On Time Season Start? (Revised with August 5, 2021 Start)

[blue_or_die]

If things are delayed again, how about just divisional games?

8 game schedule starting Labour Day week-end.

West Division: Each team plays a home & home only. 

East Division: Each team plays a modified divisional schedule, adding up to 8 games.

Play-Off Concept: 1st place gets a bye.  2 plays 3 and advances to division final against 1st place team.

Reasonable and realistic proposal IMO. Lots of ways this could work. What matters is that football is played.

[BLUEBOMBER]

Was hoping for an earlier start but I guess some football is better than none at all. 

[TecnoGenius]

"We will play CFL football in 2021.

Is that a promise?  Would they put money on that?

"I say 'target date' because our plans are subject to the state of COVID-19 across the country. A so-called 'third wave' in some provinces is forcing us today to postpone the start of our regular season, which had been scheduled for June 10.

Well, that's it then.  CFL is toast.  If they are waiting for the "all clear for 5 months" from the govt in most major cities they will wait for many more years, at minimum.

"So, what must be in place for us to kick off on August 5? Two things. 1. The approval of public health officials across the country of our plans for protecting the health of our players, coaches, and ultimately our fans, so a 2021 season is safe. 2. Permission from governments to host a significant number of fans in the stands, in a significant number of venues at the start of the season, and in the rest of our venues soon after that, so a 2021 season is financially tenable for our clubs.

I appreciate their honesty, candor and tying it to concrete requirements.  I also appreciate them finally admitting that a no-fan option is impossible so we can all forget it.  But what they just laid out will not come to pass in 2021: not in June, not in Aug, not in Oct.  They are repeating the playbook from 2020: "in another 2 months" to rhyme with the gov'ts eternal "just 2 more weeks to flatten the curve".

The best time to "play with covid" is in the middle of summer in the heat of day with the sun shining down.  Come the fall it'll be back to Oct 2020 all over again.

"We are prepared to be creative as well as prudent. For example, if we are unable to host fans in the East because of COVID-19, we are prepared to start play in the West, provided eastern teams can return to their home provinces, and play in front of their fans, later in the season.

I appreciate the creativity and it's a good idea, but that is assuming most of Canada will be OK, with just 1 or 2 hotspot cities.  Not going to happen.

"The bottom line is we are optimistic we will have a season in 2021, culminating in a great Grey Cup.

Wait, just above they said "we will play football".  Which is it, "will" or "optimistic".  Can't be both.  The put out a pretty good, honest, press release, then blow it with contradictions.  Guess they aren't prepared to just bum us all out with the truth.

Can't wait to see the oncoming exodus of players...

I'll bet $20 to anyone here 2 to 1 we won't play by Aug 5.  I'll bet anyone 1 to 1 we don't play any real games (for standing) at all in 2021.  And since we all know CFL won't survive a lost 2021, I guess this forum will have to turn into a general-Winnipeg forum, or where us old-timers can forever reminisce about the 2019 golden final CFL season.  Sad.

[TecnoGenius]

I fully understand that they can't control a global health crisis or predict what the associated landscape will look like in a few months, but this is no more a "plan" than at the beginning of the year when they released their schedule. The "plan" then was to play a normal year; now the plan has changed and logically, we can expect the plan to change again, which is why it's hard to get excited or take it seriously.

Bingo.

If things are delayed again, how about just divisional games?

Hi Rider!  All fans welcome in this commiseration-fest.  How are the green fans holding up over on yonder forum?  What's the general consensus there?  I can imagine they are going ballistic.

I like your idea, and if it's the best they can do, they should do it.  Doubt they could even make that work (TSN would have a cow with/if no East).  Literally anything to get the CFL on the field I'd go with.  If they don't get on the field then it's CFL death.

[Blue In BC]

Reasonable and realistic proposal IMO. Lots of ways this could work. What matters is that football is played.

No interest in that idea. Try and sell that to the players that would have to take an additional 50% + pay cut. Not even sure how TSN would work out a revised revenue deal.

We don't know the position of the CFLPA or any agreement with the CFL on a shortened season. Salaries might be pro-rated or they might be full player salaries. I'm only assuming pro-rated salaries as what would happen.

If there are no fans in the stands then I can't see a 2021 season. As fans we want some version of a season. Unfortunately money is as much an obstacle as Covid safety protocols.

[Pigskin]

So it sounds like depending on Covid restriction when the CFL returns to play, the Bombers could have a lottery for season tickets holders. I would be okay with this as long as you don't miss two games in a row.

[Blue In BC]

BC Dr Henry says no large crowds this summer and possibly fall as well as the expected direction moving forward.

That doesn't bode well for fans at BC Place and possibly across Canada at stadiums.

Not news I was hoping to hear.

[Blue In BC]

Things are still sketchy but if season is to start August 5th then TC should be starting 3rd week of July?

We haven't heard when we'll see the new schedule or whether pre-season games will be part of 2021. A shortened TC was also part of the possible outcomes

Bombers now have over 100 players on their roster.  Just an assumption but I expect a few rookies will have moved on and not be reporting. I don't expect to lose any veterans though.

Must be driving the coaching staff nuts. How do you evaluate so many players in so short a time?

A few CFL teams have trimmed a few bodies but nothing consequential yet.

[gobombersgo]

So it sounds like depending on Covid restriction when the CFL returns to play, the Bombers could have a lottery for season tickets holders. I would be okay with this as long as you don't miss two games in a row.

Have you heard if Bomber for Life members are going to be given a priority over standard season ticket holders?

[Pigskin]

Would be nice, but didn't sound like it. I think they should give the long time season ticket holders the first shot at the available tickets. A bonus for there loyalty.

[TecnoGenius]

Have you heard if Bomber for Life members are going to be given a priority over standard season ticket holders?

Can you become BFL member immediately or is it an a priori / long-term thing?  If CFL ever gets going, I plan on buying STs immediately.  If BFL gets better treatment, of course I'll buy that too... if allowed.

BFL getting first dibs is a good idea, BTW.

[Ridermania]

This is how the Blue Jays are handling fans when they relocate to Buffalo.

Fifty per cent of the seats available will be for vaccinated fans with no social distancing required, while 50 per cent of the seats will be for unvaccinated fans and require distancing of six feet. The Blue Jays say they will allow 35 per cent capacity at the 16,600-seat stadium for the first eight games (June 1 to June 17) in line with New York's latest guidelines.

All fans -- both vaccinated and unvaccinated -- will be required to wear masks while at Sahlen Field. Children will not have to be vaccinated to sit with a vaccinated parent at the ballpark.

I can see a very similar concept at Mosaic/Investors for a shortened season starting on Labour Day.

[Pigskin]

I can't see the MB Province Government allowing a full house. I would say 15,000 in September. October could be more depending on Vaccine.

[Stretch]

I would say 15,000 in September.

An ambitious prediction considering that's about 45% capacity. I'm guessing no more than 20% to start (~6,700), hopefully increasing to closer to 50% by mid October at the latest.

[the paw]

Ontario has just announced that there is very likely to be no large sporting events before September.

Furthermore, they also confirmed that they have NOT yet signed off on the CFL return to play protocol, as was reported in some circles during the draft. They are the second province to confirm that the return to play plan has not been approved.

I guess we can hope continued vaccinations and more disciplined behaviour from the public will slam those numbers down in the next 8 weeks or so, but the odds of starting a season with fans in the stands by August seem very slim.