Lions still plan to play, file proposal to reopen Surrey training facility
Despite the grim prediction from CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie last week, the B.C. Lions haven’t given up hope on playing games this year — maybe even in front of fans.
The CFL’s top man said the most likely scenario is no football this season as the country and world grapple with containing the novel coronavirus pandemic. Ambrosie also suggested that without a massive cash injection of up to $150 million, the league is in danger of withering away.
But hope springs eternal — or at least for right now — for Lions president Rick LeLacheur. He’s still hopeful there will be some games at B.C. Place Stadium this season and on Tuesday he filed a plan with the B.C. government to reopen the team’s Surrey practice facility.
LeLacheur said he could envision an eight-game schedule, with each team playing each other once, followed by playoffs.
“We’ve been doing an awful lot of modelling on what we can get done financially. We have not given up on this year,” LeLacheur told BCLions.com’s Matt Baker.
“We’re still looking at trying to get a number of games in in the fall. I think it’s pretty clear now we’re not going to play this summer. We know the government came out with their restart program … we know we’re (included) in Phase 4 of that and no dates are set.
“We’re working with the government and health-care officials and B.C. Place. We’d love to get back in and play games in the fall. We’re still looking at the potential of being able to play. Getting a couple games in, or four (at home), that would be great, then hopefully in a shortened season, head to the playoffs.
“We know with B.C. Place, they’re modelling how we could do it with social distancing, with getting a number of fans in B.C. Place, maybe using both the bottom and top deck. Everything is still on the table. We’re just going to have to take it a day, or a week or a month, at a time. Unfortunately, that’s the position we’re in.”
Due to the rapidly changing landscape surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, B.C. Place management wasn’t able to confirm any plans, and are still early in the process of trying to account for multiple scenarios that could arise.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats chief operating officer Scott Mitchell spoke to Sportsnet 590 radio this week, and stressed just how vital it is for the league to find a solution.
“I would argue that we need to do everything possible — if we can figure this out — to get games on the field this year,” he said. “The challenges of putting on events with fans in the stadium, adhering to social guidelines … At Tim Hortons Field, we would be looking at the absolute most — if we were ever allowed to play and if it was healthy and safe for our community and for the fans in the stadium — the most you could get into … a Ticats game would be 4,000 people. Clearly the cost of putting a game like that on would eat into the revenue dip of 4,000 people.
“It’s very, very important that we figure out and exhaust every
opportunity to play.”
The CFL’s pitch to the House of Commons for assistance that could climb as high as $150 million — $30 million now, to help navigate the crisis, then another $120 million over the next two years — wasn’t received with great positivity from the government. Ambrosie didn’t present a business plan, or have any representation from the CFL Players’ Association.
Ambrosie has stated the league loses around $10 million to $20 million each year. Postmedia’s Paul Friesen reported that each club, save Montreal, was required to pay $660,000 to keep the Montreal Alouettes afloat while the league searched for new owners.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers made a profit after winning the Grey Cup in 2019, but take out their payment to Montreal and instalment on their stadium’s construction cost, and the team was only $588,860 in the black.
But what the CFL is looking for, LeLacheur stressed, is not a handout from anybody.
“I want to reiterate, and I think our fans here will appreciate this — maybe more so than other cities — we’re not asking for a freebie,” he said. “We’re asking to join the government of Canada with various programs that we can participate in, and allow them to be a sponsor.
“I think the Lions have done a lot of great programs in the community, and sometimes I don’t think we tell our story enough.
“All of those are in co-operation with the government of B.C. We’ve run a number of those programs for a number of years, and that’s what we’re trying to replicate with the government of Canada.”
All of LeLacheur’s hopes and plans are moot if travel restrictions between the United States and Canada aren’t relaxed. Currently, CFL players wouldn’t count as “essential workers” or those
who cross the border regularly for work.
It was reported Wednesday that the travel ban would be extended until at least June 21, and anyone who crosses the border will still be subject to a mandatory 14-day self-isolation period.
For the Lions to have a training camp, or even just get their American players over the border, there are a lot of dominoes that need to fall.
“We’ve been looking at everything,” said LeLacheur. “First of all, we need the border open. And second of all, in all likelihood, all those players coming in may have to quarantine.
“If that’s the case, we’ve some ideas and thoughts about it, but until we know the rules and guidelines that we’re going to be given, it’s very difficult to make decisions.”