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Cardinals face fundraising roadblock

The Yorkton Cardinals held their AGM last week, and things look bleak in terms of fundraising to reduce the team’s debt to allow a return to play in 2021.
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The Yorkton Cardinals held their AGM last week, and things look bleak in terms of fundraising to reduce the team’s debt to allow a return to play in 2021.

In the past year the team was able to reduce its debt by about $10,000, reported team spokesperson Mike Stackhouse.

That was the good news.

Officially, the team still owes $51,000 but that does not include a personal loan taken out by a private citizen a number of years ago, said Stackhouse.

“While all creditors are important, the reality is that a private person should never have to shoulder a financial load for a ball team and we will continue to work towards focusing on this particular debt and erasing it as soon as possible,” he said.

However, fundraising will be a difficult thing.

“The challenge for the team is a great one in that Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority will not issue a license to the Cardinals to fundraise during their leave of absence season,” said Stackhouse.

“The reason seems to be that since we are not actively involved on the field, we are disqualified from being able to have these licenses granted to us.”

Yorkton MLA Greg Ottenbreit said there is more than the SLGA involved in terms of rules, noting lotteries come under the Canada Criminal Code, where being in active sends up red flags of the potential of money laundering so teams have to be active to get licences.

Another point that Stackhouse offered as noteworthy is that SLGA will not issue licenses to help community teams like the Cardinals pay debts.

“It's supposed to be for current operating season revenue only,” he said.

Ottenbreit confirmed that money raised through an SLGA license can be used for emergency repairs, but are otherwise for operational costs from jerseys and baseballs to billet fees. It cannot be used to cover debt.

If the team disappears Stackhouse said much of the ultimate blame will lie with the SLGA and its rules.

“In essence, if this team is unable to continue after the 2020 calendar year, the provincial government and the cumbersome rules in place will be a reason why,” he said. “If licenses were able to be secured, you would be seeing this ball club in your face already with promotions and we'd be well on our way to hammering away at the money owed to various people/businesses.”

Stackhouse said the team would be reaching out to our MLA once again on this matter but the Cardinals seem “handcuffed at this point because steak nights, yard sales, and selling cupcakes just isn't going to cut it. We need promotions that allow us to bring in larger amounts of capital.”

Ottenbreit said that there are certainly options for fundraising that do not require an SLGA license such as cabarets, and silent auctions.

“They can do whatever they want to raise money other than gambling,” he said. “If people really see it as worthwhile they should be supporting it.”