Interesting article on the CFL Global scouting in Japan

[VictorRomano]

The Canadian Football League and Chief Football Operations officer Greg Dick continued their search for international talent as the CFL looks to continue to build its global program with new talent in 2023.

https://bit.ly/3kpdWHh

[ModAdmin]

The CFL continues to see value in assessing and attracting Global players to this league.  Have at it, IMHO.

[Blue In BC]

And yet there are still only 27 global players drafted in 3 rounds for 2023. Last year several players that were drafted didn't even show up to TC. 10 of 27 those drafted were kickers of some sort.

Only 1 of 3 drafted by the Bombers showed up for TC and he's spent most of the season on the PR. 2 games played with 1 ST for the season.

That doesn't jump out to me as finding a large pool of talent.

[pjrocksmb]

I believe these initiatives are good to attract talent and exposure to our league.  We have seen a few very good globals, keep em coming but also protect our Canadain starters.

[theaardvark]

The fact that this initiative attracted Hansen, who then got the league to remove the earning cap on Globals with his play says something about it.  Add that many of the teams employed a GLB P this year, another positive. 

I think that eventually, they will make the GLB designation to be waived after 3 years, allowing a player to then be designated Int.  Allowing guys like Hansen to progress, and not keep the two active roster spots jammed with established GLB talent.  They should also add another GLB PR spot, allowing development/reserve.

[Blue In BC]

I believe these initiatives are good to attract talent and exposure to our league.  We have seen a few very good globals, keep em coming but also protect our Canadain starters.

Adding 2 Global players to the roster directly comes at the cost of 2 less Canadians on the AR. Another 2 spots are lost on the PR to global spots.

Somebody needs to show me the value and exposure we're getting by this initiative. Where are CFL games even broadcast on a regular basis outside of North America.

[Blue In BC]

The fact that this initiative attracted Hansen, who then got the league to remove the earning cap on Globals with his play says something about it.  Add that many of the teams employed a GLB P this year, another positive. 

I think that eventually, they will make the GLB designation to be waived after 3 years, allowing a player to then be designated Int.  Allowing guys like Hansen to progress, and not keep the two active roster spots jammed with established GLB talent.  They should also add another GLB PR spot, allowing development/reserve.

Hansen did that all by himself? lol That was just an adjustment afforded to every other player after their 1st contract expires.

Waiving the global designation changes the idea of a given player needing to qualify as an import ( DI ). It's an advantage they currently have essentially as a " hidden DI ".   If they need to qualify as imports, I'm not sure how many survive.

Take the current Bomber roster. Hansen probably could earn a DI spot but would Maruo beat our our LB DI? That's a maybe at best and I like him. Bombers might have the 2 best globals at the moment. Since so many of global players are kickers, they'd have to compete against actual imports which is a larger pool.

Adding a 3rd global? Again that just eliminates another Canadian. Some posters would explode if another import DI was added. The reality is that it does the same thing in eliminating Canadian players.

When a team only adds one global to the game day roster, the result is one more Canadian is added. That was true in 2021. The mandate may have required 2 globals in 2022? Not sure about that but the point is valid.


Now we're tinkering with Nationalized Imports. That also takes away another Canadian spot.

Even though I'm anti ratio this is not good for Canadian talent. Where is the outrage?

[Sir Blue and Gold]

The global ratio is the same concept as the Canadian ratio. You're forced to find the best available athletes based on passport and play them based on the rules. If the Canadian ratio is good for Canadian fans, theoretically, the global ratio should be good for global fans (assuming they exist or it is possible for them to exist). Is there enough talent globally for the global ratio in Canadian football? Not really. You see a ton of punters/kickers, etc. Is there enough talent for the Canadian ratio? Not really. Teams usually don't have many backup options at par with starters. You tend to try and fill the quota with interior offensive lineman, kickers/punters and the furthest, least involved WR. Are there some? Yes. Are there some 'good enough' globals? Yes. Would there be less globals and Canadians if there was no ratio and you had to make it purely on talent? Yes.

[theaardvark]

Hansen did that all by himself? lol That was just an adjustment afforded to every other player after their 1st contract expires.

Waiving the global designation changes the idea of a given player needing to qualify as an import ( DI ). It's an advantage they currently have essentially as a " hidden DI ".   If they need to qualify as imports, I'm not sure how many survive.

Take the current Bomber roster. Hansen probably could earn a DI spot but would Maruo beat our our LB DI? That's a maybe at best and I like him. Bombers might have the 2 best globals at the moment. Since so many of global players are kickers, they'd have to compete against actual imports which is a larger pool.

Adding a 3rd global? Again that just eliminates another Canadian. Some posters would explode if another import DI was added. The reality is that it does the same thing in eliminating Canadian players.

When a team only adds one global to the game day roster, the result is one more Canadian is added. That was true in 2021. The mandate may have required 2 globals in 2022? Not sure about that but the point is valid.


Now we're tinkering with Nationalized Imports. That also takes away another Canadian spot.

Even though I'm anti ratio this is not good for Canadian talent. Where is the outrage?

The big difference between a Nat, GLB and INT player is development.  The whole idea of these ratios is to give NAT and GLB players an opportunity to"catch up" to INT players who have generally have significantly more opportunity to develop their game because of the US football culture.

NATs and GLB's might have some US training, but in general, they are behind.  These ratios and ELC contacts give them opportunity to catch up without teams paying to steep a price.

[Blue In BC]

The global ratio is the same concept as the Canadian ratio. You're forced to find the best available athletes based on passport and play them based on the rules. If the Canadian ratio is good for Canadian fans, theoretically, the global ratio should be good for global fans (assuming they exist or it is possible for them to exist). Is there enough talent globally for the global ratio in Canadian football? Not really. You see a ton of punters/kickers, etc. Is there enough talent for the Canadian ratio? Not really. Teams usually don't have many backup options at par with starters. You tend to try and fill the quota with interior offensive lineman, kickers/punters and the furthest, least involved WR. Are there some? Yes. Are there some 'good enough' globals? Yes. Would there be less globals and Canadians if there was no ratio and you had to make it purely on talent? Yes.

Supply and demand. Do we want more or less Canadians getting an opportunity to develop. The pro ratio folks would say " more ". I guess I'm on their side on that view if a ratio needs to exist.

As I asked, someone needs to show me something about " global fans " and the benefit over adding Canadian fans.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

Supply and demand. Do we want more or less Canadians getting an opportunity to develop. The pro ratio folks would say " more ". I guess I'm on their side on that view if a ratio needs to exist.

As I asked, someone needs to show me something about " global fans " and the benefit over adding Canadian fans.

This comes back to the business case that the league has mostly expanded to the size it can in the Canadian market. It needs other markets to grow but it's pretty difficult to get the average American to take it seriously because of the rule differences, power of the NFL and the Canadian ratio. Therefore, it makes sense to try outside of North America and they way they've gone about it is exactly the same as the logic used for Canada and the Canadian ratio.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

The big difference between a Nat, GLB and INT player is development.  The whole idea of these ratios is to give NAT and GLB players an opportunity to"catch up" to INT players who have generally have significantly more opportunity to develop their game because of the US football culture.

NATs and GLB's might have some US training, but in general, they are behind.  These ratios and ELC contacts give them opportunity to catch up without teams paying to steep a price.

Except the ratio has absolutely nothing to do with where you developed as a football player. They could have wrote it like that, but they didn't.

[ModAdmin]

For anyone that is uncertain about the breakdown of CFL game day rosters, here are the rules...

Game Rule Ratio

Each team may have a maximum of 46 players, including 2 players who shall be identified as quarterbacks and 44 other players, of whom not more than 20 may be American players.

Each team must establish a reserve roster of 1 player.

Of the 46 players named to the roster, each team may dress an active roster of 45 players, broken down as follows:

    Maximum of 2 QBs (no designation)
    Maximum of 20 American players (4 of which must be identified as designated Americans)
    Minimum of 21 National players
    Minimum of 2 Global players

The four designated American players are players who can play on special teams OR replace an American starter (they cannot start).

Of the 24 starters on a team, a minimum of seven starters will be nationals players. When applied to a starting roster of a team it breaks down as follows (when using the minimum number of national players):

    1 QB
    16 American players
    7 starting national players

The following Players shall be classified as National Players (formerly non-import):
(a)    Canadian citizens at the time of signing of the Player's first contract;
(b)    A Player classified as a non-import prior to May 31st, 2014;  OR
(c)    A Player who was physically resident in Canada for an aggregate period of five (5) years prior to attaining the age of eighteen (18) years.

[Blue In BC]

For anyone that is uncertain about the breakdown of CFL game day rosters, here are the rules...

Game Rule Ratio

Each team may have a maximum of 46 players, including 2 players who shall be identified as quarterbacks and 44 other players, of whom not more than 20 may be American players.

Each team must establish a reserve roster of 1 player.

Of the 46 players named to the roster, each team may dress an active roster of 45 players, broken down as follows:

    Maximum of 2 QBs (no designation)
    Maximum of 20 American players (4 of which must be identified as designated Americans)
    Minimum of 21 National players
    Minimum of 2 Global players

The four designated American players are players who can play on special teams OR replace an American starter (they cannot start).

Of the 24 starters on a team, a minimum of seven starters will be nationals players. When applied to a starting roster of a team it breaks down as follows (when using the minimum number of national players):

    1 QB
    16 American players
    7 starting national players

The following Players shall be classified as National Players (formerly non-import):
(a)    Canadian citizens at the time of signing of the Player's first contract;
(b)    A Player classified as a non-import prior to May 31st, 2014;  OR
(c)    A Player who was physically resident in Canada for an aggregate period of five (5) years prior to attaining the age of eighteen (18) years.

That was 2021 info. Teams dressed 3 QB's for the most part, not the 2 QB max in 2021. I don't think we actually have that extra 46th non dressed player any longer. Didn't hear about that in 2022.

[Blue In BC]

This comes back to the business case that the league has mostly expanded to the size it can in the Canadian market. It needs other markets to grow but it's pretty difficult to get the average American to take it seriously because of the rule differences, power of the NFL and the Canadian ratio. Therefore, it makes sense to try outside of North America and they way they've gone about it is exactly the same as the logic used for Canada and the Canadian ratio.

That's a pretty sad statement if true.