COVID-19 : How it could impact Lions/CFL

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Hambone
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Murdoch wrote:
Tue Jul 14, 2020 5:34 am
So is the plan is to fulfill their commitment for the past season with this latest playoff scheme and then roll right into the new season that would normally start in October, possibly with or without fans?

Maybe different tv rights for playoffs and regular season factored in to the plan. I wish them well.
There will be a gap. I think the plan would see them not start the subsequent season until around December 1st. Once the 2019-20 playoffs are concluded they still have to go through the usual offseason routines of holding their draft, free agency and dealing with signing RFAs which could also include arbitration processes...….all of that to be followed with a training camp for the 2020-21 season.
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Murdoch
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Good answer. Thank you Hambone. I swear you must never sleep.

Seems like good value in Tony Washington at $64,000 as it sounded like he was talking for himself.

Doesn't bode well for the negotiations however if they are going to low ball the players.

How do they even come up with a legit 6 game schedule in a 9 team league?

Watch for the Bombers get a soft schedule thanks to Wade.
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David
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Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall in the virtual Board of Governor meetings? I have a feeling there are too many head chefs and not enough sous chefs with lots of competing opinions and agendas. My other suspicion is that a certain owner from Burlington Ont is making things tough on the Commissioner, who has been noticeably quiet of late.

Ambrosie seems hamstrung like a fleet-footed wide receiver at a cold, wet training camp in the Spring.


DH :cool:
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DanoT
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I predicted back in March that there wouldn't be a CFL season.

Some time later, Lions owner made a statement that he was not in favour of games that did not include at least some fans in the stands.

I don't think that the Lions have changed their stance and so neither have I.
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https://regina.ctvnews.ca/it-s-not-even ... -1.5027853
A news item constructed out of asking 3 players pov, but could be representative of the prevailing mood. (As July 23rd nears).
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Sir Purrcival
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I still don't see a reasonable path forward for having a season. And I think the part of that article that resonated the most is the the following point:
(If I am going to be risking my health, why on earth would I do that on reduced pay, no pension contribution, no guaranteed money etc. paraphrase).
And he is absolutely right on that. At this stage, you would be far better off finding something else to do.

Partly it is on the league for not having their ducks in a row when approaching the feds initially but anybody who had done business with government can attest to the lack of anything resembling a reasonable timeline for response. Sometimes it takes years for Gov. to make decisions about things and even then they will often backtrack, try a modified approach, depending on which way the wind is blowing politically.

Without money from the Feds., having a season is dead in the water. There are too many franchises in this league on the verge of life support during normal times. Trying to make it fly without paying fans, without any clear idea of help from the Feds. makes July 23 look impossible. How can the league negotiate a CBA is they don't know what kind of money they might have available if any?
Last edited by Sir Purrcival on Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Talks are moving rapidly on several fronts to reach an agreement on a partial 2020 season by the end of this week.

On Monday, the Manitoba government pledged $2.5 million to help Winnipeg serve as the league's hub city. The plan is to hold 60 games over 15 weeks, including the Grey Cup, provincial Sport Minister Cathy Cox said. (That could mean a 12-game season, not the 6 or 8 games that had been previously suggested.)

Hamilton and Regina are also reported to be bidding to be the hub city, with a decision possible by the end of the week.

MB premier offers $2.5M for Winnipeg CFL hub

Manitoba's chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, said players would be required to self-isolate upon arrival and essentially live in a bubble during their time in Winnipeg. If a team wanted to have its players eat at a restaurant, he said, the restaurant would have to be closed to the general public. Here are more details from 3downnation.com on Manitoba's bubble plan:

Manitoba’s chief medical health officer Brent Roussin details Winnipeg CFL ‘bubble’ plans

According to Dan Barnes of Postmedia, talks between the CFL and its players association took on a more productive tone last week and were "very productive" on Friday. He said negotiations are scheduled for four days this week and the deadline could be extended to Friday if necessary for the league and the CFLPA to reach an agreement that would be sent to the players for a vote.

The league has reportedly requested about $40 million from the federal government to help offset costs of playing a partial season without spectators.

"The one thing that gives me optimism is the quality of the discussions we're having," Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said Monday.

"On the government side, we're talking. Those talks are constructive. Can I point to an outcome? No, I can't. But if you're asking me, can all of this come together, the answer is yes it can. When people are talking and the tone is positive, anything is possible."
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It's ironic that this proposal looks more likely to succeed than the shambolic situation looming in the NFL. (which appears to subscribe to Trump's assertion that "if they are young and healthy, it will be like a day with the sniffles"). There is growing unrest among NFL players at the perceived lack of a safe plan.
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The province of Saskatchewan appears to have upped Manitoba's ante by committing $3 million to the Saskatchewan Roughriders' bid have Regina selected as the CFL's 2020 hub city.

Saskatchewan Roughriders submit CFL hub city bid, province commits $3M
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https://www.tsn.ca/calgary-among-three- ... -1.1498025
Dave Naylor reports this morning (with Farhan) that Winnipeg, Regina and Calgary submitted Hub City bids (none from Ontario).
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I like the idea of Winnipeg and Calgary (making it a little more East and West than Winnipeg and Regina). You stand a better chance of milder weather in Calgary in November or December as well (especially if gameday happens to coincide with a Chinook wind). More flights into Calgary for incoming players too.

The only negative is more distractions in Calgary for players living in a bubble. Let's be clear. Montreal it is not, but definitely more temptations than Regina, me thinks.


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Danny Austin of Postmedia says an announcement is imminent that Winnipeg will be named the hub city.



CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie has confirmed the tentative selection of Winnipeg as hub city, pending approval of health and safety officials.
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Refreshing to see the CBC News channel provide constant updates on the CFL — from a potential 2020 season to the Eskimos name change. Today host Suhana Meharchand had Justin Dunk on from 3 Down Nation. She said there are a lot of CFL fans in their newsroom and she is a big Tiger-Cats fan herself. Hell I don't even know how many "big" CFL fans work at TSN.

Dunk believes July 23 is a soft deadline that would be extended if there is momentum towards a new CBA. He thinks it's going to take paying the players' 50 percent of their salaries to make that happen. Government assistance was discussed but he believes it ultimately will come down to how far the six private owners are willing to reach into their pockets to make a season happen.
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Hambone
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David wrote:
Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:22 pm
I like the idea of Winnipeg and Calgary (making it a little more East and West than Winnipeg and Regina). You stand a better chance of milder weather in Calgary in November or December as well (especially if gameday happens to coincide with a Chinook wind). More flights into Calgary for incoming players too.

The only negative is more distractions in Calgary for players living in a bubble. Let's be clear. Montreal it is not, but definitely more temptations than Regina, me thinks.


DH :cool:
Can such distractions be a concern? I thought the idea of the bubble is that players can only leave the bubble (hotel/residence) to get on the charter bus to be delivered to the stadium or practice facility and returned. Like the old "Go to Jail" card in Monopoly...…...do not pass go, do not collect $200.

Having said that it's not like pro athletes haven't been known to sneak out of hotels in the past when they were supposed to be safely tucked into their beds...…….or be known to sneak back into the hotels many hours after curfew...……..sometimes to be greeted by the coach in the hotel lobby. :)
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Murdoch
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Get ready for replacement players.
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