Major Announcement from Commish Tomorrow.

[IssuesMcgee]

https://www.cfl.ca/contact-us/

Let em have it!

[shayman]

How are they going to manage putting a bench on the east side? There isn't really room, unless they're taking out some of those blue deluxe seats (that seem rarely occupied anyway).

I foresee lots of people wanting to change their season seat location depending on where the Argo bench winds up.

Personally I am leaning towards changing my seat location to "at home" after being a pretty faithful attendee for 30 years. I am not persuaded that this isn't the first step towards 4 downs and further NFLization of our game. Maybe it's only us old dinosaurs that care about the Canadian aspects of our game, but I'm getting a clear message from MLSE and the CFL that I'm not the sort of person they're caring about any more.

[IssuesMcgee]

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.

With any sports league, the fans are the lifeblood. If enough fans speak up, it will definitely be a PR disaster.

[ArgoGabe22]

How are they going to manage putting a bench on the east side? There isn't really room, unless they're taking out some of those blue deluxe seats (that seem rarely occupied anyway).

I foresee lots of people wanting to change their season seat location depending on where the Argo bench winds up.

Personally I am leaning towards changing my seat location to "at home" after being a pretty faithful attendee for 30 years. I am not persuaded that this isn't the first step towards 4 downs and further NFLization of our game. Maybe it's only us old dinosaurs that care about the Canadian aspects of our game, but I'm getting a clear message from MLSE and the CFL that I'm not the sort of person they're caring about any more.

Even before the changes, I have been spending less $ on the team as the years go on. I have cut cable and only stream games that I want to watch. It sounds dramatic and harsh perhaps but this may speed up the process of staying at home more often or not even caring at all. The season they forced fans to show their papers at the gate was the beginning of this loss of interest. I guess it depends what else happens in the future. One of my first CFL games as a season ticket holder was watching Bashir Livingston return a 129 yard TD after a missed FG vs BC. It was electric. What’s next? The fair catch. Big bosses thinking they’re making the CFL more cool is actually making it less cool.

[Scooter McCray]

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.)

I can accept that. The 65 yard width remaining is the key. Lots of open field in which to execute your offence. I'm good with goal posts moved to the back. I am always dreading a Grey Cup will be won on a missed FG. I have not witnessed one yet in my 58 years but when it did finally happen the abuse our league would receive would be over the top. Post patterns will be hot routes inside the red zone.

They should have consulted players though. That seems like an obvious oversight and not a good omen.

[TICATS SUCK !]

Thanks Will for posting the link. I guess I should have gone to the CFL room!

[ArgoGabe22]

What’s interesting is what is correlation between disgruntled fans and satisfied fan and their attendance record. For instance Willson likes the moves but how many games has he attended as a fan? How many complainers are ticket buyers?

[OV Argo]

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.

With any sports league, the fans are the lifeblood. If enough fans speak up, it will definitely be a PR disaster.

The main pissing on the Canadian game changes - shorter field & end zones and taking away rouges for the most part - are not scheduled till the 27 season. So, still a chance for the wannabe American $uck-holes on the BOGoofs to reverse course there. We shall see. I will be voting with my wallet - no more money or attention for you CFL - and letting my season tix rep know about if - if hundreds or thousands do the same, could have an affect.

[paulwoods13]

With any sports league, the fans are the lifeblood. If enough fans speak up, it will definitely be a PR disaster.

We will see, won't we? But my money is on the blowback from some fans dying out quickly. And I see no scenario where anything significant announced today gets rolled back. Minor tweaks, maybe.

[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.)

I can accept that. The 65 yard width remaining is the key. Lots of open field in which to execute your offence. I'm good with goal posts moved to the back. I am always dreading a Grey Cup will be won on a missed FG. I have not witnessed one yet in my 58 years but when it did finally happen the abuse our league would receive would be over the top. Post patterns will be hot routes inside the red zone.

They should have consulted players though. That seems like an obvious oversight and not a good omen.

The Argos once won a game by having Noel Prefontaine deliberately miss a field goal by kicking toward the sideline in the end zone. Imagine the uproar (and not just in Canada) if a Grey Cup was ever won that way. It would be worse (but not that much worse) than if an actual GWFG attempt was missed and the team that missed it won the Grey Cup anyway. And then there's the scenario of a team close to the goal-line taking no chances by punting rather than trying a FG. All of these are highly unlikely scenarios, but they are all possible within the current rules.

Consulting players would obviously be ideal. But the league simply doesn't roll that way, never has, and it would not be possible to do so without word of possible changes leaking out, which would result in the league losing control of the messaging from the get-go.