CFL announces changes to the game - merged topics

[jets4life]

It could be as simple as the CFL teams will host NFL regular season games after 2027. And the field changes were necessary to allow that.

Owners would make more money on 1 game then the whole season pretty much.

That's my theory

LOL

That's not going to happen. NFL stadiums have capacities over 60,000. Name one Canadian stadium that comes close to that for football, while having club seats and luxury boxes that American stadiums do.

None.

And no, they are definitely not holding regular season games in Western Canada. Toronto may get one game of they are lucky...

[TBURGESS]

They aren't designed to make Americans watch. At least it's not the primary motivation or outcome I don't think.

What is the primary motivation then? 

[bomber beetle]

This conversation might be less volatile if the current financial state of the league would be made public.

We don't know, although there are some clues that can help to infer what the scene might be.

In 2023 the publicly owned Edmonton franchise lost $3.9 million with an average attendance of over 22,000.
The average attendance for the 2024 CFL season was under 23,000.
Does it not follow that the average loss per team would be somewhere above 3.5 million? Probably.
Or, was there a huge amount of ineptitude in the management of the Edmonton team? Far less likely.

Furthermore, what do the owners get back should they want to sell?
Are they just throwing the keys on the table and walking away? It kind of looks like it.
How many more owners are out there that would want to come in under the current environment?

I believe there is no future if things don't change.
The league absolutely must gamble that the loss of traditionalists will be offset by new eyeballs.
That said, I think this is potentially just the tip of the iceberg...it is a positioning tactic that will allow the league to make future radical changes that will may be needed.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

This conversation might be less volatile if the current financial state of the league would be made public.

We don't know, although there are some clues that can help to infer what the scene might be.

In 2023 the publicly owned Edmonton franchise lost $3.9 million with an average attendance of over 22,000.
The average attendance for the 2024 CFL season was under 23,000.
Does it not follow that the average loss per team would be somewhere above 3.5 million? Probably.
Or, was there a huge amount of ineptitude in the management of the Edmonton team? Far less likely.

Furthermore, what do the owners get back should they want to sell?
Are they just throwing the keys on the table and walking away? It kind of looks like it.
How many more owners are out there that would want to come in under the current environment?

I believe there is no future if things don't change.
The league absolutely must gamble that the loss of traditionalists will be offset by new eyeballs.
That said, I think this is potentially just the tip of the iceberg...it is a positioning tactic that will allow the league to make future radical changes that will may be needed.

Yep!

[DM83]

Those proposed changes are superficial.Changing the(e size of the field is bull poop) fair catch rule is boring. Kick offs in Canada are exciting.
For the idiots in the crowd. Four down football equals less passing. If there are less downs you have to thrown the ball.

This new commish seems to be unlikeable. What a guy coming in after three months in t(e job, or whatever and telling the nation he is going to change the size of the field. I hate it!

[ModAdmin]

Those proposed changes are superficial.Changing the(e size of the field is bull poop) fair catch rule is boring. Kick offs in Canada are exciting.
For the idiots in the crowd. Four down football equals less passing. If there are less downs you have to thrown the ball.

This new commish seems to be unlikeable. What a guy coming in after three months in t(e job, or whatever and telling the nation he is going to change the size of the field. I hate it!

Putting the changes on the Commissioner makes little sense.  The governors, for the most part, have been around for years and either (a) were the authors of the changes or (b) approved the recommended changes which could have come from the Commissioner, teams' management, players association , etc.

[jets4life]

This conversation might be less volatile if the current financial state of the league would be made public.

We don't know, although there are some clues that can help to infer what the scene might be.

In 2023 the publicly owned Edmonton franchise lost $3.9 million with an average attendance of over 22,000.
The average attendance for the 2024 CFL season was under 23,000.
Does it not follow that the average loss per team would be somewhere above 3.5 million? Probably.
Or, was there a huge amount of ineptitude in the management of the Edmonton team? Far less likely.

What is not mentioned, is that the Elks were giving away thousands of tickets. I was living in Edmonton that year, and the team announced that if the Elks lost a game, fans could keep their ticket, and not pay until the team won a game.  The promotion was in the midst of their record home losing streak. So obviously Edmonton is going to take a financial bloodbath.  I do not believe that the losses for other teams would be nearly as much, especially the teams playing in smaller arenas.

In the 2000s, the Montreal Alouettes made money, playing in a stadium with a capacity of 20,200 seats, so the analogy that every team loses approximately $3.5 million, if they average under 23,000, would be incorrect.

I believe there is no future if things don't change.
The league absolutely must gamble that the loss of traditionalists will be offset by new eyeballs.
That said, I think this is potentially just the tip of the iceberg...it is a positioning tactic that will allow the league to make future radical changes that may be needed.

I recall this exact conversation in the media back in the early 1990s. "We need to make radical changes to the league, or it will fold!"  So the CFL, in its infinite wisdom, decided to place several expansion franchises in the United States. How did that go?







[/quote]

[jets4life]

No kidding. The NFL wants 65K - 85K size stadiums. Look at the size and cost of the newer facilities. What did the stadium in Vegas cost?

There are many cities in the USA that want a team and will get one before any Canadian city.

If Toronto announced construction of an 80,000 seat, NFL ready stadium, they would be first in line for an NFL team.  There has been some talk of expanding to London, England.  The logistics of placing a team in Toronto would make it far more appealing.  Aside from that, name one American city more appealing to the NFL than Toronto, where the team can draw from over 10 million people in the Golden Horseshoe. 

[Jesse]

No kidding. The NFL wants 65K - 85K size stadiums. Look at the size and cost of the newer facilities. What did the stadium in Vegas cost?

There are many cities in the USA that want a team and will get one before any Canadian city.

Of course, the argument is not "Would the NFL grant Toronto a team?" It's, "Do certain executives/corporations WANT a NFL team in Toronto?"

A single NFL team would produce more profit than the entire CFL. I don't think it's a huge conspiracy theory to believe that certain people who would profit from an NFL team desire it to happen.

[RebusRankin]

If Toronto announced construction of an 80,000 seat, NFL ready stadium, they would be first in line for an NFL team.  There has been some talk of expanding to London, England.  The logistics of placing a team in Toronto would make it far more appealing.  Aside from that, name one American city more appealing to the NFL than Toronto, where the team can draw from over 10 million people in the Golden Horseshoe. 

Well first of all you need somebody who has the billion or so to build it. Second, Toronto is part of Buffalo's area when it comes to the NFL. They're not likely to put a team there. London on the off hand helps open up a newer market.

[Blue In BC]

If Toronto announced construction of an 80,000 seat, NFL ready stadium, they would be first in line for an NFL team.  There has been some talk of expanding to London, England.  The logistics of placing a team in Toronto would make it far more appealing.  Aside from that, name one American city more appealing to the NFL than Toronto, where the team can draw from over 10 million people in the Golden Horseshoe. 

I disagree 100%.  It would be an enormous financial risk to anyone to build an NFL stadium at a cost of several billion $$$. I don't see fan interest that would fill that kind of stadium. Franchise fee is something like $2B USD which is another obstacle limiting those wanting an NFL team anywhere.

Football is practically a religion in the USA. That is not the case in Canada.

[wpg#1]

Edm fighting for a playoff spot, having won some good games recently, and they drew...

about 8K? can't find the numbers anywhere, but if there were 8k I'd be surprised...

And you think changing the size of the field, moving the goalposts, and end zone change is going to help their attendance ?

[theaardvark]

Its like they said about an NHL team in Hamilton, if they give Hamilton an NHL team, then Toronto would want one...

If they give Toronto an NFL team, then Buffalo will want one...

[Sir Blue and Gold]

And you think changing the size of the field, moving the goalposts, and end zone change is going to help their attendance ?

It will help if, over time, through changes to the rules, marketing and other touchpoints, the CFL can establish credibility amongst those that don't currently watch it in Canada because they don't believe it is authentic, talented or creditable.

It turns out that although CFL diehards think the league is top notch, opinions vary and not for the better. Especially amongst younger Canadians.

Creating closer connection to the NFL, making the product more like what almost everyone on earth associates with professional football will make it more accessible and credible even if those changes turn off some current fans.

The ratio is something that used to be a benefit to the league but I think only does it a disservice now. And I think some of those things are coming too. It was entirely a marketing/fan interest thing to begin with and it's a sword that cuts both ways. 

You really can't argue with a straight face that from a pure credibility standpoint, putting everyone on earth on an equal playing field and cheering on the best possible players outside of the NFL would not improve its perception amongst people who regard the CFL as a second class league. The CFL has the opportunity to be seen as the AHL to the NFL and I think they're going to take it. It's as close a comparison as I can come up with help people understand and would benefit the CFL in the long run, even if the NFL eventually puts a team here.

[TBURGESS]

That's some magical thinking right there.