TORONTO – Anything and everything, it seems, will be on the table with the CFL and XFL poised to begin serious discussions on a potential partnership.

And it would appear, at first glance, both have something that could be beneficial to the other.

The XFL, with actor and former pro wrestler Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson as an owner, will bring money, influence and a solid business acumen to the table. Johnson, a former CFL player, is a larger-than-life figure with global appeal.

Johnson has over 15 million followers on Twitter and that figure swells to over 220 million in Instagram.

His involvement in the XFL alone should result in many of his supporters tuning in once the league resumes play. Another positive, too, would be Johnson’s influence and appeal within the Hollywood community.

And then there’s the business acumen of Dany Garcia, the XFL chairwoman and owner. She’s not only successfully managed the career of Johnson – her ex-husband – but also owns Seven Bucks Productions, a company that’s been responsible for such movies as “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” as well as “Hobbs & Shaw”, the spinoff from the Fast and the Furious franchise.

Johnson and Garcia, alone, form a dynamic 1-2 punch that has tremendous appeal to both the general public and investors, alike.

RedBird Capital Partners, who in 2020 partnered with Johnson and Garcia to purchase the XFL for $15 million, also has serious financial clout. According to the XFL website, the investment firm manages over $4 billion in assets.

The CFL didn’t play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a move that reportedly resulted in the league losing between $60-80 million. That’s a significant hit for a nine-team circuit that’s heavily dependent upon ticket sales to generate its operating revenues.

The league has been steadfast in its desire to resume play in 2021, but the question remains exactly when will that be? The current schedule is slated to begin June 10 with all nine franchises playing 18 games, but it wouldn’t be surprise if that is pushed back as more Canadians receive their COVID-19 vaccinations.

Regardless of when the season begins, the CFL could require startup money to get going, given the hard financial hit it had to take last year. Last year, the league looked to the Canadian government for financial assistance in the form of a $30-million, interest-free loan.

Ottawa was willing to offer help but with a loan that was to be repaid with interest. When the government refused to provide interest-free assistance, the CFL cancelled its plans for an abbreviated 2020 season.

Conventional wisdom, therefore, suggests the league would again need at least $30 million to get up and going, especially if games are initially played without fans in the stands. And given the XFL’s deep pockets, a partnership with the CFL could include money for the Canadian league although Garcia was adamant that the “money concept,” was “the furthest thing from the truth.”

What the CFL does offer the XFL is an established, historical product. It has franchises firmly entrenched in nine Canadian cities with infrastructure and operations in place.

It can provide the XFL a tool by which to expose its product north of the border and chance to get away from the gimmicky approaches the league took in its previous reincarnations.

The CFL also has sentimental value to Johnson. He joined the Calgary Stampeders in 1995 after his collegiate career at Miami, hoping to ultimately land in the NFL.

But it didn’t happen. Johnson never played for Calgary, being released from the club’s practice roster.

So Johnson followed in the footsteps of his Canadian-born father, Rocky, and became a professional wrestler. The rest, as they say, is history.

While Wednesday’s announcement made headlines all over North America, it did accentuate another troubling trait for the CFL. Although the league and XFL had seemingly been speaking for weeks, commissioner Randy Ambrosie apprised the CFL Players’ Association of the talks on Wednesday.

Throughout the global pandemic, Ambrosie has steadfastly stated the importance of the league and players being partners moving forward. And once again, the CFL has moved forward alone before bringing the players back in tow.

CFLPA executive director Brian Ramsay hasn’t spoken publicly about Wednesday’s news, only taking to social media to say the union’s priority remains returning to the field in 2021.

But it could be suggested Wednesday’s news has put more pressure now on the CFL to make sure a ’21 season happens. That’s because any partnership with the XFL would be for 2022, at the earliest.

If there’s no 2021 season in Canada, it’s hard to imagine the league existing, at least in its present state, in 2022.

(Canadian Press)

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Jake
Jake
3 years ago

Fact – The CFL cannot and will not exist in it’s current present state_ broke and struggling on the cusp of extinction). An opportunity has presented itself, please take a good hard look at all it has to offer and take it very seriously, not all will agree and will soon to be left by the wayside when and if a professional football merger happens of two leagues_ CFL, XFL.

Nick
Nick
3 years ago
Reply to  Jake

will be ok as long as the americans dont muscle in and change the game to suit what they want – 4 downs, smaller field, 11 players. If that happens, what about the infrastructure of our canadian game – like the CIS, junior, high school, small town football, etc etc who use the traditional canadian rules. What happens with all of that. It stinks!!! If finances are the only issue, then the league should find a way to supplement that and leave our game the hell alone.

Jake
Jake
3 years ago
Reply to  Nick

Nick,
CIS, Junior, High schools, small town football_ they’ve got to figure it out for themselves, they’re on their own. CFL is a professional sports entity, a business of conducting professional sports and entertainment. CFL doesn’t regulate nor have anything to do with minor leagues across Canada. You need to distinguish the difference.

Last edited 3 years ago by Bommer
Nick
Nick
3 years ago
Reply to  Jake

Except CIS and junior football are feeders for the CFL, CIS is a big time feeder for the CFL. If high school, junior and CIS have different rules then it becomes a disconnect going upward. That just makes sense

Cal Jammer
Cal Jammer
3 years ago

I have my 2 season tickets in section 325. Whatever it takes to get on the field, whoever they partner with, whatever rules are modified I will be on board with.

As long as you call them the Saskatchewan Roughriders I will support any reincarnation.

If it is as dire straights as I am hearing then I will support any plan to play.

Olaf
Olaf
3 years ago
Reply to  Cal Jammer

for every person who says what you just said, there is one saying leave our game alone. Find a way to solve the financial issues and tell the americans to take a hike. That XFL hasnt lasted one season and they are trying to take over our league and spring board their league instead of constantly folding. How long will it take for them (and I say them because the americans wont take long and they will be in control of our league), to eliminate the canadian teams that don’t suit their model. Ya, thought so.

Nick
Nick
3 years ago

This stinks!!! Don’t like it at all. June Jones, who is affiliated with the XFL is now saying in an article on 3Down that the new league will use the 4 downs like the NFL and the smaller field like the NFF. Just as I thought, the americans will muscle their way into our country, take over our league and run it the way they want to. What a bunch of cr#@!! I guess there goes our CFL history and the game ‘WE” love to the americans.

TT Boy
TT Boy
3 years ago
Reply to  Nick

Well if I may add – Not enough of “WE” are not attending games or buying merchandise. I have been there since 1982. I distinctly recall with USA expansion Cal Murphy fought hammer and tong to keep CFL rules. Here are the facts. I do not at all live any aspect in denial. Attendance is not where it needs to be. Social media is not where it needs to be. The kids today you can drag them to a CFL game and they are all wearing NFL merchandise. We can make CFL teams as community based, but nobody is going.… Read more »

E Wilhelm
E Wilhelm
3 years ago

June Jones says Johnson could bring NBC on board. Well, let’s say that’s true & a joint venture brings in big money via NBC & other outlets. And let’s say the XCFL (or eXCFL) starts in March so the US teams take advantage of playing in NFL cities & become joint tenants in those facilities. And, let’s suppose that despite all prior attempts, Americans buy spring football in a pseudo NFL format, meaning 4 downs as June Jones has stated. Here’s what I think could happen – only speculation. End of community owned teams. I seem to recall a few… Read more »

Lex Steele
Lex Steele
3 years ago
Reply to  E Wilhelm

We pay our community based CEO $500,000 to sit and do nothing. He magnanomously took a little paycut yet laid off a pile of people. The XFL had one Owner and various GM/Head Coaches to do as they wish within the framework of a central salary management system. I am completely fine with thinning the heard. Trim the executive fat and put those resources into Coaches/Players. Times change and life moves on. Unless you are in Saskatchewan and with the NDP. Then its “yeah but Tommy Douglas” – that guy is shovelling coal into a blast furnace in hell right… Read more »