agree. Walker has a high price tag. 

We need to add another high-caliber receiver though. I appreciate what Lawler, Bailey, Whitehead and Nelson has done. But they won't scare any opposing D. 

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

https://3downnation.com/2021/01/07/argos-redblacks-playing-game-of-chicken-with-their-quarterback-situation/

It's not impossible Nichols may end up as the odd man out when all is said and done. 

Agree. Walker has a high price tag. 

We need to add another high-caliber receiver though. I appreciate what Lawler, Bailey, Whitehead and Nelson has done. But they won't scare any opposing D. 

Mekale Mckay could tho....Unproven in CFL..but a BIG BIG Threat at every other level

On Dom Davis, when you can sign a guy who had 5 TD passes and 14 INTs in one season, you jump at the chance. Apparently.

Davis signing was a good signing...experienced vet back up and with proper coaching (actual co-ordinator this year) will win you some games if he is pressed into action...Way better back-up depth than probably 7 teams in league right now

1 hour ago, Booch said:

Davis signing was a good signing...experienced vet back up and with proper coaching (actual co-ordinator this year) will win you some games if he is pressed into action...Way better back-up depth than probably 7 teams in league right now

It's a low risk signing because you know what you're getting. You can hope that someone else will beat him out in training camp. Lapo knows him, so that works in his favour. 

 

....

 

They will be trying to sell Grey Cup tickets this spring for the Hammer.

Was going to go to Regina last year before something happened... can't remember what... but would you risk buying tickets not knowing if you'll have the vaccine? 

Edited January 8, 20215 yr by JCon

2 hours ago, Booch said:

money better spent elsewhere..not a dire need

This team doesnt have a dire need, or a greater need that would be filled in FA. Im sure the couple remaining lock up guys will be done soon enough. 

 

Walters is keeping busy, cant wait to see what gray does with another TC in his belt. 

29 minutes ago, JCon said:

It's a low risk signing because you know what you're getting. You can hope that someone else will beat him out in training camp. Lapo knows him, so that works in his favour. 

 

....

 

They will be trying to sell Grey Cup tickets this spring for the Hammer.

Was going to go to Regina last year before something happened... can't remember what... but would you risk buying tickets not knowing if you'll have the vaccine? 

Is any qb signing really low risk though? The nature of the position is high risk high reward, unless you are gonna carry 7 qbs in TC like montreal did with reed. 

4 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

Is any qb signing really low risk though? The nature of the position is high risk high reward, unless you are gonna carry 7 qbs in TC like montreal did with reed. 

It's going to be a Lapo offense, so there's little risk. I think you need someone there to lead by example and, although I don't think Davis is a starter, I do agree that he's a good back-up. Can still start someone else and keep a development QB on the practice roster.