Down, set, hub! CFL selects Winnipeg as host site if season proceeds By: Jeff Hamilton Posted: 5:28 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2020 Last Modified: 11:03 PM CDT Tuesday, Jul. 21, 2020 Updates

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This article was published 20/07/2020 (1522 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If there will be a Canadian Football League season this year, it will happen in Winnipeg.

After weeks of speculation that Winnipeg was the CFL’s prime choice for the hub city for a shortened 2020 campaign, the league confirmed it in a news release Tuesday.

The announcement came one day after news broke the Winnipeg Blue Bombers were bidding to house all nine CFL teams under one roof. Premier Brian Pallister let the cat out of the bag when he said the province would promise $2.5 million to help sweeten the deal.

Regina and Calgary also submitted hub-city proposals to the CFL.

“It’s a big step forward and it’s great for our province and our economy,” Winnipeg Football Club president and CEO Wade Miller said in a phone interview with the Free Press. “Now there’s a lot of work and planning that goes into co-ordinating bringing nine CFL teams into a city and that’s the work that the CFL league office and Winnipeg Football Club will entertain.”

Although Winnipeg has been given the go-ahead from the CFL, Manitoba public health officials must give their approval.

“We’re working through that now and that’s a process. I don’t have a timeline on that. Obviously, we have other things we need to do to play football this year,” Miller said. “So, this is just one step of the many things that need to happen for the CFL to play football this year.”

Hotels, modes of transportation and practice fields must be confirmed.

“There is a lot of logistics and co-ordination that goes into hosting, not just one training camp, but nine this year. This is about the CFL being successful in our community and keeping our community safe,” Miller said.

“We’ll have secure fields that will be for the exclusive use for that period of time, of days, specifically for CFL practices. Teams will have morning and afternoon times that they’re on the fields and they’ll be the only people on those fields, in a specific zone.”

The idea of a hub city is to have all the estimated 800 players, coaches and staff living in one “bubble,” where they wouldn’t be in contact with the outside community. With more than half of the players coming from the U.S., including states where the coronavirus has spiralled out of control, members of the public may fear a COVID-19 outbreak here.

“We’ll have secure fields that will be for the exclusive use for that period of time, of days, specifically for CFL practices. Teams will have morning and afternoon times that they’re on the fields and they’ll be the only people on those fields, in a specific zone.”
– Winnipeg Football Club president and CEO Wade Miller

Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief public health officer, added to the concern when he stated Monday during his regular COVID-19 briefing that players wouldn’t undergo testing before arriving in Winnipeg.

On Tuesday, Miller stressed players would be required to self-isolate for 14 days and undergo testing before coming to Winnipeg.

Upon arrival, they would be immediately put into a hotel room where they would self-isolate again, while also being subjected to testing for the first 14 days.

“We’re working through that with the public health officer and we’ll do that under their direction. We’re watching and learning from leagues that have started already, across the world,” Miller said.

Public opinion immediately after the announcement swayed in both directions, though appeared to favour those who are against the idea of Winnipeg being a CFL hub city. A particularly critical response came from the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, a group that has had a long relationship with the Blue Bombers.

“While AMC supports a strong economy in the province, we vehemently oppose such a blatant disregard for the major risks associated with bringing so many non-Manitobans to the province,” AMC Grand Chief Arlen Dumas said in a statement, which concluded with a message about the vulnerability of First Nations to the effects of the pandemic due to underlying conditions.

“We will not allow our Elders, youth and children to be exposed to a potential resurgence of COVID-19 due to shortsighted economic priorities associated with Phase 4 opening.”

Other obstacles remain beyond public pressure as to whether a 2020 season will be played. What also needs to happen — and what the league hopes to wrap up by July 23 — is to secure a substantial amount of money from the federal government, as well a new collective bargaining agreement for this year and next. That would also include a return-to-play policy for 2020, signed off on by both the CFL and its players.

The biggest hurdle, however, is obtaining a significant amount of money from the federal government. The CFL has issued a proposal for $42.5 million, all of which would likely be needed to play a 2020 season.

“Well, that’s what everyone is working towards. There’s a lot that goes into making this happen so we’re all working towards that and we’ll find a way to get there,” Miller said. “There’s a lot of work that needs to be undertaken, which has started and will continue now that we’re full-steam ahead in Winnipeg.”

If a season does get off the ground, the current plan for this year would be a six-game regular season and an eight-team playoff format. A start date would be no earlier than the first week of September.

The Bombers are the reigning Grey Cup champions, after ending a 29-year championship drought last November.

jeff.hamilton@freepress.mb.ca

twitter: @jeffkhamilton

Jeff Hamilton
Multimedia producer

After a slew of injuries playing hockey that included breaks to the wrist, arm, and collar bone; a tear of the medial collateral ligament in both knees; as well as a collapsed lung, Jeff figured it was a good idea to take his interest in sports off the ice and in to the classroom.

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