Kicking Showcase

[Blue In BC]

Oh no, not the 23rd and maybe the 22nd best Canadian player on every team.

Yes those players. Either you want a ratio to support Canadian players or you don't. I've never liked the ratio. Finding unique ways to add players from other countries to replace is counter productive.

Globals players are essentially a sub set of imports.

You could argue that the # 23 or # 22 on the Bombers were players like Gauthier or Hallett. Both were more productive in the long term than any global besides a kicker / punter.

The newer bottom of the Bomber Canadian roster might be Kelly, Ball or Novak that all contribute on ST's and could have long careers.

Would you rather have Weitz, Karamoko, Ogbevoen, Mauro, Machino, Oyelolo or Perez as their replacements?  Yeah, that's a group of winners. NOT.

[Tecno]

Have to wonder What are the residual benefits of the Global program?

Hate to say it, but the GLOB program was always a forced DEI-type program to try to gin up Good Feelz within the zeitgeist of that era.  Look at us, good global citizens.

That era has passed.  Ambrosie is gone.  The GLOB program should go with it.

Look at this this way, has it hurt? That is, are less Canadians watching because of it? No.

Is there a better chance of international viewership with an international program? Yes.

Oh look, we have Hansen's mom & grandpa watching in Frankfurt now.  Yay.

Ya, you're right that it's a net positive, but the magnitude is so tiny that it's hard to justify the complication and expense.  The GLOB combine/draft must cost the league at least $0.5M annually.

The only way you'd ever get decent TV/streaming numbers in foreign countries (ex-USA) would be if you had the same number of GLOBs from one country on each team as IMPs.  And that's not going to happen.

Johnston could have come in day 1 and said "no more forced GLOBs or GLOB draft", but he's too busy moving the goal posts.

[theaardvark]

Marketing rarely hits 100% immediately.  Sure, you got Hansen's Mon and Dad, and maybe some cousins... but eventually the more eyeballs you get to check it out because a local is playing, the more chance you get of getting a "Hey, you really should check out the CFL" around the water cooler, or after church... its a building thing, it takes time

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Aardvark is right on this one.

And without the global program what is the plan to try and generate interest in non traditional markets?

Haven't heard a better one.

Again, I'd do away with the ratio yesterday if I could. But if we're going to have one under the theory that it generates interest, then it makes sense to apply the theory everywhere.

It is certainly better than doing nothing and being all out of ideas. Which is how the league operated for long enough to get itself into trouble to begin with.

[Blue In BC]

Aardvark is right on this one.

And without the global program what is the plan to try and generate interest in non traditional markets?

Haven't heard a better one.

Again, I'd do away with the ratio yesterday if I could. But if we're going to have one under the theory that it generates interest, then it makes sense to apply the theory everywhere.

It is certainly better than doing nothing and being all out of ideas. Which is how the league operated for long enough to get itself into trouble to begin with.

The market place is not outside of North America. The global program is a failure. Taking time is one thing but I'd have to see a curve showing any impact over time. I'd have to see some games broadcast in Europe or Australia.

IMO the reality is that most global players seem to have Australian heritage since they are the kickers.

The CFL could play pre season games in the US even if they have to play on a different type of field.

Or:

They could play all pre season games in Canada outside the normal market. Saskatoon, Brandon, London, Halifax, Victoria for example.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

The market place is not outside of North America. The global program is a failure. Taking time is one thing but I'd have to see a curve showing any impact over time. I'd have to see some games broadcast in Europe or Australia.

IMO the reality is that most global players seem to have Australian heritage since they are the kickers.

The CFL could play pre season games in the US even if they have to play on a different type of field.

Or:

They could play all pre season games in Canada outside the normal market. Saskatoon, Brandon, London, Halifax, Victoria for example.

Or they could do both. Perhaps that's some of the rationale behind smaller fields that fit the footprint of more stadiums?

They should be trying to grow the game in Canada.

Tney should be trying to grow the game globally.

Suggesting you ignore "the world" and go after Saskatoon and Brandon doesn't play well in the board room. Go ahead and suggest that and see what happens.

[Blue In BC]

Or they could do both. Perhaps that's some of the rationale behind smaller fields that fit the footprint of more stadiums?

They should be trying to grow the game in Canada.

Tney should be trying to grow the game globally.

Suggesting you ignore "the world" and go after Saskatoon and Brandon doesn't play well in the board room. Go ahead and suggest that and see what happens.

The CFL already plays a game outside of the normal cities once a season. That could be expanded. Because of the world cup, the Lions and Argos will be doing that to start the season.

A variant of that would be more focus on holding training camps in new cities

I disagree with the global concept outright.

Aside from Hansen can anybody name a global player that is not from Australia or Mexico?

The CFL can't even get a 10th team off the ground. So don't give me that globalization is a great idea. Success starts at home.

I'm not in favour of the ratio either and have said that often over the years.

I'd go so far as suggesting with no ratio and more American players we'd see more interest in the USA. That would lead to broadcast revenue as an outcome. It would lead to the CFL being a higher profile for players.

[dd]

The ratio is the fundamental principle to the league and it isn't going anywhere, nor should it. Couldn't give a rip if the game is more popular in the states, fact is, it never will be, and that's fine by me

[Blue In BC]

The ratio is the fundamental principle to the league and it isn't going anywhere, nor should it. Couldn't give a rip if the game is more popular in the states, fact is, it never will be, and that's fine by me

That supports the argument that there is little or no value in the global program. On that aspect I agree. The global aspect of the ratio essentially replaces most Canadian kickers or punters. 

I can't dispute that the ratio is fundamental principle. However, I'm old enough to remember roster size in the low 30's and imports playing both ways. That meant less Canadians seeing the field.

In that era there were no DI's on rosters. A backup QB probably was a DB returner

It depends on your definition of ratio and where you want to draw the line. Global players are a recent subset of ratio. What's next on how they modify ratio away from Canadians.

Anyway. Back to the topic of kicking showcase. There is a good chance one of these candidates ends up on our PR after the 2026 draft.