USports Football 2023

Time to start a new thread for next season!

Ottawa Gee-Gees just signed a player from the AFL:

And another player coming up from the Ottawa Sooners:

And another AFLer from Holland College:

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Some USports players to look for on draft day:

I hope we get more propects lists soon.

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The question going into next season would be is Laval going to repeat in November?

Not sure how players they will to the draft or if they are eligible to come back if they are 4th year players.

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I think the usual powerhouses will be powerhouses again in 2023: Laval, Montreal, Western, Saskatchewan.

I'm curious to see how a few other programs progess: Queen's, Ottawa, Calgary (who took a big step back in 2022--can they rebuild?), Regina, UBC.

Totally depends on how they recruit.

Is there a limit on scholarships offered to Americans at Canadian Universities?

That's a good question. I don't know. I think it's only been fairly recently that USports teams have been recruiting American players. Windsor has an impactful American RB, and I think maybe UBC has an American QB.

IIRC, US and Global players who play 4 years at a USports school have a fast-track to nationalized status in the CFL now.

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I know they won't because of travel but it would be nice if there was a two tiered system for U-Sports. Top 14 schools go for the Vanier Cup every year. The rest go for their own trophy. Last place team in the top level has to play the first place team in the bottom level in May for relegation purposes.

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The Northern 8 concept would have addressed some competative issues.

There was resistance from the Ontario block in terms of travel and student academics.

Canada West was on board.

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Now USports is getting in on the sports betting wave, at least indirectly.

The Bet99 University Program mission is to inform and engage the Canadian Post-Secondary audience through 3 pillars: Education, Community & Culture. Bet99 University has sponsorship agreements with Queens Sports Industry Committee, Gee-Gees Football, University of Toronto Sports Business Association & the Cure Cancer Classic Organization.

*β€œWe’re reimagining the U SPORTS fan experience and believe a huge part of that experience should be education-driven,” said Dashawn Stephens, Founder and Creative Director of PRSVRE Media Group. β€œBet99 has done a lot of great work educating Canadian students and athletes about the forever-growing legal sports betting landscape through their Bet99 University program. We look at this sponsorship as an innovative and creative opportunity to amplify their initiatives and knowledge while combining their efforts with all that PRSVRE does from a university sports media and content lens.” *

Beginning this year, PRSVRE Media Group and Bet99 University will launch educational campaigns, leveraging new marketing platforms to provide sports betting insights through Free-to-Play initiatives, as well as tools and resources for the PRSVRE audience to better understand the category.


I hope this leads to something positive for us USports fans, like maybe getting RSEQ and Canada West games streamed free and/or more games broadcast on CBC or TSN.

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With the rumour of the Grey Cup being on the first weekend of November in the next few years, thus panning the idea of a pairing (good job, Ambrosie) hopefully U Sports can start on the path to be a credible entity in the future, something the CFL is struggling with for years.

Ambrosie has made a lot of promises but hasn't really delivered anything to get the CFL on track (Still believe not having the playoffs on Sunday can be a drawback).

Not confident of the league right now.

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I haven't heard that rumour. Ambrosie has suggested that could happen after expansion but I don't see expansion happening next year or the year after.

It was mentioned in the papers and/or quoted.

Whether we like it or not an early Grey Cup Final will be a reality even before they expand as negotiated in the current CBA.

that sounds ridiculous to me, especially with the World Cup in 2026.

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It's the CFL afterall. I mean they are changing their strategy of "expansion" with finding these magical 20000 seat venues.

Halifax's offer of a parking lot venue for the CFL might be a good idea afterall :rofl::joy:

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Slightly better than the Home Depot. :wink:

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well apparently Nyus wasn’t good enough for the riders :woman_facepalming:t2::roll_eyes:

so he can now sign with any other team.

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Maybe that's because what's on his passport not because of a lack of talent.

It's ingrained for a long time that Canadians can't be successful at QB until Nathan Rourke came along but he (Rourke) came in through the NCAA route.

Needs to be more investment in grassroots football so someday they (Canadians) might get opportunities instead of having this stigma of being "gifted" , according to some, spots.

It's all about addressing roster turnover.

At least Gary Stern acknowledges the importance of Canadians on his team's roster on his tweets.

Or ,then again, Nyhus may not be as good.