Idea

CFL Talk
#1

Well after Ottawa gets the 'gades(or whatever they'll be called)the league will have 9 teams. Assuming Halifax wins the Commowealth games the league would get its 10 franchise.

So here's my idea, don't know if it's already been suggested or if possible.

The CFL should create a league calla CFL2 (like the arena football league). That way teams can have their prospects playing games instead on a practice squad or reserve squad. The league would have 5 teams and 1 team from the west and 1 from the east would share one team. Players would not just be those teams prospects, any player can sign with these teams, however if they aren't sign by say the Lions they wouldn't be able to play for them if the Lions tried to call them up. (So like the NHL and AHL)

This would give teams to some cities that elsewise would not have any, would be another source of revenue for the league and grow the game.

The potential cities would be:

Quebec City
London
Moncton
Victoria
Saskaoon

All those cities have or will have stadiums for around 10,000.

Can it be done? Will it be done? Like the idea? Discuss?

#2

I dont think there are enough practice roster guys in the league to field one team let alone 5 or 6.

#3

thats actually a good idea...not quite sure how it would work yet thou...

#4

I nice idea but most likely a pipe dream.

#5

It could work Because Teams actually do have enough Prospects however they do not have a place to put them, under this sort of a Setup this Second League would need to have:
Smaller Rosters(38)(19(max) from each team)
That means:
1 QB
9 Canadians
9 Imports

It's own Salary cap and Salary System(so something like):
Player Salaries of:
30K Min, 60K Max
1.5M Team Cap(works out to an Average of 41K)
CFL teams lose Their Development Rosters.

This Development League would Start up at the Same time as the CFL(Camp would Start 1 week after the CFL camps start)
This league would then play a 8 or 16 game Season with 2 pre-season games(Pre-season week one of this league Starts at the Same time as the CFL's Pre-season)

With this being a 5 team league it would have no divisions and a playoff system Like the CFL(3rd plays at 2nd and winner plays at 1st)

This league could Very much work, some numbers may need to be worked out however the problem that then happens is players on the Development roster are very far from their CFL teams.(especially in a east/west format)

A more Sensible division would be if Say:

Winnipeg + Regina Share Ssskatoon
Montreal + Ottawa Share Quebec
Hamilton + Toronto share London

Problem now becomes with the Alberta Split, it may work better to give them a Team in Say Red Deer
Vancouver gets Victoria
Halifax gets Moncton

Some thing would need to happen to help with the 5th team division or allow the league to go to 6 teams(and a two division alignment 10 game reg season)

It is Possibly that the league could be a 10 team one as There are more small towns who could average 10K(Brandon for Winnipeg, Lethbridge for Calgary, Windsor for Hamilton, Sudburry for Ottawa)

This CFL 2 Could then Sell it's TV rights to the Score(for 50% of the TSN deal)
Games times could be worked out as to not Compete with TSN(So Sunday and Mondays)

6 teams could mean 2 games on sunday and one on Monday, 10 would mean 3 on Sundays, 1 TSN monday game, 1 Saturday game.

TSN would have(CFL): 1 Thursday, 2 Friday, 2 Saturday(Starting in the Evening)
The CFL would switch the firday, Saturday, Sunday After the Development league Reg Season ends.

Saying it's a 10 team league(east doesn't play west) 8 Game reg season + 2 pre-season Starting Mid-June That means Labour Day would be the Start of the leagues Playoffs(3 weeks Starting the weekend After Labour day) (5 games)

the league ends in October meaning Players from the League could be used in the last 4 weeks of the CFL reg-season and the CFL playoffs.

10K fans * 5 games * 25$ Revenue From Fans(tickets + Profit on Concessions) = 1.25M

It's almost Feasible, However Teams will need to Get 15K fans per game and Solid Corporate Support(Plus some CFL support seeing as they no longer have their Development players to pay for)

With Some work it could work.

#6

CFL2: (Revised slightly)
8 team
two 4 team divisions((4 of)Victoria, Red Deer, Saskatoon, Lethbridge, Brandon(or Thunder bay) = west. London, Quebec City, Moncton, Windsor, Sudburry = east)
Goal Attendance Figures: 15K Fans per game(average), 25$ Ticket Revenue average.
1.875M + Concessions(Another 100K atleast), Merchandise, TV deal(looking for a 5M a year Deal from TSN, the Score or Sportsnet, CBC is also an option although unlikely), Local Sponsors.
Most Teams are Located close to their Parent team and are in a City without pro-sports at all(Victoria has the ECHL)

Each teams Make-up:
37 Players Total
2 QB's
1 Canadian QB
17 Canadians
17 americans(4 Designated Imports)
Canadian = Non-Import
Each CFL2 team has a Parent CFL team who can Assign Players.

Game Make-up:
8 Game Regular Season, 2 games vs. Each Divisional Rival
2 Game Pre-season Starting Week 1 of the CFL season.

CFL Teams will be limited in their ability to call-up players during the Season, There will also be a rule against calling up Star players(CFL2) to backup roles in the CFL.(so Starting QB goes down so callup the star in CFL2 to be third stringer)

Players in their first 3 CFL season do not need to clear any sort of waivers to be put on their CFL2 team.

Player costs:
Max player costs of 60K
Min player costs of 27K
*Housing and Board will need to be looked at, it is possible teams will provide housing.
Team caps of 1.5M Number may change.

Deals will need to be made with Local CIS Teams, Major Problems Occur in Western Canada with the Exception of Saskatoon in Regards to suitible Stadiums that aren't in CFL cities.

This League could Survive but Finding Stadiums would be the biggest issue(and main issue) Quebec City is the main City with a Stadium.

#7

While the idea is interesting, ownership (Lack of?) and funding (costs) could be a problem.
I think the CFL owners have enough on their plates (Re: finding a commisioner) something like this could be a huge distraction.

Interesting proposal though!

#8

Vancouver would'nt have a stadium problem, not with Thunderbird stadium at UBC, and I think SFU also has a stadium.

#9

thats a good (thread title)- i like the idea, What about an indoor tilt, Good for CIS players who need more reps. :thup:

#10

How can it be a source of revenue when that in itself is a challenge for the CFL teams.

I think it would be an expense. In fact, too expensive to be viable. Can't see it.

#11

I really like the idea, but I think it's a pipe dream ... those minor teams would have to compete against CIS, NFL and CFL teams for attention. And it's really hard to get new leagues up and going these days. Considering the stupid perception already exists that the NFL has all the stars, I don't know how well a CFL farm league would do in the star appeal department ...

#12

Both Stadiums are a little small and might be too close to the Lions(don't need to Steal Fans)

From Looking around it seems the only non-currnet CFL markets that have Stadiums of enough size(without adding seats) are:
Ottawa - (Frank Claire)
Quebec - (Peps) 18K

Other Stadiums:
BC:
Centenial(Victoria) - 5K
Percy Perry(coquitlam) - 4K
Apple Bowl(Okanagan) - 5.7K (soccer)
Swangard (Burnaby) - 6.9K (soccer)
Royal Athletic Park(Victoria) - 9.2K

Saskatchewan:
Griffiths Stadium(saskatoon) (5K)

Ontario:
Windsor Stadium(Windsor) - 3K
TD Waterhouse(London) - 8K
University(Waterloo) - 5.5K
Birchmount (Scarborough) - 6K
Centenial Park (Etobicoke) - 3.5K
Chapples Park(Thunder bay) - 3.5K

Nova Scotia:
Huskies (Halifax) - 9K
Raymond Field(Wolfville) - 3K

Quebec:
Municipal(Sherbrooke) - 4K

Alberta/Manitoba/New Brunswick/PEI/Newfoundland/ Territories:
No Stadiums(outside CFL cities)

It will cost under 15M to build a Stadium able to support a team in this League.
That's 13.5K+ Seats + 12 Luxury suits (going by Saputo Stadium in Montreal)
Since that Stadium has many extra fields it is possible that a 14K Seat + 14 Luxury Suit Stadium could be built for 15M$

** I am missing a few Stadiums that are likely under 3K(St.Francis in NS for one)

If the CFL could team up with the CIS in Some Cities(London, Waterloo, Windsor, Guelph, Sherbrooke) to build those Stadiums(yes the CFL does not have the current funding for this saddly but it would cost alot) and use the Quebec City Laval rouge et L'or Stadium.

The CFL could start a 6 team development league in Quebec/Southern Ontario(Ottawa and Halifax would be options should they not get CFL teams)

With the Luxury boxes in their Stadiums the CFL could actually make money.
14 Luxury boxes gaining 15K per(year) that's 210K
remaining 13K paying 25$ ticket average for 6(home) games is 1.95M
2.16M Total Revenue Generated.
6 home games = 12 game(10 Regular 2 pre-season) Season. more Games = more Revenue. 14 game season should be the limit.(could be the best number)

if Teams are located Closely it would Limit their Travel Expenses, a TV deal(with Sportnet or the score) would hopefully generate atleast 500K per team(that's 3M per year)
Local Sponsors + Stadium Naming Rights would hopefully add another 500K

3.16M Total per Team. That would mean no Team could Spend more then 1.5M on Player Salaries, teams could look at Providing housing(1 - 25 (2 Bedroom) appartment Complex per team in each city)
that provides Residence for 50 Team players/Staff/Coaches.
Cost(lost money) would be 75K$(5 Months rent) however Players would be able to Stay for the Off-season at say 250$ Sharing a room with a teammate(thus Teams would make up the Difference, possibly losing Money overal but it's a good incentive to players)

The CFL could do a good bit of this by themselves(the 8 teams coming together to Start up the Project) and with Gov Help could complete this(5 Stadiums) 75M project.

Other Options:
-Put some(2) CFL2 Teams in the Northern States(like North Dakota)(problem would be Field Size)
the whole Ratio Issue does not apply in this Situation as a Development League would be subject to whoever CFL teams wish to Develop.

-League would Start after the CFL season, CFL2 Training camp Starts after first round of CFL cuts.
-Call-ups mid-CFL2 season would be limited.

-no CFL Development Roster During the CFL2 season.

-CFL2 40 man Rosters remain during the Off-season(good way to keep extra Talent north of the Border) Come Febuary 28th a CFL team must decide if they are Bringing a player to their CFL camp, if not another CFL team can elect to give the player a CFL shot.

CFL2 Salaries will be between 25K-55K(due to housing)
Team caps of 1.5M. Most CFL2 players will receive a Standard 33K + housing Deal(clause in CFL contracts) However some Stars will likely emerge. (Like in the AHL)

CFL2 teams will hold a Draft(on may 27th) of all players currently on CFL rosters that do not currently have their rights held by a CFL2 team(and would then maintain their rights)

*there are some problems with the plan but it should work.

The CFL will add a 3rd pre-season game to their season(Pre-season now Starts first week of June) Allowing Pre-season games to be played in these new Stadiums perfect for a pre-season CFL game.

-This League is the best shot for Developping QB's for the CFL and Canadians Talent(Canadian QB's too).

CFL Rosters would change to:
41(Dressed)
2 QB's
20 Canadians
19 americans(4 DI's)
4 Man Reserve(active, not Dressed) Roster.
CFL2:
38 (at 34K per that's 1.3M)
2 QB's
1 Canadian QB
18 Americans(4 DI's)
17 Canadians
*limit of 5 americans that are Veterans of more than 3 CFL seasons

Salaries are Starting low, However this is a Development League Salary basicly Doubles upon Breaking into the CFL(34K to 68K) and would be able to Rise higher there after, if CFL2 Cities get better Attendance Player compensation would also increase.
This League would help to Give Former CIS players or Canadians Jr's a year or two to get to CFL playing Level.

There are Likely Canadian Business people who would be ready to get Involved in this sort of Business Venture(Frank D-angelo and Jim Ballsillie)