Major Announcement from Commish Tomorrow.

[shatto]

I now see Johnston refuses to rule out moving to 4 downs in the future. Looks like the end of Canadian football as we have come to know and love it, is in the cards.

[paulwoods13]

Returns on a missed field goal are a pretty significant element of the game. I don't see them happening at all with these rule changes. Protecting your endzone at all times is one of my favourite parts of the Canadian game. This takes away from that big time.

Currently, field goals (one of football's least-interesting and most successful -- and usually boring -- plays) are a pretty significant element of the game. Get to the 50 and you can try a 57-yard FG. Under the new setup, it would be a 52-yarder from the 30. So teams will have a lot of incentive to go for it between, say, the 45 and the 25. Missed FG returns will be all but eliminated because teams will only miss short when they are desperately trying to score from distance late in a game. IMO that's a small price to pay for making it more likely teams will stay on offence in the opponent's territory.

[IssuesMcgee]

This is a total rat move. Do these people even know Canada invented the sport of football?

Do they really think Americanizing the game will suddenly change the minds of the quislings from Ontario and BC who already hate the league?

The feck do we as fans get for supporting this league while being attacked on all fronts from the media and brainwashed herd animals who can't live without being spoonfed American entertainment?

I'm with OV. I don't want to renew my season tickets next year. Pro sports are so crooked. I saw the CFL as the last classic sports league that's not completely consumed by the almighty dollar.

If you're going to Americanize the game, all that tells me is it's only a matter of time before it becomes corrupt to the core and they start awarding murderers, wife beaters and generally terrible people with billion dollar contracts.

I'm beyond sickened by this.

[Scooter McCray]

I was really Worried MLSE / Rogers were pushing for a 4 down league... I am OK with a modification to the rouge.... so a team can't win a game at least on a missed Field goal.... I guess with Rogers having input ... I get Paranoid with this type of announcement.... Think the people wanting significant change don't really buy tickets... like most of us here do... I guess I am somewhat relieved ... but I really don't like change to our league.

Well, this is the thing. Are these initial changes just the beginning and 4 downs etc are coming down the road. Who's driving this bus? Nathan Rourke says players were not consulted. That is a major misstep for the new commissioner to not consult players on major changes to the game. They are supposed to be partners.
On the surface I don't mind these changes. Not sure why the field size needs to change. Just move the goal posts. Field change looks to me like changing to American rules for the sake of it. Thats what concerns me about future possible changes especially with players not involved. Things like ratios etc...Bad precedent not consulting players.

[primetime321]

Let’s highlight the five major changes that the league has proposed:

Shortening the field to 100 yards from 110 yards and decreasing end zones to 15 yards from 20

— I’m completely against this. The league says that this will help increase scoring but consider that there will be still 24 players in the field of play and less space to make plays. The NFL shows you what happens in this situation where it is more difficult to score touchdowns. There could be more field goals as it will be harder to score TD's with a smaller end zone. Is this coming from certain owners that want to configure the field closer to soccer dimensions?

Putting the goalposts at the back of the end zone

While it does open up the end zone for passing without fear of the ball hitting the goalpost, it also ostensibly takes away one of the most exciting parts of our game, the return after a missed field goal. I can pretty much bet that the number of missed field goal returns outnumbers the number of thrown balls hitting the goalposts each season, perhaps by multiples.

Removing the rouge except for situations where the opposing team gives up the single

— I’m not sure if I like this new rule or not. While I’m against awarding a rouge for a missed FG or punt within 30 yards, taking away the chance of a rouge for a punt angled into the end zone without return is disingenuous. Why not put the onus on the return team to return a kicked ball rather than letting it bounce out for no consequences? Don`t we want more action in our game rather than less action? This is the reason why fair catches and touchbacks in the American game are nonsense.

Changing the play clock to an automatic 35 second clock rather than using a 20 second clock with the officials blowing the clock start

-- Like AV, I am completely for this. Putting the clock management in the officials hands is not good and makes the game timing too arbitrary. This should allow for the game to flow better

Benches on opposing sides of the field

-- A smart move although difficult to do in a couple of stadiums. It does certainly help with alleviating confrontations between teams and the equality of substituting players from the bench.

[primetime321]

Furthermore, why were these changes made without consulting other important stakeholders such as officials, players and coaches, not to mention fans? This could end up being a huge PR disaster on part of the owners and governors if enough people speak up. Nathan Rourke`s opposition, who arguably is the league`s poster boy at the moment, is a good start.

[IssuesMcgee]

Returns on a missed field goal are a pretty significant element of the game. I don't see them happening at all with these rule changes. Protecting your endzone at all times is one of my favourite parts of the Canadian game. This takes away from that big time.

Currently, field goals (one of football's least-interesting and most successful -- and usually boring -- plays) are a pretty significant element of the game. Get to the 50 and you can try a 57-yard FG. Under the new setup, it would be a 52-yarder from the 30. So teams will have a lot of incentive to go for it between, say, the 45 and the 25. Missed FG returns will be all but eliminated because teams will only miss short when they are desperately trying to score from distance late in a game. IMO that's a small price to pay for making it more likely teams will stay on offence in the opponent's territory.

Completely removing an element of the game is not a small price to pay.

[paulwoods13]

Not sure why the field size needs to change. Just move the goal posts. Field change looks to me like changing to American rules for the sake of it.

It's to create new revenue opportunities, primarily. The one growth area some teams have had is party zones. (It also has the added benefit of eliminating the bush-league-ness of rounded-off end zones, or end zones that are too short and have both grass and artificial turf.)

[ArgoGabe22]

One issue with benches at BMO is that the Argos locker room is on the sunny side.

[paulwoods13]

Furthermore, why were these changes made without consulting other important stakeholders such as officials, players and coaches, not to mention fans? This could end up being a huge PR disaster on part of the owners and governors if enough people speak up. Nathan Rourke`s opposition, who arguably is the league`s poster boy at the moment, is a good start.

A huge PR disaster is not happening.