I just thought I'd pose this question, what do you feel is the greatest Challenge that Mark Cohon and the league itself has ahead of itself today.
I personally feel it's the state of the Ontario franchises and the "NFL is so much better then CFL" attitude. Your thoughts?
I agree its the Ontario hate for football that isn't called NFL
What gets me is that CIS football seems to be more popular than CIS hockey, despite the fact that hockey is widely considered to be Canada's sport. The homecoming football game has to be the biggest sporting event of the season at Queen's and it seems a lot of other universities too. It sells out easily, and when Queen's is in the playoffs, those games attract big crowds as well. Most of Canada's non-imports come out of the CIS. On the other hand, I don't really see anybody making a big deal about Queen's hockey, or any other sport for that matter. One would think there'd be some way to use that interest in CIS football to attract younger fans to the CFL.
I think alot of the problem with the CFL's image in Ontario has to do with the league only having 8 teams with 6 of them making the playoffs.
I feel the league would get more respect around here if the league had 10-12 teams, all of which are financially stable, with 6 to 8 teams making the playoffs. the league would seem more legit and professional, IMO.
This. Although I 'd say that applies all across the country. It’s just more prevalent in Southern Ontario. We need to start treating the CFL as the major league it is more often.
Yes all good points so far.
For me its the expansion issue.
More teams equals more exposure, increased income etc.
You could also throw the NHL in there too…
What I find funny about that is cis football is way more
popular in the east then west... But the cfl is seemingly more
popular in the west. I feel the greatest challenges are expansion, more fans
in the stands, and raising the Canadian ratio. Even of just one starter per team.
I don’t think your idea has anything whatsoever to do with it (or so little as to be inconsequential). People don’t care nearly as much about how many teams get in the playoffs as whether or not THEIR team gets in and in general plays an entertaining game. 12 financially stable teams? How? Unless the taxpayers own them all.
I’d suggest it is simply competition for the overall entertainment dollar and southern Ontario has a lot of that - pro-sports and many other things. That, and what are simply cultural differences between the prairies in particular and Ontario.
http://www.dividend.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/storypics/rogers-communications.jpg
Picture very related.
After that, getting a good tv deal and bigger $ to help increase salaries, overall profitability and in a few years, MAYBE expansion.
Sorry, I’ve got to agree with drummer_god. The fact that there are only eight teams and six of them make the playoffs represents a huge stumbling block to attracting new fans. I have friends and colleagues that say that they would be more interested if there were more teams. Both Toronto and Hamilton made the playoffs last year and the playoff game between the two didn’t even sell out, so that’s not the problem.
And I don’t think I understand your objection to dg’s 12 financially stable team league proposition. The league would gradually expand to 12 teams and be in a similar position to the eight teams we have now. I don’t see why they couldn’t all have stable ownership…
you know, some people are just impossible to please.
they need to make this league 10 teams. but do it right, not rush into it amongst pressure.
Well, let’s see… Montreal lost its team for a while, and how many times has Ottawa’s team folded? Oh, and we have a guy who owns two teams because there aren’t any other suitable owners. Just sayin’…
isn't this thread about cohon's challenge?
not, 'what can cohon do RIGHT NOW'.
also, im assuming cohon will be the commish long enough to atleast get us to 10 teams.
i don't think its unrealistic to see the CFL have 10 financially stable teams by 2020.
BC has been making money, with exception of last year at the temp stadium.
edmonton regularly makes money. sask makes tons of it. calgary makes money. winnipeg is hit and miss, but have a new stadium in the works, which should help. hamilton should see profits with a new stadium. montreal makes money.
new tv contract should help all those teams get in the black.
which only leaves Toronto, who, under brailey's ownership could turn it around.
and the ottawa situation looks promising with that ownership group, stadium developments and instant competitive opportunites and hosting a grey cup game in 2014.
heck, all current teams could be financially stable within a couple years, with toronto being the biggest challenge/exception
Well FIRST OF ALL Ontario fans need to embrace CANADA, get over themselves and go to games. Expansion is coming, as quickly and as smart as can be done. CFL isn't going anywhere and is getting bigger and bigger.
Toronto being our 'flagship' city is embarrassing to the rest of the country.
Cohon’s greatest challenge? To get a team out east and have at least one team in Ontario that works, preferably two, one in southern Ontario and the other in Ottawa. Three aren’t needed IMHO and when I say works, I mean just works enough. For some reason I don’t see Ontario as all that important except as I say to have a team or two in the league that are just viable. Much better to have the excitement, if you will, in the other cities across Canada. And I’m not sure why I think this but I do. I don’t see Toronto as ever being a CFL hotbed, or Hamilton any longer, because of all the “major” leagues in Toronto. But that is stating the obvious and everyone knows that, the adertisers just need one team in these parts I think and Cohon’s greatest challenge is to see that either the Argos or TigerCats survive. And the Cats are getting close to a new stadium so I think this bodes well for Cohon and to have a BY on board as well. The Argos aren’t that important IMHO if the CFL can get a team out east. Toronto will never be the ‘flagship’ city of the CFL despite how some refer to it as. That is a joke no question.
I have no objection to 12 financially stable teams other than there is no evidence that it is even remotely possible.
I agree
otoh, australia with about two thirds the population has 17 teams in their league and a way higher average attendance.
go figure.
true but how many sports does Aussie Rules compete with? Toronto in the Summer has Baseball and the MLS team nobody outside T.O cares about, in the fall there’s Basketball and Hockey going on.
In addition to Aussie Rules Football, there is also a 16 team Rugby League league, Cricket is very popular across the country (in contrast with Aussie Rules and Rugby League, which have a regional bias), and they have 5 teams in the Super Rugby league for Rugby Union.