Montreal Alouettes Thread

[bannedforlife]

Stern stepping away from Alouettes
Minority owner stepping away from day-to-day operations with the franchise and resigning from his role with the CFL’s board of governors, Dave Naylor writes.
Dave Naylor TSN Football Insider August 29 2022

It appears the Montreal Alouettes are once again in the market for a new owner.

Outspoken minority owner Gary Stern is stepping away from day-to-day operations with the club and resigning from his role with the Canadian Football League’s board of governors, effective immediately.

Stern, who was also the team’s CEO, purchased the club in partnership with his late father-in-law Sid Spiegel in January of 2019. Spiegel passed away just over a year ago.

With Stern as 25 per cent owner, Spiegel’s passing put his 75 per cent share of the Alouettes under control of his estate.

The settlement of that estate remains a complicated matter, and it’s believed Stern has received little co-operation when it comes to matters concerning the Alouettes.

Stern will retain his share of the team but all other involvement with the club is over. By Monday morning, his previously active Twitter account had been deactivated.

While the league will undoubtedly need a new owner for its Montreal franchise, the current ownership remains in place at this time.

The league, which was informed of Stern’s intentions just recently, must now find a new owner for a franchise it operated at a significant loss for a full season in 2019. Stern and Spiegel took over roughly three months before the COVID-19 pandemic ground the league’s operations to a halt, forcing the cancellation of the 2020 season.

Stern has been publicly enthusiastic about the Alouettes, including a significant presence on social media. But as one person close to him put it, “This isn’t what he signed up for.”

Stern, who lives in Southern Ontario, is the CEO of Crawford Steel, the company founded by his late father-in-law.

Stern bought into the Alouettes at the urging of his longtime friend Dale Lastman, lawyer and director of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Argonauts. Lastman served as chair of the CFL board of governors from December of 2019 until February of 2022, when it was announced he was stepping down.

The CFL has been working with investment bankers to create an inventory of potential owners for expansion, or existing franchises, should they be needed.

The Alouettes were owned by Robert Wetenhall and his family from 1997 until 2018, at which time the league took over team operations while searching for a new owner. Wetenhall’s ownership oversaw a period of consistent on-field success up until 2013, during which time Percival Molson Stadium was expanded from roughly 20,000 seats to roughly 25,000.

Montreal recently drew its biggest home crowd of the season, announced at 21,024, while averaging between 16,000 and 17,000 fans per game.

It has been reported that the Alouettes lost $12 million in their final season under Wetenhall. It’s believed the other eight CFL teams had to commit roughly $1 million each to keep the team afloat under league ownership in 2019, some of which was refunded when Stern and Spiegel bought the team.

Stern told the Montreal Gazette last December that the team’s 2021 deficit was “higher than expected.”

The Alouettes are 4-6 on the season and host Ottawa this Friday.

[AngeloV]

I was disappointed that Eric Lapointe’s group was passed over in the first place or Allouettes ownership. To me it was a sign of giving MLSE too much say especially considering how little they seem to care about their own franchise. I don’t hold hope Lapointe still has interest.

[bannedforlife]

There were several groups interested in the Als (including the weed guy) plus I don't think having people like Doman and Cui (and their business connections) around will hurt finding new owners. We should also be reminded that just because the media may tell us who seems to be interested, that doesn't mean there aren't other groups interested. Stern, Doman and Cui (as President) all came out of the blue, they had no media presence for their future CFL involvement. Especially surprising since Doman, who came from a high profile BC family, had been after the Lions for years. Several groups were mentioned around the Lions sale, except Doman.

[gilthethrill]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gary Stern for his contributions to the Montreal Alouettes football organization and wish him will in his future endeavours.

[bannedforlife]

Montreal Alouettes’ owner Gary Stern leaves team operations, resigns from CFL board of governors
3Down Staff 3downnation.com August 29, 2022

Montreal Alouettes’ owner Gary Stern wrote an open letter revealing he has stepped away from the operations of his team and resigned from the CFL board of governors.

Stern purchased the Als in January of 2020 with his father-in-law and business partner Sid Spiegel via the corporate entity S and S Sportsco. Spiegel passed away in July 2021, two weeks before the club was scheduled to open the 2021 season and without ever having seen the team he owned play a game.

In his letter, Stern described his decision to step away from the team as “reluctant” but “firm.” He explained that the plans he and his father-in-law had for the team were “effectively shelved” following his death and that decisions related to team financing and operations rest with his estate.

Spiegel owned a 75 percent stake in the Alouettes, while Stern owned the remaining 25 percent. Stern indicated via his letter that his 25 percent ownership of the team will remain.

“I have been in touch with representatives of the majority shareholder of the Alouettes. I’m happy to report that they assured me that ‘business as usual’ continues for the club,” tweeted CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie on Monday afternoon.

Stern wasted no time making headlines when he declared that the “Argos suck” at his introductory press conference. He continued to generate conversation through a popular Twitter account that has since been deactivated, guaranteeing victories in a number of games and once suggesting that his team would “kill” Toronto.

Bob and Andrew Wetenhall brought the Alouettes back from insolvency in 1997 and owned the team for 22 years, winning three Grey Cup championships, finishing atop the East Division ten times, and posting a record of 223-172-1. Eleven members of the organization were inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame during their tenure, including Bob as a builder in 2015.

The league purchased the team from the Wetenhalls in May 2019 and spent months trying to secure a new owner for the organization. MLSE lawyer and director Dale Lastman, a longtime personal friend of Stern, played a significant role in Stern’s recruitment to the CFL as an owner for the Alouettes.

The following is the full open letter written by Alouettes’ owner Gary Stern on Monday.

Dear Alouette Fans and the Montreal community,

I write to you today to let you know that I have reluctantly, but firmly, decided to step away from my role on the CFL Board of Governors and my active day-to-day role as Operational Partner with the Montreal Alouettes. My one-quarter ownership stake in the team will remain.

This was a very tough decision for me and my family, but it is a final decision.

I love this team. I love Montreal and our fans.

As a life-long sports fan, my role with the Alouettes was a dream come true. I loved every minute of it.

I cannot thank our players, our staff, our fans and the Montreal community enough for everything you have done to help make my dream a reality.

Today, I am forced to share with you my current reality; I can no longer be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Montreal Alouettes.

My wife Julie and I still mourn the loss, just over a year ago, of her father Sid Spiegel, who was my lifelong partner in business and in our shared dream of owning the Alouettes. He was also my close partner in life.

His death has effectively shelved the amazing plans we had for the Alouettes.

From the time we were first approached about this opportunity in 2019 and throughout our ownership, the dream Sid and I shared was to take the Alouettes to the promised land: a strong financial foundation, a growing fan base, a Grey Cup winning team, and deeper engagement with our fans and the Montreal community. We were ready and wanted to invest long-term in the future of the Alouettes.

Due to COVID-19 cancelling CFL play, Sid, who was the 75 per cent majority owner, sadly never got a chance to see his team play. I will always regret that.

Today, decisions related to team financing and operations rest with Sid’s estate. The close partnership Sid and I had, which included our shared love of sports and our ability to grow our team the way we have invested and grown our other joint businesses for decades, no longer exists.

I wish nothing but the best for our team, our fans and our community. I remain one of the Alouettes’ and the CFL’s biggest fans. But I will be cheering from the sidelines as I return to my role as a private citizen and step back. Thank you to everyone in Montreal. I will always cherish the memories we have made.

[bannedforlife]

Alouettes’ president Mario Cecchini addresses Gary Stern’s departure, says he’s unaware if team will be sold
3Down Staff 3downnation.com August 29, 2022

Montreal Alouettes’ president Mario Cecchini addressed the sudden departure of minority owner Gary Stern on Monday, indicating that he will now be reporting to the estate of late majority owner Sid Spiegel.

“Gary Stern has decided to step down from daily duties of being in contact with me and the team as far as operations is concerned. One thing that people need to understand is that the ownership structure of the Alouettes remains the same: it is 75 percent owned by what now is called the estate of Sid Spiegel and 25 percent by Gary Stern,” Cecchini told the media in Montreal.

“What effectively happened this morning is that the estate and Gary I guess jointly decided that I would now report on a daily basis to the 75 percent part of the ownership and not the 25 percent anymore.”

Stern purchased the Als in January of 2020 with his father-in-law and business partner Sid Spiegel via the corporate entity S and S Sportsco. Spiegel passed away in July 2021, two weeks before the club was scheduled to open the 2021 season and without ever having seen the team he owned play a game.

Stern published an open letter on Monday morning revealing that he had stepped away from the team and resigned from the CFL’s board of governors, though his 25 percent ownership of the Alouettes would remain. League commissioner Randy Ambrosie indicated via Twitter that he has been in touch with representatives from Spiegel’s estate and they have assured him that the club may carry on with “business as usual” despite the recent shake-up.

“They will probably name someone who will be my daily contact with them moving forward and then we’ll see everything that’s gonna evolve from that,” said Cecchini. “I’ve not had a long conversation with them, just a quick one this morning, and we will have a longer meeting tomorrow afternoon with two persons representing the estate of Mr. Spiegel.”

Cecchini told the French-language media that Stern struggled with the team having little to no income during the COVID-19 pandemic, but reiterated that he remained excited about rebuilding the club’s success on and off the field. The team recently drew its largest crowd in a number of years, hosting 21,024 fans for their 29-28 victory over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

TSN’s Dave Naylor reported that the team is expected to be sold, likening the situation to that of David Braley’s passing in October 2020 while he still owned the B.C. Lions.

Cecchini said no conversations regarding a possible ownership change have taken place, though he acknowledged the rumours suggesting the team will be sold. He also indicated that Quebec-based investors have previously approached him regarding the possibility of becoming involved with the team as part of Stern’s initial plan to welcome local minority stakeholders.

Montreal currently sits second in the East Division with a 4-6 record and will host the Ottawa Redblacks (2-8) on Friday evening with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. EDT.

[bannedforlife]

As Alouettes ownership storm brews, it's 'business as usual' for now
With minority owner Gary Stern stepping away from team operations and the CFL's board of governors, franchise could soon be up for sale again.
Herb Zurkowsky Montreal Gazette August 29, 2022

For the moment, despite Gary Stern’s insistence on Monday it had to be about him — yet again — nothing has changed at the ownership level of the Alouettes and it’s business as usual.

But this certainly appears to be the calm before the storm. In all likelihood this winter, for the second time since 2019, the Als will be for sale. Perhaps Éric Lapointe, the team’s former running back, will ride to the rescue? If not, the CFL — and specifically commissioner Randy Ambrosie, who created this potential mess — will be left to assume ownership and pay the bills until someone else with deep pockets emerges.

Stern, the bombastic and outspoken minority shareholder in the team, announced Monday he was stepping away from the team’s day-to-day operations and was resigning from the league’s board of governors. Stern wrote an open letter to fans, distributed to the media by a Toronto public relations firm, stating his decision was “reluctant” but “firm.” But he also stressed his 25-per-cent stake in the club would remain unchanged.

Stern, an Ontario steel magnate, purchased the team with Sid Spiegel, his father-in-law and business partner, in January 2020. Spiegel died last summer, never having seen the Als play. His estate controls the team’s majority 75-per-cent ownership.

There are two executors of the estate and, while Als president Mario Cecchini refused to divulge their identity, he has been assured they’ll continue paying the bills and meeting the team payroll.

“It’s really business as usual,” Cecchini told the Montreal Gazette by telephone, after attending Monday’s practice at Molson Stadium and reassuring the players they would continue receiving their salaries. “There’s no change in ownership and it’s the same people paying the bills.

“The estate hasn’t told me anything about selling the team. They own the control.”

But with Spiegel having passed, how long will the estate want to continue investing in a team that could lose an estimated $4 million to $5 million this season, depending on attendance and how far the Als advance?

Neither Stern nor Ambrosie were available for comment on Monday, although the commissioner tweeted he had been in touch with the executors and had been assured it was “business as usual.”

Montreal’s CFL franchise was a model of excellence and consistency under the stewardship of Robert Wetenhall and his son, Andrew, for 22 years beginning in 1997, winning three Grey Cups, reaching the title game another five times and finishing first in the East Division 10 times. But beginning in 2015, the team failed to make the playoffs four consecutive seasons, attendance plummeted and the franchise lost $12 million its final season under the family, forcing the CFL to assume control in 2019.

But while Robert Wetenhall said little over the years, Stern took a different approach and became vocal on social media, guaranteeing victories repeatedly while once declaring the Als would “kill” Toronto. While some viewed his approach as entertaining, it probably didn’t sit well with members of the organization. Nor, it’s imagined, could interim head coach Danny Maciocia have enjoyed seeing Stern close to the team’s bench some games, eschewing private suites that were readily available.

While it’s unlikely Stern grew tired of losing money — he’s not walking away from his stake for now — he might have butted heads with the CFL or Spiegel’s estate. For now, however, Stern rekindles memories of Jim Speros, the U.S. businessman who claimed he owned the Als in 1996, upon their return to the league, when in fact it was Dr. Michael Gelfand paying the bills until Robert Wetenhall rescued the team from insolvency.

If the Als are, or are about to become, a financial mess, culpability lies squarely at the feet of Ambrosie.

The commissioner could have sold the team to Lapointe, the managing director at Stonegate Private Counsel, who never hid his interest and desire in 2019, but kept running into roadblocks being placed by Ambrosie for reasons that were never fully explained.

Lapointe said he had at least 20 influential Quebec businessmen, each worth between $60 million and $150 million, who believed in his project and were ready to invest in the team at that time. Lapointe’s group also had plans to build a South Shore practice facility. But Ambrosie never had a desire to see the franchise in the hands of local ownership.

In a text message to the Montreal Gazette on Monday, Lapointe, who was returning from vacation, made it clear his love affair with the Als hasn’t waned, but was reluctant to speculate on what remains a hypothetical scenario.

“I’m not sure what to say,” Lapointe wrote. “If (Stern’s) stuck in a complicated succession, it could probably take up to three years to be concluded and not be fun at all. It’s sad for the team. A strong ownership is always important, as everything starts from the top.”

Nonetheless, it has been a tumultuous few days for the Als, who are coming off a bye week in the schedule and were rocked by last week’s news of fullback Christophe Normand’s arrest on a charge of luring. Normand has been suspended while the investigation continues, but he has probably played his last game for Montreal.

The Als, on a two-game winning streak, entertain Ottawa on Friday.

[bannedforlife]

[IMG][/IMG]

[OV Argo]

WTF - with that report on Ambrosie re Lapointe and his investors ?

[kellynjk]

Why on earth would Ambroise not want the team to be under local ownership? Makes no sense as it seems to be the most likely scenario to make the franchise a success? Gotta wonder about Ambroise leadership of the CFL?!!!

[jerrym]

Trevor Harris showed he can still get the job done last week in going 24/31 for 382 yards and 3 TDs. In Efficiency at 96.7 he ranks third behind only Rourke and Collaros for the season for the top ten passers in yardage.

He is only slightly ahead of the much-maligned MBT in passing efficiency.

My point was that he was getting the job done, not that he is a great QB. This was in reference to a number of posters over the last couple of years here who had said he was washed up.

[jerrym]

I always wondered why Lapointe and his team wasn't given the opportunity to own the team. It didn't make sense to me.

[jerrym]

The Als have completed a trade with the Elks.

The Als sent defensive lineman Avery Ellis and a 2023 third-round draft pick to the Elks for defensive back Nafees Lyon and defensive lineman Thomas Costigan.
Ellis, 27, was in his first season in Montreal and recorded 17 tackles with three sacks over nine games.
Lyon, 25, is a second-year player out of Charlotte and has made 25 tackles with one interception and one sack over eight games.
Costigan, 25, is in his second CFL season and has made 14 tackles with three sacks over 11 games.

https://www.tsn.ca/montreal-alouette...elks-1.1842935

[bannedforlife]

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Gary Stern for his contributions to the Montreal Alouettes football organization and wish him will in his future endeavours.

Heeee's back, Stern is back on Twitter where he should have been all along as little has changed with the Als.

[jerrym]

American DL Jamal Davis II has returned to the Als after attending TC with LA Chargers.

In 2021 with the Alouettes, the Canton, OH native became a key figure in the rotation after starting the season on the practice roster. He registered 17 defensive tackles and four sacks in only nine games with Montreal, in addition to scoring a 19-yard touchdown on a fumble recovery.

https://www.cfl.ca/2022/09/16/als-br...amal-davis-ii/

[Will]

http://

#AlsMTL RB @WillStanback28 is in pads and practicing with the team

— Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) September 27, 2022

[jerrym]

LB Tyrice Bevrette was named Player of the Week after a 100 yard INT for a TD, 5 DTS, and a pass knockdown against the Elks.

https://en.montrealalouettes.com/202...r-of-the-week/

[Will]

Looks like we'll be saying Dominique Davis at QB on Saturday.

[jerrym]

Wieneke had a disappointing regular season with less than 600 receiving yards but was central to the Als win over Hamilton with 5 catches for 60 yards and a TD. The Argos better cover him well or he could burn them badly.

[jerrym]

Here's a look at the Als' free agent list that includes Trevor Harris and Eugene Lewis.

https://3downnation.com/2022/11/23/t...ee-agent-list/