CFL announces changes to the game - merged topics

[Stats Junkie]

Sorry to lose you as a fan.  If minor changes in field size and goal post placement changes your view of the distinctive CFL game, there's no way we can change your mind.

Using the CFL's own words:
'Major announcement regarding significant changes'

[wpg#1]

Sorry to lose you as a fan.  If minor changes in field size and goal post placement changes your view of the distinctive CFL game, there's no way we can change your mind.

You will see that the game is not going to change dramatically with these modifications, and probably will be a game you will enjoy more. 

Hopefully, when you decide to change your mind on ST's, there are good seats left...

You keep saying MINOR changes. Do you really think there would be this uproar if these changes were minor ? They're not minor. But, you can keep trying to convince yourself.

[blue_or_die]

Sorry to lose you as a fan.  If minor changes in field size and goal post placement changes your view of the distinctive CFL game, there's no way we can change your mind.

You will see that the game is not going to change dramatically with these modifications, and probably will be a game you will enjoy more. 

Hopefully, when you decide to change your mind on ST's, there are good seats left...

If the game isn't going to change much, why make the changes at all?

And what evidence or explanation suggests that the game will meaningfully improve if that's the only other scenario in your mind?

[Pete]

A lot of it may be perception by the American audience. Like it or not there are more people in California than in all of Canada
The elimination of the missed fg point, the 100 yd field and the post placement makes it a bit more recognizable.
Get them watching and the excitement of the cfl game could get more viewers and revenue which the league needs to survive

And before others go on about whats next, lets see how it pans out and if Johnson is serious about not changing the fabric of the game.The best thing about the uproar the changes have caused is it conveys the passion cfl fans have about this
so I applaud all the comments and criticism
 It certainly has also brought attention to the league in a time of year where mlb playoffs, nhl, and nfl normally get all the attention  .
 

[Blue In BC]

A lot of it may be perception by the American audience. Like it or not there are more people in California than in all of Canada
The elimination of the missed fg point, the 100 yd field and the post placement makes it a bit more recognizable.
Get them watching and the excitement of the cfl game could get more viewers and revenue which the league needs to survive

And before others go on about whats next, lets see how it pans out and if Johnson is serious about not changing the fabric of the game.The best thing about the uproar the changes have caused is it conveys the passion cfl fans have about this
so I applaud all the comments and criticism
 It certainly has also brought attention to the league in a time of year where mlb playoffs, nhl, and nfl normally get all the attention  .
 

It's an interesting theory but those same Americans don't support the USFL which already has those aspects of the game.

I wonder how many Americans know where Regina or Ottawa are let alone what football is played there.

[wpg#1]

My biggest argument is .. is the CFL more exciting ? Everyone always says YES. So my next question is .. So why the changes ?
I believe these changes are not going to make the game more exciting or draw in new fans. Spend the money on promoting the excitement and the unique aspects of this game. Some will say they've already tried that .. then I say to who ? They promoted to fans that were already there. I saw them promoting the "Canadian" aspect over the years, but did they promote it to the people that they need to draw in ?
These changes are not going to make it more exciting, but I do know for sure that it will be one step closer to look like the NFL, and I think it's just the first step of many.

[theaardvark]

If the game isn't going to change much, why make the changes at all?

And what evidence or explanation suggests that the game will meaningfully improve if that's the only other scenario in your mind?

I don't think that the down by down play changes much, except that by being shorter, there will be more TD's.  And because the "go for a FG line" just moved from the 52 to 37, and no rouge for missed FG,  there will be more 3rd and short attempts. 

No FG posts makes red zone plays a lot more interesting, they have the full field to work.  12 men on an unobstructed 65yd wide field, even with the EZ's 5 yds shorter, it should make for more excitement and action.

So, yeah, I think it improves the play and TD scoring. 

And, while I have been contending that NFL preseason becomes a thing with the new field, OTOH, our preseason moving south becomes a lot easier as well.  We can move the GC to Oct by moving our preseason to Fla/AZ.  Southern preseason puts tryout players closer to home, less VISA issues, and even puts some eyes on the game from local fans starved for football in the spring. 

The CFL can drop into any NCAA field with just some chalk for wider field.  10yd EZ will be different, but that's minor.  I bet there are a lot of snowbirds that would come, and maybe new fans.  I'm sure the Jays have fans in Dunedin that should be Rays or Marlins fans.

While these are "major" changes in the CFL game, I view them as minor changes in dimensions.  Semantics, I guess.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

A lot of it may be perception by the American audience. Like it or not there are more people in California than in all of Canada
The elimination of the missed fg point, the 100 yd field and the post placement makes it a bit more recognizable.
Get them watching and the excitement of the cfl game could get more viewers and revenue which the league needs to survive

Do Americans have an easy way to view CFL games presently?   Has the league done all that they can to negotiate a contract with a visible American broadcaster or streaming service?  I think not, so who cares what Americans think about the CFL field if they are unlikely to watch the game. There are millions of Canadian NFL football fans they can not convince to follow the CFL, they can start by solving that nut.

[dd]

We are trying to 'sell' the league to an audience that has already made up its mind. They follow the NFL and the NCAA for various reasons and ain't about to change. You can change our field and rules to be similar to the NFL, but folks still won't tune in.

Case in point. If the USFL changed its field and rules to be exactly like the CFL, would you tune in?? Would it matter?? No it wouldn't. Why, because the cities and teams have no relevance to Canada and the play is really substandard to even the CFL. Its bush league. That's exactly how Americans view the CFL.

The only way I'd tune into a USFL game is if we had draft picks playing in the game that may somehow come to the CFL, then I would tune it to see how they play vs the players up here.

[TBURGESS]

No FG posts mean 100% of the end-zone is available instead of 99% (2 6" uprights + 1 6" crossbar). Explain how that's going to create more than 1% more TD's. 

[markf]

We are trying to 'sell' the league to an audience that has already made up its mind. They follow the NFL and the NCAA for various reasons and ain't about to change. You can change our field and rules to be similar to the NFL, but folks still won't tune in. . Its bush league.

That's exactly how Americans view the CFL.

Correct.

If you spend any time on NFL forums "send him to the CFL"
Is not a compliment. Even their coaches, scouts, management have a low opinion, whatever they may say.

They are not going to follow our league. End of story.

It would be interesting to get the details on where this idea was dreamed up. It Appears not a lot of thought was put into it.

[bomber beetle]

UFL viewership is in the 600,000 range.
That is better than the MLS and NHL in the US.

It looks like the demise of the UFL is imminent. Other than St. Louis there is simply not enough revenue from tickets sales etc..
If this happens, can the CFL/TSN sell the broadcast to American cable and get similar numbers with our three down game?
The potential is there for sure.
I hope that would be enough to keep this league afloat.

Expansion to the U.S. seems iffy, but if that step needs to happen we will have a field that can be adapted in existing soccer stadiums.

I doubt that the CFL brass believes, even with the changes, that the league will see significant future growth in Canada.
But it allows for some hope that new revenue can be created south of the border.

[theaardvark]

No FG posts mean 100% of the end-zone is available instead of 99% (2 6" uprights + 1 6" crossbar). Explain how that's going to create more than 1% more TD's.

Posts may be 1% of the cross section of the EZ, but their presence influences routes and throws.  No QB wants to wing it past a post and have it hit, ask Cody.  And while some routes can use the post as a rub, they get in the way more than they protect.

More TD's isn't primarily because of posts, its because every series you start in your own end is 10 yards closer, and the FG option from 37-52 yards out is off the board, so teams will go for it more on SY in that range.  And KR/PR have 10 yards less to cover on kicks fielded in their own half.  PR/KR out at the 5 are now scores.  Most exciting play in football gets better.

[blue_or_die]

I don't think that the down by down play changes much, except that by being shorter, there will be more TD's.  And because the "go for a FG line" just moved from the 52 to 37, and no rouge for missed FG,  there will be more 3rd and short attempts. 

No FG posts makes red zone plays a lot more interesting, they have the full field to work.  12 men on an unobstructed 65yd wide field, even with the EZ's 5 yds shorter, it should make for more excitement and action.

So, yeah, I think it improves the play and TD scoring. 

And, while I have been contending that NFL preseason becomes a thing with the new field, OTOH, our preseason moving south becomes a lot easier as well.  We can move the GC to Oct by moving our preseason to Fla/AZ.  Southern preseason puts tryout players closer to home, less VISA issues, and even puts some eyes on the game from local fans starved for football in the spring. 

The CFL can drop into any NCAA field with just some chalk for wider field.  10yd EZ will be different, but that's minor.  I bet there are a lot of snowbirds that would come, and maybe new fans.  I'm sure the Jays have fans in Dunedin that should be Rays or Marlins fans.

While these are "major" changes in the CFL game, I view them as minor changes in dimensions.  Semantics, I guess.

If we see more go-for-it-on-3rd-and-shorts and more/more exciting TD shots in the endzone, then that would be an  improvement of the game. I've never seen any evidence that would suggest this will happen by the decisionmakers, though.

And in my admittedly non-expertise in the game, I'm simply punting and trying to pin if I'm at the 37, and I'm betting the play in the endzone is a wash, so if that turns out to be true we are making hallmark changes with the hope there might be a slight improvement and a fair chance it's the same or worse. I don't see the payoff unless it actually does get better. No improvement is a losing proposition IMO.

And dude, still no idea what you're going on about with the preseason stuff. I do not see them doing any of the things you said and the league isn't talking about it at all. You'd think they would be if that was part of the plan, given they're trying to sell the changes to us.

It would be interesting to get the details on where this idea was dreamed up. It Appears not a lot of thought was put into it.

^This is what I fear.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

A lot of it may be perception by the American audience. Like it or not there are more people in California than in all of Canada
The elimination of the missed fg point, the 100 yd field and the post placement makes it a bit more recognizable.
Get them watching and the excitement of the cfl game could get more viewers and revenue which the league needs to survive

And before others go on about whats next, lets see how it pans out and if Johnson is serious about not changing the fabric of the game.The best thing about the uproar the changes have caused is it conveys the passion cfl fans have about this.

I seem to recall the BOG suggesting reducing or eliminating the ratio in the last negotiation with the CFLPA, that might be an indication of a rule change they plan to push again sometime in the future.

Found it, sadly Wade Miller was one of the appointed negotiators.

In the CFL's proposal to date, a number of key issues still concern your bargaining committee:
• A ten-year agreement with zero increases in the cap.
• A revenue sharing program which will not likely show any significant growth by the CFL's own accord, until the TSN contract is renewed in five years
• Although earlier discussions around guaranteed contracts were held, the CFL has now removed the PA's proposal to allow players to negotiate guaranteed contracts.
• The CFL demands our members go back to padded practices, even with a decrease of 35% of on-field injuries, yet refuses to support our proposal for coverage for those same on field injuries.
• Various proposals on the table aimed at what appears to be an effort to try to lock as many players as they can into contracts.
• Full elimination of the Canadian ratio and Veteran American Ratio. As well as a reduction of Canadians on the Roster.
•  The league wants full discretion on practice time that varies during the week (increasing and decreasing hours). Which will create lack of certainty for members.

Your bargaining committee remains devoted to achieving a fair and comprehensive agreement, and we will keep you informed of our deliberations.

https://3downnation.com/2022/05/05/cfl-wants-to-eradicate-canadian-ratio-in-cba-proposal-to-players-association/