Minority owner Gary Stern leaving Alouettes, keeping 25 per cent stake in CFL team

Once again, the CFL has an ownership issue with the Montreal Alouettes to deal with.

Minority owner Gary Stern announced Monday he's stepping away from the club's day-to-day operations as well as his position on the CFL board of governors.

"Today, I am forced to share with you my current reality; I can no longer be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Montreal Alouettes," Stern wrote in an open letter to Alouettes fans. "This was a very tough decision for me and my family, but it is a final decision.

"I love this team. I love Montreal and our fans. As a lifelong sports fan, my role with the Alouettes was a dream come true. I loved every minute of it."

Neither the CFL nor Alouettes immediately commented about Stern's letter.

Stern and his business partner/father-in-law, Sid Spiegel, purchased the Alouettes in January 2020 from the CFL, but Spiegel never saw the franchise play.

The CFL cancelled the '20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Spiegel died in July 2020. His age wasn't divulged, but Spiegel was listed as 89 when he and Stern purchased the Alouettes.

"My wife Julie and I still mourn the loss, just over a year ago, of her father Sid Spiegel, who was my lifelong partner in business and in our shared dream of owning the Alouettes," Stern wrote. "He was also my close partner in life.

"His death has effectively shelved the amazing plans we had for the Alouettes. We were ready and wanted to invest long-term in the future of the Alouettes. Due to COVID-19 cancelling CFL play, Sid, who was the 75 per cent majority owner, sadly never got a chance to see his team play. I will always regret that."

Stern also served as the Alouettes' CEO and added his 25 per cent ownership stake in the team "will remain."

"To