The once-proud franchise had suffered both on and off the field since Sam Berger sold the Alouettes in 1981.

In the previous six years, the team had only played .500 ball once (in 1985) and made the playoffs twice (winning the Eastern Semi-Final in 1985).

Owner Charles Bronfman had lost $15 million since rescuing the team in 1982, and was unwilling to stomach further losses without increased season ticket sales.

However, there were no credible buyers in the Montreal area, and no prospective candidates in other cities had a stadium that was adequate even for temporary use.

Ultimately, Bronfman and the CFL euthanized the team just a day before the start of the season.