Looking into other leagues I would suggest changes to our roster and National quota :
44 players on roster with 14 players on roster as home grown . There would be no longer the number of nationals or starters on the field minimum . Nationals (homegrown) on team could play and count as home grown with any position on team . Coaches now play whoever they want with that 44 man game day roster .
10 player practice roster which have to be totally homegrown . No foreign practice roster .
Homegrown would be anybody with Canadian Citizenship , Canadian born or played amateur football in Canada before the age of 21 .
I would go with 14 Internationals instead of 14 Nationals, and I'd probably include a few on the practice roster. Of course, that's not going to happen, but I do like the idea (and think it's possible) of increasing the national presence on the practice roster. If replacement nationals are more difficult to come by, then it only makes sense to train more nationals at the pro level.
It’s hard enough trying to find Nationals now, teams are starting CIS linemen that shouldn’t be playing pro.
I would like to see them stand up to the players union and say it doesn’t matter if you are Canadian you are not guaranteed a position. You have to go out an earn the starting position.
It would be good for the league and good for the fans. It’s been proven with the MLB, MLS, NHL, NBA, that watching Canadians doesn’t attract more fans. I am sure that some CFL teams would keep a few local players around, players like Sinopoli would make the roster if there was a quota or not.
Only a fool would believe Sinopoli would have ever had an opportunity in the CFL if it wasn't for the ratio, Calgary invested 3 years converting him into a receiver. Barker whines he's got trouble recruiting Americans because of our low dollar but Slim here thinks the level of play would magically increased if there was more Americans in the CFL.
Without the limit on the number of internationals on the field, I would expect we'd no longer see many Canadian players outside of a few backups and special team players. We might have a few star Canadians, players who were stars in college who were signed by their local team for publicity. But aside from that, we'd be watching 24 American players on the field most of the time. Personally, I think that would be bad for the league, and for Canadian football in general.
I think the CFL has a built in bias because of the current ratio status . The current coaches or GM's do the basics in recruitment and development in Canada .
If you look at the draft it is too heavily weighted to linemen . The GM's are pre selecting the Canadian positions before looking at the players or developing someone. That needs to end .
The new ratio eliminates the Canadian pre selected positions . You now get the best Canadian's leaving camp to the game day rosters . You eliminate the American practice roster position . This eliminates the American being developed for this league . The only ones that should be developed are Canadian . If you cannot beat a Canadian on the 44 game day roster you are no longer on the roster unless injured ( injury list) where an American could be brought in but he has to be better than the Canadian who is being developed by that team . It forces the league to develop and manage their Canadian players but allows a coach to put on the field the best game day player wherever they are from . I think it would force better position coaching for the Canadian . I also would like to see an increase wage to the practice roster to encourage Canadians to stay in the league .
The Barclay's Premier League has 8 homegrown players on a 25 man roster . This was done so a totally foreign team could not be purchased in Britain's league considered the wealthiest and most popular league . If it works there maybe it would lift our own league's presence nationally and help sell those American rights to ESPN or whoever .
The practice roster has the same ratio as the official roster. It is used to develop all players. Killing it will harm Canadian players just as much.
As for using Canadians on the line there is no mandate, Its being done because that's where your stability comes from and these are the guys who on average have the longer careers.
As stated before I love the Canadians in the league but something is wrong with a league not developing a Canadian QB the most skilled position in upteen years plus you must allow the best to play but protect Canadian content .
I think the Premier league is a model achievable on a more modest scale and stop trying to be a mini NFL . Just steal the good parts of the NFL and American College like game day atmosphere like tail gating and sponsors .
This eliminates the talent attack on forcing the coach to take a player with less ability but protects the Canadian player to develop like a Canadian QB or running back who will be more likely be groomed to replace the injured player whether American or Canadian .
At first you would see a dominant American roster but thru time more Canadian's will be able to replace the American and expand the Canadian's to 16 ,18 or 20 ratio with a little work and incentive .
Wouldn’t be bad it would be death. Who wants to see players they don’t know from places they don’t know. Another WFL, XFL, WLAF that wouldn’t last a year.
If tweaking the ratio could add interest to our game, then I’m all for it. Any rule that encourages teams to use more Canadians at the skill positions, the positions that most people watch, including the quarterback, without significantly lowering the quality of play, I say bring it on. Lowering that number, however, I say no. I prefer seeing Canadians in the Canadian Football League.
one thing that I would look at is to expand the number of national players, from 7 starters to 10 starters, adding 1 per season every second year.
if an international has played for 1 team for 4 or 5 consecutive seasons then on the 5th or 6th season that player becomes a national?
this will do 2 things, give depth at the national position and allow teams to retain their marque international star players .
What I have proposed in the past, allowing for the inclusion of two QBs in the ratio and nationalized veterans:
21 national players;
20 international players;
2 national or nationalized players;
1 optional third QB, either nationality, not allowed to perform kicking duties.
Nationalized players would be international players who have been in the league for six years, or with the same team for four. (Number of years just a suggestion for now.)
With the increase of internationals through the nationalized spots, the starting lineup would be:
I don't know if I would go with the 6 years in the league ? but defiantly with a predetermined number of consecutive years with 1 team ?
to me its about teams retaining their international star players and not discarding them when their contracts become to big ?
But there is also the need to recognize the journeymen who are devoted to the league. I’m thinking players like Damon Allen, Kevin Glenn, Matt Dunigan, Danny McManus, Henry Burris. (All QBs, but that’s just because they’re the ones that came to mind.) So some number of years, higher than the number with a single team, to allow these players to become nationalized players.
I like the idea of the naturalized Canadian if he plays x number of years . They deserve that little recognition that also supports the league especially with the wear and tear on the body playing football . It should define our approach about who is and who wants to be Canadian which is such a respectful thing to do . The Lancasters, Wilkinsons and Calvillos are Canadian by choice a great compliment to our league.