BigBlue

We have just witnessed a major shift in thinking AND action ... last years status quo philosophy has been replaced by real try outs ... many were turfed in January  ... we all know this already
we have the core ... the holes being filled will be big upgrades

We have just witnessed a major shift in thinking AND action ... last years status quo philosophy has been replaced by real try outs ... many were turfed in January  ... we all know this already
we have the core ... the holes being filled will be big upgrades

We have just witnessed a major shift in thinking AND action ... last years status quo philosophy has been replaced by real try outs ... many were turfed in January  ... we all know this already
we have the core ... the holes being filled will be big upgrades

We have just witnessed a major shift in thinking AND action ... last years status quo philosophy has been replaced by real try outs ... many were turfed in January  ... we all know this already
we have the core ... the holes being filled will be big upgrades

" If TSN wants 18-40 year olds watching"
the best marketing program that I remember is going after junior high and high  school students

Players visiting schools combined with ticket giveaways might win over some
this can be family-oriented with parents or peer oriented with friends… Often teens like to travel in packs as a nonthreatening easy way to socialize
the key is to make it easy in terms of both money and transportation
has anybody seen any studies showing the effectiveness of such student programs?

There certainly is a lot of empty seats in the CFL that could be grouped into a fun zone

We need to win hearts at a young age as a cool form of entertainment

" If TSN wants 18-40 year olds watching"
the best marketing program that I remember is going after junior high and high  school students

Players visiting schools combined with ticket giveaways might win over some
this can be family-oriented with parents or peer oriented with friends… Often teens like to travel in packs as a nonthreatening easy way to socialize
the key is to make it easy in terms of both money and transportation
has anybody seen any studies showing the effectiveness of such student programs?

There certainly is a lot of empty seats in the CFL that could be grouped into a fun zone

We need to win hearts at a young age as a cool form of entertainment

" If TSN wants 18-40 year olds watching"
the best marketing program that I remember is going after junior high and high  school students

Players visiting schools combined with ticket giveaways might win over some
this can be family-oriented with parents or peer oriented with friends… Often teens like to travel in packs as a nonthreatening easy way to socialize
the key is to make it easy in terms of both money and transportation
has anybody seen any studies showing the effectiveness of such student programs?

There certainly is a lot of empty seats in the CFL that could be grouped into a fun zone

We need to win hearts at a young age as a cool form of entertainment

anybody got a link to Walters press conference this morning?

I totally agree with you. Those incremental increases were prearranged. The next major negotiation is still a couple of years away. What the financial situation of the  league is a big unknown right now. If we are still in these tight finances (and I am guessing that the missing the covid season has a lot to do with that) then it is just stay in financial survival mode.
However, if we are continuing to see TV fan ratings going up there could be a substantially larger amount of money available for the salary cap. It might even be a quantum leap. When such discoveries are made financial decisions in a compacted time frame are not always made with the greatest wisdom. 
Preplanning what to do with newfound money is not senseless. It often makes a great deal of difference; in order to negotiate well; you have to know what is truly important and what makes a big difference. Otherwise, the money just goes to the top end of the player pool, as the all-stars demand and the general managers compete. That is the opposite of planning.
So at the next player negotiations, if there is not a source of new money from increased viewership or attendance, then I agree that the best thing to focus on is player safety and procedural methods to ensure that safety. One item I have harked on in the past is quarterback protection. There are many other issues. There is also methodology to increase player security and comfort.
Why bring preplanning up now? Because we are in a lull of big events to discuss. How many posters are considering the state of the league 3 to 5 years down the line?
Now that we've had the NFL draft last night, we can start to get into the nitty-gritty of our Canadian draft and getting players to camp. It's getting exciting!

"Where would you expand? Halifax? ... Quebec City or London, Ontario? Remains to be seen. poersonally, I doubt it."
I agree Halifax is a dead-end pursuit and a logistical nightmare in terms of travel. Very expensive too.
London would be cutting into the fan base, MAYBE, for the Tigercats and Argos. Of course, you never know what that community might be hungry for. I see no appeal. So no.

Québec city intrigues me though. It would instantly set up a rivalry with the Alouettes. The fan base there has proven themselves; there is a natural complement between football and hockey – – they have opposite seasons with very little overlap. I also think it would add some legitimacy to the league, filling in a void where the major French population  looks a little underserved, at least to me.

I also heard Ambroise speak of Québec City in positive terms in terms of marketing the CFL. So it looks like the CFL brass are thinking about it seriously. I hope it happens – – it would make everything better in terms of scheduling, league balance, and keeping travel costs down.

Expanding to Québec city makes a lot of sense to me.

I totally agree with you. Those incremental increases were prearranged. The next major negotiation is still a couple of years away. What the financial situation of the  league is a big unknown right now. If we are still in these tight finances (and I am guessing that the missing the covid season has a lot to do with that) then it is just stay in financial survival mode.
However, if we are continuing to see TV fan ratings going up there could be a substantially larger amount of money available for the salary cap. It might even be a quantum leap. When such discoveries are made financial decisions in a compacted time frame are not always made with the greatest wisdom. 
Preplanning what to do with newfound money is not senseless. It often makes a great deal of difference; in order to negotiate well; you have to know what is truly important and what makes a big difference. Otherwise, the money just goes to the top end of the player pool, as the all-stars demand and the general managers compete. That is the opposite of planning.
So at the next player negotiations, if there is not a source of new money from increased viewership or attendance, then I agree that the best thing to focus on is player safety and procedural methods to ensure that safety. One item I have harked on in the past is quarterback protection. There are many other issues. There is also methodology to increase player security and comfort.
Why bring preplanning up now? Because we are in a lull of big events to discuss. How many posters are considering the state of the league 3 to 5 years down the line?
Now that we've had the NFL draft last night, we can start to get into the nitty-gritty of our Canadian draft and getting players to camp. It's getting exciting!

When the players vote, they ratify. Negotiations occur before the fact; there are trade-offs for both sides in the negotiations.  If the governors want an expanded roster, $240,000 is not a lot of money. And some of the players will see  player expansion is a good thing.
So in our discussion the key thing is getting the concepts across, not minor money matters

" I do NOT see the CFL adding more salaried positions" I agree if the salary cap is not going up but if history is any guide it will go up at least some. What I am advocating here is to take $250,000 of that increase and expand the Canadian roster size. It will ultimately lower the cost of Canadians over all. It will lower it because there will be more Canadian talent because of the larger veteran experienced talent pool (30 to 60 more veterans at least).
The teams can then apply the rest of the salary cap increase as they see fit. Until we see game day rosters the same size as the NFL, we will always have game day injury problems. A little common sense can prevail here. We just have to regulate it slightly for a very good purpose.

isn't a very sound path to development and eventual playing time.
It is not sound? What are you thinking in that regard? They will be at every practice. They will have instruction from the positional coaches. They will have mentorship from the starters in their position. 
And during the practices they will be playing their heart out. And they will be working out on their own before and after practice. They will also learn a new and better way of weight training. They will be living in a different world than their amateur experiences. They will learn grit from rubbing shoulders with seasoned veterans.
They will be dressed and in the lineup for nine games, and may be more if there added to the full-time roster temporarily because of injury. In those nine games that will likely have some special teams work. Or they might be put into the game in short yardage situations. They will be doing guided film work. They will be totally immersed with the whole team through thick and thin. What kind of learning is that?
You don't think the six will develop so much more than anything they've seen in junior or college? And on top of that, they will have a chance to play instead of sitting in an office someplace with no football future path.
Not every one of the six will stay in the league but one or two or three of them will eventually get to a starting role. Don't you think?
Anyway, if you don't like six half timers, just add three more Canadian players to the roster size. They can develop that way. Further, the CFL PA should be happy because they have expanded permanently the number of jobs for the players. Negotiating for that the fantastic!
 

Robert, given very good odds, how much  of your own money would you spend on this prediction/bet?
At least a looney? 

Take a look at the stadium photograph above.
Maybe just tear down half the stands, get rid of the track, and build the opposite side with new stands filled with private boxes. In a government town like Edmonton they would find ways of filling those boxes without violating some sense of propriety. The old stands that remain could be discounted relative to the new stands on the opposite side, which would help bring in families at prices they could afford. Yes, renew the refreshment stands and washrooms in the old sections. Meanwhile the new stands would be able to handle more premium food and drink sales. There is a lot of money in Edmonton that would want premium seating, higher end refreshments and all that kind of stuff. The private boxes could add in luxury amenities.
This is not hard to figure out; it's just hard to get past the little fiefdoms that exist in the political arena; they bow to the big money in that city. Some leading figure/s would somehow have to sponsor such.
Leadership would have to go beyond the old boys club that tends to dominate the Board of Directors in cities like Edmonton and Winnipeg. Wade Miller did it here. Such a leader needs good background in both marketing and applicable business skills. That's how community-based teams can continue. In Regina they got Mosaic Stadium done but they've gone backwards in football operations.
In Calgary, the CFL does not have the sex appeal that the status minded have for the Flames. That's more politics and a lack of civic leadership in Canada's leading business city. Calgary's mayor's office has a disproportionate amount of power while the business people are too focused on making lots of money. Again football needs a civic champion in that community.

Of all the quarterbacks outlined in the list above, the one I had particular fondness for was our current offensive coordinator, Buck Pierce. Yes he was on the downside of his career but I still thought he played okay if he wasn't too banged up. He could huck the ball and make plays with his legs. He was filled with heart and intensity. I just enjoyed watching him play. But yeah, he is turning out to be a way better coordinator than he was a QB, even at its prime. Always was and still is a favourite of mine.

Of all the quarterbacks outlined in the list above, the one I had particular fondness for was our current offensive coordinator, Buck Pierce. Yes he was on the downside of his career but I still thought he played okay if he wasn't too banged up. He could huck the ball and make plays with his legs. He was filled with heart and intensity. I just enjoyed watching him play. But yeah, he is turning out to be a way better coordinator than he was a QB, even at its prime. Always was and still is a favourite of mine.

Of all the quarterbacks outlined in the list above, the one I had particular fondness for was our current offensive coordinator, Buck Pierce. Yes he was on the downside of his career but I still thought he played okay if he wasn't too banged up. He could huck the ball and make plays with his legs. He was filled with heart and intensity. I just enjoyed watching him play. But yeah, he is turning out to be a way better coordinator than he was a QB, even at its prime. Always was and still is a favourite of mine.

Of all the quarterbacks outlined in the list above, the one I had particular fondness for was our current offensive coordinator, Buck Pierce. Yes he was on the downside of his career but I still thought he played okay if he wasn't too banged up. He could huck the ball and make plays with his legs. He was filled with heart and intensity. I just enjoyed watching him play. But yeah, he is turning out to be a way better coordinator than he was a QB, even at its prime. Always was and still is a favourite of mine.

Pass - Run: who cares
November games hurt attendance and weaken the whole league ... many fans stay home when they would attend in May
MOVE THE GC TO THE 1ST SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER

Pass - Run: who cares
November games hurt attendance and weaken the whole league ... many fans stay home when they would attend in May
MOVE THE GC TO THE 1ST SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER

Pass - Run: who cares
November games hurt attendance and weaken the whole league ... many fans stay home when they would attend in May
MOVE THE GC TO THE 1ST SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER

i cut my teeth on leo lewis and kenny ploen: inside the 10 yard line, lateral to lewis, lateral back to ploen, then a pass often to lewis, or ploen just walks into the endzone
over and over, game after game
now thats football

i cut my teeth on leo lewis and kenny ploen: inside the 10 yard line, lateral to lewis, lateral back to ploen, then a pass often to lewis, or ploen just walks into the endzone
over and over, game after game
now thats football