Despite the unfortunate recent announcement that the Arena Football League has suspended operations for the 2009 season, the possibility of more pro football in the United States exists for passionate gridiron enthusiasts and very talented players who are left without a uniform.
Oronde Gadsden, a former Miami Dolphins WR and AFL player, told RotoExperts.com he is leading an effort to bring a Canadian Football League team back to the United States, maybe even for the upcoming season. Gadsden said the potential franchise would be located in the Detroit area, or Rochester, New York. The CFL last included American franchises during the 1995 season.
“Those are two great cities that would support the game and would really fill a niche if we can get agreements from the league, then one of the cities,” Gadsden said. “With the AFL not active, there are some great players who deserve to be seen, and the time is right for CFL expansion back into the U.S. The league is more stable than ever.”
But it would be nice to see Detroit finally get a football team.
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There's no way it will happen while Cohon is commissioner. And the idea that it could happen for this season is laughable and totally takes away and credibility of the source.
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I think the CFL could expand into the States if it is done correctly:
- Make the rule specify number of Canadians a team must start; as opposed to the maximum number of "imports."
- Focus on smarter cities. So either places closer to the border like Fargo, Spokane, Rochester, etc; or places trying to get an NFL team. Work with the NFL to market it that successful CFL teams have higher priority for future NFL moves or expansion. I'm basing this on Baltimore; who supported their CFL team in an effort to show the NFL they were serious about football.
- Get the CFL and NFL working together more. Instead of just the NFL cuts we see in September, allow CFL teams to have up to 3 NFL tryouts on their team at the begining of summer. Have the NFL team pay the salary. It gives the CFL more talent with less money out, and gives the NFL team a chance to see their player in action prior to the pre-season starting.
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I think the CFL could expand into the States if it is done correctly:
- Make the rule specify number of Canadians a team must start; as opposed to the maximum number of "imports."
- Focus on smarter cities. So either places closer to the border like Fargo, Spokane, Rochester, etc; or places trying to get an NFL team. Work with the NFL to market it that successful CFL teams have higher priority for future NFL moves or expansion. I'm basing this on Baltimore; who supported their CFL team in an effort to show the NFL they were serious about football.
- Get the CFL and NFL working together more. Instead of just the NFL cuts we see in September, allow CFL teams to have up to 3 NFL tryouts on their team at the begining of summer. Have the NFL team pay the salary. It gives the CFL more talent with less money out, and gives the NFL team a chance to see their player in action prior to the pre-season starting.
Labor Laws in the States makes it impossible to make US based teams play any Canadians...period! The ONLY way that this league with US based teams could survive would be to remove the Canadian limits period. In other words...become a farm system to the NFL. No thanks.
Labor Laws in the States makes it impossible to make US based teams play any Canadians...period! The ONLY way that this league with US based teams could survive would be to remove the Canadian limits period. In other words...become a farm system to the NFL. No thanks.
If those restrictions weren't in place, I think it would be neat to see the CFL in border area US cities. The farm system concept is a bad idea because they really are two different games. The CFL has a unique brand of football and I think it's difficult to project talent to the NFL based on CFL play. I agree with you there. I wish someone would broadcast CFL games here though. I used to love watching when ESPN showed games.
That said, I'd love to see the NFL get a full fledged farm system where all 32 teams have a minor league affiliate located in non-NFL cities. Not sure how feasible it is, but based solely on the expansion of 'real' (not arena) professional football in the US aimed at feeding talent to the NFL is a neat idea. The roster turnovers would be massive though as you just won't see a guy put 5 or 6 years in at the lower level and make it to the NFL very often as the prime years window is so short in the NFL.
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Labor Laws in the States makes it impossible to make US based teams play any Canadians...period! The ONLY way that this league with US based teams could survive would be to remove the Canadian limits period. In other words...become a farm system to the NFL. No thanks.
yep, thats true. the only way this could work would be to base the team in windsor but play in detroit, or have the teams voluntarily play half canadians...you can't make it a rule...but like the nhl, teams can play canadian players if they so chose. it would be a system like the soft salary cap the cfl had before the current salary management system(sms). teams could easily decide not to dress the required amount of canadians and the league couldnt legally penalize them. would be interesting, but sketchy.
I would love for there to be more teams in canada, but right now there arent the stadiums to support them. a few american teams in border cities would be kinda cool, as long as they dont try and change the name of the league again. it would have to be with great ownership and stadium deals.
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I don't mind the CFL going into the US as long as it is sustainable (ie all of the teams don't fold up shop all at once), and allows both the US and Canadian teams to be competive. In this day and age, and 8 (or 9) team league seems a little pointless.
I would rather the CFL trys to have more teams in Canada first and take advantage of all possible markets before heading back to the US. This is the Canadian football league. A US team shouldn't be present when there are only 8 Canadian teams in the 2nd largest nation in the world.
2nd largest in area...not in population. i would love to see a 12 team canadian league, but there arent the markets yet with stadiums. london might be good, no stadium. quebec city would be nice, not a big enough stadium. maritimes would be good, need a stadium. may not be a market anywhere else (saskatoon/kelowna/victoria in 20 years maybe). the other problem is ownership. the CFL doesnt want more shaky franchises, they need to have a good plan, with solid ownership that is committed for over 5 years, with a stadium either in place or in plans to be built.
thats where a few border us cities would be ok, a few more teams, in cities that already have stadiums big enough(possibly). again the problem of the ratio rule though.
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A 10 team league is a very good possibility in the future. Winnipeg would go back to the west (even thought they're tired of switching) and add Ottawa back and a team in Quebec City. Keep the same playoff format and 6/10 teams get in the playoffs. This is doable if Quebec City can expand their stadium at the University to be closer to the 25,000 range needed.
US expansion isn't necessary, however it could work and I wouldn't be adverse to it if it was done properly.
US Expansion failed before because it was a cash grab by the league. The league granted anyone a franchise as long as they put up the money. The league was in trouble and looking for cash. There were people stupid enough to dump the cash and buy a franchise. I don't think the league really cared all that much about US teams, rather just staying afloat.
The CFL is already a farm league for the NFL. If anything, adding smart US franchises would improve the quality of football.
The first US expansion was a colossal failure because of the choice of markets (Shreveport? San Antonio? really?), with one exception, Baltimore (which also happened to be the closest city to the Canadian border out of all the expansion teams). Baltimore was a huge success for both the CFL and the city itself. Baltimore got an NFL team out of the deal, and Baltimore built a strong enough team to endure itself to the fickle Montreal market, and grew a strong fan base there.
Markets like Spokane, Fargo, Rochester, Albany or Portland would be a decent start. I'd be happy to see more Canadian teams too, but the markets are pretty poor, unreliable or tapped out.
But then again, I find the CFL to be thoroughly bush, and unexciting as a 8 team league, its the easiest "pro" league to qualify for the playoffs in. 6 out of 8, are you kidding? Of course, if they are looking to expand the fan base, die-hard CFL fans aren't who they're trying to woo, they assume you'll come regardless.
Last edited by Thunderball; 02-09-2009 at 11:15 AM.
First time the CFL went to the U-S it almost lost me as a fan, this time I'd probably walk away for good.
It wasn't that bad. Even though the teams didn't really work out except for Baltimore, it gave the CFL quite a lot of good players. Also it instantly made Montreal a success when they relocated from Baltimore, instead of starting from scratch.
I think if Americans just give it a chance. CFL football is 1000 times more entertaining to watch then the NFL.
But then again, I find the CFL to be thoroughly bush, and unexciting as a 8 team league, its the easiest "pro" league to qualify for the playoffs in. 6 out of 8, are you kidding? Of course, if they are looking to expand the fan base, die-hard CFL fans aren't who they're trying to woo, they assume you'll come regardless.
What do you expect when you only have 8 teams? The rules of the game are definitely not bush, and many are superior to the NFL.
I can watch any CFL game with any 2 teams and not be bored most of the time. Can't say the same for NFL and even the NHL.
The only thing 'bush' about the CFL are the roughrider fans who where their damn green jerseys' to just about everything. Flames games, weddings, funerals...
Also, one somewhere in the BC Okanagon or Abbotsford I think could also work. Stadiums are the problem in all locations though.
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What do you expect when you only have 8 teams? The rules of the game are definitely not bush, and many are superior to the NFL.
I can watch any CFL game with any 2 teams and not be bored most of the time. Can't say the same for NFL and even the NHL.
The only thing 'bush' about the CFL are the roughrider fans who where their damn green jerseys' to just about everything. Flames games, weddings, funerals...
The CFL rules themselves aren't that bush. Its the presentation, lack of teams and player quality that makes it so. Both the NFL and CFL would benefit from tweaking their rules a little, frankly. Most importantly, how come hockey and soccer can be played in well under 3 hours (playoffs notwithstanding), but an average football game clocks in at about 3 1/2 hours. They really need to shave some time off their games.
I can't really get into the NFL, but its pretty obvious as a casual viewer that the talent gap is immense. The NHL has its share of snoozers too, but the CFL does too. Hamilton v. Winnipeg, no thanks. Sask is fun to watch because the fans are so hillbilly, with their watermelon helmets, etc.
CFL Expansion Back To US?
