The commissioner of the CFL says the 2021 Grey Cup will be "the largest 'reunion' in Canadian sports history."

On July 21, with support from the Province of Manitoba, the CFL named Winnipeg as its hub city for a shortened 2020 football season. Today, the league is announcing that the aforementioned plans will not be happening.

“Our league governors decided today it is in the best long-term interests of the CFL to concentrate on the future,” Commissioner Randy Ambrosie says in a statement.

“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.”

The CFL's original plans for Winnipeg were set to act similarly to the NHL'sd bubble model. Despite a  $2.5 million bid from the Province of Manitoba, the league would still be in need of federal funding to begin the season.

After appealing to the federal government and being rejected, the CFL was advised to take a commercial loan instead. The CFL says the loan would have been short-term and costly, making it difficult for the CFL to repay.

“Even with additional support, our owners and community-held teams would have had to endure significant financial losses to play in 2020,” Ambrosie says. “Without (federal support), 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.”

They say that after months of discussions, the CFL is shifting its focus from 2020 to the 2021 season.

“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.”

Next year, the league plans to host a large celebration in Hamilton at the 2021 Grey Cup. 

“Now the time has come to shift our focus to 2021 and beyond. We will be back. And we will use this time to ensure the CFL comes back stronger than ever.”

Ambrosie is thanking CFL fans for their support throughout the postponed season.

He hopes that 2021's season will bring fans together, saying that in the next upcoming days, the CFL is revealing a new initiative to "allow fans to show their pride in the CFL’s storied history at the same time they pledge their support for the future."

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