Eskimos' Maas fined for not wearing microphone

The CFL fined Edmonton Eskimos head coach Jason Maas $15,000 for not wearing a live microphone on the sidelines during Monday's game against the Montreal Alouettes, the league announced Wednesday.

The Eskimos were fined an additional $20,000.

"The failure of Edmonton Eskimos head coach Jason Maas to wear a live microphone during his club's game last Monday, October 10, was a direct contravention of a directive from this league's Board of Governors, a motion that was supported by all nine clubs," commissioner Jeffrey L. Orridge said.

"It was unfair to our fans, who had been promised a live mic game, to our broadcast partner, who had advertised a live mic game, and to the other clubs in the league who had abided by the Board’s directive to participate in live mic games. It was totally unacceptable. The Eskimos organization acknowledges this and has apologized."

Eskimos president Len Rhodes offered an apology following the news.

"Last Monday, our football club failed to honour the commitment we had previously made to the league to follow through on the live mic broadcast," Rhodes said. "By failing to act on our commitment, we let our peers down across the league. For this, we are sorry and we sincerely apologize to our league, our broadcast partner TSN, and to CFL fans from coast-to-coast."

The commissioner's statement added that if Maas refuses to wear the microphone again he'll be fined the maximum amount and suspended for the next game.