CFL commissioner lays out best case scenario for 2020 season

Commissioner Randy Ambrosie says the earliest the CFL can start the 2020 season is September and that a Regina Grey Cup in November isn’t guaranteed.

Ambrosie made the statement Wednesday during a video conference with season-ticket holders.

Ambrosie also stated a cancelled 2020 season remains a possibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The prospect of the CFL starting the season in September isn’t new as Ambrosie told The Canadian Press in April, “there’s a lot pointing to September as being a reasonable person’s view of when we might be able to resume.”

Last month, the CFL postponed the start of training camps – which were to open last week _ and pushed back the June 11 start of the regular season to July, at the earliest.

Ambrosie also called upon the Canadian government for financial assistance.

The league asked for $30 million immediately, additional monies if the ’20 season began late and up to $120 million for the worst-case scenario _ the cancellation of the entire campaign.

The CFL is also changing its ’20 Grey Cup plans.

Regina was scheduled to host this year’s game Nov. 22 but instead has been awarded the 2022 contest.

Hamilton will remain as the 2021 Grey Cup host.

If there’s an abbreviated 2020 season, the Grey Cup finalist with the best regular-season mark will host the CFL championship game. The game could still be played in Regina if the Saskatchewan Roughriders were one of the finalists and the team with the better record.

And if the CFL hits the field in September, it will mean the cancellation of the Touchdown Atlantic game. The Toronto Argonauts and Saskatchewan Roughriders were slated to meet June 25 in Halifax at Huskies Stadium on the campus of Saint Mary’s University.