Argos co-owners weigh sale options

In response to a media report that alleges they are looking to sell the franchise, the co-owners of the Toronto Argonauts issued a statement Wednesday saying they are weighing their options.

An article in the Globe and Mail examines whether David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski are looking to cut ties with the club they have owned together since 2003.

The statement sent out by the owners addressed the issue but did not clarify their long-term intentions.

"We want to make it clear we remain the dedicated owners of the Toronto Argonauts, committed to the franchise's success both on and off the field, and particularly in the community," the joint statement begins.

"However, we do explore different opportunities and are weighing what is in the best interests of ourselves, our families and the future of the Toronto Argonauts."

They also promised to keep the CFL and commissioner Mark Cohon in the loop about any possible sale, but they "will not indulge in speculation that distracts from what remains our focus: what is best for a game, a team and a league that we truly cherish."

Cohon issued a statement of his own on Wednesday, assuring fans that he is in "constant communication" with all of the league's owners and governors.

"I am absolutely confident that they are committed to the integrity of our game, and what is in the best interests of our teams, our fans, and the future of our league," Cohon said in the statement.

Lions owner refutes report

The newspaper article also talked about a possible partnership with David Braley, owner of the CFL's B.C. Lions. Braley provided Cynamon and Sokolowski with half the $2-million franchise fee needed to purchase the Argonauts out of bankruptcy in 2003, and continued to lend cash to the team.

Braley issued his own statement on Wednesday, emphasizing that the Lions are " not for sale," and that his economic help to the Argos franchise was done purely out of what was best for the CFL as a whole.

"As an individual, I have always strived to act in the best interests of the Canadian Football League, something that unites this country and that I care deeply about, and I will always do what I can to strengthen our league, and my team, the B.C. Lions."

As for the "different opportunities" Sokolowski and Cynamon are exploring, it could be a nod to their participation in Ice Edge, a group that has shown an interest in buying the Phoenix Coyotes.