Sanchez: “The ratio is something that’s a must”

By: Rachael Bishop

On Monday CFL on TSN analyst and three-time Grey Cup champion Davis Sanchez joined the Rod Pedersen Show and gave his thoughts on the recent CFL-XFL merger talk.

“I think for guys who are playing right now, the current players, it’s really hard to get an accurate feel of how these guys (feel and) their comfort with this or their excitement for a possible merger,” Sanchez told Rod Pedersen. “When you realize that (a merger) is probably going to take away the chance of these guys getting on the field this year or sooner and that, to me, is something that hasn’t been talked about enough.”

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian Football League hasn’t played a game since November 2019.

“These guys have already missed a whole year of cheques,” noted Sanchez. “Most guys didn’t get signing bonuses and I couldn’t imagine. It’s been tough for these guys and now you’re talking about a merger which, in the long term financially, can benefit these guys but the reality says if you’re putting energy on this merger it could take away from the likelihood of these guys getting cheques this year.”

In early March, CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie announced that the CFL was entering discussions with XFL owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and RedBird Capital in an effort to work together to identify opportunities for the leagues to collaborate, innovate, and grow the game of football.

“I’m a huge advocate for the CFL. If we could keep this CFL, the way it is, and it was sustainable moving forward, that would be my vote. No question about it,” stated Sanchez proudly. “But it seems as though that’s not a reality anymore.

“So, that being said, maybe you move on and look at this merger as something viable.”

One of the major topics of discussion among Canadian football fans has been whether or not a merger would preserve the rules and traditions of the Canadian Football League.

“The ratio is something that’s a must,” Sanchez stated. “I don’t care how this merger takes place, what rules we play, the one thing that’s got to be there if we’re playing in Canada, which we’re going to be, is there has to be a ratio.”

Sanchez, from Delta, British Columbia, was drafted in the 1999 CFL College Draft by the Montreal Alouettes. After winning the Lew Hayman Trophy as top Canadian in the East Division, he went on to play with the San Diego Chargers in the NFL for two seasons before coming back to the CFL in 2003.

“(The ratio) gives kids, like myself and so many others, the possibility to play pro football,” Sanchez pointed out. “To see somebody in your neighbourhood that’s doing what you dream to do… I would have never played pro football at all if it wasn’t for the CFL. I needed the ratio because I was a late bloomer just like so many others.”

In August, 2020, news broke that Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson was acquiring the XFL out of bankruptcy for $15 million US. He later announced the league would be making its return in the spring of 2022. The CFL is scheduled to open training camps in mid-May and the 2021 season is scheduled to kick off June 3rd in Hamilton.

No formal announcement on the status of the 2021 CFL season has been made though many are speculating that an on-time start is severely in doubt. Until then, we will continue to follow this daily on the RP Show and on this site.