CFL may take a time out from Moncton games, Cohon says

The Canadian Football League may be taking a timeout from hosting regular season games in Moncton after this weekend’s match-up between the Montreal Alouettes and Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

The CFL will be hosting its third Touchdown Atlantic game in Moncton on Saturday and a lot could be riding on its success.

The game still has roughly 1,000 tickets for sale.

Mark Cohon, the CFL’s commissioner, said ticket sales have been a little lighter than previous years.

Cohon said is too early to assess whether the CFL will return to Moncton next season.

“We'll analyze it whether that will be a future opportunity for us, you know, next year or the year after based upon our schedules,” Cohon said.

“So you have to remember we take a team out of their home date, so we have to make sure that the revenue that is generated from this game at least matches what they can do at home and if there's a possibility of doing that in the future we might consider other games."

Moncton sold out its first game in 2010 and sold 97 per cent of the roughly 20,000 tickets for its second event in 2011.

Only 16,000 tickets will be available for this year's game.

Cohon also talked about the ongoing discussion about locating a CFL team in the Maritimes.

Cohon said the CFL is still interested in a 10-team league, including a franchise in the Maritimes.

But he'd like to see to see a regional approach. Halifax has also expressed an interest in a team.

Cohon has estimated the Moncton stadium would likely need $100 million in upgrades to meet the league’s standards, including additional seating and better entertainment areas.