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.

Just now, rebusrankin said:

Hope we're in on Duke.

Thatd be sick.

Come to winnipeg duke, might get less base money, but get 2 extra play off checks and a grey cup ring. 

I think winning against BC tonight goes along way in enticing Duke to sign with the Bombers. That's if he wants to sign with a team that legit change to make it to GC and not about the $$$. 

BC has a pull already since he played with Reilly before. They will be really scary if they have Burnham, Whitehead and Duke. 
SSK can offer $$$ because they really don't care to go over the cap. 
EDM doesn't have anything to offer at this point and they're dead last in the CFL. Although if he signs with them, he can go back to NFL again after their remaining 7 games. 

Edited October 1, 20214 yr by M.O.A.B.

4 minutes ago, JCon said:

You're banned from traveling through Saskatchewan now. 

I should be so f***ing lucky...... *spits* 

3 hours ago, Noeller said:

maybe of Faj could throw a semi-accurate ball with any velocity past 10 yards...........

He is deadly accurate on the post pattern. 

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

I think winning against BC tonight goes along way in enticing Duke to sign with the Bombers. That's if he wants to sign with a team that legit change to make it to GC and not about the $$$. 

BC has a pull already since he played with Reilly before. They will be really scary if they have Burnham, Whitehead and Duke. 
SSK can offer $$$ because they really don't care to go over the cap. 
EDM doesn't have anything to offer at this point and they're dead last in the CFL. Although if he signs with them, he can go back to NFL again after their remaining 7 games. 

I doubt he is waiting on any game. He wants to get paid and try the NFL next year I would bet. 

Edited October 2, 20214 yr by Geebrr

If Williams wants to try the NFL route again, then it follows that he will sign with whoever offers the most $ up front on a one year contract.

9 minutes ago, Tracker said:

If Williams wants to try the NFL route again, then it follows that he will sign with whoever offers the most $ up front on a one year contract.

and that wont be the Bombers

5 hours ago, Tracker said:

If Williams wants to try the NFL route again, then it follows that he will sign with whoever offers the most $ up front on a one year contract.

Would think Toronto, but would also think they have to be close to over the cap at this point.

10 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Thatd be sick.

Come to winnipeg duke, might get less base money, but get 2 extra play off checks and a grey cup ring. 

Who would he replace?

57 minutes ago, greenrider55 said:

Would think Toronto, but would also think they have to be close to over the cap at this point.

That won't stop them.

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

I think winning against BC tonight goes along way in enticing Duke to sign with the Bombers. That's if he wants to sign with a team that legit change to make it to GC and not about the $$$. 

BC has a pull already since he played with Reilly before. They will be really scary if they have Burnham, Whitehead and Duke. 
SSK can offer $$$ because they really don't care to go over the cap. 
EDM doesn't have anything to offer at this point and they're dead last in the CFL. Although if he signs with them, he can go back to NFL again after their remaining 7 games. 

BC can have all the great receivers in the world but if Mike Reilly is getting pummelled & is throwing off his back it won't matter. That OL isn't very good. I loved seeing Sukh Chung being thrown around like a ragdoll by Stove Richardson.

6 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Who would he replace?

That won't stop them.

BC can have all the great receivers in the world but if Mike Reilly is getting pummelled & is throwing off his back it won't matter. That OL isn't very good. I loved seeing Sukh Chung being thrown around like a ragdoll by Stove Richardson.

Duke would go in for Bailey at this point. Or woli and we move around nis. 

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

I think winning against BC tonight goes along way in enticing Duke to sign with the Bombers. That's if he wants to sign with a team that legit change to make it to GC and not about the $$$. 

BC has a pull already since he played with Reilly before. They will be really scary if they have Burnham, Whitehead and Duke. 
SSK can offer $$$ because they really don't care to go over the cap. 
EDM doesn't have anything to offer at this point and they're dead last in the CFL. Although if he signs with them, he can go back to NFL again after their remaining 7 games. 

I don't see it in Sask..they got outbid on one of their own (Moncreif) and tells you something that if it was fairly close and he wouldn't sign there..not saying it was but Sask is not a top destination for u.s players to got to if they have a choice...I see him land probably in Calgary or Hamilton...wild card here

 

 

 

1 minute ago, Booch said:

I don't see it in Sask..they got outbid on one of their own (Moncreif) and tells you something that if it was fairly close and he wouldn't sign there..not saying it was but Sask is not a top destination for u.s players to got to if they have a choice...I see him land probably in Calgary or Hamilton...wild card here

 

 

 

Great point on Moncreif.

I think he’s signing here or Calgary … MAYBE Montreal

playoff money legit has to be a consideration

New staff in Edmonton but I don't rule them out. 

Wherever he goes, he will be a problem for everyone else.

He seems like our ideal WR

1 hour ago, Geebrr said:

Great point on Moncreif.

I second that. I wonder if moncreif is kicking him self for not signing here. 

6 minutes ago, Geebrr said:

New staff in Edmonton but I don't rule them out. 

Wherever he goes, he will be a problem for everyone else.

He seems like our ideal WR

About to be a new staff in edm too lol. 

Could u imagine Duke with Zack running around buying time and always looking downfield....damn

2 minutes ago, Booch said:

Could u imagine Duke with Zack running around buying time and always looking downfield....damn

Ehhhh if he came here they'd probably just start calling offensive PI all the time 

How big a deal is the $ when its prorated for half a season? Maybe Duke just decides to go with us for the shot at a ring.

Just now, rebusrankin said:

How big a deal is the $ when its prorated for half a season? Maybe Duke just decides to go with us for the shot at a ring.

Not only that but at this point the play off money would probably be more. 

9 minutes ago, Booch said:

Could u imagine Duke with Zack running around buying time and always looking downfield....damn

Opening up space for Lawler, Demski, Wolitarski, Adams, and Bailey (although I imagine he would have to come out unfortunately).

The thing about Duke is he just fits the mentality here. Very talented, but will block his ass off and just flat out play mean.

Edited October 2, 20214 yr by Geebrr

Argos released Vontae Diggs

 

Maybe opening up a roster spot for Duke???

1 hour ago, M.O.A.B. said:

Argos released Vontae Diggs

 

Maybe opening up a roster spot for Duke???

Interesting, but they got that first round pick nfl wr on the PR iirc. I wouldnt be surprised if it was TOR. But I dont see a fit unless braverman is hurt long term. They have a good core. 

Diggs is a solid lber, good on teams too. Idk if he'd displace rocquemore though. 

Toronto does not need help on receiver,  it would be wasted money for them.

Just now, Brandon said:

Toronto does not need help on receiver,  it would be wasted money for them.

But wasting money IS the argo way right now isnt it? I think itd only make sense if they make a trade and move a wr to another team too. They are deep at wr.