By personally purchasing the Alouettes and providing them with Quebecor’s marketing machinery, Mr. Péladeau is making a civic gesture that honors him. The endless soap opera about owning the birds is finally settled. The organization will evolve under the leadership of a well-funded Quebec owner acting with a long-term perspective.

With the transaction confirmed on Friday, Mr. Péladeau was in high spirits. No wonder: Business people who are enthusiastic about sports dream of owning a professional club. Because teams bond emotionally to fans. They ignite a passion that their other companies don’t inspire in their customers.

Mr Péladeau explained it in his own way. He recalled buying “businesses” in his life: printing presses in Belgium, newspapers in British Columbia, web agencies in Chile… But every day since then Montreal newspaper expressed his interest in the Alouettes, he received many messages. People, he said, are happy to find a “local owner in Montreal, someone who doesn’t hesitate to get involved, someone who takes pride in their team, who takes pride in the environment they’ve been in for many has developed over the years.

No, it’s not like getting a National Hockey League (NHL) franchise. The impact is less, but so is the short-term financial risk. The Canadian Football League (CFL) operates on a minimal budget compared to the major North American professional circuits. Nevertheless, it is part of our sporting heritage and deserves to be looked after.

Mr Péladeau understood that well. It was nice to hear him talk about Sonny Wade, the team’s star quarterback when he was a kid.

Buying the Alouettes is not a big financial deal for him. And the upside prospects are slim, as evidenced by the decision not to integrate this asset into Quebecor. No question adding this “distraction” to a public company.

Here’s the former leader of the Parti Québécois shaking his fist in support of sovereignty when in 2014 he announced his candidacy to ride Saint-Jérôme, who has committed himself wholeheartedly to the most Canadian of professional leagues. “I’m not in politics anymore,” he recalls.

Mr. Péladeau praised Canada’s great cities and recalled his trips to Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary… And he says he was well received by the other team owners.

The opposite would have been surprising. The CFL needs a healthy team and a fresh dose of energy in Montreal. If he finds the right tone, Mr. Péladeau will help power the circuit.

Regarding his future relations with the person he will soon appoint as President of the Alouettes, Mr Péladeau specified: if we participate in a joint project, if we work on a project for the future, a Project, participate that pushes us towards success. »

We’ll see if Mr. Péladeau’s relationships with the other team owners will be as serene. We must not hide it: it is a test for him. A test that New York Commissioner Gary Bettman will be following closely should the NHL happen to take an interest in Quebec one day. However, this no longer appears in the maps.

Quebecor and Bell Media are fierce competitors. However, the broadcasting rights for the games of the Alouettes and all CFL teams are held by Bell Media (RDS and TSN) for at least three seasons. Ironically, if Quebecor manages to generate interest in the Alouettes thanks to its marketing machine, it should increase ratings… for Bell Media!

And what place will TVA Sports give the Alouettes in the so-called “extra programs”?

During the many years that Quebecor held the rights to CF Montreal/Montreal Impact games, the company brought the product to the air. Will we experience the same phenomenon? First, TVA Sports broadcast Mr Péladeau’s long press conference in full on Friday.

Another question: will Mr. Péladeau be satisfied with supervising the team on a sporting and financial level, or does he want to change the organisation? These are two different challenges.

In the first scenario, he would ensure that sports management has the financial means to support their ambitions while putting positive pressure on management to meet fans’ expectations on the field and provide them with a great experience.

The second scenario includes all of the objectives of the first. But it requires a more ambitious vision. Such as exploring the possibility of playing games elsewhere than McGill University Stadium. Will he and Joey Saputo want to develop a joint project for a new stadium?

Mr Péladeau reiterated that it is too early to talk about these issues and that is perfectly understandable. But in professional sports things happen quickly.

Whatever the medium-term future, Mr. Péladeau’s takeover of the Alouettes is an unexpected development. The team will no longer be the poor cousin of our sports ecosystem.

The fact that the Alouettes are still standing after difficult years shows the solidarity of the fans. And allows us, under Quebec’s leadership, to look to the future with optimism. The birds fly again in a blue sky.

The author of this column works with 98.5 and RDS.