The Canadian Football League is trying to keep the ball moving downfield towards the goal line for federal government funding.
After commissioner Randy Ambrosie presented to the standing committee on finance, the CFL is bending the ear of more politicians. According to Sportsnet reporter Arash Madani, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada David Lametti is the latest to hear from the three-down league.
#CFL continues to lobby hard for up to $150 million in federal government funding.
Today on the league's behalf, there was communication with David Lametti, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada. Lametti is the second cabinet minister the league has contacted.
— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) May 11, 2020
Catherine McKenna, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, was the other cabinet minister contacted by the CFL directly since starting the process of working to secure financial aid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s two ministers in prime minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet.
“We are continuing to engage with various sectors, industries and organizations who are facing disruptions because of COVID-19,” Trudeau said during his April 29 address to the nation.
“The CFL has approached us about support, we know it’s important to them, we know it’s important to many Canadians and those discussions are ongoing.”
Ambrosie is asking for $30 million in working capital to maintain operations through the crisis and estimates the league could need as much as an additional $120 million over the next two years — if the most negative scenarios, all of them, come true. That equals $150 million in total.
If there is no season in 2020, it’s estimated the CFL could lose approximately $100 million. The regular season was scheduled to kick-off on Thursday, June 11, but Ambrosie has stated the schedule won’t start before the beginning of July and it will likely be later.
Madani reported the CFL began the process of attempting to obtain federal funding on April 2.
