Vincenzo Guzzo puts buying Alouettes on hold due to ‘personal conflicts with people around the deal’

Montreal entrepreneur Vincenzo Guzzo has hit the pause button regarding potentially buying the Montreal Alouettes due to a ‘conflict with a person at the heart of the discussions’, according to CBC Radio Canada reporter Michel Chabot.

Guzzo was spotted having dinner with CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie at a Toronto restaurant May 14. The CFL reportedly wanted Guzzo to be the new owner of the Alouettes. According to multiple reports the league is reportedly running the Alouettes and have been searching for a new owner to take over from Robert Wetenhall.

Coincidentally, I had a brief conversation with him yesterday. He indicated there was now a big IF behind his potential purchase of the team. I wasn’t going to tweet anything until I saw this https://t.co/taNzIjvYB7

3:00

↑ what lands at 3 p.m. daily

3DownNation Daily

Get game analysis, stats, and more daily at 3pm

Here’s exactly what you’ll get.

One email. Every weekday at 3 p.m. Your daily CFL briefing.

• ✓ Canadian football's biggest stories
• ✓ Smart game analysis
• ✓ Every CFL transaction covered with exclusive insight

Email Address

Subscribe →

Free. Unsubscribe anytime. By signing up you agree to receive daily emails from 3DownNation, as well as our terms of service and privacy policy. 1900 Rose St, Regina SK S4P 0A9.

— Herb Zurkowsky (@HerbZurkowsky1) May 27, 2019

The 49-year-old businessman is the president and CEO of Cinemas Guzzo, the largest movie operator in Quebec with 10 locations. He’s also the CEO for Groupe Guzzo, a construction company, Guzzo Hospitality and Guzzo Medical Services. He has been on the CBC show Dragon’s Den as an investor since September, 2018.

The Wetenhall’s has owned the Alouettes since 1997 when he brought the team back from the brink of insolvency. He was responsible for the team’s successful relocation to Percival Molson Stadium and eventually expansion while overseeing the team’s run of dominance from 1999 to 2012 when the Als finished first in the East Division nine times in 14 seasons, winning three Grey Cups.

The team has fallen on hard times in recent years, missing the playoffs for four straight seasons, the longest streak in franchise history. The Alouettes have struggled at the gate as well as fans have tired of the perpetual on-field ineptitude.

Providing strong local ownership such as Guzzo could have benefitted the Alouettes franchise, but the personal conflicts have gotten in the way of a transaction at the current time.

3Down Staff