CFL Issues Statement on the Gades

CFL STATEMENT ON RENEGADES

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 05:00PM

League to seek new ownership for Ottawa club

TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Football League (CFL) announced today that it has reached an agreement with current Ottawa Renegades owners Bernie Glieberman and Bill Smith, to facilitate the orderly transfer of ownership of the franchise. Glieberman and Smith acknowledged the operational issues from the 2005 season and that a new approach was required to re-engage CFL fans in Ottawa-Gatineau. With the League, they came to the conclusion that this would be best achieved by new ownership and leadership.

CFL Commissioner, Tom Wright, confirmed that the League has begun the sale process and has struck a Committee of the Board to immediately seek and secure new ownership. “The CFL member clubs are fully committed and prepared to invest the time, energy and resources to finding the right ownership to ensure that the Ottawa franchise demonstrates the high standards of performance essential to membership in our League.�

The Board is acutely aware of the urgency in determining the Renegades participation in the 2006 season. A special team from the League and member clubs is examining a series of operational issues that must be addressed prior to a decision in this area.

The Commissioner noted that the Board will meet in person or via teleconference on a regular basis to assess progress.

Its still up in the air as to whether there will be a 2006 season for the Gades.

This is great news, but contrary to we will prop up the Gades with the Gleiberguys.
Meaning, new owner(s) must be available. In addition to Eugene Melnyk, I also read there are at least 2 other interested parties. Yahoo.

I hope you’re right Argotom. New owners need to be in place quickly!

That there is interest is a tremendous sign that things could change for the better. Melnyk would be an interesting choice considering his ownership of the Sens. He might be able to do cross promotions with both teams.

Agreed and it has to be Eugene asap. If so, you know he will bring in a proffesional management team. How about Nicholson as Pres and Tillman as GM? Maybe that is also in the works.

At this point, almost any new ownership would be a good thing (except of course Nelson Skalbania, Sherwood Schwartz, Horn Chen, Bruce Firestone, Bruce McNall, the guys who almost sunk the Ti-Cats, or Feterik). Maybe if Melnyk won't buy the team on his own, he could get involved with a group, like Jeff Hunt and others.
I believe that it is critical to keep the Renegades alive, and that they can flourish in Ottawa. Maybe the Watters group might come back in? Here's hoping the Rens can stay alive.

This is needed, and good news - so long as an owner can be found. If what the media says is true, and there are at least 2 people interested in buying, then it's a good start. It's for the best to get the Gliebs completely out of there ... Of course, now there's higher risk (it seems that the league won't prop up the team, especially without Glieb helping) but there's also higher reward - no Gliebermen, and hopefully a strong ownership group and a resurgent Ottawa franchise!
Come on Renegades! And let's have someone buy them ... someone as qualified (well, probably will need to be moreso) than the other 8 owners, who is capable of creating a success story in Ottawa, a la Hamilton, BC, Toronto, and to a lesser extent, Calgary. I'm praying for a top-notch owner ASAP! And I think it can be done. This is a positive first step, IMO.

i messaged sportsnet, during bob mcgowans show....
first message was ; sens owner should buy the gades.
second message was ; move the gades to Quebec. CFL RULES.

muhahaha

Ummmm, what does that statement mean? Do they operate as is until an owner is found? What if there isn't an immediate owner? Hope more info comes out. Does the other teams support the Rens if the season starts without new owners?

Good to see that the CFL is, for the second year in a row, looking for an owner for the Renegades. Now that there are more options (according to the media) than there were last year, I hope the choice will be a better one.

Maybe now Gades fans will cut out the Wright-bashing, and go out and buy tickets.

I think the Gades are done. What owner wants to come in now, with all these losses sitting in front of him?
I think some posters here are dreaming. Better start debating the dispersal draft, and the CFL should never go back to Ottawa. The fans there ultimately let the team down. Not nearly enough support.

Good point ... sadly, it is true that any owner picking up the Renegades would be doing it out of charity, what with being faced with a wasted season (in terms of business) as well as those losses. On TSN an Ottawa correspondent to the Globe & Mail was saying that teams usually change hands in the middle to the end of the season, so that there's an entire off-season to work with.
Anyone who does step up to buy the Gades will take quite the initial hit in the pocket ... but hopefully that is offset by the fans seeing a new, qualified, credible owner, which they thank by buying tickets and supporting the team.
I just hope the media story of at least 2 potential buyers is true ...

It looks like the gades are ago with Smith, Gleibs and league money until the end of the season. They will find an owner that will take on the team probably late in the season this will take time even if Melnyk takes on the team.

It is time for the fans to step up. They are going to get new ownership only if the fans show they want football in Ottawa.

i wonder if melnyk would buy the team under the condition that;

glieberman still pays the 2-3 million and leaves, and the league pays the 2-3 million, they were gonna pay...thus melnyk gets the team without having to pay the millions to clean up messes created by other people.

this would give him 'a free year' to get things organized his way, so come next off-season he has complete control and can aquire free-agents for the 07 season.

well, although on life support, Ottawa and the CFL is safe for now.

sigh! (wipes sweat of face)

I am glad to see that Ottawa is up for sale. I mean, how can you trust an owner willing to sign Keri Joseph to such a huge deal, and then bring in a head coach that wasn't even good enough to be Matt Dunigans Offense coach? Good riddance to the Gleibs, and lets try and do our best to support the team when a new owner comes in. Maybe we could all buy some renegade merch. to help him out(if you don't live in ottawa), or buy tix if you do. Hey, it would look better than an EE jersey.