CFL financial status

[bwiser]

I remember when I was a kid and the Bombers in partnership with the police came out with football cards.

I eagerly collected the whole set and I think it was part of what got me interested in the team.

I am likely older than you and I remember trading cards from ESSo that got me interested in the CFL.I was a paper boy for the Winnipeg Tribune and if you got a certain amount of new starts you were given a couple tickets to the next Bomber game. Paul Williams a defensive back with the Bombers at the time used to do this dance when he scored. He came to our newspaper shack and did the dance for the paper boys.These events got me interested in CFL football and I have been hooked ever since.

[Blue In BC]

Attendance in 2025 down in Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. In Edmonton it's down by nearly 6K or about 30% less than 2024.

Overall attendance is only down about 500 fans per game. Winnipeg has the 2nd highest average behind only BC.

[peg_city]

Attendance in 2025 down in Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. In Edmonton it's down by nearly 6K or about 30% less than 2024.

Overall attendance is only down about 500 fans per game. Winnipeg has the 2nd highest average behind only BC.

Attendance usually picks up in the fall

[Blue In BC]

Attendance usually picks up in the fall

The comparison was in the same time frame each year. If you've watched the Elks home game it's almost predictable how small their crowds have been.

[Foxhound]

Speaking of kids, I keep wondering why we haven't seen CFL coins in potato chips for over sixty years. CFL coins were in Humpty Dumpty, Krun-Chee, Nalley's and Hunter's potato chips in 1963 and Nalley's in 1964. Some examples from my collection:

1963







1964




They're much beloved by present day CFL collectors!

Does the CFL ask too much in licencing fees?

 

[TecnoGenius]

Ok, so where have expenditures gone up? Anybody that has taken a trip anywhere knows travel costs ( airline ) have gone up quite a bit in recent years post covid. Hotel costs and food costs for teams travelling are up.

Pretty sure all the teams use a private jet.  From what I saw, the W teams appear to have their own private plane to share.  They showed guys getting off it once and it was painted with all(?) the W team logos on the side.  Would make perfect sense.  So that's a fixed amortized cost.

Petroleum products are about the same as they were before 2019.  Pilot costs almost certainly up, but that's basically just 2 people, and they probably "rent" them when they need them.

[TecnoGenius]

Attendance in 2025 down in Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton. In Edmonton it's down by nearly 6K or about 30% less than 2024.

Good for nothing Montrealites!  They win the E by a country mile, only losing out in an unlucky EDF.  Get arguably the best young QB in the league who they can win with for the next 7 years.  And they don't want to show up to fill that dinky stadium?

I guess all the horn guys have cancelled their STs in protest!!  Bring back the horns!     

Sacre bleu!

[TecnoGenius]

Overall attendance is only down about 500 fans per game. Winnipeg has the 2nd highest average behind only BC.

Haha, BC cheaters.  It won't take long for the law of averages to smooth out that first game (cheating) blip from Snoop.  Nice try, Doman.  WFC doesn't need to bribe fans to attend with $1M concerts!

[Blue In BC]

Pretty sure all the teams use a private jet.  From what I saw, the W teams appear to have their own private plane to share.  They showed guys getting off it once and it was painted with all(?) the W team logos on the side.  Would make perfect sense.  So that's a fixed amortized cost.

Petroleum products are about the same as they were before 2019.  Pilot costs almost certainly up, but that's basically just 2 people, and they probably "rent" them when they need them.

I'm not sure about whether teams have private jets. That could be valid but I haven't herd that before.

If revenue is up but 7 teams lost money, where else might be the issue? IR costs might be part of the issue. Even though 6 game IR doesn't count against the SMS it does count against profit and loss. Medical costs are up and that doesn't count against SMS.

Overall watching some games is a little like watching USFL games with sparse crowds. I'd like to see some marketing incentives for 1st responder and military groups. You know maybe a specific section with a 2 for 1 offer or something.

Note this would be useful where crowds are low like Edmonton

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I'm not sure about whether teams have private jets. That could be valid but I haven't herd that before.

If revenue is up but 7 teams lost money, where else might be the issue? IR costs might be part of the issue. Even though 6 game IR doesn't count against the SMS it does count against profit and loss. Medical costs are up and that doesn't count against SMS.

Overall watching some games is a little like watching USFL games with sparse crowds. I'd like to see some marketing incentives for 1st responder and military groups. You know maybe a specific section with a 2 for 1 offer or something.

Note this would be useful where crowds are low like Edmonton

No, don't think so, most professional sports team charter long-term, it wouldn't be cost effective to own a plane solely for 10-15 trips per year.  The biggest complaint Bomber players had in last year's player survey was regarding the plane, and it looks like Wade heard them and upgraded the charter service to quell discontent.

[Jesse]

No, don't think so, most professional sports team charter long-term, it wouldn't be cost effective to own a plane solely for 10-15 trips per year.  The biggest complaint Bomber players had in last year's player survey was regarding the plane, and it looks like Wade heard them and upgraded the charter service to quell discontent.

Yes. They do not own a plane, lol.

[blue_or_die]

This debate largely comes down to us having no idea what the private teams are spending due to them not having to disclose their books. Cap is tied to revenue which is a little easier to estimate given we know their tv money + have an idea about gate. Expenses are a very different beast with such variance in marketing, non-football ops, facilities, scouting and the list goes on. Are the privately owned teams blowing a load on that stuff? My gut says no but it's entirely possible their expenses outweigh their revenue when it's already razor thin. Think of how much more money the Bombers and Riders make on merch sales or pregame beers near/outside the stadium compared to the Argos. Without multiple strong revenue streams beyond the tsn contract and, for many teams, precarious gate, it's not hard to imagine them flying by the seam of their pants unfortunately.

Does anyone know if the private teams are obligated to open their books to the league and just not the public? Curious if they actually do know everything or just as in the dark as us dumb fans.

One last thing...and I don't mean to sound rude but the fan suggestions in this thread and beyond are always very lacking. And no, I don't have a better answer to "fix" the league and create growth in both the short and long terms, but I don't think letting kids on the field more or putting collectible coins in fruit loop boxes or discounting some kids tickets or making the rules more like the NFL are going to do diddly squat. Some of those are decent ideas, but insignificant impact nonetheless IMO as much as I wish I was wrong.