The league currently issues one-offs celebrating individual teams’ histories with commemorative jerseys - like a team’s 50th Grey Cup, or an anniversary linked to the founding of a team. But in the late 2000s, it looked like the league was going to commemorate eras of CFL history. Reebok launched retro jerseys, first in 2008 for Winnipeg and Toronto commemorating the 1950s, then for all teams in 2009 (1960s) and 2010 (1970s). However, the initiative never continued; since it led up to the 100th Grey Cup, the momentum dissipated.
A logical progression would have been to at least have a 1980s iteration for 2011, if not a 1990s 2012 version. The CFL should regularly cycle through celebrations of its past to impress upon new fans the significance of its long history. Here’s some of the rationale for making this an annual thing:
- Celebrating the League’s History: One of the biggest assets of the CFL is its long history, stretching back nearly as far as the nation itself. The CFL could celebrate a different decade (1950s to 1990s) each season, with an additional “Origins” season (celebrating the history of football in Canada prior to the 1950s). It’s a plan to refresh the memories of current fans, and provide an opportunity for new fans to learn more about the history of their teams. In order to spread the celebration out, there should only be nine home “Decades” game per week, one for each team. So roughly every second week, the league can focus on a specific team’s history during that decade.
- Revenue Generation: Obviously., a new “historic” jersey and related merchandise every year for 6 years would be great for fans. But it could also enhance the stadium experience: music, food, games, and the dance teams could all get thematic - the 1980s games could feature a walk-up arcade as part of the pre-game, for instance. This could make attending games more appealing. The games would also revive historic rivalries of East-West teams, such as Hamilton and Winnipeg in the 1950s, Ottawa and Saskatchewan in the 1960s, and Edmonton and Montreal in the 1970s.
Should the CFL restart the initiative of retro weekends?
