Promised refunds for Halifax CFL season ticket deposits not happening, say some fans

After wondering where the refund was for a $100 deposit she had paid for a pair of season tickets for a proposed CFL franchise in Halifax, Sherry MacIsaac recently turned to the refund website’s chatbot.

The bot told her it didn't have "specific information about the status of individual requests or timelines for refunds," so she should contact the customer service team for help.

But that was a problem. The refund page has no contact information.

"It really just doesn't seem like there's been a sincere effort to make these refunds happen," said MacIsaac.

At least 6,000 deposits were made at $50 per seat before the Schooners quietly shut down operations in 2023.

Last year, the proponents behind the franchise promised to set up a refund website after some fans asked what happened to their money.

MacIsaac submitted her request last November and has not received her money back.

She's not alone. CBC News has spoken with around a dozen people who placed requests through the website, but have not received their refunds.

"My expectation was … it's sitting in a trust account somewhere and if this bid doesn't go forward, then it's all just going to go back to the hands of the people who had paid … for those season tickets," said MacIsaac, who grew up in Nova Scotia, but lives in Hamilton.

She planned to visit Nova Scotia for some games with her husband, but hand out the remaining tickets to family and friends.

Anthony LeBlanc, a former CEO of the Phoenix Coyotes, was a founding partner in Schooners Sports and Entertainment and the public face of the operation.

He did not respond to interview requests for this story but told CBC last fall that it would take 30 to 60 days for people to receive a refund after submitting their