The Atlantic Schooners are more than a football team concept — they’re a long-running promise to give Atlantic Canada its own place on the Canadian Football League map. Born from big dreams, tested by setbacks, and kept alive by loyal fans, the Schooners embody the spirit of the East Coast: resilient, proud, and always ready for the next wave.
The Schooners name surged back to life in 2018, when Schooners Sports and Entertainment reignited the push to bring professional football to Atlantic Canada.
Proposed base: Halifax, Nova Scotia, with potential temporary home games in Moncton, New Brunswick, anchored by the vision of a new stadium project in the Halifax area.
The Atlantic Schooners represent the dream of a truly coast-to-coast CFL, rooted in the culture, communities, and coastline of Atlantic Canada.
1982
Atlantic Canada (Dartmouth/Halifax, NS)
CFL (Expansion Concept)
Silver • Maritime Blue • Nautical Brass • White
In 1982, the CFL granted a conditional expansion franchise to the Atlantic Schooners, based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. The team was led by the Maritime Professional Football Club Ltd., including John Donoval, J.I. Albrecht, and R.B. Cameron. The plan was bold: the Schooners would kick off in 1984 as the CFL’s first Atlantic Canadian team. However, the required stadium funding never fully materialized — and in 1983, before a single snap was taken, the franchise was withdrawn.
A reminder that Atlantic Canada belongs in the national football conversation.
From Grey Cup gatherings to regional watch groups, supporters keep the dream alive.
The Schooners represent the missing piece in a truly national CFL footprint.
The Schooners name surged back to life in 2018, when a new ownership group, Schooners Sports and Entertainment, reignited the push to bring professional football to Atlantic Canada. The proposed base is Halifax, Nova Scotia, with potential temporary home games in Moncton, New Brunswick. A key element remains a new stadium project in the Halifax area. While stadium plans have faced funding hurdles and shifting priorities, the vision hasn’t faded.
