The Canadian Football League has officially canceled its 2020 season, the league announced Monday.
"Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future,” said commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
“We are absolutely committed to 2021, to the future of our league and the pursuit of our vision of a bigger, stronger, more global CFL.”
Though it is a professional enterprise, the CFL's economics run similarly to that of a Group of 5 conference or below, where it doesn't make sense to play if fans can't attend.
The NHL is currently in the midst of a dual bubble playoff format, with the league's 16 playoff teams split between two Canadian cities, but those games are being played without fans.
The CFL pursued a bubble strategy that would have seen the entire league descend upon Winnipeg for an abbreviated season, but the league was unable to secure a $30 million interest-free loan from the Canadian government.
“Even with additional support, our owners and community-held teams would have had to endure significant financial losses to play in 2020,” Ambrosie said.
“Without it, the losses would be so large that they would really hamper our ability to bounce back strongly next year and beyond. The most important thing is the future of our league.”
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.