Hey there just wanting to get your opion , i say yes and no.
Yes.
here Commissioner Cohon discusses the opportunity allocated to the CFL in the advent of an NHL lockout...
[b]
If there ever were a perfect time for NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to call a lockout, this is it.[url=http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/2012/09/15/20201261.html]http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Football/CFL/ ... 01261.html[/url]
So said CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon here Friday.“You don’t want to take advantage of another league, especially the one which is the No. 1 sport to Canadians. But there is certainly opportuInity here.
“Because most of our initiatives leading to the 100th Grey Cup are kicking in right now, the timing involved really magnifies that opportunity,? he saidCohon said they’ve had preliminary discussions on special NHL lockout strategies.
“We’ve talked about tweaking our schedule to take advantage of the situation in terms of TV ratings for one thing,? he said.
“After 10 games our average attendance is 28,348 — up 1,000 fans a game from this time last year. Our TSN ratings are up four per cent. And ratings for the key demographic of males 18-34 are up 38%,? he said.the future is very much now for the CFL, especially with the NHL being kind enough to clear the track to make way for the stretch run of this special season.[/b]
Unless they schedule CFL games on Saturday night I can't see how it would make much difference.
Maybe they can get a few rich Leaf fans in Toronto to go over to the Rogers Centre but there only a couple of Argo games left. Won't make any difference in Hamilton or Saskatchewan.
If you look at the TV ratings NHL hockey on Saturday night is the only CBC program to crack the top 30 in viewership.
I highly doubt they will make any scheduling changes. I think the opportunity Cohon talks about is in the area of marketing. They have all the special 100th Grey Cup events including the TSN documentary series and very little competition. Not just the lack of HNIC on Saturday night, but far less hockey coverage on TSN (Sportsnet never cared and never will) and local stations that has to be filled with something. Also with the NFL talking more about their officiating problem than the on field product this gives the CFL an edge as a sports story that doesn't include lawyers and mediators.
I really do wish somehow, someway the league brings in a hockey component to the 100th Grey Cup, sort of showing how the two sports grew in Canada throughout the years and had some dual sport athletes like Lionel Conacher. While I'm not a huge hockey fan any longer as I used to be, I do recognize, as does Mark Cohon, that hockey and the NHL is the no. 1 sport and league in Canada.
Maybe they could draw on a Canadian sport historian like Dr. Frank Cosentino, who played in the CFL, for some information and research in this regard.
There are people who impacted both sports. The first name that comes to my mind is the late Annis Stukus. Honouring people like Lionel Conacher and Annis Stukus during this year’s GC celebrations might be a nice touch.
With no NHL the CFL is now the top pro sport in Canada at least during the lockout. Some extra Marketing of the sport particularly in the east would be a wise choice. The CFL will need to think on their feet to see what they can do to present NHL fans with an alternative to another Pro sport. There biggest opponent now for sports fans will be Junior Hockey in which CBC will most likely look to to replace Saturday Night Hockey in Canada But certainly appealing to NHL season ticket holders to maybe attend a CFL game or two that is left on the schedule may be something to think about. Offering NHL season ticket holders a ticket deal for a game as part of a hockey night for a CFL game.
I dunno what but something as I am sure that hockey fans will be more than a lil PO'd that there will be another stoppage in the NHL again so quickly since the last one.
how about this for an idea. If this appears to be another lengthy work stopage. There will be the European players who will be able to go and play in Europe, teams have already reasigned players to AHL teams so they can get paid, their are those Canadian players who can afford to weght it out with their already high salaries from seasons past but what about having an Hockey classic exhibition game as part of the Grey Cup festivities.
Having a hockey exhibition game at rogers center to kick off the Grey cup festivities on a Wed Night anyone buying a ticket to a CFL game would also receive a ticket to this Hockey game. With a nice percentage of the revenue going to the players who are participating in the game. I do not know the legalities but I think these kind of games were played during the last stoppage. TSN and sponsors I am sure would jump all over this. The argos and other eastern teams may get a few more fans at their games and the CFL becomes the league of the people.
Maybe making this a weekly game during the lockout as players barnstorn the country and play out door games at CFL fields that have no afiliation with the NHL ownership.
The CFL could in turn use their portion of the revenue to go towards a stadium fund to help kick start the stadium in Halifax.
This could be the greatest idea or the dumbest I do not know but I am sure that Hockey fans would love to see their Canadian hero's playing at least some hockey this year.
so, I wonder, if the CFL and the NFL were both to take the same year off, how many non hockey fans would turn to the NHL?
but what about having an Hockey classic exhibition game as part of the Grey Cup festivities.
Having a hockey exhibition game at rogers center to kick off the Grey cup festivities on a Wed Night anyone buying a ticket to a CFL game would also receive a ticket to this Hockey game.
I would tune into ICL personally.
Leave Hockey out of the Grey Cup. If MLSE was smart (and they aren't) they'd rent BMO or the Rogers Center and have a Bulldogs vs Marlies game and immediately after, have the remaining players who are interested in playing, do a makeshift all-star game right after. Then again, I forgot this lockout is about owners wanting the players to finance their poor contract choices and poor southern team locations, not actually about making money.
Thats exactly what I was thinking the one issue I overlooked is that Calgary stampeders are now owned in majority by the Flames but it is somehting that the CFLPA could sponsor for their fellow sport Union brothers. Having both Grey cup teams in attendance for the exhibition game with some of the top Canadian Hockey Talent participating and getting a portion of the revenue to subsidise the pay they arelosing since it is the owners that are locking them out and not the players striking it should be accepted greatly and not all of the Canadian players have multi million dollar extensive contracts and could use the pay.
If the season indeed becomes in jeopardy again the CFLPA can sponsor a weekly barnstorming tour on saturdays across canada with the revenue being divided among pay for the out of work hockey players and a fund for a new CFL stadium to be built in the 10th expansion city. TSN having the TV rights. Union solidarity among pro Canadian athletes.
Speaking of the lockout and the question of how the Stanley Cup should be awarded if there is no NHL season, I thought this article discussing this is interesting in the case should there ever be such a situation in the CFL and thinking about how the Grey Cup would be awarded. Food for thought at any rate, hopefully this won't happen. And with the CFL, currently the spirit of the original trophy is there more than the Stanley Cup since the players fighting to win the Grey Cup could be looked upon as more amateur than NHL'ers fighting for the Stanley Cup based on salaries. :?
Chris Selley: NHL owners can’t lock out the Stanley Cup
[i]You could make it slightly or vastly more complicated, if you wanted, by including Junior A, Junior B or even beer league teams. Once each league (or tier of leagues) had determined its champion, then you’d play them off against each other until you were left with one. I’m just spitballing here, but you could have a six-team tournament with two spots reserved for major junior teams, two for university sides, one for a senior team and one wildcard — the spot to which the Junior A-to-beer league entrants could aspire. Then you play a five-game round robin schedule, and then you pit the two top teams against each other in a seven-game final.
For elite players, anyway, you would have added a maximum of 12 games to their schedule, and for a heck of a payoff: A very important point of principle would have been made, and Canadians would have been encouraged not to abandon the game they love simply because the NHL did, but rather to rediscover the simpler, cheaper pleasures of the lower leagues.[/i]
[url=http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/18/chris-selley-nhl-owners-cant-lock-out-the-stanley-cup/]http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/201 ... anley-cup/[/url]Exactly. I don't know that gthere are many hockey fans who feel the would love to support the CFL but hockey prevents it.
When the CFL dies here, I watched more CIS football, more junior football, etc. I don't avoid the NHL because the CFL took up all my time and money, I avoided it because I simply don't like it.
I do not think a hockey only fan will turn to the CFL for his/her sports fix but most likely Junior Hockey.
For sports fans that support their pro home teams they will no t have any choice but support the CFL as their is no hockey so they will not need to split there time between the two leagues. Probably will not gain any new fans but would have more attention from existing fans who support both and perhaps having hockey as their NHL team as their #1 team to watch their CFL team may get more attention from them.
My thought and the thought of some others would be to have a hockey exhibition game as part of the grey cup festivities.
Having a two game for one deal. Any buying a ticket to a CFL game in any city would also receive a ticket for the exibition game on a wednseday night before the grey cup. Season ticket holders would also be able to buy a ticket to the exhibition game at a discount rate. anyone who has tickets to the grey cup or vanier cup can do the same. Tickets will be availableon a first come first serve basis until rogers ceter is sold out for the exhibition. a % of the revenue will go to pay the out of work Canadian NHL players and a % could go to a stadium fund for the next city attempting to build a stadium for the #10 expansion team.
If this is a big hit the CFL could sponsor a hockey barnstorming tour around Canada at different venues with the revenue of each event having the revenue percentage go towards paying the out of work Canadian players and a % going to a stadium fund.
Games played every saturday night taking the place of Saturday Hockey night in Canada.
Getting off track a bit I always thought that the CFL should also host a CIS East vs. West All star football game on the saturday between the Vanier and Grey Cups. The teams would be made up of the best CIS players in their 4th or 5th season. As the NFL now does with the pro bowl players on teams competing in the Vanier Cup would be unable to play but would still be voted onto the team ahead of time. Once the Vanier cup teams qualify the players from those teams would be replaced in the game by alternate players but the Vanier cup participants could be on the sidelines wearing an east or west jersey and be part of the all star festivities; Team pictures, etc. Can call it the CFL futures game
Fans who want to attend the game will be able to buy tickets in varies package deals for the grey cup and Vanier cup games and individual tickets could be sold for that one event also.
The CIS has the east west spring allstar game but having its own senior bowl typthing at the end of football season would be a step towards making the CIS A bigger part of football Nationally in Canada.
Now that would be one heck of a Grey Cup festivities
The East-West bowl is held around the same time as the CFL draft. I feel like these two events could be combined ( "co-hyped"?) in some way since, as far as I understand it, the East-West bowl teams consist only of players who will be eligible for the draft in the following year (so the make up of the teams is similar to your futures teams, I think).
Yes it would be similar but it would include 5th year players and the timing would be around when there are college football all star games and bowl games in the US a more appropriate time for an all star game. from a football fans standpoint.
The East West spring game could still be played also as it is for players who are entering their 4th season. This game wouldbe for players who just completed their 4th season along with 5th year seniors. Some players will already have been drafted the year before ans have their rights owned already by a CFL team so it would be a true futures game as the players completeing their 4th season will participate and could be different from the players who played in the East West game earlier that spring. It would also enable a showcase for Canadian QBs among others who would be eligible for the CFL the following season to get some National TV coverage.
It just seems like a natural fit for such a weekend since the CFL does not have enough teams to have an all star game of its own for that weekend.
I also think that another logical step would be to add the Juniors Championship game that weekend also some time in the future.
Even add some Junior players eligible for the CFL the following season to the futures all star game All star game. Also possibily inviting Canadian players who are playing in the states that would be available. Those whose season are finished and are not on teams participating in any Bowl games, Or that are in any of the NCAA 1AA, DII, DIII, or NAIA playoffs.
This would be a true futures game gathering all the best Canadian talent that will be eligible to play in the CFL that following season and would not just be a somewhat replay of the Spring East VS WEST game because Canadian eligible players would come from all of the feeder college or Junior leagues. For Canadians playing in the NCAA the players that would be eligible would be those who have used all their eligibility.
Depending on who makes the Vanier Cup you could possibily see Jordan Yantz, Mar Mueller, and Billy Greene for the west. In the east. Kyle graves and Quinlan.
I like to dream and that would be really exciting to see