2019 CFL Season

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Eau Claire

The Als are getting crushed, but I'm not worried about their defence. I'm hoping for a good showing by their QBs. I think that would help with the sale of the team as well. Bridge looks like he's back to his form of a couple of years ago, and he counts in the ratio now too.

45-20 Argos.

Not an entirely surprising outcome, I'm sure the Als left most of their starters at home.

[elly63]

CFL taking ownership of Alouettes
The Canadian Press May 31 2019

MONTREAL — The Wetenhall era in Montreal is over.

The CFL announced Friday that Bob Wetenhall has sold the Montreal Alouettes to the league. A joint statement from the Alouettes and the league said the CFL and the Wetenhalls — Bob's son Andrew was the team's lead governor — have been looking to find a new owner for the team for several months, and that process will continue.

The league also said it has been involved in the club's day-to-day operations in recent months.

"We want to reassure Alouettes' players, coaches, staff and fans that this is part of an orderly, step-by-step process that is entirely devoted to putting in place a new foundation for the Alouettes' and the CFL's success," commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement.

A few names have emerged as potential owners for the troubled club.

Former Alouettes player Eric Lapointe has stated he could put together an ownership group if approached, but there are serious questions regarding whether he was ever contacted. In April, Montreal businessman Clifford Starke publicly stated his intention to purchase the Alouettes, but it remains unclear exactly where that situation stands.

And there was a recent report that Montreal entrepreneur Vince Guzzo, former CFL head coach/GM Danny Maciocia — now the head coach at the University of Montreal — and commissioner Randy Ambrosie were all seen sitting together at a restaurant, putting Guzzo in the potential ownership mix.

“Our conversations have led to significant interest by new ownership groups and we are confident in the process we initiated many months ago.”

Bob Wetenhall resurrected the Alouettes in 1997 after they were revoked from Michael Gelfand and declared bankruptcy. Wetenhall also assumed the organization's debts despite not legally being obligated to do so.

Early in Wetenhall's tenure, the Alouettes were a CFL powerhouse. From 1999 to 2012, they finished atop the East Division nine times and advanced to the Grey Cup on eight occasions, winning three.

But Montreal hasn't been to the Grey Cup since winning it in 2010. The club has missed the CFL playoffs the past four seasons, amassing a dismal 21-51 record over that span.

Wetenhall was a former part-owner of the Boston Patriots (AFL) and New England Patriots (NFL). In 2011, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from McGill University for his work with the Alouettes and expansion of Percival Molson Stadium.

He was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

Lapointe, 44, twice captured the Hec Crighton Trophy as Canadian university football's top player while at Mount Allison. He went on to spend eight CFL seasons as a running back Edmonton, Hamilton, Toronto and Montreal, playing six of those campaigns with the Alouettes through 2006.

Lapointe was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2012 and now works in wealth management.

Starke, 35, has acted as a consultant, adviser and/or director to more than 15 publicly listed companies.

Brad Smith, a former CFL receiver with the Toronto Argonauts and Edmonton Eskimos, is a consultant with Starke's potential ownership group.

[esquire]

Bombers beat the Eskies 20-3 last night in what was an exceptionally preseasony preseason game. Former UM Bison Dylan Schrote had a pretty sweet 4th quarter 48 yard touchdown in a game that was devoid of big offensive plays until that point. That is pretty well all I have to say about that game.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by elly63

He'll be in tough against Ronnie Pfeffer, Zach Medeiros and interestingly, Tyler Crapigna. I say interestingly because if you look at his video from the side lines at the Regina game, he is ignored by Crapigna walking by (he may not have heard him) and De la Hoye then says "F ya, bitch" That should make for some interesting ribbing/conversation.

He refers to this (with Crapigna at his side) in his latest video.

[elly63]

[elly63]

Alouettes Sale: CFL is currently negotiating with Éric Lapointe's group
Marc de Foy Journal de Montreal June 5, 2019

Eric Lapointe's group is the one with whom Canadian Football League Commissioner Randy Ambrosie is currently negotiating the sale of the Alouettes.

The former Alouette player had made his interest known in March. He had retired after a few days because he felt that the time was too tight for him to get a fair idea of ​​the situation.

He had reopened the door in April saying he might still be interested if he was beckoned.

This moment is present.

Guzzo presented a plan

The businessman Vincent Guzzo estimates for his part to be still on the ranks.

In an interview given yesterday to Sophie Durocher on the program We do not have to agree, on Qub radio, the businessman said he had submitted an offer with his conditions. But it seems to be more of a plan than a formal offer.

A well-informed source assures me that the group currently favored by the CFL Commissioner is Lapointe.

In a conversation I had with him on Monday, Ambrosie said that it remained to be seen whether he would be able to come to an agreement with the last group he had selected.

The man for the job

Without taking anything away from Mr. Guzzo or any other investor interested in acquiring the Alouettes, Lapointe is the man of the situation.

In an interview I had with him in March, Lapointe explained that the Alouettes were first and foremost a passion for him.

He has played in the last six seasons of his eight-year career as a CFL running back with his hometown team. He was part of the 2002 Gray Cup champion edition.

Successful businessman

Today, he has a successful career in investment management. He is the director of the Brossard branch of Stonegate Privy Council, which manages funds for wealthy entrepreneurs.

Lapointe has his roots in the business community. The group he gathered to buy the Alouettes surely has good grades.

But beyond the financial aspect, the Alouettes are a matter of heart for him. It would bring a breath of fresh air to this organization that needs it.

One French-speaking owner

The Alouettes need a francophone owner. It has not been seen since the first years of the concession.

Leo Dandurand, who co-owned the Canadian from 1921 to 1935, founded the team in 1946 with Lew Hayman and Eric Craddock. He was president until 1951, then from 1954 to 1957.

No other francophone has owned since.

In the same exchange I had with Lapointe, he said he was saddened by the decline in Quebec representation in training and the deterioration of relations with the French-speaking population.

CFL leaders should know that the only way to save the Alouettes is to rebuild bridges with Francophone customers.

Larry Smith understood this well and the Alouettes joined everyone in Quebec during his presidency years.

The Alouettes were a very nice team, but the work done by Smith and the francophone players of the day did not continue.

All is to start again.

If there is anyone who can revive the Alouettes, it's Éric Lapointe.

[elly63]

^A couple of the names being booted around are former Google CFO Patrick Pichette and Joe Poulin, Vice President of Luxury at Airbnb and the company he founded in 1999, Luxury Retreats.

If they can get Quebec heavy hitters like this, things could get very interesting for the Als.

[blueandgoldguy]

You know I wonder at this point if the CFL is just leaking a bunch of names who are not actual serious candidates to own the team. Basically exaggerating the demand for ownership of the Als to reassure what few ticket buyers and corporate sponsors they have left. I don't see the team surviving after this year...not with the conditions any new ownership group is likely to impose.

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

You know I wonder at this point if the CFL is just leaking a bunch of names who are not actual serious candidates to own the team. Basically exaggerating the demand for ownership of the Als to reassure what few ticket buyers and corporate sponsors they have left. I don't see the team surviving after this year...not with the conditions any new ownership group is likely to impose.

The CFL is going out to people who they think may be interested in owning the team which is what the leaks are reporting. The CFL went to Guzzo, CFL went to Starke, etc. and not vice-versa. Only after do they see numbers and see the books do they typically balk at the idea of owning/purchasing the team. I think LaPointe (the person, not the group) is the only one that actively went to the league with an interest to purchase the team.

Here's a take from Guzzo:

Originally Posted by Montreal Gazette

“My reaction would be there’s a lot of work here and because it’s a product that’s in my community I’d consider putting in the effort to turning the team around and actually making the deal,” Guzzo said during a phone interview Monday night. “But, for example, if this was a team in another country, let’s say, I wouldn’t even look at it twice. If it wasn’t for the fact that I’m a Montrealer, I wouldn’t even look at this deal after I saw what I saw.”

https://montrealgazette.com/sports/f...es-sale-circus

The whole thing is a mess. The main issue that a reporter brought up was that the Alouettes have no tangible, physical assets. They have some football equipment and player/staff contracts affiliated to the team. Everything else is rented/leased.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

You know I wonder at this point if the CFL is just leaking a bunch of names who are not actual serious candidates to own the team. Basically exaggerating the demand for ownership of the Als to reassure what few ticket buyers and corporate sponsors they have left. I don't see the team surviving after this year...not with the conditions any new ownership group is likely to impose.

Lotta speculation on your part here especially about ticket buyers and corporate sponsors. At one time the Als had some of the best corporate sponsorships in the league which had to be rebuilt after an executive alienated many sponsors and that was several years ago. All the names except the two I named (which are very recent) have publicly admitted interest so they've hardly been leaked by the league.

We all know the team has had a downturn but some of the claims are so outrageous it makes me wonder who wants to kill off the team and why.

There has been much interest and if you've been following the stories, on Eric Lapointe. If he is indeed involved, he is a popular lead man to have for this project, like Jeff Hunt was in Ottawa.

Some posts I read make you think people want this franchise to fail and that is beyond my comprehension. My whole time following this league has seen naysayers wanting to announce the death of this league. I read one in Sports Illustrated in the late 80s predicting the imminent death of the league. Seriously what is with people?

Personally, I see a good future for the Als. If Lapointe is involved he is going to wrap the team in the Quebec flag which is something the Wettenhalls couldn't do. I can't wait.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by JHikka

The CFL is going out to people who they think may be interested in owning the team which is what the leaks are reporting. The CFL went to Guzzo, CFL went to Starke, etc. and not vice-versa. Only after do they see numbers and see the books do they typically balk at the idea of owning/purchasing the team. I think LaPointe (the person, not the group) is the only one that actively went to the league with an interest to purchase the team.
The whole thing is a mess. The main issue that a reporter brought up was that the Alouettes have no tangible, physical assets. They have some football equipment and player/staff contracts affiliated to the team. Everything else is rented/leased.

I like how you and your err friends at other sites only post that one line from Guzzo and not the rest of the story. It doesn't take much to think that anyone on Dragon's Den would want to purchase something for a song.

Also where is the evidence that the CFL went after Starke and Guzzo, two strange choices in my books, any more than they would go after the Bronfmans.

Why you want to kill this league is beyond me, every post you make screams that no matter how much you try to deny it and I wonder why you bother.

I could go pick apart the CPL but I choose not to because I don't want to rain on your parade. And before you get to googling, I did make a comment there about a camera angle which had nothing to do with the caliber of play.

I just wish you could summon the guts to be truthful and debate honestly instead of the incessant shitting on the CFL in every post you make.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by JHikka

The CFL is going out to people who they think may be interested in owning the team which is what the leaks are reporting. The CFL went to Guzzo, CFL went to Starke, etc. and not vice-versa. Only after do they see numbers and see the books do they typically balk at the idea of owning/purchasing the team. I think LaPointe (the person, not the group) is the only one that actively went to the league with an interest to purchase the team.

Here's a take from Guzzo:



https://montrealgazette.com/sports/f...es-sale-circus

The whole thing is a mess. The main issue that a reporter brought up was that the Alouettes have no tangible, physical assets. They have some football equipment and player/staff contracts affiliated to the team. Everything else is rented/leased.

Some of Guzzo comments are alarming as in I would not want him as an owner. Apparently he stated that he would fire all the management of the team. For as bad as they have been, that would be a terrible move an the cusp of the season - starting from scratch probably with people who have no experience running a club. I get the impression Guzzo would run this like some typical business, but professional sports team are not your typical business.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

Some of Guzzo comments are alarming as in I would not want him as an owner. Apparently he stated that he would fire all the management of the team. For as bad as they have been, that would be a terrible move an the cusp of the season - starting from scratch probably with people who have no experience running a club. I get the impression Guzzo would run this like some typical business, but professional sports team are not your typical business.

Amen!

[Hackslack]

All leagues have those franchises that struggle. Surely the Arizona Coyotes still bleed money. One of the many southern US teams I’d bet. Joey Saputo the owner of the Montreal Inpactvhas started he loses $11 million per season since the time they joined the MLS.. As Guzzo pointed out, 5 of the 9 CFL teams make money, so there is a formula there for every team to be optimistic positive returns can be made.

[blueandgoldguy]

Originally Posted by elly63

Lotta speculation on your part here especially about ticket buyers and corporate sponsors. At one time the Als had some of the best corporate sponsorships in the league which had to be rebuilt after an executive alienated many sponsors and that was several years ago. All the names except the two I named (which are very recent) have publicly admitted interest so they've hardly been leaked by the league.

We all know the team has had a downturn but some of the claims are so outrageous it makes me wonder who wants to kill off the team and why.

There has been much interest and if you've been following the stories, on Eric Lapointe. If he is indeed involved, he is a popular lead man to have for this project, like Jeff Hunt was in Ottawa.

Some posts I read make you think people want this franchise to fail and that is beyond my comprehension. My whole time following this league has seen naysayers wanting to announce the death of this league. I read one in Sports Illustrated in the late 80s predicting the imminent death of the league. Seriously what is with people?

Personally, I see a good future for the Als. If Lapointe is involved he is going to wrap the team in the Quebec flag which is something the Wettenhalls couldn't do. I can't wait.

The drop in Als season ticket holders (around 8,000 or less last year) or corporate sponsors is well known. Just look at some of the forums around the league with Als fans that follow them religiously. Many have been sounding the alarm bells for a few years now. The loss of those season ticket holder and corporate sponsors is the reason the stadium is over half empty and the team has been hemmoraging money the past few years...about $6 million prior to this season. Incidentally, I think that $12 million loss last year reported in the media is inflated by Wettenhall and some of their family members giving themselves some generous salaries (ie. golden parachutes) knowing their were ridding themselves of the team. Manziel was their last desperate attempt to right the ship.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

All leagues have those franchises that struggle. Surely the Arizona Coyotes still bleed money. One of the many southern US teams I’d bet. Joey Saputo the owner of the Montreal Inpactvhas started he loses $11 million per season since the time they joined the MLS.. As Guzzo pointed out, 5 of the 9 CFL teams make money, so there is a formula there for every team to be optimistic positive returns can be made.

That's a quote I have my doubts about. What other team is losing money beside the three we know about. We haven't really heard about the Lions hemorrhaging so they can't be faring too badly, even if they are losing money. So who does that leave, Ottawa, Calgary? There are only two teams to be concerned about and one has MLSE as an owner. That leaves the Als as the only major fire to put out.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

The drop in Als season ticket holders (around 8,000 or less last year) or corporate sponsors is well known. Just look at some of the forums around the league with Als fans that follow them religiously. Many have been sounding the alarm bells for a few years now. The loss of those season ticket holder and corporate sponsors is the reason the stadium is over half empty and the team has been hemmoraging money the past few years...about $6 million prior to this season. Incidentally, I think that $12 million loss last year reported in the media is inflated by Wettenhall and some of their family members giving themselves some generous salaries (ie. golden parachutes) knowing their were ridding themselves of the team. Manziel was their last desperate attempt to right the ship.

Again, I agree. The 12 million was not possible by the team itself, an outrageous bit of fake news that the haterz love to spin.

You think the team will be dead in a year. If Lapointe, who seems to be a popular figure, gets a well heeled group of investors together, perhaps brokered by the Commish from his investment days, do you not think they have a much better future ahead of them? I see a Quebec version of the RedBlacks

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by Hackslack

All leagues have those franchises that struggle. Surely the Arizona Coyotes still bleed money. One of the many southern US teams I’d bet.

Yes, but the Coyotes' losses in a single season are not more than the team is valued at in total, which is the situations the Als are in. At this point it's safe to say the debt on the team amounts to more than what the team is valued at.

On this note, the Coyotes are coming off their most successful season on the corporate side in...quite a long time.

Originally Posted by Hackslack

Joey Saputo the owner of the Montreal Inpactvhas started he loses $11 million per season since the time they joined the MLS.

Most MLS teams are losing money because they're still in the process of developing and creating infrastructure (training facilities, stadiums, etc.). Values continue to increase to offset losses (and you pay less tax when your team operationally loses money in a fiscal year).

Originally Posted by Hackslack

As Guzzo pointed out, 5 of the 9 CFL teams make money, so there is a formula there for every team to be optimistic positive returns can be made.

Ambrosie is the one that pointed this out.

Of the five that do make a profit we know one of them (WPG) operationally makes money but loses money following lease payments on their stadium. The teams losing money would likely be MTL/TOR/BC and one of CGY or HAM. Again, a lot of it comes down to what the teams are valued at and what their losses/profits are. If the Als are valued at, say, $5M, and they lose more than that in a season, it doesn't entirely make sense to continue operating in that fashion. If the Blue Bombers are valued at $20M and they lose $1m in a year it's par for the course so long as those losses don't compound year over year like they have in Montreal.

Originally Posted by elly63

Also where is the evidence that the CFL went after Starke and Guzzo, two strange choices in my books, any more than they would go after the Bronfmans.

It's in the article I posted a link to:

Originally Posted by Montreal Gazette

Guzzo didn’t get into details about what he saw or didn’t see from a financial standpoint about the Alouettes and added he was approached by the CFL about the possibility of buying the team.

Emphasis added mine.
https://montrealgazette.com/sports/f...es-sale-circus

Bronfman has shown interest in being a minority partner in a potential group but has declined to lead any group in owning the Als.

[elly63]

Originally Posted by Montreal Gazette
Guzzo didn’t get into details about what he saw or didn’t see from a financial standpoint about the Alouettes and added he was approached by the CFL about the possibility of buying the team.

And Starke?

I'll give you credit, you're the fastest googler and best BSer at this forum. When the CFL loses money, they going to die, but when MLS does it's to strengthen the integrity of the league, you're somethin" else

[Hackslack]

“Because of the financial situation of the other teams there’s actually a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Because five out of those nine (CFL) teams make money, so that means there is a way to make money. You’ve just got to run it like a tight ship, like a real corporation and not like: Oh, it’s a sports team, so it’s OK to lose money. It doesn’t work that way.”

From the Montreal Gazette link above