New rules / commissioner's statements

[theaardvark]

The field dimensions relative to stadium fitment would've been addressed by simply reducing the depth of the endzones while retaining the standard 110-yard field length. You've yet to explain how these changes clean up the game since they were announced two months ago, but you continue to repeat the same tired narrative.

Respectfully, your opinions on this topic are immaterial. You make claims without basis and then run away when pressed for clarification.

Every CFL stadium will have an identical field.  15 yard deep EZ doesn't happen without the goal post moves.  Loss of a 55 yard line when you make FG's 15 yards deeper makes sense.

They all fit together.  I can see it making the game better, higher scoring and faster.  I cannot see it making anything worse, except losing the nostalgia of C or 55 on the field, many times in a different font than the rest of the field... and of course, the offensive play "doink" / goal post rub plays.

[TBURGESS]

None of the changes needed to be made. None of them will help scoring. All they will do is annoy the older folks who are the ones who buy tickets. 

[blue_gold_84]

Every CFL stadium will have an identical field.  15 yard deep EZ doesn't happen without the goal post moves.  Loss of a 55 yard line when you make FG's 15 yards deeper makes sense.

They all fit together.  I can see it making the game better, higher scoring and faster.  I cannot see it making anything worse, except losing the nostalgia of C or 55 on the field, many times in a different font than the rest of the field... and of course, the offensive play "doink" / goal post rub plays.

Every CFL venue would accommodate fitment even if you left the 110-yard length and changed to 15-yard endzones. Moving the goalposts back didn't improve scoring for the NFL; to claim the CFL doing so will result in any improvement to the game is not realistic. The amount of doinks that take place is basically a rounding error, anyway.

The NFL is objectively no better, faster, or higher scoring than the CFL despite playing on a much smaller field - it's personal preference, which is subjective. And it's pretty disingenuous for you, the commissioner, or any other shill on board with these changes to make such claims because the data simply doesn't exist.

These changes do nothing to address what's actually ailing the CFL in terms of its financial health or its sustainability as a league.

[Tecno]

55 on the field, many times in a different font than the rest of the field

Well that's it boys.  All along the real problem was the font.  Johnston hates that font.  Certainly we couldn't have just bought a new stencil template for $10.  We have to re-turf 2 fields for $1.25M each and destroy all "nostalgia" because it's that darn font!

Amercians weren't watching because the font didn't match!  The horror...

[Tecno]

Every CFL stadium will have an identical field.  15 yard deep EZ doesn't happen without the goal post moves.

Are you just saying stuff hoping that people don't have brains?  This doesn't stand to reason -- at all.  There is nothing stopping a EZ depth change all on its own.  GPs have nothing to do with it.

Loss of a 55 yard line when you make FG's 15 yards deeper makes sense.

Ah, I see, 1) start with false premise (a).  2) Use false premise (a) to support (b).  3) Pray no one notices.

[Tecno]

Insight from the original Valour FC manager Rob Gale on why the team failed, sounds like the Bombers under-financed their operation.  Would that make it Wade's responsibility?

Ya, because a $1M free handout subsidy (stolen from the Bomber side, BTW) wasn't good enough?

On the upside, the Bomber Store will be a heck of a lot less crowded now that they can expand the Bomber merch to the 1/4 of the store that was wasted on Valour!

[bunker]

Maybe they can use the million as marketing money to get some decent free agents here this off-season . I'm tired of Walters crying poor and cheaping out. The fans and corporate sponsors have helped make the bombers the most financially successful franchise in the league. Time for some payback.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Maybe they can use the million as marketing money to get some decent free agents here this off-season . I'm tired of Walters crying poor and cheaping out. The fans and corporate sponsors have helped make the bombers the most financially successful franchise in the league. Time for some payback.

"Marketing money"  How does that work, you want Walters to use it to bribe the player agents? 

[jets4life]

Ya, because a $1M free handout subsidy (stolen from the Bomber side, BTW) wasn't good enough?

On the upside, the Bomber Store will be a heck of a lot less crowded now that they can expand the Bomber merch to the 1/4 of the store that was wasted on Valour!

I've never seen anyone in the city wearing Valour RC gear.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Ya, because a $1M free handout subsidy (stolen from the Bomber side, BTW) wasn't good enough?

I suspect you didn't take the time to watch the video before coming up with this take.

[blue_gold_84]

Maybe @ModAdmin or another moderator could move this Valour FC discussion to the actual Valour FC thread...?

[bunker]

"Marketing money"  How does that work, you want Walters to use it to bribe the player agents? 

\]

"Marketing money"  How does that work, you want Walters to use it to bribe the player agents? 

I was thinking directly to the players to supplement their salary, but hey whatever it takes...

[Tecno]

"Marketing money"  How does that work, you want Walters to use it to bribe the player agents? 

You didn't read the whole Magic Marketing Money (MMM) thread back when Rourke signed for like $750k last season?  MMM is off-SMS LIMITLESS funny money rich teams can use to bribe players to get around SMS limitations.  Just pick a number and make up some fake ad / photo shoots or signing table appearances and voila you just got Rourke for $550k SMS hit when he's really pocketing $750k.

And we should 100% be throwing MMM everywhere at everyone we want to snipe from other teams.  We are the richest team in the league.  Let's Rocket Ishmael ourselves to perpetual GC wins.

[Tecno]

I suspect you didn't take the time to watch the video before coming up with this take.

I watched about 4 mins.  I couldn't take the silly soccer hair cut any longer than that!  And of course the guy is going to talk up his job and deflect blame.

I'm pretty sure the WFC was more than generous carrying this nonsense at a massive loss for as long as they did.  Now just imagine the financials WFC will be able to post in '26 without the soccer albatross around their neck!

[Stats Junkie]

One of the narratives when the rule changes were first announced was that new commissioner was just the messenger.

Based on all of his interviews during Grey Cup Week it is quite clear that Stewart Johnston is the one driving the bus. He mentioned several times that many of these changes are ideas he has thought about for a handful of years prior to getting the CFL job. None of rule changes were left dangling from the Randy Ambrosie era.

So, why the urgency to get these rule changes through so quickly?

And more importantly, why was it necessary to bypass the traditional process for approving rule changes?

During Grey Cup Week, the CFL was celebrating increased attendance, increased viewership, and increased revenue. Revenue is a lagging indicator which suggests that it was initiatives started by Randy Ambrosie that are responsible. Probably the biggest revenue generator has been legalized gambling on CFL games. Believe or not, this is a Genius initiative. In fact, legalized gambling is the business arm that Genius Sports does the best.

Out of this, the CFL finally has the funds necessary to upgrade the website, mobile app & fantasy football. Johnston will take the bows for steering the league across the finish line for these initiatives but the groundwork was set before he took over. Most importantly, Genius Sports will not be involved in these initiatives.

It has been suggested that the rule changes will improve excitement and increase scoring. During Grey Cup week, the CFL was celebrating the highest points per game since 2008. The league should also be celebrating the highest points per drive ever. Unfortunately, through other initiatives by the league to reduce game time into a 3 hour time slot, we have lost a number of plays per game. Based on numbers from the mid-1990s, there were about 165 plays per game. Today the league average is a little more than 140 plays per game. If you want to increase scoring, find a way to increase the number of plays. Theoretically, a 10% increase in the number of plays should result in a 10% increase in scoring per game.

The only rule change suggested that addresses the number of plays issue is the 35 second play clock. If done properly, we will see an increase in the number of plays per game. How many more plays really depends on the details. The next big question, if more plays are the result, can we still complete a CFL game in the 3 hour TV time slot?

BTW, I consider a well played defensive football game to be quite enjoyable. More scoring doesn't necessarily mean more excitement.