Riders ‘willing to play wherever’ to make sure 2021 season happens: Craig Dickenson

Photo courtesy: Justin Dunk

Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Craig Dickenson is all in on a 2021 Canadian Football League season.

The Riders bench boss admitted he saw the report about Edmonton being looked at as a potential bubble city for next year.

“Be it a bubble, playing out in the parking lot, wherever we need to do it, we are willing to go and play wherever we need to make sure we have a season this next year,” Dickenson said on 620 CKRM’s The Sportscage.

“Speaking for myself, the other coaches and the players, we want a season and we’ll do whatever it takes to have that season.”

Winnipeg was tentatively chosen as the hub city if the CFL played games this year. However, after a league-specific financial package was denied by the federal government, the CFL cancelled its 2020 season. Commissioner Randy Ambrosie and the board of governors are exploring scenarios for how to play football in the new year.

The league lost its number one source of revenue – game days with fans in the stands – when the COVID-19 pandemic prevented large gatherings. Unlike US-based leagues that can count on television or streaming to provide the lion’s share of their revenue, the CFL depends heavily on its live gate.

“I’m certainly hoping that we can have fans. All I know is I know we’re going to have a season or we’re going to try basically every possible option we’re going to put out there to have a season,” Dickenson said.

“We need to have a season, that’s the most important thing.”