With the possibility of the Atlantic Schooners coming up in the next few years and the league moving to 10 teams, I’m curious to know how many teams everyone else would like (realistically)? I like 16-20 (We could have 4 divisions, West, Central, East and Atlantic.) but I doubt that would happen in my lifetime unless we got some real money makers to invest in the team but I would like to see 12 One more in each side or maybe split the divisions to 4 and have one more in the Atlantic and one more in the east. (West, Central and Atlantic.)
Having enough teams to field a compelling competition to more people is important. To that end the CFL should look at ways to be able to operate in smaller communities.
It seems most popular team sports leagues worldwide have 15 to 30+ teams at the top level. Popular NCAA conferences have 8 to 10 teams like the CFL.
One way to start having a more compelling competition at the current size is to unify the league but we won’t get into that too much as that’s been well discussed.
With Realistic Markets: 12, three divisions of four, top two per division make the playoffs, the two highest get the Bye, next two get home semi finals.
If that tenth team (Halifax) were to succeed off the bat, maybe the league could attract some movers and shakers in QC to get something done and get up to eleven. After that, I’m not so confident.
But if I could magically create stadiums and boost the league’s national popularity, I’d love to see 14-16. But no more than two divisions.
I think that 12 is the best number (ie if I could wave a magic wand and put solid teams and stadia in places)
West East
Lions Halifax/Moncton Victoria or Kelowna QC
Eskimos Redblacks
Stampeders Argos
Riders Alouettes
Bombers Ti-Cats
After those 12 cities, I don’t think there are big enough cities for four more teams, and I don’t think that 13, 14, or 15 would be a good number for the league. I don’t want the CFL in every Prince Albert and Thunder Bay in the country just to force more teams out there.
16 team league
Anchorage
Saskatoon
London
K/W? A second maritime team? St John’s? Red Deer? A third BC team (the other of Vic/Kelowna?
I’d rather have balanced divisions too, but I wouldn’t say no to a viable bid from QC just because there isn’t another viable bid in the west. And the more teams there are, the less unbalanced the divisions would get (as a %).
Six teams in the West and Six in the East with top 3 teams in each making playoffs. Top team in each division has bye. This makes it more competitive as teams will continually miss playoffs if they don’t find good players to compete. Look at the weak East as an example.
Anyone remember the days when the suggestion of London for expansion woud be shut down with "Ottawa already died twice and Hamilton and Toronto are barely staying afloat. Ontario just doesn't like football"?
If QC got going as team #11, I think Anchorage would be ideal for #12. I know that US expansion is kind of a touchy subject around here, and for good reason, but the situation there is so unique. Alaska doesn’t have any pro sports, and minimal collegiate sports, and it is so far removed from the continental US that it might as well be on the moon. I think that a CFL team could really thrive there. The entire state would get behind it.
My CFL incudes Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver. The ownership/attendance issues in these cities need to be addressed before any expansion beyond the present push for Halifax. Entry into smaller town Canada to 16 teams isn’t going to happen in my lifetime and for most of you people you’re unlikely to see it at 12 before the sun sets for you.
