CFL takes over ownership of Alouettes
The Canadian Football League has taken ownership of the Montreal Alouettes after purchasing the franchise from the Wetenhall family, the league announced Friday.
The CFL said in a statement that it has been working with the Wetenhalls for "several months" to vet new owners and that the sale of the team to the league is "part of an orderly transition to new long-term ownership." No timeline was given for the completion of that transition.
"We want to reassure Alouettes players, coaches, staff, and fans that this is part of an orderly, step-by-step process that is entirely devoted to putting in place a new foundation for the Alouettes' and the CFL's success," commissioner Randy Ambrosie said. "Our conversations have led to significant interest by new ownership groups and we are confident in the process we initiated many months ago."
Alouettes president and CEO Patrick Boivin added: "Our operations and financial capability are intact through this season and we are operating business as usual."
Robert Wetenhall bought the Alouettes in 1997, almost a decade after the first iteration of the franchise folded and barely a year after it was restored following the end of U.S. expansion.
Under his leadership, the franchise enjoyed a golden age, winning three Grey Cups and making another five appearances in the championship game while earning 10 East Division titles. Wetenhall was elected to the CFL Hall of Fame in 2015.
But the franchise has been in decline ever since legendary quarterback Anthony Calvillo retired. The Als, who last won a championship in 2010, have missed the playoffs in each of the last four seasons as attendance has fallen. The failure of last year's Johnny Manziel experiment added yet another embarrassing chapter to a forgettable 5-13 season, and rumors of a pending ownership change have enveloped the franchise for months.
Former Alouettes player Eric Lapointe and Montreal businessman Clifford Starke are among those who have previously indicated some interest in buying the team, according to The Canadian Press.
The Alouettes lost their first preseason contest against the Toronto Argonauts on Thursday. They'll open the 2019 regular season on the road against the Edmonton Eskimos on June 14.