#CFL cancels 2020 season after $150 million ‘regret’

The Canadian Football League canceled its 2020 season Monday after it was unable to secure financial assistance amid the coronavirus pandemic.

It’ll be the first time since 1919 that the Grey Cup won’t be presented to the league’s champion.

The league was hoping for financial assistance to stage an abbreviated season in the hub city of Winnipeg, but could not reach a deal with lawmakers.

“I do feel I am responsible for the fact that we are not on the field this year,” CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie said, per CBC. “But I resolve to learn from what we’ve experienced and I’m looking forward to a bright future.

“I think we’re all watching an example on the world stage today of a leader that takes no responsibility for anything … and no matter what happens, I won’t be that guy.”

In April, Ambrosie told The Canadian press that the league had presented a three-tiered request for financial assistance that began with $30 million, including more in the event of a shortened season and up to $150 million in the event of a cancelled season.

“I regret that.… I do wish we hadn’t thrown that number [$150 million] out,” Ambrosie said. “We never asked for $150 million, at least I don’t feel we did.

“What we did was aggregate what we thought was the worst-case scenario … and we said, ‘In the end our problem could be as big as $150 million,’ but that became the number.”

NFL training camps proceeded to padded practices this week and the league is currently hoping to play their season as planned.