CFL Expansion Back To US?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

I can't really get into the NFL, but its pretty obvious as a casual viewer that the talent gap is immense.

I don't know about that. Most imports playing in the CFL played at big-time programs in the US. Still in the top 1% of all NCAA players?

[Thunderball]

Originally Posted by troutman

I don't know about that. Most imports playing in the CFL played at big-time programs in the US. Still in the top 1% of all NCAA players?

I guess its like the gap between the ECHL or AHL and the NHL.

Even though the minor leaguers look like junk, they'd still be better than 99% of the hockey playing population, and they too had to be the best in their junior clubs.

[mrdeeds]

Not even a US Football rule league can survive in the US, let alone a Canadian one. Americans are NFL centric, period. The CFL would have to whore itself as it almost did in the 90's just to be a blip on the US radar. Yeah, I like variety in a league, but I do not want to lose what makes the CFL unique. Can you really get behind something called the NALCF (North American League of Canadian Football) as it was once proposed in order to generate more interest in the US?

[troutman]

Originally Posted by mrdeeds

Not even a US Football rule league can survive in the US, let alone a Canadian one. Americans are NFL centric, period. The CFL would have to whore itself as it almost did in the 90's just to be a blip on the US radar. Yeah, I like variety in a league, but I do not want to lose what makes the CFL unique. Can you really get behind something called the NALCF (North American League of Canadian Football) as it was once proposed in order to generate more interest in the US?

3DFL

(Three Down Football League)

[Bertuzzied]

Originally Posted by troutman

3DFL

(Three Down Football League)

How about the NREDL (Not Run Every Down League)?

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Bertuzzied

How about the NREDL (Not Run Every Down League)?

I like NMHAPL, the "Nice Miss, Here's a Point" League.

[Canada 02]

without knowing jack about labour law, I'd speculate that their would be a way to get Canadian content without making it mandatory. Perhaps make the salary cap 60% of what it currently is, but make all Canadian players exempt from the cap. Perhaps this scenario wouldn't be a labour issue any more, but a CBA issue

[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by Thunderball

I guess its like the gap between the ECHL or AHL and the NHL.

Even though the minor leaguers look like junk, they'd still be better than 99% of the hockey playing population, and they too had to be the best in their junior clubs.

true enough, but i think its closer than the ahl to nhl. there is a mix of players that are built from different skill sets. some of the cfl guys might be faster than their nfl counterparts, or more quick thinking etc. you may not realize this if you dont follow football, but because of the two leagues difference in rules/gameplay/style, different players are required. for example, an nfl player may be more consistent in his position, but not the skills to keep it up in the fasterpaced cfl game (speed/stamina vs toughness/size etc).
overall the nfl has better skill, (obviously players will want to play in a league where they can make 6 times as much, moreso if they are american wanting to play in an american league), some positions may be switched to favour the cfl. they are too tough to compare, thus the continuous debate between fans of the two leagues.
bottom line, they are both pro leagues that have thier own good and bad things, and are both different brands of football. we're lucky enough in canada to have the choice and ability to watch both. cant say the same more most americans.

one poster mentioned the worry about changing the name. that is also my worry about getting too many US teams, as they may have trouble supporting something so distinctly unamerican.

and just a response to the comment about only having 8 teams, its canada, we dont have that many major league cities. there are only 6 canadian nhl teams... and back in the days of the original 6, how many teams made the playoffs???? 4 out of 6. not all that different then 6 out of 8. (although i understand the comment of too many teams making the playoffs, but live with it, the owners would have trouble giving up an extra chance at playoff revenue and the playoffs would only be two games, the fans like more playoff games i think!)

[troutman]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I like NMHAPL, the "Nice Miss, Here's a Point" League.

NFACFOTL

"Not Flip A Coin For Over-Time" League

[calgaryrocks]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I like NMHAPL, the "Nice Miss, Here's a Point" League.

you only get a point if the ball doesnt make it out of the endzone, its a reward for kicking into the endzone and preventing the other team from returning the ball. without it, you dont have as many exciting returns. remember the endzone is 20 yards, so really its rewarding a kick of 30+ yards for missing but still having the leg or penalizing the defensive team for not returning it. how often do players miss from inside 30 anyways, not very often. so a 50+ kick, i have no problem rewarding that kind of leg strenth. you have to look at it as more then just a reward for failure. it stimulates a play and decision (return and risk not getting 35 yards, or give up a point and risk losing by that point)

[OzSome]

I say NO to US team. If the CFL decide to expand, they should abide by the CFL rules with Canadian-Import ratio still the same as it is right now. No exceptions for American teams. If they don't like it, tough and we don't need ya!

[calgaryred]

I was all for the Americian expansion in the early 90's thought that the league was finally willing to try new things to make the game more interesting. The problem was the CFL in the 80's and 90's didn't visually market the game through TV and videos like the NFL. The NFL used the visual mediums available to the max, CFL stayed in the 50's and just marketed that the game was entertaining. So in crunching times they focused on expansion for quick cash and except for Baltimore it was a joke. I saw a Canadian Division of nine teams vs an US Division of six? Just to guarantee a Canadian team in the Grey Cup the Canada vs US thing was stupid and did more damage then good, especially when five out of the six US teams were above .500 with no fan base and only two teams in the Canadian Division had a winning season.

Out of the bad though CFL became solely a Canadian game again and had to market the sport better, which they did. They still need to market the game better but its miles above what it was like in 1990. Attendance is better and theres more good to say then bad, US expansion may look good but I don't think its what the league needs id rather see them help out cities get new stadiums like when staging exhibition games in potential markets hold some of the profits towards a stadium fund. Its not how many teams are in the league that will make it more popular, its how many strong franchises in the league that does that.

Keep it Canadian

[flamingpoo]

Most Americans know about the CFL and enjoy it. NFL is so predictable, most Americans would welcome it and it might do well in the right areas. I say give it one more chance before we close the door to it.