Just a thuaght, why hasn’t the cfl considered making agreements with any indoor arena league down south, the IFL for instance is growing with stable franchise behind then with well known passed nfl players as owners, the cfl make an agreement to maybe send players on practice squards a chance to get some playing time for a team as well as both leagues sharing each others stats on social media, the IFL is all broadcasted for free on youtube and brought in almost 700,000 viewers for the united bowl, there championship game, it has the posibibly to help the cfl get more viewers on espn, as well as on portable platforms, the cfl could use the league for development for players and coaches even, possibly even having a “farm team” allocated to each cfl team, just a thaught
The Arena League just went under a few months back.
…so you’re saying there’s a chance…
With limited resources it all comes down to return on investment. We already have more top-tier talent than we have positions so there’s not really an issue there. Could we get some of their viewership? It may not be the best use of time and I don’t see what we would offer the IFL in return.
When the old Arena Football league was in its Hayday they did have an agreement with the CFL and NFL to allow its players to leave at anytime during the season to attend tryouts, mini camps, training Camps etc.
Ricky Ray & Kurt Warner are among the most well known of many many players that used the CFL as a Luanching pad.
Even as of recent years. Eric Rogers at Calgary.
Greg Ellingson. Sir Vincent Rogers. Trevor Harris. Are among top players who went onto CFL all star status.
As time has evolved it lost its luster. NFLEurope became a training ground with a period of time where players would play in multiple leagues in a year.
Arena. NFLE, CFL, and into NFl training camps. Which led to players moving to Cfl star status. The later still stands today.
Kurt Warner is always candid that the goal was to play live game action. Which he did in both the Arena & NFLE.
In fact the Arena Football league was by far the 3rd longest pro football league ever.
A distant 3rd to the CFL & NFL. But also a long more than any of other pro football leagues behind them.
NFL moved from the NFLE minor devopment system.
To the now 10 man practice rosters to develop players which ultimately killed the Arena Football league. Along with the Futures Roster system. Etc.
Now as these rogue leagues in recent years like the UFL, FXFL, AAF, & now the XFL. Continue to fail for a variety of reasons.
Of of which the NFL nor the CFL fund any kind of partnership with them.
The NFL is More than Happy to Simulcast games from these leagues on the NFL Network. But dont pay to broadcast games.
Altough these leagues come and go.
Both the Cfl & Nfl take full advantage of scouting these leagues for players.
Lol.
& they have found a plenty.