Model Board of Governors 2025

Welcome to the 2nd year of our armchair decision making group! Here is a link to our first year: Model CFL Board of Governors 2024

Through our journey we have observed that the fan philosophy is different than the actual B.o.G’s. At no point did our group think it was necessary to change the kickoffs, however this was discussed within the boardroom behind closed doors. Instead we thought that adjusting or removing the Operations Cap was more pressing.

During the 2024 season based on the attendance figures, we thought there should be 3 franchises hosting neutral site games during the regular season. This year there are none being held.

Something that some people saw coming was the end of Ambosie’s tenure as Commissioner of the CFL. I asked “ChatGPT” what will the new CFL commissioner try and accomplish in 2025?

What the New Commissioner May Try to Accomplish in 2025:

**1. Revitalizing the CFL’s Brand and Increasing Fan Engagement

  • The new Commissioner will likely focus on improving fan experiences both in-stadium and through digital channels. They may look to develop new partnerships and sponsorships to increase revenue streams and enhance the league’s media presence.
  1. Growth and Expansion
  • A significant goal could be pursuing expansion into new markets, whether by exploring the viability of new teams in underserved cities or looking at international growth—potentially leveraging Canada’s existing relationship with the U.S. for cross-border opportunities.
  1. Enhancing Player Health and Safety Protocols
  • Addressing concussion concerns and enhancing player safety will remain a top priority, and the Commissioner may take steps to improve the league’s existing player health programs and make them a stronger part of the league’s identity.
  1. Strengthening CFL’s Relationship with Its Fanbase
  • The new Commissioner will likely seek to strengthen the connection between the CFL and Canadian fans, using data analytics to better understand fan preferences, needs, and behavior. This could lead to initiatives like targeted marketing campaigns or revamping the fan experience at games.
  1. Financial Stability and League-wide Revenue Growth
  • The Commissioner might focus on increasing the CFL’s financial standing through media rights deals, sponsorships, and better overall league governance. They could also consider new business models to ensure long-term financial viability.
  1. Labour Relations and Collective Bargaining
  • Navigating the collective bargaining process and strengthening relationships with the CFL Players’ Association (CFLPA) will be critical. The Commissioner could work toward a more harmonious and stable working relationship, ensuring fair compensation and labor peace.
  1. Innovation in the Game Itself
  • The Commissioner may also be tasked with evolving the game to make it more exciting and accessible to fans. This could include changes to the game’s rules, playing style, or presentation to make it more appealing in an increasingly competitive sports entertainment environment.

Ultimately, the new Commissioner must balance tradition with innovation while navigating the challenges and opportunities facing the CFL in 2025.”**

Personally, I believe expansion has been put on the back burner for now. However based on last year’s survey, I would have June 6th Toronto at Montreal in Bethlehem, PA. Toronto was Montreal’s worst attendance for 2024 at 18,088.

July 26 Winnipeg at Toronto would be in Portsmouth, OH. The city itself had an interesting football history. Portsmouth Spartans - Wikipedia In 2024, Winnipeg at Toronto attendance was 14,994.

September 20 Winnipeg at Ottawa would be in London, ON. This was Ottawa’s worst attended game in 2024 at 16,310. It should be noted that there was a storm that day.

Pre-season games
May 24
Ottawa at Montreal in Dayton, OH
Edmonton at Calgary in Grand Rapids, MI

May 30,

Hamilton at Toronto in Cumberland, MD.
Montreal at Ottawa in Parma, OH
BC at Edmonton in Joliet, Il

Now for the current survey portion:

Which CFL rule should be reviewed in 2025?

  • Adjust/remove the ops cap
  • Dribble punt
  • One division
0 voters

What CFL Franchises should host a neutral site game during the regular season?

  • Toronto should host 2 games (8 games below 20k)
  • Montreal should host 2 games (3 games below 20k)
  • Ottawa should host 2 games (7 games below 20k)
  • Toronto should host 1 game (6 games below 15k)
  • Montreal should host 1 game
  • Ottawa should host 1 game (4 games below 18k)
  • Edmonton should host 1 game (6 games below 20k)
  • Calgary should host 1 game (3 games below 20k)
  • BC should host 1 game (1 game in BC Place below 20k)
  • No teams should host any games
0 voters

Where is the worst place to have a neutral site game?

  • Bethlehem, PA (111.4 km from Philadelphia)
  • Cumberland, MD (170.8 km from Pittsburgh)
  • Dayton, OH (87.2 km from Cincinnati)
  • Parma, OH (14 km from Cleveland)
  • London, ON (193.9 km from Detroit)
  • Joliet, IL (74.1 km from Chicago)
  • Portsmouth, OH (148 km from Columbus)
  • Grand Rapids, MI
0 voters

This concludes the survey.

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“What the New Commissioner May Try to Accomplish in 2025”

A new Commissioner may not even get hired until the season has begun … to expect them to accomplish anything but learning the names of their staff may be unrealistic.

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Good point. Hopefully he has a great support staff doing the bulk of the work.

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Good to see they’re keeping kickoffs intact.

With the wider field and a strict no yards rule, I never thought the XFL inspired rule made sense here.

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I’m in the same boat as yourself. The only reason I see them even considering it is to get people talking about the CFL in the off-season. I suspect that they have done similar things in the past.

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Any comish that has ever been and ever will be …

Will obediently do as they are told by the owners

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Additional thoughts on the “long snapper”, @BetweenTheGoalposts ?

Nice work by the Argos here.

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The CFL’s salary cap for the 2025 season has jumped over $400,000 due to increased league revenues.

The 2025 salary cap will be 9.7 per cent higher than the 2024 season as result of the first viable revenue sharing mechanism negotiated by the CFLPA into the most recent collective agreement with the CFL. The increase, to $6,062,365, is the result of strong overall league revenues driven by growth in the game on and off the field.

https://3downnation.com/2025/02/05/2025-cfl-salary-cap-limit-jumps-over-400000-due-to-increased-league-revenues/#:~:text=Teams%20expected%20the%20salary%20cap,in%20the%20collective%20bargaining%20agreement.

Teams expected the salary cap limit to be $5.65 million for the 2025 season. However, it has gone jumped by $412,000 to $6,062,365 million — a 7.3 percent increase. The lift comes from the revenue growth sharing model in the collective bargaining agreement.

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WOW. So much for the notion there not being any money for the players. This also displays just how inept the previous PA negotiating teams were because under previous leadership they never would have gotten this out of the owners and these funds would have gone to “important” items like team president salaries and expense accounts.
The players owe the current union leadership a HUGE debt

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With this news it makes last years Randy Ambrosie announcement of “retirement” more interesting. The CFL had growth but not enough to satisfy Larry Tanenbaum. That makes me think that the new hire will have to perform miracles to keep his job safe :joy: Unfortunately that may mean modifying some rules which may rub the diehard fans the wrong way.

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