CFL may shift focus away from Halifax as league continues strategy to add 10th team

Possible CFL stadium in the Maritimes The commissioner of the Canadian Football League is once again talking about having a team in the region. CTV’s Paul Hollingsworth reports.

The Canadian Football League’s (CFL) commissioner, Randy Ambrosie, has identified a potential owner for a future expansion team in Halifax.

“It is a highly engaged, very qualified potential owner in Atlantic Canada,” said Ambrosie.

Speculation about a 10th CFL team in this region began more than four decades ago.

“I am optimistic,” said Ambrosie, who adds he’s also realistic and time is running out.

“Then I guess you have to, to use a fishing expression, fish or cut bait.”

TSN CFL analyst Dave Naylor takes the fishing analogy one-step further.

“You put your hook in the water, and you throw it in there, repeatedly, and if you don’t catch anything, you move on to somewhere else,” said Naylor, who believes behind-the-scenes, the CFL’s patience is growing thin.

The CFL board of governors meeting in December could be pivotal.

“I think at that meeting, the commissioner is either going to deliver news that they have engaged with a partner in Atlantic Canada and they are moving forward,” said Naylor.

“Or they are moving on. And I think the chances of them moving on are greater than they are moving forward.”

The CFL has already had success in the region with Touchdown Atlantic - regular season CFL games held during the last two seasons at Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S., and Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

“But I’m not sure there’s going to be a touchdown Atlantic game next year,” said Naylor.

“And I wouldn’t be surprised to see the league turn their attention to Quebec City.”

The Halifax Regional Municipality’s Regional Council will soon decide if they will renovate the Wanderers Grounds and make it a permanent stadium.

"It is now with the committee and the committee has asked for a staff report,” said HRM Councillor Tony Mancini.

“Staff are going to go away and see what that looks like. Then it will eventually come back to Regional Council."

Mancini says a new stadium could once again re-ignite the CFL-in-Halifax debate - a debate that has been going on since 1983.