Spectators gather at Mosaic Stadium before CFL football action with the Saskatchewan Roughriders meeting the Montreal Alouettes in Regina on July 2, 2022. The CFL's return to play in 2021 was a profitable one for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The Roughriders posted a $3.9-million profit last season, the community-owned franchise announced at its annual general meeting Tuesday night. Saskatchewan finished second in the West Division in 2021 with a 9-5 record. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu
August 24, 2022 - 12:34 PM
REGINA - The CFL's return to play in 2021 was a profitable one for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.
The Roughriders posted a $3.9-million profit last season, the community-owned franchise announced at its annual general meeting Tuesday night. Saskatchewan finished second in the West Division in 2021 with a 9-5 record.
The Riders defeated Calgary 33-30 in overtime in the conference semifinal at Mosaic Stadium before dropping a 21-17 road decision to eventual Grey Cup-champion Winnipeg in the West final.
The CFL didn't play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before staging a 14-game season in 2021. So while the Riders were profitable last year, not playing in 2020 resulted in a loss of $8.4 million for the franchise.
That leaves the Roughriders with a net loss of about $4.5 million over the past two years. Saskatchewan hopes to recoup some of that when it hosts the 2022 Grey Cup game in November.
Total gross revenues in 2021-22 were $33.8 million compared to $10.3 million in 2020-21. And the franchise's operating expenses increased to $29.9 million from $18.7 million the year prior.
Merchandise sales increased 103 per cent from the year before, primarily because retail stores re-opened with an actual 2021 season.
Sponsorship revenues also increased to $7.2 million from $3.5 million the year before.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 24, 2022.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2022