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Are much of the CFL's struggles due to the fact they are underrepresented in the big provinces?

I think there are strong arguements that the CFL has struggled in Ontario (pop. 12M), British Columbia (pop. 4.5M), and Quebec (pop. 8M) because of too few franchises in those provinces. 2 Ontario teams, 1 in BC, and 1 in Quebec combined with no teams in NB/PEI, NL, or NS is probably why merchandise sales and TV viewership for the CFL is always in the toilet. To me, it sounds like insufficient brand penetration.

I doubt there is anything inherently better (in terms of CFL support/potential) in the rest of western Canada, but the CFL is much more popular there. Most of the western teams have about a-1.3M fans that serve their region. That appears to me to be ideal. Enough fans that they can make a living, but not so many that they are an afterthought.

I think the CFL is considered an odditiy outside of western Canada for this underrepresentation. Do you agree or disagree? What is your take on the CFL?

Update:

colliepoodle - I am intrigued by your answer. How do you build from the bottom up?

Update 2:

Habs/Als/G-Men Avro Arrow - Ottawa, Victoria, Windsor, Quebec, Halifax --- with that the CFL would be up to 13 teams. I have said before that (IMO) 14-16 teams are required for the CFL to have long term stability and strong countrywide support (and really 18 would be better long term).

A 10 teams CFL is not too hard to see, but anything beyond that seems beyond the CFL's grasp as long as the CFL is run by the current mix of owners. Ottawa and Quebec have workable stadiums and sufficient, strong markets. Windsor's Mayor wanted to build a stadium to host a CFL team for Windsor and all the Canadians in Detroit, but it looks like they were blown off. No idea if that door is still open. Victoria does not have a sufficient stadium and neither does Halifax.

I will say I that your proposal would be very strong, but until the CFL starts earmarking money to help finance new stadiums or at least the PR campaigns to get citizens on board with new stadiums, those teams won't happen. IMO.

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    There is too much influence of non-Canadian things. Canada is inundated with the NFL and NCAA. Take a look at Hard Core Sports. They are a canadian entity and spend virtually no time talking about the CFL (at least on the show that they do for Sirius). I would say it is probably less than 4 hours over the whole season.

    I think canadian football needs to be built from the bottom up rather than the top down.

    I think Football Canada overall should be a stronger body (like the FA in England). Also the CIS should be responsible for training good Canadian players. Sort of a "canadianization" of the sport. Rather than always looking at the much larger talent pool to the south. Also the CFL, CIS, and Football Canada should get people excited about Canadian Football.

  • 1 decade ago

    Add the Quebec City Frontenacs, Victoria Cougars, Windsor Motors and Halifax. Call the Halifax team "The Atlantic Schooners" or "The Maritime Fleeters" to represent the entire region. Bring Ottawa back and for god's sake, call them the Rough Riders!

    This may sound like a gimmick but I think that at the end of the year, the Grey Cup champions should play an exhibition game against the NFL team that finished dead last. Imagine if they won, then Americans would HAVE to give the CFL some respect! It would also make the CFL alot more popular in Canada because we'd rally behind it.

  • I can agree with you that in western Canada the game is much more popular. It seems to be a pride thing out west, but in the east people are always comparing it to the NFL.

    Another issue, fan support is always affected by team performance. If you look at the eastern teams, 3 out of 4 are terrible. I'm from Hamilton and I'm amazed to see close to 20,000 to a home game when our record over the past 7 years is embarrassing. You put a better product on the field, you sell more tickets. It's that simple.

  • 5 years ago

    I don't get how learning about our personal struggles would help with the shaping of a book - anyway, go for it. I did once, and came out with a good story. You may run out of energy for it before you finish and have to do the last 60% by dint of will - be ready for that. But go get it. Bravo. Anyway for me the personal struggle has been always to be alone. I always expect to go home at the end of the day and HAVE a home, with a kitchen, parents, siblings, dinner cooking, the dog at the door. Every day it's not so takes my breath away.

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  • 1 decade ago

    Who says the league is in the toilet? TV ratings have been climbing over the past few years, and attendance in Toronto last season was the best since the early 90's, although it dipped a bit this year, as the Argos were terrible.

    It seems to me that you periodically stop by with your unrealistic expansion suggestions and misinformed views of the CFL in order to raise your point totals. You don't even live in Canada, do you?

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