CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie offered a bleak picture of the 2020 season North of the border, saying he fears it could be wiped out by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
Testifying before a House of Commons standing committee on finance Thursday. Ambrosie said the league’s future is “very much in jeopardy.” He admitted for the first time the most likely scenario for the CFL is a canceled 2020 season.
“Governments coping with COVID-19 — for reasons of public health that we totally support — have made it impossible for us to do what we do,” Ambsie said. “Our best-case scenario for this year is a drastically truncated season. And our most likely scenario is no season at all.”
The CFL has canceled the start of training camps and pushed back the opening of its regular season to early July. Cancelation of games loom.
“We are currently operating on the money (of) our fans, and to a lesser extent our broadcasters and sponsors, pay us in advance for games,” Ambrosie said. “The day is fast approaching when we will have to cancel several games and perhaps the season.”
There are also issues with the players, of course. The CFL and its players have resumed meeting about potential contingency plans for the ’20 season after talks broke off for roughly two weeks. Ambrosie said the sides are scheduled to gather Friday.