Rules question! Major League Baseball madates:
Rule 3.10
(a) The manager of the home team shall be the sole judge as to whether a game shall be started because of unsuitable weather conditions or the unfit condition of the playing field, except for the second game of a doubleheader.
My Question. In the CFL, who at the game has the final say whether a game start time is to be delayed or if a game is to be cancelled altogether, when the weather is dangerously inclement or the playing field is unfit? Does this person also maintain official decision status (suspend/continue) throughout a game once started during inclement weather?
I understand it is the referee’s decision. Needless to say, he gets on the phone with head office and gets their input as to what should be done (usually the supervisor of officiating or a higher official at the game).
Case in point: the BC-Edmonton game in early July at Commonwealth Stadium was delayed midway inthe second quarter by a vicious electrical storm around the stadium. The referee stopped the game, told the teams to go to their rooms, and then decided to have the halftime break early so that time would permit the storm to pass the area. The delay was close to 50 minutes if I recall correctly.
In a playoff or Grey Cup scenario, it would be the referee’s decision, but the highest official in the CFL brass contacted would have the decisive input. Clearly in the Grey Cup, the commissioner – present at the game – would have that function, but the referee would be the official of record to suspend or delay the game.
That is my understanding of how it works. The key thing is that a ref will not overrule his boss. This is not the WWE.
Good points, Oski-oui-oui. I'm recalling the grey cup fog bowl which saw the fog get so thick, the commissioner, Sydney Halter, after consultation with the referee-in-chief, stopped the game with about a full quarter remaining to be played. This "unplayed" time took place a day later.
Can you imagine how this would have been if you had to book another night's stay in already crowded hotels and then a flight home?
I assume that the rules in the majors would be the sames as when i was officiating with highschool and OVFL football.
It was a decision made by the officials. We would discuss with the coaches, but in the end it came down to the officials deciding for the safety of the players. If it was raining then the game would go, but lightning would cause the game to be put on hold, and if it looked as though the weather was going to stay bad for long, then the game would get canselled.
I;ve had games before where there was a good inch or 2 sitting ontop of the field since no more was bale to soak in and the whole field was pure mud, and the game still went.
