Any hope of Simon Fraser University's (SFU) football program returning is officially gone.
Today, Jan. 15, the school announced its new strategy for Athletics and Recreation which includes guiding principles, core strategies and relevant key performance indicators to create alignment with the university's institutional "goals and commitment" to academic excellence.
In the announcement, the school revealed the varsity football program will not be revived and its original April 2023 decision has "been made final."
"The 2023 decision to discontinue the football program was due to the team no longer having a place to play," the release said.
"Over the past several years, the football landscape had changed significantly, and we no longer believed the program provided an exceptional experience for student-athletes."
On April 4, 2023, SFU President Joy Johnson announced the post-secondary institution had decided to end the program, effective immediately.
Earlier in the year, SFU said the Lone Star Conference decided not to renew the affiliate membership agreement with the school for football.
The Red Leafs were a part of NCAA Div. II competition — the second highest level of collegiate sports in the U.S.
Johnson said, at the time, that the decision was "difficult and not one taken lightly."
In an interview with the NOW two days later, now-former athletic director Theresa Hanson said the school explored multiple options, but none were feasible.
Hanson said SFU's athletics department started exploring other avenues once it was determined the conference renewal agreement was not going to be approved after the 2024 season.
She added the they talked to the NCAA, NAIA as well as U SPORTS, but the challenges to join other conferences would be too difficult.
Players from the program filed an injunction against the school to have the program returned, but B.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Stephens ruled against the injunction, saying he had "significant" doubt" about the strength of the merits of the plaintiff's claims.
"In my assessment, the plaintiffs have not demonstrated a strong prima facie case for their claim of breach of contract and negligent misrepresentation on its merit," he wrote.
"Having failed to demonstrate a strong prima facie case, the plaintiffs have not met the governing legal test to obtain a mandatory injunction."
A special advisor was appointed shorty after, asked to explore sustainable options for the future of the program.
Bob Copeland released his report on Sept. 18, 2023, saying before the cancellation of football, the athletic department was facing a structural budget deficit as high as $1.77 million, which had been growing "over the past several years."
He added exhibition games, proposed by the football alumni association for the 2023 season were not feasible while application fees required by U SPORTS and Canada West would total $368,000, which might be prohibitive given the financial struggles of the department.
Membership rules for U SPORTS and Canada West also don't allow for a school to participate in just one sport in the conference, which would also impact student-athletes in other sports.
“We recognize the program’s historic place in the province’s sporting history and are deeply proud of the football student-athletes who played with SFU over the years,” SFU Provost and Vice President, Academic Dilson Rassier said in Wednesday's announcement.
