The only thing that would make CFL fans more upset than when they found out there would not be a 2020 season would be for them to find out there won’t be a 2021 season. That very well could be the case.
On Tuesday afternoon, Rod Pederson reported that stated that the CFL is looking into playing the 2021 season in a bubble in Edmonton. This is something that was discussed for the 2020 season, just in Winnipeg instead of Edmonton.
The CFL had said before that a bubble simply wouldn’t work without the help of the Federal Government and potentially the provinces.
“I don’t see it,” said AJ Jakubec, Ottawa Redblacks play-by-play announcer for TSN 1200. “I think there will be fans in the stands by then, but it’s good to have a plan B.”
Should the CFL be able to have fans in the stands, even if socially distant for the 2021 season, all of this will disappear and we will see CFL football once again.
The issues will begin to arise should that not be the case. With Canadian number spiking, particularly in Ontario, the CFL needs to explore this bubble option once again. The only issue is that it’s probably still impossible.
“I would put very, very, very little stock into it,” said Dave Naylor, the TSN football insider. “The league can’t bubble for 21 weeks.”
So where does the CFL stand with the government? Well, Naylor has that answer for us too.
“Nowhere,” he said. “The government has a lot on its hands right now. Same as last summer. You just have to hope.”
So what should the fans of the CFL expect to happen if it comes down to a bubble being the last feasible option? If that becomes the case, don’t expect to see CFL football for yet another year.
In a previous conversation with Naylor, he was asked if not having a 2020 season would cause the CFL to fold. He was not concerned about that possibility but focused on the 2021 season.
“If the CFL can’t put fans in the stands [for the 2021 season], that’s a different story,” he said.
When Naylor was asked if the concern for the 2021 season is legitimate, he simply responded “Y.E.S.”
Here’s hoping that we will be able to see some football being played in Canada very soon. If you want to see football soon too, please stay safe, wear your mask, and be COVID-wise. That is the only way we will get things back to normal.