COVID-19 : How it could impact Lions/CFL

[Hambone]

I thought it was the 2004 team that scrapped on bus. BB

Maybe them too. I thought it was the 94 team that Barry Wilburn was part of. If anybody ran a team of players prone to fighting amongst themselves it would be Dave Ritchie. Team discipline and Dave Ritchie are two things that generally don't fit into the same sentence.

Robbie probably knows. He's one of our best Lion historians.

[David]

I thought it was the 2004 team that scrapped on bus. BB

Maybe them too. I thought it was the 94 team that Barry Wilburn was part of. If anybody ran a team of players prone to fighting amongst themselves it would be Dave Ritchie. Team discipline and Dave Ritchie are two things that generally don't fit into the same sentence.

Robbie probably knows. He's one of our best Lion historians.

BB is right. It was members of the 1994 team that scrapped on the team bus during Grey Cup week in Ottawa (generally a bad omen, in this instance it was).

The 1994 was a team of bad boys. Barry Wilburn came mid--way through the season from the NFL with boatloads of talent and plenty of 'tude. Late in the year, Lui had enough of the constant bickering. He got out of the shower, soaking wet, and said something to the effect of "That's enough! If you want to fight, fight me!" Only problem is Lui was buck naked at the time, leading to loads of laughter from teammates.


DH

[BC 1988]

https://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040 ... -1.1489090
Farhan on with Donnie & the Moj this morning. Call was mostly NHL (Hall Of Fame, hub cities) related (something he will likely be doing more of with CFL looking less likely). At 10:00 Moj shifts to the CFL. Farhan covered a lot in under 4 minutes. "Two sides not talking" apart from typical procedural, health and safety meeting. CFLPA waiting for a response after replying to the league invitation that they want to talk.

He said that "late September" is starting to appear as a possible season start with a December GC. The notion that the league could exit the bubble as COVID numbers improve is feeding the idea of delaying the start (as well as the procrastination in evidence right now).

Unless they are planning to play only in Manitoba (which appears more eager to get to phase 4 of opening up than other provinces) I think that's pie in the sky.

[TheLionKing]

https://3downnation.com/2020/06/25/lion ... -stadiums/

Have to disagree with Braley on this issue.

[B.C.FAN]

Braley is right. Costs are much higher in a hub city model and there are no local revenues. The challenge is getting health authority approval, especially in B.C.

[DanoT]

I predicted back in late March or early April that there would be no CFL season in 2020. I still believe that, and I believe that by Sept we will be neck deep in a second wave of the virus such that the border will still be closed.

A 2021 season will depend on a vaccine being available and a CFLPA that is flexible enough to allow a % reduction in player salaries across the board to help the league recover financially. Otherwise, the CFL will fold and then be reborn (with a slightly different name) with a SMS that puts a cap on each position.

[Murdoch]

Personally like the job Sol E is doing as CFLPA pres. and good point raised that everyone is being paid except the players. Once again everyone forgets about all the high paid executives and tries to hammer the guys doing the work. I would like to see guaranteed player contracts.

Randy Ambrosie making $750,000 is a much larger disconnect for me than a player making $150,000. Take that element away and leave it to the fans and the players and we have something worth saving. All imo.

[Hambone]

Braley is right. Costs are much higher in a hub city model and there are no local revenues. The challenge is getting health authority approval, especially in B.C.

Simple math says the hub city model is very costly, easily the most expensive model to return to action under. Braley's 8 game schedule idea under a hub city would equate to a 60 day road trip. Being able to play home games at home reduces that to 4 road trips of no more than 2 days given under an 8 game scenario they would likely only play within their own divisions. 60 days versus 8. More costs in terms of air charters for the latter but that would be reduced by the fact there would be fewer players and personnel travelling and needing meals and accommodations. In addition to the usual entourage of players, coaches and support staff who would travel for road games under normal circumstances a hub city model would require accommodations etc for PR players, injured players and perhaps a few more support staff. Teams would need to bear the cost of an additional 15+ people who would normally stay home for road games and do it for as long as the team would be in the hub city.

I totally agree with Braley's line of thinking. Hub city is much more expensive for each team than being able to operate from home.

Hub city for 60 days:
Approximate# of people: 80
Rooms: 40 assuming double occupancy x 60 = 2400 room nights x $200 = $480K
Meals: 80 x 3/day x 60 days = 14400 x (for arguments sake) $25/meal = $360K
Air charters: 1 return + additional sched flights throughout.
Bus charters: required every practice day + game day.
Rental of meeting room space for 60 days
Rental of large conference rooms and gym equipment or rent the existing hotel gym (if large enough) for the duration so only the players and no other guests can access it.

Stay at home travel:
Approximate# of people: 65
Rooms: 33 assuming double occupancy x 8 = 264 room nights x $200 = $52.8K
Meals: 65 x 3/day x 8 days = 1560 x $25/meal = $39K
Air charters: 4 return
Bus charters: 4 return to cover airport to hotel and stadium to airport after games + 1 for walkthrough and 1 for game.
No more meeting space required than under normal road trips.
No need for setting up team access only fitness room.

My numbers are purely spitballing but team losses could be reduced by a at least of $1M on an 8 game based at home model versus hub city. The possibility of having 5000 fans in the seats for home games at an arbitrary $50 average ticket generates another $1M in loss offsetting revenue. Obviously the Lions benefit from the overall BC Place capacity versus other clubs in any social distanced plan to have a small number. It seems from Braley's perspective the CFL may not survive to play another season if they don't play in 2020. Having said that he thinks being based at home becomes the least cost alternative for playing in 2020. Everybody knows all teams will lose money this year regardless of model meaning the priority becomes identifying ways to minimize the losses.

[Gridiron Ernie]

Not a weighty read at all, but it's kinda nice to hear a few sympathetic and mildly confident words (re CFL long-term) from Coach Campbell. For what it's worth: https://3downnation.com/2020/06/26/b-c- ... ard-times/

Also; (off topic) but...
REMINDER! Remember to cast your votes for the CFL All-Decade Team at cfl.ca. They are currently accepting votes for receivers and defensive backs. It ain't easy if you take it seriously to sort through all considerations, but it is engaging fun to be part of.

Take care folks.

[BC 1988]

Not a weighty read at all, but it's kinda nice to hear a few sympathetic and mildly confident words (re CFL long-term) from Coach Campbell. For what it's worth: https://3downnation.com/2020/06/26/b-c- ... ard-times/

Also; (off topic) but...
REMINDER! Remember to cast your votes for the CFL All-Decade Team at cfl.ca. They are currently accepting votes for receivers and defensive backs. It ain't easy if you take it seriously to sort through all considerations, but it is engaging fun to be part of.

Take care folks.

https://post.futurimedia.com/ckstam/pla ... 222.063124
Rick Campbell interview with Donnie (Jeff Paterson) & the Moj today.

It sounded painful to hear him say basically "be ready to go when we get a green light".

It's apparent how much even coaching staff are kept out of the loop "I know as much as you do" (from what he hears in the media).

[DanoT]

I don't know if it has been discussed elsewhere, but Gary Bettman and the NHL have eliminated Vancouver has a possible NHL Hub City.

I suspect that Bettman's ego as well as his and the NHL's business acumen expected the city to accept the NHL Hub Plan with just some government and health authority suggestions. Whereas in B.C. things would not play out according to the NHL agenda, but rather if there was a virus outbreak or other problems, the NHL would essential be operating under Dr. Henry's terms and not a politician whose decisions in part are based on $$ and who can be more easily swayed by Bettman.

Either Bettman has leverage or he doesn't go there. And he knows that he has zero leverage over Dr. Henry.

[Sir Purrcival]

And this is the way it should be. Decisions like this should be made on the basis of health and safety, not economics. We have brilliant examples of what happens when the latter trumps the former. I don't care how important sports teams are to our cultural ethos, they don't get to dictate terms to the larger group and woe betide those places that put the concerns of the private enterprise before the greater good of the majority.

[B.C.FAN]

I don't know how the Canucks' plan that was approved by the B.C. government differs from the Oilers' or Leafs' plans, or any of the American plans. Dr. Bonnie Henry said she wasn't involved in any discussions with the NHL, and wasn't able to speculate on any differences between the Canucks' bid and those of other host cities.

[JohnnyMusso]

I know the premier of Alberta was on board with waiving the 14 day Quarantine period, unlike BC. But in my view, no way Edmonton will be selected a Hub City. The NHL is not going to play their major tournament in a small Canadian city. If any Canadian city is selected it will be Toronto. As for the CFL, it is looking more and more likely there will be no season and maybe no CFL again, if David Braley's assessment is correct, that the league cannot survive a cancelled season.

[KnowItAll]

I know the premier of Alberta was on board with waiving the 14 day Quarantine period, unlike BC. But in my view, no way Edmonton will be selected a Hub City. The NHL is not going to play their major tournament in a small Canadian city. If any Canadian city is selected it will be Toronto. As for the CFL, it is looking more and more likely there will be no season and maybe no CFL again, if David Braley's assessment is correct, that the league cannot survive a cancelled season.

what has the size of the city got to do with anything as long as they have the needed facilities?