CFL "PURIST" - a dirty word

CFL Talk
#1

To a CFL “Realist? like myself, the CFL “Purist? is like a Liberal to an American Republican: Someone who likes to spend someone else’s money to support their own beliefs. And, for this reason, “CFL Purist? has become a dirty word. The reason why...

CFL Purist (paraphrased) excuses I have cringed at over the years:

1] This league is NOT about making money! (My favourite.)
2] This isn’t a business and the owners don’t care about the losses. It's a right-off.
3] If it isn’t enough to make the team profitable, then I say don't do it.
4] Earl Grey would roll over in his grave if he knew we were... (fill in the blank).
5] I would rather see the league fold than... (fill in the blank).
6] I don’t care if Europe’s best soccer leagues do it, it’s unprofessional.
7] I don’t care if the Major Bowls do it, this is the big leagues.
8] If the choice is between making money and tradition, I’ll take tradition every time.
9] If we do that just to make money, people won’t see us on the same level as the NFL, NHL and NBA.
10] IF " I " OWNED THE TEAM...

It is time to move this league into the 21st Century and do what it takes to put this league on solid financial footing.

#2

I think the league is pretty healthy financially. What would you suggest to make more money?

#3

Selling the naming rights to the Grey Cup and advertise on the jerseys like the MLS and European Soccer Leagues do to start.

#4

Don't some unis have Rona patches already? I wonder how much you could get for the "Burger King" Grey Cup. Worth looking into if it's substantial.

#5

Somehow I knew that's where you were going with your list. Actually, I think of myself as close to a CFL Purist - I like the international rule, I like the rouge, I like the no yards rule - but I do see the benefits to selling advertising space on players' jerseys. From an aesthetics perspective, I wouldn't like it. But then, I really don't like the game stopping every few minutes for commercial breaks either, but I have come to accept that it's necessary for the league to survive. I think the big question in this would be how much would advertisers pay to have their logo displayed prominently on the players' jerseys. In particular, how much more could the league make by doing this vs. the smaller logos currently on the jerseys?

One issue that would need to be addressed is making it easy to identify the offensive linemen, i.e. the inelligible receivers, which today is done by the players' numbers, which might not be as easy to see with logos covering the jerseys. Possibly a different colour at the shoulders, or a different colour helmet - like what they do in soccer for the goalies.

#6

I would prefer the "Bell Grey Cup" or the "Google Grey Cup" or the "Bank of Nova Scotia Grey Cup" but if Burger King is willing to pay the most, that's fine with me. Hell, if they want to pay enough money and help the teams break even / make a profit, I could live with the "Tampax Grey Cup". It's not going to change my life or anyone else's but it might keep a team afloat.

#7

Am I getting that predictable? No need to answer. I'll assume it's a "yes".

As I mentioned before, the TFC, with dirt poor TV ratings, makes $4M/yr for the jersey advertising rights. I guarantee that's a huge step up from what we make. Even if each team got $4M and it was twice(?) what they get now...

My guess... the announcers use the numbers on the back of the jerseys a hundred times more than they use the ones on the front. And, announcers for the Premier League seems to manage so...

Besides, when you have great announcers like Rod Black, anything is doable. :wink:

#8

LOL, ummm ya ok because selling the rights to stadiums, field advertising, primetime ad placement, and sponsorship of the Grey Cup (yes it has been done before by Molsons) resulted in millions of dollars that will allow the league to sign 1st round draft picks away from the NFL and guarantee equal placement of games on US primetime TV.

Sorry but your ideas are not the views of a CFL "Realist". If anything they are the views of a CFL "Idealist". MLS doesn't do well in our country, and many of the methods commonly used in Europe simply have little effect on our country or it's people. In the EU you have millions of people jammed in a small area, quite the opposite of Canada. You also have a ton of old money, again quite different from Canada. You have global powerhouse companies situated all over Europe, again, quite different from Canada. The cost of television advertising also is massively more expensive in Europe (if it is allowed at all) and there are far fewer spots allowed.

Also on this:

10] IF " I " OWNED THE TEAM...
FYI, the most financially successful teams in the CFL are owned by the community.
#9

.

Who said anything about that? Nice tangent. I am talking about the difference between teams like the Argos / Ticats / Red Blacks losing money and breaking even.

I promise you this, if the Argos just broke even, they would be a hundred times easier sell than they are now and they wouldn't need David Braley ownership of a 2nd team to keep them afloat.

That is why I made the comparison to the TFC which you chose to ignore. If the TFC can make $4M/yr by advertising on their jerseys, we should be able to make that given our sky high TV ratings. Besides, there are many top companies in this country who would be willing to advertise on jerseys like BMO does with the TFC...

BMO
CIBC
TD
National Bank
Royal Bank
Scotia Bank
Bell
Rogers
Boston Pizza
Air Canada
Manulife,
Blackberry
IMAX
Imperial Oil
Molsons
Labatts
Rona
Roots
Sobeys
Shoppers Drug Mart
McDonalds Canada
Loblaws
etc...

#10
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It's kind of cute how you actually seem to think Repubilcans don't love spending someone elses money to support their own beliefs. With insight like that, the rest of this must be incredible!

And, for this reason, “CFL Purist? has become a dirty word. The reason why...

CFL Purist (paraphrased) excuses I have cringed at over the years:

1] This league is NOT about making money! (My favourite.)
2] This isn’t a business and the owners don’t care about the losses. It's a right-off.
3] If it isn’t enough to make the team profitable, then I say don't do it.
4] Earl Grey would roll over in his grave if he knew we were... (fill in the blank).
5] I would rather see the league fold than... (fill in the blank).
6] I don’t care if Europe’s best soccer leagues do it, it’s unprofessional.
7] I don’t care if the Major Bowls do it, this is the big leagues.
8] If the choice is between making money and tradition, I’ll take tradition every time.
9] If we do that just to make money, people won’t see us on the same level as the NFL, NHL and NBA.
10] IF " I " OWNED THE TEAM...

It is time to move this league into the 21st Century and do what it takes to put this league on solid financial footing.


So... you made up a fictional "purist", then filled his mouth with strawman statements so you can be a "realist" in comparison?

That's sad. Your posts are usually pretty good, I have no idea what happened today. (And besides, I thought not paying the players any of the new TV money was going to put the league on solid financial footing? I guess Montreal's 50 consultants are sucking up all that new revenue.)

#11

CatsFan is not worried about Rowdy Rod being able to identify anyone (he can't do it now so how much worse could it get), he's referring to the officials. The officials are looking at O-lineman and need to identify them when they venture to far down field and try and catch a ball. If the receiver has a lineman's number and has not reported eligible it's a penalty and the officials need to identify the number to make that call.

And I will say it again for the Grey Cup. DO NOT sell the name. You talk about "purists" being inflexible yet you refuse to allow even a single item to be off the table for advertising. I have one word for you, compromise. Learn it or CFL jersey's will look like European hockey uniforms.

#12

Here's an anti-purist thought....make the end zones smaller.

Argos to BMO issue solved :smiley:

#13

While we're at it we should probably get rid of that 12th player on the field, they're too expensive and it would get the league on a solid financial footing to have less players.

No doubt the "purists" will stop these great ideas! :cowboy:

#14

While you're at it why not add the baseball stands and we can have the CNE Stadium back. Love how people refuse to learn from history. Float the idea of putting the Argos in an open air stadium where BMO is back in 1989 and people would have had you locked up in a psych ward for suggesting a move a few metres from CNE Stadium was going to change anything. :roll:

#15

I never made any connection between an American Republican and a CFL Realist other than to say they see CFL Purists and Liberals in the same light. After that the comparisons end. :wink: Besides, no one is more of a Liberal than me.

First, someone had to find a label for these people and I was happy to do it. When you start seeing people walk down the street in a "I thank God I am NOT a CFL Purist" T-Shirt, that I sell for $19.99, you will start to believe as well.

Second, as for today's post, it is honest and accurate. Sorry if you don't feel that way.

Last, when did I ever say anything about not paying the players any of the new TV money or 50 consultants in Montreal? This is new to me.

#16

See... instead of taking small financial/jersey/advertising changes to help improve this league seriously, you take it to silly extremes. Typical "Purist".

#17

I'd say remove the advertising from the fields and never let advertising on the jerseys. The NFL and NCAA look like top leauges on TV. The CFL needs to sharpen up their brand and putting advertising everywhere is bush leauge.

The Grey Cup presented by (inset Sponser) is fine with me, but do not change the name of the Grey Cup itself. (ie The Fed ex Cup in golf sounds heartless).

#18

Actually, we're using reductio ad absurdum to mock a really stupid thread. If you want a serious discussion on what the league should do to boost revenue, you'd have more luck if you started it without the whole thing being a giant strawman attack on everyone that doesn't agree with you. (And I'm not sure how you even know that I'm one of those people, since I haven't said anything on any actual proposals.)

#19

I say do both.

But who cares if it sounds "heartless" or corporate? Will it stop people from watching or lessen the enjoyment of the game? Of course not. All it will do is better the bottom line of the league. Isn't it worth it if we can stop hearing/reading/worrying about the financial health of the CFL?

#20

how about selling the naming rights to the grey cup to earls restaurant chain