Improvements to CFL

[Bleujayone]

After bouncing back and forth between Canada and America, I've seen more than my share of football, and I have to say the CFL needs to do some things to make themselves a better presented product- not among Americans, but simply with people in Canada.

Despite the tradition, many people in Canada beleive the NFL is a much higher caliber of football. My opinion is that there's less they should concern with the game itself and more in how it's presented. There's nothing wrong with the game itself, but it needs to be more accessable and more significant. Basically it's all in the presentation.

I came up with some ideas to make the CFL football games more accessable.

Please note: none of these ideas includes changing the rules to American football nor expanding to Ameican cities. Wouldn't want to ruffle the purists.

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10. Expansion- I think the majority of people in here agree the CFL should expand to at least 10 teams. Return a team to Ottawa and another elswhere such as Quebec City, Halifax, or Windsor. I wouldn't bother trying to put a team stateside at this time.

9. Reduce the number of games in a season- Currently the league has an 18 game season. Most teams find it very hard to fill the stands for all those games, and since teams with losing records get in many of these games mean very little in the grand scheme of things. Nothing too drastic, just go from 18 down to 14. Keep the 2 preseason games, and have a rotating bye week for two teams at a time for five weeks in the middle of the season.

8. Fewer games against the same teams. Toronto and Hamilton face each other twice in the preseason, four times in the regular season, and theoretically another time in the playoffs. That's a whopping seven times the same two teams see each other in one season. Continuing from the first two, each team should face teams in their own division twice (home & home), one team in the other division twice, and four of the five teams only once. Making for a total of 14 games. As for the preseason games, they should be neutral sites within Canada against teams they only face against once during the regular season.

7. Keep all the games to one day of the week- Well four games on Sunday and one on Monday night. Right now some games are on Thursday, some Friday, some Saturday, Sunday, Monday....you get the idea. The NFL got the right idea making Sunday- Game Day. Also make only one game fall on Labo(u)r Day and Thanksgiving as they're both Monday games anyway. Fridays for high school, Saturdays for college & university, Sundays for pros. Works for me. Also by having a choice of four games- two at a time over 6 hours- networks can switch to the better games if one becomes a boring blowout.

6. Make a shot in playoffs worth something- I've seen teams with .500 records and even losing records qualify for the playoffs...no...win the freaking championship. What a joke. Instead of filling the playoffs with teams who didn't earn it, make it easy. Regular season division champions get to host the playoff games against the teams that came in second. No chance of anything other than a winning record getting in. It might even mean a team with a winning record has to sit out (just like the NFL) so that might motivate some teams to actually play to win during the regular season.

5. Get rid of the predetermined site for the championship- This isn't the NFL, Canada doesn't have warm cities to hold the games. I've seen the Grey Cup, and quite often it isn't sold out. Regular season games I can see, but empty seats at a championship games- no. I say the team with the best record gets to host the championship. That way their fans are sure to come. Most fans are not going to buy tickets to a game in advance that may not have their team there, and even if they did most of them really don't wan't to pay to travel elsewhere. What makes more sense- having a championship between Vancouver (BC) and Montreal held in Winnipeg, or in one of the cities where people will care more about the outcome? I'd rather see a sold-out Commonwealth Stadium cheering on their Eskimos, than a less than filled stadium because people didn't want to fly out somewhere else or not go to a game in their town because the local team was eliminated.

4. One extra week bye between playoff games and championship- Give people that extra week to sell tickets and really hype it up properly. If the game is held in the city of one of the two teams involved, two weeks is more than enough time. Also it would kick the championship date to the weekend of American Thanksgiving. Plenty of people would be sitting at home looking for football games. Better exposure to potential fans in the south.

3. All-Star Game- Hold an All-Star game (East vs. West) the day before the Grey Cup at the same stadium. Both sides will consist of players from the remaining 8 teams not in the championship, although players named to the team would be recognized in pre-game. This gives a chance to highlight the league's best players in a championship atmosphere.

2. Get to know the timezones- West coast games to be scheduled for the afternoon, East coast games for the early evening. It's silly to have games in the east kickoff at 1PM local and have people in the west still having breakfast. It's just as silly to have a game in the evening in the west when people in the east are getting ready to turn in. Have west coast games kickoff at 1PM local time/4PM in the east. That way games in the east can kickoff at 7PM local time/4PM in the west. This way more people are more likely to see games when they want to.

1. Give it all away in preseason- give away the preseason tickets. Seriously. Radio stations, YMCA, boy scouts, Rotary club, CAA- whatever. Give them away and write off the expense as a tax expense business write off. You'll have more people in the stand thant you would anyway, and if enough people enjoy a football with a big crowd, then maybe they'll want to come back for the regular season.

[Jezus_Ghoti]

I've seen the Grey Cup, and quite often it isn't sold out.

That's not really true at all.

[NJTank]

Yeah Expansion, all games on one day are great ideas, as is a ASG but before the GRey Cup? I dont know.

[DGivens87]

How about selling replica jerseys with actual names & numbers on them for less than $85 US dollars? I'd pick up an Eskimos or TigerCats jersey and rock it around the neighborhood, but I'm not gonna pay over $100 to do it...

[Stampman]

I have to disagree with you on a lot of what you posted.

The CFL is my favorte sports league--and yes it needs some tweaks, as do all leagues, but I can't go along with all the suggestions--

Here's a breakdown of my comments-

10. Expansion- I think the majority of people in here agree the CFL should expand to at least 10 teams. Return a team to Ottawa and another elswhere such as Quebec City, Halifax, or Windsor. I wouldn't bother trying to put a team stateside at this time.

I mostly agree, but it has to be done carefully, and not for the sake of having 2 more teams--the CFL is better off staying at 8 teams until new team owners are secure and carefully checked out.

9. Reduce the number of games in a season-

14 games is too few. I like the 18 game season. I remember the 16 game season, and I think the 18 game seaon is better. It has more of a buildup to me.

Most people I know like the 18 games as well. PLUS--the CFL is a gate driven league. They don't have a ridiculous TV deal like the NFL. Reducing the number of games hurts the bottom line--It won't fly.

8. Fewer games against the same teams. 

It depends how it's done. With 10 teams this would happen more. This season the schedule is wonky but because it was thrown together at the last second when the Renegades folded.

I like at least 2 games against each team. Tehre have been seasons in the past they didn't do that--just one game against some teams. I like the chance to see all the teams at a home game. With 8 teams there's no reason they can't do that.

Also I like 3 or 4 games against the big rivals. The Stamps Esks games are ones the fans really get up for.

7. Keep all the games to one day of the week- Well four games on Sunday and one on Monday night.

I prefer Friday or Saturday games--and a lot of fans do as well.

Also make only one game fall on Labo(u)r Day and Thanksgiving as they're both Monday games anyway.

That won't fly--the Labour Day games are ingrained in the CFL psyche--who's going to give up the Labour Day game? It's the last game of summer, and often the most highly attended. It's an afternoon game while it's still nice outside. I don't see any of the 3 host teams giving it up without a fight.

Fridays for high school, Saturdays for college & university, Sundays for pros. Works for me.

High School and university football aren't as big a deal in Canada as the US--maybe that should change--but this is unnecessary for Canada.

6. Make a shot in playoffs worth something- I've seen teams with .500 records and even losing records qualify for the playoffs...no...win the freaking championship. What a joke.

Not really--they won it didn't they?

Plus it is possible for a sub .500 team to make the playoffs in the NFL by winning a weak division.

Instead of filling the playoffs with teams who didn't earn it, make it easy. Regular season division champions get to host the playoff games against the teams that came in second. No chance of anything other than a winning record getting in.

There have been seasons where the East division had one storng team and 3 weak teams and the second place team was below .500--it could happen again.

it's also about who gets hot. in 2001 when the Stampeders were 8-10 and won the Grey Cup they had a weak first half--mostly due to injuries, abut they were hot down the stretch and were the top team in the second half of the regular season.

5. Get rid of the predetermined site for the championship.

No--the Grey Cup is a party--there are fans who have been to most of the games for decades--yes decades. They need to reach the younger fans and make the GRey Cup game affordable for families--that would help much more.

The Grey Cup was a party before the SUper Bowl existed, and the weather is an important part of Grey Cup history.

4. One extra week bye between playoff games and championship-

The extra week builds complacency--ask the players--they want to play. I believe this is a big reaosn why the Grey Cup is usually an exciting, entertaining game, and the Super Bowl is often a snoozefest.

Give people that extra week to sell tickets and really hype it up properly.

This is the CFL, not the NFL.

Also it would kick the championship date to the weekend of American Thanksgiving. Plenty of people would be sitting at home looking for football games. Better exposure to potential fans in the south.

Why would more Americans watch on American Thanksgiving?

3. All-Star Game- Hold an All-Star game (East vs. West) the day before the Grey Cup at the same stadium.

It's been tried and it doesn't work.

Besides ALl Star games are boring. MAybe instead do a skills competition. SInce the CFL holds the player Awards during Grey Cup week you already have some of the top players around--even if their team is our

2. Get to know the timezones- West coast games to be scheduled for the afternoon, East coast games for the early evening. It's silly to have games in the east kickoff at 1PM local and have people in the west still having breakfast.

Late Breakfast. But I'll agree here in that they do schedule games oddly at times.

1. Give it all away in preseason- give away the preseason tickets. Seriously. Radio stations, YMCA, boy scouts, Rotary club, CAA- whatever. Give them away and write off the expense as a tax expense business write off. You'll have more people in the stand thant you would anyway, and if enough people enjoy a football with a big crowd, then maybe they'll want to come back for the regular season.

This is one I can back fully.

[sean69]

Yeah let's call it NFL2 with all the suggestions put in by bleujayone..... I don't think so!! Why change if it ain't broke.

Yes it would be nice to have a 10 team league but it will get there soon enough. If your Canadian, growing up with this brand of football, you get it. If your American you won't get it. In Canada, a reasent poll stated that the TV rating for the CFL are actually higher than the NFL and NHL. I guess we's doing OK.

[Bleujayone]

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While I always welcome opinions here, I think I need to retort much of Stampman's response

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I have to disagree with you on a lot of what you posted.

The CFL is my favorte sports league--and yes it needs some tweaks, as do all leagues, but I can't go along with all the suggestions--

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-And never would I ask you to (who do you think I am, Dan Snyder?), but "tweaks" is a bit of an understatement. I'm not saying the game itself needs to be changed but rather on its accessabilty and presentation.

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Here's a breakdown of my comments-

10. Expansion- I think the majority of people in here

agree the CFL should expand to at least 10 teams. Return a team to Ottawa and another elswhere such as Quebec City, Halifax, or Windsor. I wouldn't bother trying to put a team stateside at this time.

I mostly agree, but it has to be done carefully, and not for the sake of having 2 more teams--the CFL is better off staying at 8 teams until new team owners are secure and carefully checked out.

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-That's just a given. Otherwise you might as well waste another franchise on the Gliebermans. That isn't anything but good business in any industry.

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9. Reduce the number of games in a season-

14 games is too few. I like the 18 game season. I remember the 16 game season, and I think the 18 game seaon is better. It has more of a buildup to me.

Most people I know like the 18 games as well. PLUS--the CFL is a gate driven league. They don't have a ridiculous TV deal like the NFL. Reducing the number of games hurts the bottom line--It won't fly.

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-If they like the 18 games so much, they need to attend more game, or at the least watch it on TV. Despite calls of TV ratings improving, CFL football stil has lower ratings than baseball, US college football, and NFL football- and that's just among Canadian viewers. If you like what you see, more support needs to be done. If the league it so gate driven, it needs to do a whole lot more collectivly to do so. Few to none of the teams in this league can claim sellouts for their entire schedule. It's decieving for a team like Montreal to claim they have sellouts when they play most of their gams at McGill with a capcity of just under 20,000 and struggle to fill Olympique Stadium at 50,000. I'm not saying the league should only have 8 games a season, but it's far more realistic to sell tickets for fewer games than more. With 14 games- each game would be more mathematicaly important and people would be more inclined to go to a game if there are fewer games they can go to later.

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8. Fewer games against the same teams. 

It depends how it's done. With 10 teams this would happen more. This season the schedule is wonky but because it was thrown together at the last second when the Renegades folded. I like at least 2 games against each team. There have been seasons in the past they didn't do that--just one game against some teams. I like the chance to see all the teams at a home game. With 8 teams there's no reason they can't do that. Also I like 3 or 4 games against the big rivals. The Stamps Esks games are ones the fans really get up for.

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-Hey I like when the Pats and Jets butt heads every year, but I think it would lose it's charm after a half dozen times. The CFL is like this because you have only 8 teams trying to fill an 18 game schedule (20 counting the preseason) Hence why there should be fewer games. Also, if you play everyone the same amount, what's the point of having divisions? You might as well eliminate the divisions and simply qualify the top four teams for the playoffs regardless of geographical location.

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7. Keep all the games to one day of the week- Well four games on Sunday and one on Monday night.

I prefer Friday or Saturday games--and a lot of fans do as well.

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-Fine. Just pick a day. Designate that as football night. As it the only two days that DON'T host games are Tuesdays and Wednesday. If people know there a given day of the week for games they'll be more inclined to keep that day of the week open.

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Also make only one game fall on Labo(u)r Day and Thanksgiving as they're both Monday games anyway.

That won't fly--the Labour Day games are ingrained in the CFL psyche--who's going to give up the Labour Day game? It's the last game of summer, and often the most highly attended. It's an afternoon game while it's still nice outside. I don't see any of the 3 host teams giving it up without a fight.

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-Unfortunatly, I think you give too much credit to how important these games actually are to the collective Canadian public. Most everyone here that I've asked about this get more excited about other sporting events. If you want this to matter more, you need to make it more special by having few teams play on it. I don't care if teams don't like it, if they don't sell out these games, they shouldn't get to have one. Besides it should be more of a rotaing basis anyway as there are so few teams to start with. The NFL for a long time has only had 2 Thanksgiving games host by Dallas and Detroit. People that don't even follow Dallas or Detroit watch the games then just because they're there.They are adding another one this year, But really despite the fact there are 32 teams it should be kept to a special few.

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Fridays for high school, Saturdays for college & university, Sundays for pros. Works for me.

High School and university football aren't as big a deal in Canada as the US--maybe that should change--but this is unnecessary for Canada.

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-And this is yet another reason why football is looked at as a third-tier sport in Canada. They are competing against they very people they want as fans. If you want younger fans to get involved, you need them to be able to watch the games- not on school nights or against times when they themselves might be playing.

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6. Make a shot in playoffs worth something- I've seen teams with .500 records and even losing records qualify for the playoffs...no...win the freaking championship. What a joke.

Not really--they won it didn't they? Plus it is possible for a sub .500 team to make the playoffs in the NFL by winning a weak division.

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-Possible, sure but highly unlikely. Show me an 8-8 or even a 6-10 team that won the Super Bowl and you might have something. It's a rare thing to see a .500 team even considered for a wild card spot. After which I'll show the NFL would scrap they playoff system for a new one to see that such a thing doesn't happen again. It's more likely to see a 10-6 or even on a rare occation an 11-5 team be left out in the cold in the NFL. In the CFL it's a given that someone with a sub-par season still gets to go- every year. It makes the regular season almost meaningless if you can still half-ass your way into the playoffs.

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Instead of filling the playoffs with teams who didn't earn it, make it easy. Regular season division champions get to host the playoff games against the teams that came in second. No chance of anything other than a winning record getting in.

There have been seasons where the East division had one storng team and 3 weak teams and the second place team was below .500--it could happen again. It's also about who gets hot. in 2001 when the Stampeders were 8-10 and won the Grey Cup they had a weak first half--mostly due to injuries, abut they were hot down the stretch and were the top team in the second half of the regular season.

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-Again what's the point of having an 18 games season and two divisions if almost everybody gets to go? After 18 games injuries are far more likely among everyone, and a team that's far more worthy gets knocked out by chance injuries rather than team on team skills.

If you really want it to be fair, I myself would rather see a bracket where the top teams get to go. If that means the eastern part of Canada gets to see only one team go, oh well. If it means the championship might be between both Alberta teams- fine. No team should be given a free ride just becuase they're in a division that stinks.

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5. Get rid of the predetermined site for the championship.

No--the Grey Cup is a party--there are fans who have been to most of the games for decades--yes decades. They need to reach the younger fans and make the Grey Cup game affordable for families--that would help much more.

The Grey Cup was a party before the Super Bowl existed, and the weather is an important part of Grey Cup history.

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-Spare me the uber-patriot party line. I've already seen several Grey Cup games with empty seats. I agree that it SHOULD be the ultimate tailgate party and SHOULD be one of the biggest sporting events of the year. But it isn't. If it was such a party, the game would be sold out months in advanced and people would be glued to their TVs. It isn't and they don't. I say again, there is no excuse why a championship game should struggle to sell tickets in venues that have far fewer seats than NFL stadiums. When Edmonton can get as excited for the Grey Cup as they can for their Oilers just surviving the 1st round of the playoffs then I might be inclined to think otherwise.

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4. One extra week bye between playoff games and championship-

The extra week builds complacency--ask the players--they want to play. I believe this is a big reaosn why the Grey Cup is usually an exciting, entertaining game, and the Super Bowl is often a snoozefest.

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-No, blowout games and 15 hours of fluff pregame shows make it boring. For the CFL, it's not so much for building hype for the game as it is giving fans ample time to purchase tickets, make travel arrangements, get time off from work. If you want this game to be bigger you need to give everyone a chance to come. Many fans are not going to attend unless they know their team is in it. As for the players, first they need to accept this is a business and second if they can't get up for a championship game maybe they should consider a different career.

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Give people that extra week to sell tickets and really hype it up properly.

This is the CFL, not the NFL.

Also it would kick the championship date to the weekend of American Thanksgiving. Plenty of people would be sitting at home looking for football games. Better exposure to potential fans in the south.

Why would more Americans watch on American Thanksgiving?

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-No, not on Thanksgiving Day itself. But remember Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday not Monday like Canadians. If it's on the weekend, highschool football would be over, most college football is either over on on a break, and pro football is either on Thursday or Sunday. The idea is to give the league exposure to the south and showing the championship game is the best time to do that. Thanksgiving weekend is when most Americans are either at home, or at their relatives for the weekend. Prime opportunity to show there's something else pretty good up north. Especially when there are many American players up here, many of which could be recognized. Any exposure is good exposure.

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3. All-Star Game- Hold an All-Star game (East vs. West) the day before the Grey Cup at the same stadium.

It's been tried and it doesn't work. Besides All Star games are boring. Maybe instead do a skills competition. Since the CFL holds the player Awards during Grey Cup week you already have some of the top players around--even if their team is out

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-The NFL's joke of a scrimage doesn't work. There's more coverage of them goofing around on the beaches then actually playing. I say that if they have two weeks between the playoff and the championship, you could actually have a half decent all-star game. Plus again, it showcases your best players in action while eyes are already there for the Grey Cup game. A televised awards banquet is about as interesting as watching a lineman in a whirlpool.

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2. Get to know the timezones- West coast games to be scheduled for the afternoon, East coast games for the early evening. It's silly to have games in the east kickoff at 1PM local and have people in the west still having breakfast.

Late Breakfast. But I'll agree here in that they do schedule games oddly at times.

1. Give it all away in preseason- give away the preseason tickets. Seriously. Radio stations, YMCA, boy scouts, Rotary club, CAA- whatever. Give them away and write off the expense as a tax expense business write off. You'll have more people in the stand thant you would anyway, and if enough people enjoy a football with a big crowd, then maybe they'll want to come back for the regular season.

This is one I can back fully.

- More ideas coming soon.

[Stampman]

I still hpld to my statements--we are definitely coming at ths from different perspectives and that can be helpful as neither of us are perfect--although we do agree on a couple of things.

Plus even if you are right on some points, and I'm not--the changes wouldn't get made for reasons I gave or others related to money, tradition, etc.

As or the playing the other division 2 times--with 8 teams this works fine---

2 games each agiants other division of 4 teams = 8games

leaves 10 to play against 3 teams= 3 against 3 of them and 4 against one of them.

going to one against the other division increases the games in your own division when there's 8 teams--even 9 teams--this goes against one of your points---but if they had 10 they may need to change that.

ANd I don't know what Canadians you hang out with--but I know people that barely give sports a sniff, but at Grey Cup they're watching the game.

The best way to increase attendance (and many years it is NOT a problem--either at the stadium or on TV) is to lower the prices. If the Grey Cup came to town I couldn't go becasue of the ridiulous prices--one game--even the GRey Cup s not worth what they're usually asking. Cut the prices in half (yeah I know, a gate driven league) and bring in more people---you may make more tthat way--and as people paid less for the ticket--they may very well spend more on the souvenirs and concessions, which many teams get a cut of--and for the Grey Cup should be negotiated.

One change I'd like to see made is better announcers on CBC.

[Brendan]

I think the CFL needs to expand to 12 teams. That would make the playoff more fair with half the team making the playoffs in the stayed every team but 2. Right now 2 i think there are lot of great players in the leauges who are back up and i dont think the CFL would struggle at all with have more teams. There would still be a competative balance. I like the idea of having all games on friday and a saturday night game. The one thing that has always bugged me about the CFL is the extra point you get when you miss a field goal but get a point if you hit a certain disstance. This proboly wont flow but what about 4 downs but you need 15 for the first down. Also i would get rid of black outs

[randyc]

I think the CFL needs to expand to 12 teams.

nevermind 12 start with 10, 12 is too many for Canada. where would they be located? also

The one thing that has always bugged me about the CFL is the extra point you get when you miss a field goal but get a point if you hit a certain disstance.

and there is no such thing, so i don't know where you got that.

and 4 downs to get 15 yards just seems stupid, no offense but that's just not football.

[DEAD!]

I think the CFL needs to expand to 12 teams.

nevermind 12 start with 10, 12 is too many for Canada. where would they be located?

I would put one in Yellowknife and have their stadium be the true "Frozen Tundra"

[Brendan]

I think the CFL needs to expand to 12 teams.

nevermind 12 start with 10, 12 is too many for Canada. where would they be located? also

The one thing that has always bugged me about the CFL is the extra point you get when you miss a field goal but get a point if you hit a certain disstance.

and there is no such thing, so i don't know where you got that.

and 4 downs to get 15 yards just seems stupid, no offense but that's just not football.

There is a rule like that I've watched games where the kicker miss a filed goal but the team still gets one point. I think putting a team in Qubec city, Ottawa, London and Halifax is good.

[DEAD!]

I think the CFL needs to expand to 12 teams.

nevermind 12 start with 10, 12 is too many for Canada. where would they be located? also

The one thing that has always bugged me about the CFL is the extra point you get when you miss a field goal but get a point if you hit a certain disstance.

and there is no such thing, so i don't know where you got that.

and 4 downs to get 15 yards just seems stupid, no offense but that's just not football.

There is a rule like that I've watched games where the kicker miss a filed goal but the team still gets one point. I think putting a team in Qubec city, Ottawa, London and Halifax is good.

The rule isn't that you automatically get an extra point because you missed the field goal, it's just a possible result when you miss a field goal. The extra point is a scenario that applies to any kick, field goal attempt or punt.

What also can happen is a player can field a kicked ball in the end zone and may decide to down the ball to give the other team the extra point or run it out of the end zone for position.

[Brendan]

I think the CFL needs to expand to 12 teams.

nevermind 12 start with 10, 12 is too many for Canada. where would they be located? also

The one thing that has always bugged me about the CFL is the extra point you get when you miss a field goal but get a point if you hit a certain disstance.

and there is no such thing, so i don't know where you got that.

and 4 downs to get 15 yards just seems stupid, no offense but that's just not football.

There is a rule like that I've watched games where the kicker miss a filed goal but the team still gets one point. I think putting a team in Qubec city, Ottawa, London and Halifax is good.

The rule isn't that you automatically get an extra point because you missed the field goal, it's just a possible result when you miss a field goal. The extra point is a scenario that applies to any kick, field goal attempt or punt.

What also can happen is a player can field a kicked ball in the end zone and may decide to down the ball to give the other team the extra point or run it out of the end zone for position.

thanks for clearing that up. I knew there was some scenario where you got a extra point. Anyways I think its stupid and should be removed.

[GMac]

K the rouge (the actual term for the 1 point) isnt going anywhere... the best thing about the rouge teams just cant let it go through the end zone for a touchback or kneel if they dont want to return in a close game... its either have possibly crummy field position or give the other team one point... risk vs reward

As for labour day.... i dont think you understand the importance of those games to the canadian culture... tomorrow is the labour day classic vs winnipeg here in regina... this game no matter how well the riders are doing, no matter how well the bombers are doing, is always sold out... this is football at its purist form... a nice afternoon game, last weekend of the summer, a full stadium of loud fans from both teams... ya NFL is huge but i would never give up a labour day experience...

Also as for your sunday and monday suggestions wont work... friday night football has become a staple of the cfl tv packages... as have the cbc saturday games... sunday and monday is being saved for long weekends... and thats smart... while the canadian game is gaining ground the cfl doesnt want to shoot itself in the foot by going head to head with the beginning of the nfl season... thats just bad business... they know their market and they are carving their own niche...that being said not really a fan of thursday games but thats just me...

and dude whens the last time u have seen a grey cup... the place is a frigging party and you cant get tickets as its always sold out do they save some tickets for fans of the teams that are in the grey cup damn righst they do... which is good ts not like the superbowl when 95% of the tickets are gobbled up by corperaions and sponsors... the cfl is a fans league and the grey cup is for the fans not corperations

ps... faircatches are for pussies...

[Gordie]

Anyways I think its stupid and should be removed.

I think you're stupid and should be removed. Offside, I know . . . give him 5 yards

As far as scheduling goes, you have to remember that the CFL is a summer league. I can't speak for the western markets, but here in the east, a lot of people go to their cottages or go camping on weekends, and there's a lot more competition for entertainment on Saturday and Sunday. Friday night games are perfect for a lot of people because it's at the end of the work week before they head out of town.

The absolute last thing the CFL wants to do is play the majority of their matches on Sunday, when they'll have the most important games of their season overshadowed by the start of the NFL season.

[Brendan]

Anyways I think its stupid and should be removed.

I think you're stupid and should be removed. Offside, I know . . . give him 5 yards

I had a felling someone was going to say that.

[Phil]

Expansion

There is a lot involved in getting a city CFL-ready. Most cities without a team won't have a stadium properly sized for the league... in the US, you have college stadiums that hold more than NFL stadiums, but this just isn't the case in Canada. McGill is the obvious exception, as is the joint use of McMahon by the U of C and the Stamps.

I would love to see two of Ottawa, Halifax, or Quebec City with well-supported teams, but unless we have the assurance that the ownership is solid, the infrastructure is there, and the entire region is rallying, I prefer an 8 team league.

Reduce the Number of Games

Cutting two games off a team's home schedule would lose the team at least $1,000,000 (or more) in gate revenues, plus concessions, sponsorships, and other associated revenue. While this may be chump change in the NFL, $1,000,000 is very often the difference between being in the red and being in the black.

While it would increase the value of the remaining 14 games, it would be very difficult to prove that it would come close to offsetting the added money. Especially when many teams are working between 85-100% capacity in most cases already. Cutting 20% of your home games for 15% more gate revenue just doesn't add up.

Too Many Games Against the Same Teams

I don't care how much the Bombers play Saskatchewan, fans will get pumped for it every single time. In fact, the more rivals play, often the more bitter the rivalry gets, and the more fans get into it.

Judging based on the Toronto-Hamilton rivalry isn't real representative because it's been pretty one-sided for a while now. But do you think fans in Alberta think "boy, wish we didn't play the Esks/Stamps so much, I'd rather play the Argos again"?

Keep games to a single day

Two days might work, but even there, you have competing schedules at work. With the Jays playing in SkyDome for well-over half of the CFL season, for example, to find a day for the Argos to play could get tough at times.

But beyond that, I agree, and for the most part, the CFL has stuck to the Friday feature game (which is becoming more and more a fixture - good on ya, TSN), and the Saturday CBC game. Labour Day weekend is different because its the long weekend.

Could the CFL harness appointment-TV and a designated day better? Probably, yeah, but is it feasible? That's up in the air.

Labour Day/Thanksgiving Games

Stampman is not underestimating the importance of these games - at least, not for Western cities. Labour Day and the Banjo Bowl is the pinnacle of the Rider-Bomber rivalry - for many fans, its the best two weeks of the season, always has been, always will be.

Plus, lots of fans like to travel to the games, which is why you see the Sunday game - Saturday would be a long day for most people if they had to drive out that day, and Friday would be virtually impossible.

The Football Weekend - Why Football is a Third-Tier Sport

Football is second tier, let's be clear. Outside of the GTA, baseball and basketball are pretty much sports for pre-teen and teenaged boys, respectively. Sure, lots of people watch baseball on TV - it's on every frickin' day, can't beat that exposure - but when it's gameday in the CFL, Major League Baseball takes a distant back seat whether Halladay's pitching or not.

As for competing against those they want as fans, while there may be a significant percentage of kids who are unable to attend the games because they are playing themselves, its not like Friday games are attended much worse than Sunday games. In fact, Thursday and Friday games are often better, because many people in cities like Winnipeg especially take off on Friday or Saturday to the region's cottage country - a much bigger hit on attendance.

Less Playoff Teams

I could be convinced of this, but if you have less playoff teams, you have less playoff games, and those are huge cash cows for the league.

It's not like there isn't a precedent for this in other professional sports. In half of the big 4 leagues, teams with below .500 records routinely get in to the playoffs, and as described previously, it even happens in the NFL. Should it happen? Who knows, but it's not uncommon that it does happen.

I, for one, like the format - significant advantages are given to first place (bye, Division-final home-field advantage) and second place (Division Semi-Final home-field advantage), so it's not like the regular season is meaningless.

No Predetermined Grey Cup Site

You couldn't be more wrong on this one.

The Grey Cup is Canada's biggest party, apart from perhaps a Canadian team in the Stanley Cup final. It is comprised of a week of festivities, and takes a full year to plan.

It's being held in Winnipeg, and we're putting in 15,000 temporary seats, and the game will be sold out. (I paid $250/ticket for seats way up in the upper deck at 50-yard-line, so it's not like they're giving them away either.) Imagine trying to put in 15,000 extra seats with one week's notice.

The only time the game hasn't been sold out in my memory is when it was in SkyDome, a weather-controlled atmosphere no less.

It's one of my pet peeves about the Super Bowl - the league is too afraid to put the game into any kind of cold or snow. Meanwhile, the CFL has had legendary championship games, like the Fog Bowl, the '96 Cup, and countless others, largely influenced by the weather.

So basically, the game is way too big to be put on in a week's time, and the weather is too big a part of the game's mystique. That's not an uber-patriot line, that's the facts. I'd encourage you to go to a Grey Cup (hey, it's in Winnipeg this year, c'mon down!), and then tell us that we shouldn't predetermine the site. Just remember to come a week early, the party will already be in full swing.

All-Star Game

I'm in full favour, but there isn't the time, and while the NFL can afford to ship its whole operations to Honolulu for a week at the end of the season, you'd be hard-pressed to find the CFL stars sticking around for another week so they can risk injury on a cold November day - these guys don't have the multi-million dollar signing bonuses. If they get hurt and can't play anymore, most of these guys can't just retire to their mansions and private golf courses.

If you could make it worth their while, I'd certainly be watching.

Timezones

The league is still in many cases focused locally, not nationally. Afternoon games work for baseball, because nobody on the other side of the country really cares all that much anyway. That's still the CFL's perspective, and that should probably change.

Once again, however, you have to consider how they schedule these things sometimes. If the Jays play an afternoon game on a Sunday, and the Argos play at night on Saturday, that doesn't leave a whole ton of time to pull up the whole turf and replace it in time for batting practice Sunday morning. Admittedly, this is less of an issue elsewhere.

Pre-Season Games

I know the Bombers give season-ticket holders free extra ticket vouchers to the game... not a bad way to get existing fans to get their friends in on the action.

Some good suggestions, some a bit off-base, but definitely an interesting discussion.

[Stampman]

SyPhi has spoken and I agree with almost everything he wrote--becuase it's the same stuff I posted and because he speaks the truth.

I seriously think some posters are undersetimating the CFL--especially in markets like Regina & Winnipeg.

And for a gate driven league the extra playoff games are needed.

Even in the NHL which is far less gate driven (Although like the CFL they lack a lucrative TV deal such as the NFL enjoys) they are talking about adding more teams to the playoffs--and no matter what other reasons they give--make noo mistake--it's ticket driven--more teams get a home playoff game, and the fans come more to the late season games as they're still in the race, and the playoff run can add season ticket holders or at least game to game fans/tickets.

As for the number of teams for years and years the NHL had 6 teams, and 4 made the playoffs, and many consider this period the NHL' golden Age.

People need to stop comparing the NFL and CFL and using the NFL as the standard.

(that is--since the NFL does it this way--it must be the best way-or at least better.)

Actually I wouldn't mind posting your suggestions on a CFL board and seeing what reaction it gets.

Would that be okay with you?

I'd post a summary of th replies that are fit to print...

[budbowl77]

My question is, what went wrong with the CFL-USA project? were the cfl brass pissed when Baltimore won the Grey Cup? can someone explain what happened?