Riders report loss of $7.5 million after 2020 CFL season cancelled due to COVID-19

REGINA – The Saskatchewan Roughriders reported a loss of $7.5 million at their 2020-21 annual general meeting as the club deals with the financial fallout from the cancellation of the 2020 CFL season.

The club said in a release that its operating revenues dropped 74 per cent to $10.3 million in 2020-21 due to the cancellation of the season and other issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Roughriders said $3.9 million of those revenues came from federal pandemic relief programs.

The Roughriders posted operating revenues of $39.6 million and a net loss of net loss of $210,064 in 2019-20.

The team said it is facing a roughly $6-million cash flow deficit from its operations, and is expecting “significantly more” moving forward as it recovers from the pandemic.

The CFL is set to kick off an abbreviated 14-game 2021 season on Aug. 5.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2021.