This past Sunday, the CFL concluded the 2021 season with the 108th Grey Cup, won by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for the second straight season over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats 33-25.
After not having a 2020 season, it was great to see the CFL again. Unfortunately, however, the league’s future is in question.
During CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie’s State of the League address, Ambrosie announced that the CFL partnered with Genius Sports, a sports data and technology company that provides data management, video streaming, and integrity services to sports leagues, bookmakers, and media companies. In addition, Ambrosie made comments about the XFL, teams, rules changes, gambling, and other topics surrounding the CFL.
The commissioner has a lot of work to do if the CFL is going to reclaim the glory years. But, if the CFL is going to do that, they need to make these changes to improve the game.
First, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The CFL does not need to play four downs. Playing three downs brings a new set of challenges for players and coaches, unlike in America’s four-down game. The CFL needs to stay with that identity. If they went to four-downs, they might as well call themselves NFL Canada.
The only rule I would get rid of is the no yards rule on punt returns. The players abuse the rule by not picking up the ball until the other team is closer to them, then they pick it up to draw the penalty, get rid of it.
The CFL needs a better television contract. Currently, the CFL’s deal with TSN runs until 2025 that they signed back in 2019 for $37 million.
When the next tv negotiations come up, the CFL needs to work with other broadcasters other than TSN. They need to get Rogers Sportsnet and CBC involved. Like the NFL, the CFL could have one broadcaster call the West Division games, and the other does the East Division. The CFL can’t keep relying on ticket sales as revenue. They have to charge more to broadcast games.
The CFL should consider raising salaries and better contracts for the players. This year, players had to take a twenty percent cut. This did not sit well with players, and most of them left the league. The current pay structure and play make the league look like The Spring League.
A long time ago, the CFL used to have Jeff Garcia, Warren Moon, Doug Flutie, and countless stars play in the league. Today, they lack stars, and as mentioned, by paying the players and giving them security, the league will attract better players and keep them.
Expansion has been a hot topic for the last several years. It’s about getting that tenth team to balance the schedule. Currently, the league has nine teams and plays an 18-game schedule. This year, the league played 16-games. Let’s be honest. You can’t play an 18-game schedule with nine teams.
The first half of the season is exciting, but the rest is dull. There is no need to play the same teams in your division four times.
The schedule has to be cut down to twelve games, with divisional games playing each other twice and once for non-divisional games. Once they get more teams, then they can expand the schedule.
The CFL has the opportunity to grow into a 16-team league in Canada. Outside of Halifax, St. John’s, Thunder Bay, Quebec, Abbotsford, Saskatoon, and Red Deer would make great CFL cities.
The CFL should consider moving the season up to start in late April or early May. The benefit of moving the season up would be avoiding the colder weather in November.
Many fans are opposed to this because of the hockey playoffs. But the league can work around that. For example, if a hockey team’s playoff game starts at 7 pm, the CFL could have a game at 1 pm or 4 pm and not interfere with the hockey playoffs. It happens all the time in the United States and works out well.
Finally, the CFL should work with 2K Games to make a CFL video game. The greatest football game ever made came from 2K Games called ESPN NFL 2K5. The presentation in the game was incredible. After the NFL signed an exclusive deal with EA, 2K had only made some non-football games featuring legends like John Elway.
Recently, 2K is making an NFL Arcade game, but getting them to make a CFL game would open the door to new fans, especially kids and adults who play video games.
In 1988, John Madden wanted to educate the fans on how football works, from play calling to executing plays. Today, Madden is one of the biggest football games in the world.
The CFL should take the same approach and educate the fans about the league, its teams, history, and play. So many fans have been waiting for a CFL game. It’s time for them to create one. A video game can go a long way to recruit new fans.
The CFL can achieve these milestones if they would stop getting in their own way. For decades, this league has hurt itself when it should be the second biggest football league in the world behind the NFL. They need to stop being their own worst enemy and start being a league of opportunity.
