I figure, if the CFL does not have successful seasons for 2 more years, then it is over
If the league does have successful season then there wont be a need for any kind of merger or take over.
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The league disappearing is more on THEM not us fans who stood by them thick in thin.
I would say it is more on media, change in younger gens interests, and general changes in society, as in not so common for kids to get together for game of pickup, etc
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even the NFL faces future problems
The Decline Of Football Is Real And It’s Accelerating (forbes.com)
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The expansion to US in the 90s did save the league, it could have been done a lot better, certainly the expansion was done in the worst possible way to the point that one can legit question if the owners actually wanted it to succeed.
The expansion put off the league crisis, stopped 3 teams from folding and it was only the poor handling of it that prevented it from being what it could have been. Thus it was a successful failure and led to the league being bailed out by the NFL in the late 90s.
You argue that we’ve endured in spite of the NFL, would say that is totally wrong, we’ve only endured because of the NFL.
The NFL has a lot of longterm problems it needs to address, those problems will absolutely kill us if we dont get on it now. This is why the NFL is getting so aggressive about expanding globally, we need to do the same.
We also cannot endure longterm if we maintain a us vs them attitude towards the NFL. A partnership with the XFL opens an opportunity to redefine our relationship with The NFL to make it more symbiotic.
Currently the NFL only has one path for how it develops and obtains players, painfully aware that it needs to change that. A CFL/XFL could accept that any good talent in theirs leagues want to go to the NFL, fine, embrace that.
Setup a system in which the NFL has financially compensate teams for recruiting their players, allow player loans to dev prospects etc creating multiple paths to the NFL and one in which that can also be a business model similar to how European soccer does it.
We aren’t in competition with the NFL, that concept is one of the many philosophies that has prevented us from expanding and reaching out in collaborative ways. The CFL refused to adapt and allowed its three major media markets to wither, its overall youth and other aspects languish. Now we need cash to survive but also significant capital to make the reforms and establish the foundations in a hurry that we should have been doing all along.
The XFL can provide that capital, how much we have to compromise on may actually be very little. The XFL needs help in getting restarted and credibility for its 3rd restart attempt.
There will be given and take, but the CFL and XFL could both benefit from a partnership along with forming a relationship of some kind with the NFL is at thisnpoint our only realistic way forward.
How much we have to give is open, but we need to be open to it.
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It’s also acceptable to make your point with fewer words than having to write a novel every time.
It’s a wonder if some of the contributors are having trouble trying to understand your viewpoint.
You spend too much time rambling.
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LMAO, that doesn’t make me wrong or you right.
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I think your figure of 60-80 million additional to get a season going is low. A normal year sees teams burning about 20 million just to break even. The TV deal covers the salary cap of 5 milion per team, teams then have to find the remaining 15 million, most of which comes through the gate. Fans in the stands will be limited at best, non-existant at worst, but the associated revenue won’t be anywhere close to break even. 15 million per team x 9 teams is 130 million. Let’s say they can each generate 3.5 million in revenue, and we are around 100 million light.
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I always use conservative estimates.
The 20 million in losses is spread between 3 franchises.
The other six make money
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Oh come on. While the media and changing trends are certainly part of the equation, the current situation with the pandemic while not the owners fault, exposed all of the warts on this pig.
I’ve been a fan since I attended my first Rider games as a kid (I fondly recall the George Reed retirement game). CFL owners have had 35 years to change their model while the world passed them by.
Over that time they’ve been inept at best, immoral at worst, and absolutely baffling in most of their decision making which at times has felt like they almost wanted it to fail. The chickens came home to roost with the pandemic but this squarely on ownership. To suggest otherwise is to put on your rose coloured glasses.
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How are they going to make money with little to no fans in the stands?
There will be no football in that scenario. I am on record for months now that there will be no CFL football with fans in the stands in 2021. Still my position, doesn’t mean I’m right…
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Ok understood. I was referencing your earlier point about costs for this year. I thought you meant that if they played it would only require 60-80 million additional.
I agree with you. No fans in the stands, without some angel (sucker) willing to lose 100 million and likely never make it back, makes it highly unlikely the CFL can play. It will be interesting to see what happens with the XFL.
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Correct, assuming they are allowed to play a shortened season with reduced attendance in the stands (sort of like the NFL 2020 season). They would lose 60 to 80 million as a group. because most of those fans have already paid for their tickets through 2020 season tickets. The reduced capacity means that for teams with small stadiums and high season ticket counts like Ottawa and Hamilton they may not even be able to fit their existing season ticket base in a reduced capacity stadium. It is a hell of a mess.
Whatever the future of the association with the XFL. Redbird Capital ain’t laying out that kind of money in the timeframe remaining to get training camps opened on time. At best we are looking deep into summer.
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It sure is! I still contend it’s more like a 100 million. Doesn’t mean I’m right either. :).
I suspect you are correct. Why a deal with the XFL will be even more important, at best I hope the league approaches the XFL with reasonable plan out the gate with what they are willing compromise on since it isn’t hard to guess some of the minimums the XFL will be looking for.
Schedule, rules and field size. Schedule is an area we’ll have to bend a lot on, field size I think we could split the difference of CFL width but American length. Rules I think we have a good shot at krepimost including 12 man 3 down since they can make the case that with XFL innovations it will make for a very fast paced game with a lot more offensive action.
I think if we go to the table with big concessions in hand we could potentially remain in the driver’s seat on rules. Throw in enough cash to stabilize our league, cover the 2021 and 2022 seasons, pay for Halifax to come online, inexchange we help the XFL get organized and lend our history and expertise.
Win win and we get to keep core aspects we care about most and ensure a glorious future for the league.
I agree but a major reorganization is in progress given its inevitability for years now. The pandemic only accelerated the schedule for the CFL. And what will be either will be no more CFL or nothing even close to what we have had since the US experiment failed. We can only hope for preservation of key rules, traditions, and heritage in whatever comes next.
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I concur. Perhaps like you, I feel like drop-kicking a few balls into the stands or just spiking the ball but not having scored a touchdown.
This reminds me finally I can get out and kick around this week, so at the end of my workout I might as well loaf around on that note too.
There is zero chance of a 3 down league in the US. None, zero, zilch. Hell, half of Canada prefers 4 down football to 3 downs (the younger demographic anyways). So why would you try to create a continental wide football league where 5% of the population prefers 3 down football while you try to convince the other 95% to buy in?
Personally, I am REALLY excited about this. It doesn't take an MBA to realize the CFL is either at the end of their rope or really, really close - there is NO way this league can adequately increase revenues within Canada. They've made way too many mistakes over the past 40 years and the ship has sailed. The CFL has always been great at football but crappy at business.
I think there is an outstanding opportunity to be part of an exciting league. The CFL is getting stale (I've been a season ticket holder for 50 years and I've attended every Grey Cup since 1992). The CFL has been a huge part of my life but in hindsight nothing has changed. Nothing. In that same period the NHL has gone from 6 teams to 32, the NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, CHL, AHL... have all seen significant growth (in both revenues and teams) but the CFL still lingers on hat in hand. A 8-9 team league is too small. It's time to become part of something bigger. I for one am excited to see what happens!!
The truth is XFL ball was quite exciting (so is the CFL). What I would like to see is 100 yard field (plus 10-15 yard end zones) and 60 yard width. I'm good with 4 downs.
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