I thought if that.If that happens 1 of 2 things could occur.
1- calgary will buy the home field from the western champ
2- calgary already has everything in there and will just refuse to leave…not much the west team could do…grey cup is a short week…wouldn’t be worth fighting
That would be preferable to a 5 win team playing postseason and a 9 or 10 win team watching.
I could get behind that idea. Something for traditionalists yet it looks like something new and shiny to the young fans.
Or add a , after “no”. Sorry about that. Anyway, they should either increase divisional games and get rid of the crossover or leave as is. And I agree one more eastern team would be ideal. I think it would be hard to develop an 18 game schedule only playing other division 1 game plus a piece.
Good points. I think part of the lull in the league over the past few seasons is because of less divisional matchups. Three games against divisional opponents is perfect. Four is too many (unless it’s playoffs).
I get the appeal of more rivalry games but those come with the albatross of non rivalry games as well (one of Ottawa’s extra 2 games this year is against the Argo’s and I doubt anyone in either city cares).
It would also come at the expense of having the league stars maybe not play in your stadium this year. In a 10 team (when this would happen) league do we really need to have a schedule that doesn’t see every team come to your town? Do you want to NOT have BLM, Andrew Harris, Trevor Harris, Mike Reilly, Masoli, Jefferson or Banks scheduled to come to your town? Is that the way to sell the game to a new team in Halifax? Keep some of the league stars away?
Do Toronto Rider fans show up at BMO for the Als or the green Riders? CFL fans though they are I think you know the answer to that one. If you have surveys that prove me wrong OK, but I don’t think I am here.
If I want to see the stars of any western team, I can turn on my TV and see them every week just fine.
You can do the same with all of the eastern teams as well.
One league table and a properly seeded playoff should have happened a decade ago.
If a 10th team happens, anything other than a balanced schedule is ridiculous.
Together, these are the solution for:
- Competitive Integrity
No one is going to argue that a non-deserving team is in a playoff spot or hosting a given playoff game.
- Compelling Sports-Entertainment
Each team will be eligible for 6 playoff seeds at the beginning of the year in lieu of 3 divisional seeds and perhaps the crossover. Marching up and down 6 playoff seeds instead of 3 or 4 and competing against all other clubs instead of 3 or 4 division rivals and perhaps a crossover candidate means more meaningful games not less.
- Compelling Sports-Entertainment
Non-competitive teams playing in and/or hosting playoff games drags down the interest in the playoff game and tarnishes the brand.
You aren’t elevating interest in the league by giving out freebie playoff games to lesser deserving teams You’re dragging down the importance and interest in those playoff games. Cry me a river if a shitty team is also one in a weak market and could use a mulligan.
When a losing record east division team hosts a playoff game, there is a palpable lack of excitement in the stadium with comments like, “Losing teams shouldn’t be in the playoffs” being muttered about. I’ve been to many of these games.
Meanwhile, a stadium is sitting empty elsewhere in the country where a team has just done better and their fans are more energized and robbed of an opportunity to buy more tickets and hotdogs than the weary fans of a losing team.
This has to hurt broadcast ratings and public perception too.
Yes in a single tier league, 6 of 9 or 10 teams will still make the playoffs meaning 1 or 2 teams with losing records will likely still make the playoffs. However, with proper seeding, these teams will almost NEVER host a playoff game.
Most importantly… the current configuration is just bad math as far as standings are concerned.
- Regarding a balanced schedule… compelling sports-entertainment!!!
Repeat arguments levied by those in support of this and likewise… it is good math to balance the schedule and dare I say probably the best configuration for broad public perception of the brand.
Actually, the “visiting” team gets the visiting team’s locker room, even if it is in their home stadium.
Of course you can. Point is I don’t anybody to show up live in my local stadium to watch them perform. I’m there to watch a (hopefully) good football game and to cheer for the Cats.
My ideal would be one division. The league loses credibility when lesser teams are seeded above better ones, plain and simple.
Best compromise to placate those who insist on living in the past… sorry, I mean “those who believe in tradition”… would be Division winners get first round byes, and four wild cards seeded by their records.
Bingo! I have thought and been saying the same thing.
If ya win ur division that gets you a bye game at home.
But after that the next four teams are seeded by records as to who is to host the first round home game. Regardless of division.
Then wen ya get next round and down to the final 4.
The lower seed plays the conference winner with the best record.
& the higher of the two from the first round plays the division with the lower record.
Lets just have one division. At end of season, 8th plays 9th to see who moves into the playoffs. Then have an 8 team playoff. 1v8 (or 9), 2v7, 3v6, 4v5.
Already too many teams make the playoffs, but you want to add even more. No thanks
Cfl already has a greater percentage of teams in the playoffs than any other league I know of, any sport
Yep - i dont like that a team can get into Grey Cup by winning one playoff game. What other league in the world can you advance to the championahip by winning one game? Its stupid.
Its also probably the smallest league you know of in terms of total teams, so its kind of a given that it will have the highest % otherwise you wouldnt have enough teams to make a “playoff?.
That’s because there’s only 9 teams.
I like how the playoffs are, as an American fan I’m okay with it. 4 teams in the playoffs is too small, and the only fix I’d be okay with is getting rid of the first round bye, but even then that seems kind of dumb. Since it’s a small league we’re gonna just have to deal with a lot of teams making the playoffs.
You’re negating the entire regular season. Two teams will play well enough over 18 games to have the best record in their division so they get the 1st round bye. Yes, 1 playoffwin and they are in the Grey Cup, but it took them 18 games to earn a spot in that 1 game ahead of 4 other teams that must play an elimination game to qualify for the chance and 3 teams that didn’t earn the chance to play that qualifier or semi final.