Who eles thinks the CFL season is too long?

I would be fine with a 16 game schedule next season as each team would play each team twice, but if they do ever add that "10th" team they should go back to 18. Season length is fine so maybe they could add a few more bye weeks (if they went to 16 games) since the rosters are small that could help with injuries.

The biggest problem with starting the season a month earlier would be the avalibility of University Campuses for Training camp

Another would be the length of the NHL season leading the Cup into June.

The weather will become a factor in teams and cities obtaining the Grey Cup. People will still come but things are really much diiferent than just 5 years ago. Coming off of two comfortable GC with comfort for fans but also not having any weather affect the outcome of the game. Now a year in Regina with not only and outdoor stadium but also a small city. Then Next season the game goes back indoors to Vancouver with no lodging problems at all.
The CFL has basically come from the dark ages to the modern pro sport model over the past 5 years. If you want the grass roots and younger crowds getting involved and taking in a Grey Cup party trip and tickets to the game they will not want to sit outside in dangerously cold weather with their kids.
I have sais this before that you will see more Cups in venues that are enclosed and Regina will have there roof retractable one day soon or with modern ways even placing a temporary cover over the hole in the roof similiar to how the BIG O started out

If profits consider to soar for the grey cup we will one day see them address a profit sharing model for the Grey Cup. The hosting city itself will get a revenue bump from the loads of fans but the teams will share the profits

A month early would run in to the NHL playoffs,it would leave the league with little exposure especially where it's needed most, Ontario,Quebec and BC!

The CFL season is set up perfectly almost completely opposite the NHL season.
The Grey Cup being so late in the year in such freezing weather will be something that will most likely lead to more Grey Cups indoors and it just happens to be that the three biggest cities all have enclosed stadiums. Vancouver and Toronto having top amenity venues and the Big O is an Older venue but is enclosed and seats more than both BC and RC.

I'd like to see them begin about mid-July as opposed to the last week of June; you'd have to drop the bye week and move the Grey Cup into December but that really shouldn't be a problem. August long weekend would be even better as a start date but then you'd be looking at playing to the end of December and even I think that's too much of a stretch. But a lot of this discussion is moot; with a ninth team next year, they'll likely extend the season by an additional bye week - I can't see them compressing the sched in any way. Long story short, they're going to be starting around the begining of July no matter what.

I agree with the poster who wanted an increase in roster size. Two or three additional non-imports per team should be possible by next year with the increased TV revenue.

I doubt we will get a retractable roof anytime soon. The Grey Cup must continue to rotate; it’s what has brought the Grey Cup back to prominence. Revenue sharing wouldn’t make up for losing the chance to host a Grey Cup. The Riders will probably average in the high 30s this year, something not possible without the Grey Cup expansion seating, not to mention the bump in merch sales those extra fans bring on gameday. It’s going to be a huge year financially for the Riders, and something that would probably never be made up for through revenue sharing. Nor would the revenue from extra season tickets that get sold during a Grey Cup year be recovered.

Furthermore, Sask and Winnipeg probably have the youngest fan bases in the league, we are used to being outside in winter. It doesn’t affect the ability of families to go; the price is the much bigger determinant. Good luck getting the average family to afford not only an expensive ticket, but thousands of dollars in flights/hotels/meals/etc for the comfort of a controlled environment Grey Cup. Young families often can’t afford much travelling, so taking in an expensive event like Grey Cup in a large city is a non-starter for most.

Also, as cold as we can get in winter, “dangerously cold” weather isn’t the norm. The average temp in November is around 0, with the average low at -10.

THere are many people that like watching football outside now as for more games won inside well with in 10 years i think there will be only one dome stadium and thats Vancouver.

:rockin: I so agree, FYB......if anything we need more teams and more games. The only reason I went back to watching hockey was to fill in time till the CFL season started. Maybe with more teams we could see an earlier start to the season.

I highly doubt the Riders would suffer much - our fans support the team no matter the day, time or hour. :smiley:

We’d get a good crowd, but it would definitely be lower than a weekend game. Having 28k season tickets would lessen the blow, but you certainly wouldn’t get the 35k+ we’ve been getting this year.

NO

Yeah, no kidding. Silly topic really. The 18 game schedule has zero to do with attendance issues in Toronto, or anywhere else. And I love the cold weather Grey Cups. '75 and '95 were two of the coldest and they were awesome

What a ridiculous post. This is supposed to be an enthusiast forum, specifically for those of us who love Canadian football. Personally, I love each and every week of the schedule. Anyone who thinks it's too long is simply enduring, not enjoying, the game. Big difference. My advice? Find your entertainment elsewhere.

I think the MLS season is 34 games too long!!!!!!!!!!

Kenny, you make a good point. To say that the CFL season is too long is kind of like saying “I’m getting too much sex”.

Of course, back in the 70’s when my Green Riders were posting 2 & 14 records, I did occasionally feel like the season was about 12 games longer than I could bare to watch. :slight_smile:

Yes, I remember those years too. Back when the Riders were trading season tickets for truckloads of grain. Obviously much happier times now in Riderville!

Disagree. We only have eight teams, and even with 10, 16 games would be better. I have no problem with the length of the season… add another bye week to make up for the lost games and add another week in between the division finals and the Grey Cup. Too many teams go into the tank at the end of the season. Tighten it up and get on with the playoffs. :thup:

The only way i can see them going to 16 games reg season games is to expand the play offs maybe 8 of 9 teams.

Why 8 of 9 teams? That would render the regular season completely useless and people would lose interest big time. Also 8 teams, that means no reward for 1st place team with a bye. 1 through 8 would have no advantage. Bad idea !!

(I think that’s his point… Bad idea to decrease to 16 games as well).