XFL not funding CFL return to play...

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Tank55
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by Tank55 »

4th&long wrote: Wed Apr 21, 2021 3:01 pmIt was humor... Again that's not the crux of my post.
My new policy is whenever I get confused with your posts, to stop reading immediately and ask for clarification. If that happens with the first complete sentence, so be it. I think this will save a lot of time in the long run.
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4th&long
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by 4th&long »

"CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie provides vague update on XFL talks"

https://3downnation.com/2021/04/21/cfl- ... xfl-talks/

>> It was the first time the commissioner had addressed the CFL’s potential partnership with the XFL since March. The XFL’s return scheduled for 2022 was put on hold pending the outcome of the league’s conversations with the CFL.

Ambrosie avoided the words “merger” and “partnership” when referring to the XFL, though those options haven’t been ruled out by either side. There has been speculation that members of the CFL front office have signed non-disclosure agreements regarding their talks with the XFL, though this has not been confirmed by the league.

One thing Ambrosie did confirm is that the XFL was not asked to fund the 2021 CFL season.<<

Sounds like CFL is not going to be dependent on XFL anytime soon...
4th&long
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xflnewshub on CFL's XFL update

Post by 4th&long »

https://xflnewshub.com/xfl-news/cfl-com ... um=twitter

>> It sounds from Ambrosie’s comments that talks are strictly based on helping each other run their businesses rather than a full-on merger as some have suggested. He uses the term ‘business model’ multiple times to make a point. <<

Agreed... and the fact that CFL is not getting financing help for 2021 season... sounds like the honeymoon period is drying up.

Why this would hold up the XFL's 2022 season doesn't make much sense. As at least one CFL owner said... we need to play to stay relevant. Doesn't that apply to the XFL too?
laxtreme56
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by laxtreme56 »

Ambroise did a good job saying a whole lot of nothing today. If the provinces don't give the ok to play at somewhere near full capacity by summers end, there will be no CFL season this year. I still feel Redbird is pulling the strings here and with the NDA's in place, it may be a while longer before we hear more about this XFL/CFL partnership.

This tweet here is quite telling.
https://twitter.com/CFL_News/status/1384932542034415616
"We have a business model that is far more reliant on fans in the stands than other leagues. While we have an amazing partner in TSN, Canadian market hasn’t provided us w/ an opportunity for a TV deal that has allowed us to play without fans in the stands. -
@RandyAmbrosie
#CFL"

The CFL needs new sources of revenue that TSN won't provide. Ultimately, a US TV deal is what they're looking for and that's not happening with an all Canada, CFL rules league.
4th&long
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The Canadian Press on CFL / XFL talks

Post by 4th&long »

CFL commissioner Ambrosie says talks with XFL have centred around business, not rules

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl-commissioner-ran ... ce=dlvr.it

>> Ambrosie said neither the CFL nor the XFL have set deadlines regarding how long they'll continue talking.

Ambrosie wouldn't divulge exactly what has been discussed. But he did say there's been no talk about the XFL providing the CFL with money it could use to resume play this season after cancelling plans for an abbreviated 2020 campaign last August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There's a real commitment to work together to see what's in the realm of possibility," Ambrosie said. "You must investigate all potential opportunities then put that all together and I think that will guide us to what is in the realm of possibilities.

"I think there is, without a doubt, a sense of urgency to try and advance our discussions." <<

This is not an easy marriage...
GregParks
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by GregParks »

For what I can parse from Ambrosie's comments, this certainly doesn't sound like a full-fledged merger that some in the Canadian media have pushed as all but guaranteed coming out of these talks.
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by 4th&long »

GregParks wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:14 am For what I can parse from Ambrosie's comments, this certainly doesn't sound like a full-fledged merger that some in the Canadian media have pushed as all but guaranteed coming out of these talks.
Agreed... and that media talk has died down in the last few days or more.
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by laxtreme56 »

4th&long wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:59 am
GregParks wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:14 am For what I can parse from Ambrosie's comments, this certainly doesn't sound like a full-fledged merger that some in the Canadian media have pushed as all but guaranteed coming out of these talks.
Agreed... and that media talk has died down in the last few days or more.
New Montreal owners seem to think if a partnership/merger doesn't happen the CFL will look very different (less teams, smaller salaries, rule changes?)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/montrealga ... e2b4b/amp/
If it can't happen, we're going to have a CFL that, we all know, needs some kind of reset and fixing.
4th&long
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by 4th&long »

laxtreme56 wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 10:00 am
4th&long wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:59 am
GregParks wrote: Thu Apr 22, 2021 8:14 am For what I can parse from Ambrosie's comments, this certainly doesn't sound like a full-fledged merger that some in the Canadian media have pushed as all but guaranteed coming out of these talks.
Agreed... and that media talk has died down in the last few days or more.
New Montreal owners seem to think if a partnership/merger doesn't happen the CFL will look very different (less teams, smaller salaries, rule changes?)
https://www.google.com/amp/s/montrealga ... e2b4b/amp/
If it can't happen, we're going to have a CFL that, we all know, needs some kind of reset and fixing.
We are starting to see a slow down in the love affair between CFL and D-R-Rk. The fact that RBC was not funding the CFL this season (ie $30mm) tells me they are not all in with CFL idea or that CFL is not all in on XFL. Its been 6 weeks since the 3/10 announcement and supposedly they were in talks well before that... and nothing. If XFL was playing actual games they would be more credible.

We have heard from some CFL media/experts that the CFL could just pick XFL brains and implement those ideas like ownership structure and be done. I agree with Montreal owners - they will be doing some office / cost structure changes no matter what.

IMO regardless - CFL should "Americanize" the CFL on the edges. Reduce field width some, drop to 11 players, shrink endzones 5 yrds, maybe 100 yd field. Reduce the awful 18 game schedule and playoff structure, start season in May.

Its possible if they do that may appeal more to USA audicence and can try adding 1 USA team in say St Louis and see if they can get a better USA TV contract. Then they could add a Seattle or SA, Orlando. Non-NFL city. Just a thought. But in this case the CFL would not be tied to the XFL, or the XFL can ease in slowly.
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Re: XFL not funding CFL return to play...

Post by laxtreme56 »

Media in one of the CFL's best supported cities aren't too bullish on a CFL 2021 season.
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/sport ... 51501.html

Ambrosie says the league has "contingency plans in place, should factors beyond our control delay the start of our season beyond August 5."

Um, like what?

The time for audibles has run out. It's time to punt.

Pull the plug — now. Then regroup and return to play in 2022.

The XFL is doing that — and you're planning a merger with them anyways, right?
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