CFL announces changes to the game - merged topics

[wpg#1]

The death of the league has been happening for 60 years now. Still going !!

[theaardvark]

I think, if people love the league, and acknowledge that it exists right now because 7 owners don't mind losing money right now, you have to accept when those owners have done their due diligence and come up with ways to potentially improve the bottom line.  So they can continue, maybe actually make money, or just lose less.

Johnston did not walk in with a clipboard full of random ideas to drive through the BOG.  No doubt, he had some ideas, based on his time in the media / sales side of things.  No doubts, some of the board had their own gripes and ideas.  And what we got was the consensus of the professional they brought in to prevent the league from collapsing, and the groups that are footing the bills.

We are only seeing a part of what the big plan is.  And I don't mean more changes to rules to "Americanize" the league.  But more in initiatives and partnerships that can be developed with these changes in place.

Creating a playing field that can be more easily used co-operatively while still being true to our game just makes sense, even if nothing comes from it.

Keeping the status quo and expecting the league to become healthier is wishful thinking at best.

[blue_or_die]

I have said many times in what feels like 50 different ways why I think it is a good idea. The actual league, which has actual paid executives driving this forward clearly thinks it's a good approach. Some of you think you're better sports executives that the top echelons of MLSE. You're not. Or they would be paying you several hundred thousand dollars and not them. Further, this forum is not representative of the market, would rather vilify those actually trying the grow the game and are paying the bills (most of them at a significant loss). But who cares right?

I see no solutions from the cohort of people who don't advocate for change. They ignore the business reality. They ignore that recent change has already gone over just fine: can anyone tell me where the hashmarks are on a CFL field now? And where that idea came from? Right. And they ignore common sense.

Why can't I ask you if YOU have any insights how not making changes to attract new fans will help the seven teams losing money? You can't. Mainly because it's what they've been doing for years and we are where we are.

At least point, be mad for the sake of being mad. Rawr change bad. I get being passionate about a brand and not wanting it change because you like it just the way it is. Have an emotional response. Not going to blame you for that.

But don't pretend you want to be reasonable and talk sense and when you get those conversations from the league, some posters, the commissioner, you don't listen, don't try to understand and your big idea, essentially, is to do nothing.

If you're trying to accuse me personally of thinking I know more than sports executives, I'm not. I'm just asking for them (and you, actually) to show me how and why these changes will result in net new fans. I've asked this question many times and there's either no answer given or it's a politician's "answer." Until that comes, yeah, actual paying fans like me are more than entitled to ***** and moan.

You seem to think that everyone hates change because it's change and we're all just reactionaries. I'm PERFECTLY fine with making changes to the game that make it net-better and/or grow the game. If you remove elements of the game that are materially part of its identity (like, say, field length, and less so, say, hash mark location), you need a good reason. Again, show me the homework.

The plan cannot possibly be to do this and if it fails say "lol guys at least we tried something". Throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks. Change for the sake of change. Making it look like the NFL sorta but not really. This is all it is until we see if the decisionmakers are super smart executives or the wizard of oz.

If this doesn't work and we lose these cherished elements of the game for good at the same time, they're not entitled to hide behind "but we tried something at least". Like you say, they're very well paid execs who are smarter than all of us. Show us the why so our simple minds can understand.

[bomber beetle]

The 2027 field will fit into all North American soccer stadiums.
That is very likely the main reason for the new dimensions.

The league is not going to say at this time that we 'hope' or 'plan' to expand south.
If expansion is needed to survive, the league is postioned to do so.
It is a good card to have.

For now, we get to keep the most important aspects of our game.
I am somewhat optimistic it will stay that way, with or without expansion.

[TBURGESS]

End zone seats are farther away from the action. So are all seats that are between the 25 and the end of the field. Seats between the 25's are the same distance. No one is getting a better view due to a smaller field.

[theaardvark]

End zone seats are farther away from the action. So are all seats that are between the 25 and the end of the field. Seats between the 25's are the same distance. No one is getting a better view due to a smaller field.

Yes, EZ seats are further away.

Seats presently between the goal lines, far end goal lines are 5 yards closer, far end of the fields are 10 yards closer.

[dd]

The 2027 field will fit into all North American soccer stadiums.
That is very likely the main reason for the new dimensions.

The league is not going to say at this time that we 'hope' or 'plan' to expand south.
If expansion is needed to survive, the league is postioned to do so.
It is a good card to have.

For now, we get to keep the most important aspects of our game.
I am somewhat optimistic it will stay that way, with or without expansion.

Agree the field dimension changes are the prelude of expansion to the south...its coming eventually, but I am not sure what's changed since the last failed expansion attempt.

[TBURGESS]

Yes, EZ seats are further away.

Seats presently between the goal lines, far end goal lines are 5 yards closer, far end of the fields are 10 yards closer.

Nope. The field is the same width.

[theaardvark]

Agree the field dimension changes are the prelude of expansion to the south...its coming eventually, but I am not sure what's changed since the last failed expansion attempt.

I don't see it happening in the near future, too much competition for the non-NFL market. 

But if the opportunity comes, an opportunity that comes when the league is out of options, being ready isn't the worst thing.

US expansion is always a topic, we tried and lost with it, the CBA and ratio makes is just about impossible without totally abandoning NATs, which would be the end of "Canadian" Football.

Nope. The field is the same width.

What are you talking about?  We're talking length, not width.  Shorter field brings EZ's closer.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Yes, EZ seats are further away.

Seats presently between the goal lines, far end goal lines are 5 yards closer, far end of the fields are 10 yards closer.

5 yds. closer or one less beer drunk???  You're coming across like the guy that sold the dead parrot to the Bulgarian cheese shop owner.  Look at the view!!!

[markf]

Meanwhile the Argos/Bills promotion effort is selling a shirt that says

"There are no borders"

Genius level stuff .... with what we hear from the Americans these days.

I'm not sure a lot of effort is going into this. Everything related seems like a cheap suit.

[TBURGESS]

What are you talking about?  We're talking length, not width.  Shorter field brings EZ's closer.

Closer to the middle of the field, not closer to the fans. If your seat is currently on the 10 yard line, it will be on the 5 yard with a shorter field, which is farther away from centre.  The closer to center the better the seat.

[Jesse]

Closer to the middle of the field, not closer to the fans. If your seat is currently on the 10 yard line, it will be on the 5 yard with a shorter field, which is farther away from centre.  The closer to center the better the seat.

I'm currently around the 50/45 yard line. With the shrinking field, I assume I'll move further away from centre, making my seats worse. The further you move from the now "50" yard line, the worse your sightline will be, compared to the current field.

[dd]

Meanwhile the Argos/Bills promotion effort is selling a shirt that says

"There are no borders"

Genius level stuff .... with what we hear from the Americans these days.

I'm not sure a lot of effort is going into this. Everything related seems like a cheap suit.

When I was a kid in the mid 70s and lived in the Toronto area, the Bills were recruiting Canadian fans, this stuff's been going on for over 50 years, and the Bills have a loyal fan following. I wouldn't be surprised at all if in the future, there's expansion into the Buffalo area, this 'has no borders' thing works both ways!!

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

When I was a kid in the mid 70s and lived in the Toronto area, the Bills were recruiting Canadian fans, this stuff's been going on for over 50 years, and the Bills have a loyal fan following. I wouldn't be surprised at all if in the future, there's expansion into the Buffalo area, this 'has no borders' thing works both ways!!

Expanding into the US just re-opens every nasty can of worms they discovered in the 90's, it wasn't workable then and the situation hasn't changed much.  Lot's of logistical problems and most likely doomed to failure within a few short years.  I can't think of anything loyal CFL fans would hate more than integrating CFL rules with the American game at this time.  Season ticket drop off in Wpg. could be as high as 50% and interest in the league within Canada may be degraded to the point it never recovers to the level it is even now.