CFL can't afford to lose Alouettes, former team president Smith says

As a two-time president of the Alouettes and a former CFL commissioner, Larry Smith has concerns over the future of the Montreal franchise, one that has already folded once, in 1987, due to instability at the ownership level.

“The league can’t afford to have a team (fold) and only have eight teams,” Smith, a member of Canada’s Senate, told the Montreal Gazette on Wednesday from his Ottawa office. “We lived through that for a period of time (with both Montreal and Ottawa). It’s not a preferred solution.

“I’m always going to be an Alouette and I feel very strongly about that,” said Smith, 71, who also served as president and publisher of The Gazette from 2002-04. “I’m concerned when I see things about us losing our top players. My biggest concern is about the ownership group … whatever exists in terms of ownership.”

The CFL is in the midst of weeklong period during which teams can negotiate with all pending free agents. But due to the holding pattern with ownership, general manager Danny Maciocia’s hands are tied and he isn’t conducting any talks. Instead, he’s preparing to watch as teams poach many of his players next week, when free agency begins.

Starting quarterback Trevor Harris and receiver Jake Wieneke have agreed in principle to sign with Saskatchewan, while it appears receiver Eugene Lewis, the East Division’s most outstanding player in 2022, will sign with Hamilton or B.C., according to sources. And backup QB Dominique Davis has agreed to a deal with the Lions.

Meanwhile, there has been nothing but silence from CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie and Als minority owner Gary Stern. There’s no way of determining the level of instability within the franchise or Stern’s future plans, if any. While some believe Ambrosie’s silence means he is working behind the scenes to locate new ownership, the longer this continues to fester, the more tenuous things appear.

“Montreal’s an important piece of the puzzle,” Smith said. “Does the league step in? What happens with Gary Stern? Is he going to try and run it and will it be run into the ground if there’s a shortage of funds and people aren’t being paid and compensated? So many issues are outstanding.

“Ambrosie plays a pretty important role in this. What type of communication should the commissioner have? That depends on where his head is at.”

When Smith became commissioner in 1992, the league was unstable. He was forced to resolve ownership issues in Hamilton, B.C. and Calgary. That meant “it was important for me to communicate as much as possible while, at the same time, trying to guard the confidentiality of the situation.”

Smith also was tied — although not financially — to Clifford Starke’s attempt to purchase the Als from the league before it decided to sell to Stern and the late Sid Spiegel (his estate now being controlled by two anonymous lawyers) in January 2020. Smith said Starke, the CEO of Franchise Global Health Inc., was the leader of a group with “substantial means” before he decided to withdraw his offer.

Smith resigned as CFL commissioner to become Als president in 1997 before leaving in 2001. He returned again three years later, remaining in the role until 2010 — periods during which the franchise was its most successful on and off the field.

“The fact is you own a CFL team because you have a commitment to your community,” he explained. “Preferably, it needs to be local, have deep pockets and recognize the fact one year you might make a million and the next, you could lose a million or two. You need a long-term commitment, recognizing there’s a way to make this work — heavy community involvement and strong leadership throughout your organization.

“It’s doable, but it’s a big challenge.”

With a mandatory Senate retirement age of 75 looming, Smith said he won’t rule out a possible third stint with the organization — albeit in more of a consulting role — under strong ownership. He remains young at heart, exercising five days a week.

“I’d do anything to help the situation, if needed,” he said. “I have some expertise … knowing what it takes to build a club.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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