'I need your help': BC Lions owner plans to match donations to restore SFU football program

The owner of the BC Lions has pledged financial support to resuscitate the football program at Simon Fraser University.

On Wednesday, owner Amar Doman posted a video on the CFL team’s social media channels, saying: “We are doing everything we can to save SFU Football.”

Doman said that for every 100 people who donate to a fund to raise money to support SFU student-athletes, he and the team will match the donations.

On April 25, the SFU Football Alumni Society, along with Doman, are hosting an event called, “1 Day 4 SFU Football” — the goal being to raise money for the program.

According to a news release, Doman and other community leaders will match donations, up to a maximum of $500,000 in total contributions. The goal is to have more than 1,000 people donate to the cause.

“We feel as SFU Football Alumni we need to provide more financial support to the football program and student-athletes, even if SFU administration says that their recent decision isn’t about money,” SFUFAS Chair Mark Bailey said in a Wednesday news release.

Earlier this month, the university announced that Canada's only NCAA varsity football program would be discontinued, citing challenges to find a conference to play in once the upcoming 2023 season is over.

The announcement prompted backlash from players and alumni, and led five SFU football players to file for an injunction in B.C. Supreme Court aimed at stopping the discontinuation of the school's football program.