CFL announces changes to the game - merged topics

[markf]

Rourke:

Nathan Rourke started off a conversation about his impression of CFL rule changes with a "How much time do we have?" and then got even more fired up from there.

"The new rule changes are garbage," the B.C. Lions quarterback said after practice Monday ...

"I grew up watching the CFL and loving the game. I grew up in Ontario and played Canadian rules all my life. I was aware of the league down there and was a fan of it, but I was a fan of the CFL because of its differences. I went down to the States, proud of the game and explaining the differences — the waggle, the yard off the ball, the extra person. These are the things that are unique about the game. The rule changes make it sound like we want to be like that league down south. In recent history, leagues that have tried to be like the NFL haven't existed very long. The CFL has existed for longer than the NFL and there's a reason for that. The fans love it."

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nfl/bc-lions-qb-nathan-rourke-the-new-rule-changes-are-garbage/ar-AA1N5aeq


One of the stupider things about trying to be more like the NFL is how the current NFL offences are more like the CFL, which they have done to increase excitement. Scrambling, running  quarterbacks are all in style there now.

And pre snap motion,  one coach even said, trying to borrow CFL type motion as much as they can with their rules.

Both CFL staples forever.



Players and coaches were not consulted.   Arrogant move.

[Blue In BC]

So you are out after this season?

No I'm not but this may be another nail in the coffin for the CFL long term. I think moving the goal posts and shorter end zone will take away some special return plays we see now. The rouge is part of our game and any modification adds nothing to improve things.

I don't have a count for 2025 but how many games were won by last play FG's and would they have been made if the goal posts were moved back. Some of those last second FG's were from distance and others were not.

[Pete]

goalposts - good move
shorter field - why bother
35 sec clock ; im ok with it except in the last three minutes. The cfl game is much more exciting in the last 3 minutes than the nfl where its much easier to run out the clock.
rouge -  no big deal
bench move - good move
I think the shorter field will have a bigger impact on kicking game, with less returns which is a very exciting part of cdn football as we saw on the weekend

[Cool Spot]

To summarize the changes:

* End-zones shortened to 15 yards from 20 yards
* Goalposts moved to the back of the endzone (meaning all FG attempt have an extra 22 yards tacked onto them [15 yards + 7 yards from line-of-scrimmage to kicking location] instead of the 7 it is today)
* Field shrunk to 100 yards from 110, meaning no more 55-yard line
* No more single point for missed FGs that goes wide of the goal posts (that's too bad; I always liked the "There, there. You get a point for trying!")
* No more single point that when a punt or kickoff rolls out the endzone or out the sides of the endzone (only a returner taking a knee in the endzone results in a single point)
* 35-second play clock that starts as soon as the previous play is whistled dead, instead of a 20-second play clock that starts when referee manually whistles it in
* Teams will now have their benches on opposite side of the field, rather than sometimes both being on the same side of the field but different ends of it

[BlueInCgy]

I don't have a count for 2025 but how many games were won by last play FG's and would they have been made if the goal posts were moved back. Some of those last second FG's were from distance and others were not.

So far this season it's between 10-14.  I haven't gone through the line scores but there have been 14 games with a score differential of 3 or less.  There have been 3 games in the last 2 weeks settled on the last kick.

[dd]

Rourke:

Nathan Rourke started off a conversation about his impression of CFL rule changes with a "How much time do we have?" and then got even more fired up from there.

"The new rule changes are garbage," the B.C. Lions quarterback said after practice Monday ...

"I grew up watching the CFL and loving the game. I grew up in Ontario and played Canadian rules all my life. I was aware of the league down there and was a fan of it, but I was a fan of the CFL because of its differences. I went down to the States, proud of the game and explaining the differences — the waggle, the yard off the ball, the extra person. These are the things that are unique about the game. The rule changes make it sound like we want to be like that league down south. In recent history, leagues that have tried to be like the NFL haven't existed very long. The CFL has existed for longer than the NFL and there's a reason for that. The fans love it."

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nfl/bc-lions-qb-nathan-rourke-the-new-rule-changes-are-garbage/ar-AA1N5aeq


One of the stupider things about trying to be more like the NFL is how the current NFL offences are more like the CFL, which they have done to increase excitement. Scrambling, running  quarterbacks are all in style there now.

And pre snap motion,  one coach even said, trying to borrow CFL type motion as much as they can with their rules.

Both CFL staples forever.

Players and coaches were not consulted.   Arrogant move.

The FANS were not consulted!!! This is going to blow up in his bald smug face!!!

I 've followed the CFL since 1975, and I have never been this upset with the leagues commissioner, ever. And I don't think I am alone. There will be fans staying away from the stadiums if these changes go through no doubt about it. Do they have what the forecasted economical impact of these changes will bring to the league??

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Rourke:

Nathan Rourke started off a conversation about his impression of CFL rule changes with a "How much time do we have?" and then got even more fired up from there.

"The new rule changes are garbage," the B.C. Lions quarterback said after practice Monday ...

"I grew up watching the CFL and loving the game. I grew up in Ontario and played Canadian rules all my life. I was aware of the league down there and was a fan of it, but I was a fan of the CFL because of its differences. I went down to the States, proud of the game and explaining the differences — the waggle, the yard off the ball, the extra person. These are the things that are unique about the game. The rule changes make it sound like we want to be like that league down south. In recent history, leagues that have tried to be like the NFL haven't existed very long. The CFL has existed for longer than the NFL and there's a reason for that. The fans love it."

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/nfl/bc-lions-qb-nathan-rourke-the-new-rule-changes-are-garbage/ar-AA1N5aeq


One of the stupider things about trying to be more like the NFL is how the current NFL offences are more like the CFL, which they have done to increase excitement. Scrambling, running  quarterbacks are all in style there now.

And pre snap motion,  one coach even said, trying to borrow CFL type motion as much as they can with their rules.

Both CFL staples forever.

Players and coaches were not consulted.   Arrogant move.

[blueandgoldguy]

They are kowtowing to Toronto and MLSE with that one rule change of the smaller endzones.  What a surprise!

When Toronto moved to BMO Field, the endzones were only 17 or 18 yards long.  I guess the rest of the league needs to be accommodating to the Argos and MLSE and shorten their endzones.

For all of you that sit in the endzones, you will be 30 feet further away from the back of the endzones (20 yard shorter fields * 3 feet divided by 2)...oh and with the field goal posts at the back of the endzones I guess there will be more of an obstruction for a select group of people that sit back there in the direct line of the sight of the posts.

Hurray!

the 35 second clock means there will be fewer chances for a late game comeback - a team can burn off 35 seconds plus another 5 seconds on the play inside the 3 minute warning whereas before it was 20 seconds plus another 5 seconds for the actual play.  This means fewer plays it kill the clock.

Say goodbye to missed field goals returned for TDs or at the very least big returns now that the posts will be located at the back of the endzone.  Special teams are far more exciting in the CFL than the NFL because the field goal posts are located at the front of the endzone...that, along with the no fair catch rule.  Special teams and the CFL will be a little less exciting now.

THe only good rule changes are the modified rouge and having teams on opposite sides of the field..although this latter rule change will hurt teams at the gate given there a few that have fans pay a premium to sit at field level on the opposite side of the field from the players.  That will be gone now.

[markf]

The FANS were not consulted!!! This is going to blow up in his bald smug face!!!

I 've followed the CFL since 1975, and I have never been this upset with the leagues commissioner, ever. And I don't think I am alone. There will be fans staying away from the stadiums if these changes go through no doubt about it. Do they have what the forecasted economical impact of these changes will bring to the league??

Following on Reddit where there is an active cfl community..... these changes are very unpopular.

[TBURGESS]

Yes, the missed FG return basically becomes extinct, except on a total shank or partial block.

But the opened up EZ means the Extra man has the full EZ to take advantage of and should make more exciting red zone plays.  Which is a huge upgrade on the occasional missed FG return.

How is taking away 2, 3 inch posts is going to open up the middle of the EZ? There's maybe 1 or 2 times a year that it matters. 

[dd]

Wow, good on Nathan Rourke for speaking his mind and tearing a strip off of the Commissioner. I was never a big fan of Nathan but heck I am now!!

[dd]

The proposed new rule changes really diminished the importance and role special teams play in the CFL game. Special teams have always been an exciting aspect of our game, and we're working towards eliminating it. Colossal mistake.

[TBURGESS]

It's risk vs reward. The risk is pissing off the fans that are keeping the lights on. The reward is bringing some new folks in who didn't watch the CFL because of the rules. IMO, the first group is much larger than the second.

[Blueforlife]

Nice to see the passion and if a young star that have played in both leagues doesn't like these rules then it really shows it's exactly what he said they were, garbage.

[TBURGESS]

The length of the field will result in less kick off returns.

They took 10 yards off the field, so KO's that currently land at the 10 will be on the goal line. The end-zone is now 15 yards & if the ball goes through the end-zone, 0 points. Returners can let it bounce & it will go out the back.