I can’t back this up without some research but I will throw it out.
-East seems more reliant on CFL free agents or CFL discards than the West. It seems that Toronto for example has so many Montreal discards this year. Relying on non playoff teams providing them talent
-West seems far more willing to trade aging name Imports to the East for Canadian draft picks. West Canadian talent just seems so much better and deeper.
-West has more dollars to spend on players and putting them on 6 game IR, thus dodging salary cap
-I suspect West spends much more money on scouting. You look at the new talent Calgary and Edmonton and Sask bring in especially at receiver and other skill positions. I talked to a Western scout one time on a flight just by chance and he said that his scouts were assigned certain positions to look for. Very specific. And he said scouting was fairly inexpensive. Very part time, usually explayers, or friends of the org who go to a lot of regional games and practices. And who have solid relationships built with their state’s college and HS coaches
-West seems to put more emphasis on developing good solid 0-lines
-West seems far better in developing QB’s. I know Calgary, BC, Edmonton at least have always given back-ups a lot of reps in practice. East not so much I don’t think from what I’ve read
No real proof on this just observations/guesses. Before I joined I remember reading from an astute Montreal poster a list of players each team has of recycled players. Can’t find that now or who posted but if he happens to read this then maybe he can repost?
I would agree. The western teams spend more and they also have more pressure on them from thier fan base and media. The western teams have recently anyways gone with younger QBs rather than the quick fix. This is the frustrating part for a fan of an eastern team. No offence Ricky Ray or Darian Durant.
Yes…the cap is the same but scouting dollars are not cap related. Nor are salaries on 6 game IR counted in salary cap. Nor are coaches salaries etc.
So it is very possible that Western teams “spend more”.
Ya…Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina and Winnipeg are all frozen prairie outposts. Frozen igloo ridden outposts…far far away from the motherland capitals of the East. Especially in May-October.
You just may need to get out more.
Teams going out west and playing night games usually result in a loss.
So many times I've seen the eastern team fall apart after the halftime break.
This western dominance isn't a phenomenon isolated to just the CFL. The NBA and the NHL has had this problem for long stretches too. The 90s in the NHL, the west was usually better and the NBA is seemingly always like this.
If the league starts the conversation weather they should do one division or two, this would be the first question I would ask.
With a salary cap and an exclusive negotiating list on unsigned players, the rich teams can't out spend the less rich.
In terms of some teams having more money to spend on coaching, scouts etc....I think it really comes down to how the money is spent. The Argos ownership has just as deep is not deeper pockets than the Stamps yet the on field results are night and day.
Teams that play in the west generally have been better than manageing their football ops better than the eastern counterparts right now. Montreal have failed to address a sucessor to Calvillo and are still paying the price today. Argos are going down that same road. Hamilton heading towards the rebuild phase, Ottawa is best in the small pond but only in their 4th year of existence.
Ok, since there isn't a off topic forum anymore, I'll try and get away with this. 8) The West knows how to draft Canadians, non-Internationals or whatever the recent flavour of this vocabulary is these days, and really be able to utilize these "Canadians" however the recent flavour of definition goes in the league. Sort of reminds me a bit of this in the news lately.
Anyway...let's see what dominoes fall if Derel Walker signs in Edmonton. They probably can manage it now but not next year. Huge money invested in 3 players...Reilly, Bowman and Walker.
I look for Bowman, an aging name vet, to be shipped East for 2018 for Can draft picks. Classic move that would continue a trend.
Absolutely False info on spending big time.
Salary cap is Salary cap all equal. Well sort of. Its reported salary expenses.
No team ever goes over much. Okay leave Sask out of the mix. LOL.
Look at the attendance records for the year or last week. Calgary 33,700
Sask 33,500 Montreal all most sold out 18,500, Hamilton sold right out 24,500.
The average person spends$35 per game extra with big markup.
I’m not into math you do the calculation for the year.
That my friend equals more tryout camps and regional scouts NOT in salary cap.
Better office staff more promotions, advertising, game bands NOT in Salary cap.
AND most important player perks, housing, travel expenses, flying family’s in,
Bonuses like jobs, community even, etc etc etc. There also a rumor last year
that a team had 2 practice squads.Probably not true but they did pay a fine.
They build the tiny stadiums for the big spenders eliminating the young next generation.Teams in the west make money and do everything to be successful.
East well there hanging in MAYBE.
What about the games from London? they host at least three NFL games every year.
They are playing games at 09:00 eastern time.
At least the NFL doesn’t play west coast games starting at 10PM, that’s probably for TV ratings. They’ve also changed the Monday Night Football start times to 8:20 kick off from 9 PM
I think if we all knew the answer to this, the East teams would be all over it.
I suspect it has a little to do with everything. The Western teams have been more financially stable in the last 10 or so years, and it trickles down to everything else. In the past you've had a lot of uncertainty even over where some of the Eastern teams practice. I believe that the Argos and Als practiced at a separate location.
With all of the new facilities going up around the league, and Hamilton, Ottawa, and Toronto all being on much more level playing field in that regard now, it should level off.
Good points Dust. Hope you are right. The other thought is that they may be content to limp through the season. After all the East does win the GC often enough.