I think we could, the population in Canada could warrant a team league..
Just my thoughts anyways
East Division
Montreal, Halifax, Quebec City, Ottawa
Central Division
Toronto, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg
Western
Sask, Calgary, Edmonton, BC
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While it’d be nice to have an even number of teams, I’d propose the following divisional alignment:
Far East Conference
Halifax/Moncton
Quebec
Montreal
Ottawa
East Conference
Toronto
Hamilton
London/Kitchener
Rochester
West Conference
Winnipeg
Saskatchewan
Edmonton
Calgary
British Columbia
I think we should preserve the current Western division. With the Bombers in the West, it strengthens the natural Wpg/Regina rivalry and legitimizes the playoffs with only 3 of 5 team’s making it (barring a crossover). So it doesn’t matter what happens in the East, there will always be a Canadian football league…if only in the West.
The eagle-eyed might notice the inclusion of Rochester Rifles which had a team in Ontario’s ORFU until 1960 (along with the London Lords.) I don’t think it’s the end of the world if a CFL team could thrive in the U.S, as long as they play by the same rules as Canadian-based teams.
Above this post are the two worst ideas in the history of ideas.
I think playoffs simplicity and tradition warrant sticking to a 2-division format, even if we are just dreaming here.
Here’s my dream 12-team CFL:
East:
Halifax
Quebec City
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Hamilton
West:
Winnipeg
Saskatchewan
Edmonton
Calgary
Okanagan
Vancouver
I think the key here is dream. However, since it is a dream here goes:
East:
Halifax
Montreal
Ottawa
Toronto
Hamilton
London
(Just don’t think the backing behind Laval U will allow any CFL team in Quebec City)
West:
Winnipeg
Sask
Calgary
Edmonton
BC
Alaska- US not going to happen, but the way the states like to build stadiums, could have one. Only ECHL has pro team.
(Okanagon just doesn’t have the population, if it did would be ideal)
Rochester? A city that is very much in the heart of the Western NY Buffalo Bills area - the city where the Bills hold their training camp each year at St. John Fisher College. Only an 80 minute drive one direction from the New Era Field (formerly Ralph Wilson Stadium) home of the Bills. And about an hour drive the other direction from the Syracuse Carrier Dome home of the Orange who have a huge alumni base in Rochester. Especially considering the vast majority of football fans in that city likely would have never seen a CFL game before, don’t follow the league and have not expressed any interest in the league.
Never mind the can of worms it opens up with the National/International roster requirements that would not apply to them.
I don’t think so.
It’s at about 350,000 now and is consistently among the fastest growing regions in the country. And by the time places like Halifax and London (neither of which are so much above 350,000), get teams, the Okanagan will likely be pushing 1,000,000. :lol:
Gotta get to 10 before we go 12 buddy! :cowboy:
Major issue in growth in Okanagon is that it is a retirement community. I have family there, and trying to find jobs for people under 40 years old that are not connected to tourism or retirement homes is extremely difficult.
May work, if people continue to retire there, as the cycle would replace those that departed this world.
I live in Waterloo Region, & there is next to zero fan support here for the CFL. I doubt there is much in London either. Both areas would be more liable to support minor league hockey than CFL football.
But retirees are the prime CFL demographic anyhow. :lol:
Part of the dream, I’m sure, is that they’d be lured over to pro football with a team of their own.
I also live in Kitchener and feel that this area is totally ignored. There's well over 500 000 people in KW-Cambridge-Guelph. The Argos and Ti-Cats should be advertising everywhere here
Also, Saskatoon is a much better Western expansion option
The only way this league ever hits a 12 team mark is if they take a small-school mentality almost like the League Championship in England for soccer (tier 2) or even smaller than that. Don't try and cram 25,000-30,000 people into a stadium in London (Ontario), you go for a 15,000-20,000 seater stadium, create a great atmosphere for those who love and support the team and just accept that you will likely never make money off the team...that last part is the reason it will never happen IMO but this is what would need to happen. Peoples obsession with TV ratings and attendance numbers would keep this from ever happening, you also need some very dedicated owners.
Still I think they should figure out how to run a 9 team league properly before they start to expand to weird cities where they are venturing into the deep unknown much like in the 90s with the US expansion.
Saskatoon, has about 250k. Its growing, but still not the size it would need to be.
Also, you would be moving into Rider country, it would take a number of generations to build a fan base here.
Would divide sponsorship between two teams in the province. Could support, but instead of having one very stable franchise, you would probably have two financially unstable.
Great city, but can’t be considered until the province and the major cities populations more than double.
East:
Halifax
Montréal
Ottawa
Toronto
Hamilton
London
West:
Victoria
Vancouver
Edmonton
Calgary
Regina
Winnipeg
Here's a look at London
According to the 2011 census, the city of London had a population of 366,151 people, a 3.9% increase from the 2006 population.[53] Children under five accounted for approximately 5.2 percent of the resident population of London. The percentage of the resident population in London of retirement age (65 and over) is 13.7, also the percentage for Canada as a whole. The average age is 38.2 years of age, compared to 39.9 years of age for all of Canada.
Between 2006 and 2011, the population of metropolitan London grew by 3.7 percent, compared with an increase of 5.7 percent for Ontario as a whole
London's economy is dominated by medical research, insurance, manufacturing, and information technology. Much of the life sciences and biotechnology-related research is conducted or supported by the University of Western Ontario, which adds about C$1.5 billion to the London economy annually.
The headquarters of the Canadian division of 3M are located in London. The London Life Insurance Company was founded there,[58] as was Imperial Oil (in 1880)[59] and both the Labatt and Carling breweries. The Libro Financial Group was founded in London 1951 and is the second largest credit union in Ontario and employs over 550 people.[60]Canada Trust was also founded in London in 1864.[61] The TD-Canada Trust tower is still one of the tallest buildings in London, and has been home to two nesting peregrine falcons for more than a decade
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/London,_OntarioLondon could support a team I think, just if the CFL is going to venture into these types of cities they have to do it properly.
OH please ...not another expansion thread. :roll: :roll: We have 60 of them on this site. 12 teams never happening . No where close to the fan support needed. Southern Ontario is NFL country. The radio stations only talk Jays ,NFL and college ball. As for a second team in BC...ARE YOU KIDDING ? Worry about getting the Lions healthy again and drawing more than 18k . Quebec ...zero interest, no owners no building and no fan support. East coast was the only viable option, but after 35 years of kicking tires they opted out !
The league needs to worry about the three biggest cities in Canada not being able to draw more than 19 k a game. That needs to be fixed before anything !!
And how are they the worst?
Good point. A greater variety of teams to play against would surely solve the attendance issues those cities are experiencing. Then we could start aiming for 14, 16, 20 teams! :lol: