2023 CFL Draft Discussion

[Stickem]

2 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

 

I honestly believe removing Canadians from the game is the next step towards removing the Canadian rules. I say no thanks to that idea. 

AND the beginning of the end 0f the league as we know it.....You might convince some younger fans of today to go down that road BUT the older stalwarts of this league will probably walk away...No win there so if it ain't broke don't fix it....Of course there will always be room for improvement, especially in T.O. where there is the American wannabe attitude....Will removing the Canuck players and go with Americans placate and improve the situation there.....I doubt it ...They want the whole ball of wax and institute a full American nfl franchise ,so removing Canadians won't and doesn't make sense at least in that situation...As for the rest of the league....it ain't broke

[Booch]

any tweeks will be to the ratio...not the rules.....the 3 downs....size of field and the wide open ST aspect...will never go away...

[TrueBlue4ever]

6 minutes ago, Booch said:

any tweeks will be to the ratio...not the rules.....the 3 downs....size of field and the wide open ST aspect...will never go away...

Just like the ratio would never go away….and yet here we are discussing it after yet another reduction in the number of Canadians and re-classifying long-term Americans as Canadian. And just last year the Toronto head of the BOG wanted to change to a 4 down game and merge with the XFL. 

[TBURGESS]

36 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

So the million dollar question - does eliminating the ratio inevitably lead to changing the rules? We’ve already seen the end zones reduced from 25 to 20 yards, and the hash marks moved in. There is always some talk about playing a 4 down game in junior football in some quarters and if we have all Americans striving to get to the NFL, would they not want a 4 down game to showcase their skills?

Bottom line, stop worrying about the NFL and embrace that you are a minor league, a Canadian league, a summer league. I disagree with Booch that we “pay a premium” for lesser play. The cost difference of CFL tickets vs NFL for similar seats is huge, and also disagree that with no ratio the best Canucks still play. Right now there would be one Canadian playing in the CFL (last year) if there was no ratio - Nathan Rourke - and that guy was a unicorn. 

I honestly believe removing Canadians from the game is the next step towards removing the Canadian rules. I say no thanks to that idea. 

No, eliminating the ratio does not inevitably lead to changing the rules. 

Bottom line is the CFL is broken. Older fans are literally dying off & there aren't enough younger fans to take their place. The CFL needs to attract the younger crowd or die. 

[17to85]

We have already seen how certain types want to americanize the game. I think it's wilful ignorance to suggest that no ratio wouldn't mean going to full on american rules. 

 

The game is fine, the rules are fine, the ratio is fine. The problem is lazy assed teams not wanting to put in the work to grow the game in their own markets. 

[Bigblue204]

42 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

We have already seen how certain types want to americanize the game. I think it's wilful ignorance to suggest that no ratio wouldn't mean going to full on american rules. 

The game is fine, the rules are fine, the ratio is fine. The problem is lazy assed teams not wanting to put in the work to grow the game in their own markets. 

This is something that should be address by the CFL brass asap. Bombers should be held up as an example....so far anyway....their partnership with Football Manitoba and The Pit football league have very much increased youth involvement in football. I don't know the exact numbers but I know flag football is the fastest growing sport for youth in MB. Does that translate to tackle/CFL viewership...? I don't know. But it can't hurt!

I also know the Bombers in partnership with Football MB reach out to specific community organizations to promote youth tackle football and even get teams started. Valour Patriots folded a few years ago and Football MB has been vocal in getting it started again...we came close last year but coaching issues came up just before the season started. Hoping things are different this year!

Edited March 23, 2023 by Bigblue204

[CrazyCanuck89]

59 minutes ago, Stickem said:

AND the beginning of the end 0f the league as we know it.....You might convince some younger fans of today to go down that road BUT the older stalwarts of this league will probably walk away...No win there so if it ain't broke don't fix it....Of course there will always be room for improvement, especially in T.O. where there is the American wannabe attitude....Will removing the Canuck players and go with Americans placate and improve the situation there.....I doubt it ...They want the whole ball of wax and institute a full American nfl franchise ,so removing Canadians won't and doesn't make sense at least in that situation...As for the rest of the league....it ain't broke

I'm 33 and believe we need more Canadians, not less.  Not just at traditional Canadian positions.

[Noeller]

the only issue with the ratio....and I say this loosely because I don't know enough about CIS football.........is if we get a 10th team, and therefore need an extra-team's-worth of NI players, how diluted will the talent pool be? Again, I don't know enough about how good CIS is these days and maybe there's enough guys out there to fill a 10th team with quality NIs.......but I have a feeling we might need to reduce the ratio by one or something, just so we don't dilute the talent pool too thin.

[bigg jay]

Both the rules and ratio have been adjusted over the years yet the issues remain.  Having owners/partners who do the bare minimum to promote/grow the game is a much bigger problem (IMO).

[JuranBoldenRules]

On 2023-03-22 at 11:19 AM, GCn20 said:

The CFL is about to face a crisis on high end NAT talent. Almost 150 draft eligible players have deferred their draft year to next year including 8 out of the top 20 prospects. No one is really sure why? The NCAA guys I can understand, they can now make more playing college football than CFL but the rest makes no sense. GMs are at a loss to explain it. This year's draft is about to become complete bunk and next year, unless we see mass deferral again, is going to see way too many players and not enough rounds to draft them all making them FA's outright.

What’s the crisis?  Almost none of those guys would have started or even played in a CFL game this season….and they’ll be in the 2024 draft.

What you’re saying is like saying the NHL would be in crisis if they moved the draft year to 19 from 18.

A far bigger issue is the quality of American players coming in.  Guys aren’t going to come in young as they have so many options to stay south.  Also anyone at a Power 5 school is getting paid as much as they will in the CFL to play NCAA.  They aren’t broke anymore, they can bide their time in the States that much longer.

On the other hand the CFL will get guys that have been in the US minor pro leagues and are used to being a pro.

It’s just a change.

Edited March 23, 2023 by JuranBoldenRules

[TBURGESS]

 

Quote

Total Week 7 average: 511,700

Total Week 6 average: 454,200

Total Week 5 average: 472,100

Total Week 4 average: 479,500

Total Week 3 average: 425,050

Total Week 2 average: 481,025

Total Week 1 average: 441,625

The CFL averages 400K-500K tv viewers a week. 

You think it gets better as the year goes on? 

Quote

Total Week 19 average: 317,725

Nope.

There are about half a million CFL fans willing to watch on TV and about 20,000 willing to go to the stadium to see the games. 

Tell me more about what the owners should do to fix it?

[rebusrankin]

Back on topic, I like Korte-Moore as a DL prospect.

[JCon]

Just now, rebusrankin said:

Back on topic, I like Korte-Moore as a DL prospect.

What's the topic again? 

 

Who's the best OL in the draft that will be in the CFL next year? 

[JCon]

Feels like low hanging fruit? 

[Noeller]

13 minutes ago, JCon said:

Feels like low hanging fruit? 

always, with him. Madani is just so angry at the CFL..... he and ISO/SF27 are cut from the same cloth. Irrationally angry. I've enjoyed the content on their website, regardless of whether or not events are streamed. There's been lots to read about. 

[bb1]

14 minutes ago, JCon said:

Feels like low hanging fruit? 

Right now our league leadership is killing us, we need to get a person with marketing skills for today.  Need an app and more innovation. Any chance Wade Miller would interested in taking over league leadership?  

[bigg jay]

23 minutes ago, Noeller said:

always, with him. Madani is just so angry at the CFL..... he and ISO/SF27 are cut from the same cloth. Irrationally angry. I've enjoyed the content on their website, regardless of whether or not events are streamed. There's been lots to read about. 

But that's just it... you (and myself as well) aren't who they need to attract.  The people they should be targeting want different coverage than just print media.  Madani isn't alone in feeling this way either.

 

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by bigg jay

[Noeller]

are there actually people (aside from the already-diehards) that would care to watch a live stream of this stuff?? 

[JCon]

Just now, Noeller said:

are there actually people (aside from the already-diehards) that would care to watch a live stream of this stuff?? 

I can't say for sure but I know that I turned on the NFL combine for fun. I haven't followed the lead up to the NFL draft this year, but I did flip it over when I saw it coming on. That being said, it wasn't competing with much at the time. 

I would probably do the same for the CFL, as long as there was nothing better on, like the WBC or NCAA tourneys. 

[bigg jay]

5 minutes ago, Noeller said:

are there actually people (aside from the already-diehards) that would care to watch a live stream of this stuff?? 

There might be, I'd for sure have it on in the background right now if there was a feed.

The lack of streaming for the combine is just one example of their poor social media skills.  The original tweet that Madani replied to also used the 14 year old kid & his youtube account is another.  I get there were copyright issues involved but they could have turned it into a positive story by working with/mentoring the kid and using him to help build that next generation of fans.

[Noeller]

Again, though, fellas...we're the diehards....of course we'd watch it. You're telling me though that it's a mistake to not stream it because they need to reach the people that they're not already reaching........ why would those people watch a CIS combine?? 

[bigg jay]

I'm saying they need to adapt and use newer ways of promoting their product.  They are providing coverage just in more traditional ways like web articles.

Let's flip your question around... why would those people read about the CIS combine?  In a tik tok/instagram world, what's going to go farther, a written article on CFL.ca or video? 

Edited March 23, 2023 by bigg jay

[Geebrr]

4 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

No, eliminating the ratio does not inevitably lead to changing the rules. 

Bottom line is the CFL is broken. Older fans are literally dying off & there aren't enough younger fans to take their place. The CFL needs to attract the younger crowd or die. 

It is interesting - because the crowds at Bomber games are a good mix and I would say the Bombers have started to get more popular with younger crowds. The social aspect of  games has played a big part. People in their teens and 20s are not just there they are decked out in gear. 
 

The Jets game day crowds feel way older. 

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

are there actually people (aside from the already-diehards) that would care to watch a live stream of this stuff?? 

Until the games are on  major TV why would anyone watch the combine? 

[Jesse]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

always, with him. Madani is just so angry at the CFL..... he and ISO/SF27 are cut from the same cloth. Irrationally angry. I've enjoyed the content on their website, regardless of whether or not events are streamed. There's been lots to read about. 

Regardless of who is talking about it, this is a real problem the CFL has.

[Bigblue204]

1 hour ago, Noeller said:

always, with him. Madani is just so angry at the CFL..... he and ISO/SF27 are cut from the same cloth. Irrationally angry. I've enjoyed the content on their website, regardless of whether or not events are streamed. There's been lots to read about. 

That's all fine and well. But the future is 100% getting video content online. There really is zero excuse that the CFL didn't do it. The old excuse of production costs etc no longer apply. Everyone has a phone. the CFL had employees there. Start with a tripod and an Iphone and bingo bango you're up and running. The CFL continues to be the CFLs worst enemy.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Bigblue204