https://www.tsn.ca/cfl-to-explore-opportunities-for-alignment-with-xfl-1.1605335

CFL to explore opportunities for alignment with XFL

The Canadian Football League and XFL owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and RedBird Capital announced Wednesday that they have agreed to work together to identify opportunities for the leagues to collaborate and “grow the game of football.”

The Canadian Football League and XFL owners Dany Garcia, Dwayne Johnson, and RedBird Capital announced Wednesday that they have agreed to work together to identify opportunities for the leagues to collaborate and “grow the game of football.”

“Canada has an exciting game and devoted fans, and our discussion with the XFL provides a tremendous opportunity to build on that strong foundation,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement.

“We look forward to exploring how we might work with one of the most innovative sports brands in the world to grow the game, engage fans in new ways, and reach new audiences. We look forward to seeing what possibilities our discussions might uncover, and to sharing those with our fans as the process unfolds.”

Johnson, the former pro wrestler turned actor and entrepreneur, was briefly a member of the Calgary Stampeders’ practice roster in 1995. He teamed up with longtime business partner Garcia and RedBird Capital to purchase the XFL from World Wrestling Entertainment chairman and CEO Vince McMahon for $15 million in August.

“Since we first acquired the XFL, we have focused on identifying partners who share our vision and values on and off the field,” Garcia said in a statement. “A vision filled with opportunity, innovation and the highest level of entertainment value for the benefit of our athletes, fans and communities. The CFL has expressed that similar sentiment and jointly we recognize a great opportunity to build exciting innovative football experiences that make the most of each league's unique strengths. I look forward to our continued discussions and we will update the sports community as we have more to share.”

The XFL played half of its 10-game season in 2020 before pausing because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a tweet last October, Johnson said the XFL is targeting a return in the spring of 2022.

"We are honoured and excited to be in discussions with the CFL. It's clear through our early conversations that we share a passion for football, an expansive sense of possibility, and a deep desire to create more opportunity for players and fans across North America and around the world,” said Jeffrey Pollack, XFL president and CEO, in a statement. 

“Blending the CFL’s rich heritage with our fresh thinking, and the unique reach and experience of our ownership, could be transformative for the game. We look forward to learning more about what's possible together with the CFL and where our shared passion takes us."

Edited March 10, 20214 yr by JCon

The XFL needs to announce cities & who is running the teams. As well as starting to put organizations in place. I'm sure discussions are heating up now that they don't have the luxury of another year.

 

 

I really think this would be huge if a streaming service such as Netflix was an official streamer of CFL and XFL. Could reach an international audience and if they did shows like Last Chance U you would get people watching that have no connection to football watching. I know a lot of people of who now watch F1 because of the there show on Netflix.

19 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

I really think this would be huge if a streaming service such as Netflix was an official streamer of CFL and XFL. Could reach an international audience and if they did shows like Last Chance U you would get people watching that have no connection to football watching. I know a lot of people of who now watch F1 because of the there show on Netflix.

this is all very intriguing, but I just have such a hard time believing our little boutique league is suddenly going to be available on the world's largest streaming service.....I mean it all seems like a crazy pipe dream, but who knows when The Rock is involved...

39 minutes ago, Noeller said:

this is all very intriguing, but I just have such a hard time believing our little boutique league is suddenly going to be available on the world's largest streaming service.....I mean it all seems like a crazy pipe dream, but who knows when The Rock is involved...

Netflix made Schitts Creek a thing, apparently they can make anything into gold.

13 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Netflix made Schitts Creek a thing, apparently they can make anything into gold.

Schitts creek was gold well before Netflix discovered it. Much like the CFL

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

Schitts creek was gold well before Netflix discovered it. Much like the CFL

Schitts Creek was never anything than a weird and unfuny show about..........something.........I'm still not sure what. Calling it a SitCom definitely not accurate tho...

25 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Schitts Creek was never anything than a weird and unfuny show about..........something.........I'm still not sure what. Calling it a SitCom definitely not accurate tho...

I'm guessing you haven't actually watched it then? It's about an extremely rich family that lost everything....except ownership of a small shitty town where they go and live. And it's hilarious thank you very much!

31 minutes ago, Bigblue204 said:

I'm guessing you haven't actually watched it then? It's about an extremely rich family that lost everything....except ownership of a small shitty town where they go and live. And it's hilarious thank you very much!

Yup, it’s a really good show.  When it first started airing on CBC, the commercials made me think it was pretty lame… But then I watched, on recommendation from several friends, and it was very well done.

Edited June 25, 20214 yr by BomberBall

3 hours ago, Noeller said:

this is all very intriguing, but I just have such a hard time believing our little boutique league is suddenly going to be available on the world's largest streaming service.....I mean it all seems like a crazy pipe dream, but who knows when The Rock is involved...

Honestly the over the top claims make it seem far less credible to me.  If some thing seems too good to be true it probably is.  How would netflix and streaming even work with our TSN deal?  Smells fishy af to me. 

4 hours ago, Noeller said:

this is all very intriguing, but I just have such a hard time believing our little boutique league is suddenly going to be available on the world's largest streaming service.....I mean it all seems like a crazy pipe dream, but who knows when The Rock is involved...

If RuPauls Drag Race can go umpteen seasons then the CFL can at least go 1 yaaaaaaaassssss

5 hours ago, Noeller said:

this is all very intriguing, but I just have such a hard time believing our little boutique league is suddenly going to be available on the world's largest streaming service.....I mean it all seems like a crazy pipe dream, but who knows when The Rock is involved...

Last Chance U focused on Junior College football that’s the lowest of the low in college football. 

8 hours ago, wbbfan said:

Honestly the over the top claims make it seem far less credible to me.  If some thing seems too good to be true it probably is.  How would netflix and streaming even work with our TSN deal?  Smells fishy af to me. 

That's TSN's problem. They own the TV rights but I doubt they own any streaming international rights. If it makes TSN pay up to have them then good. They've had a good thing going for along time at a cheap price. I'm all for more money & exposure. Maybe they'll actually take broadcasting the games more seriously & be better partners with the CFL because they sure don't do much now.

Edited June 26, 20214 yr by SpeedFlex27

On 2021-06-25 at 8:24 PM, Jpan85 said:

Last Chance U focused on Junior College football that’s the lowest of the low in college football. 

JUCO is pretty damned good ball. My son played it. There are a lot of players that would tear up U Sports. Most players come from economically challenged families in districts where the drop put rate in high schools are high & gang life is a way of life.

My son being Canadian had his eyes opened to the differences socio-economically from the white middle class background he came from. A lot of his teammates were Blacks who came from Oakland & cities from Southern California where poverty & gang life are ripe.  These guiys all liked Tyler because he could play & was the starter at qb. He hung out with a lot of those guys & they treated him well.

Academically, these players struggled with school,  with their SAT's & generally didn't qualify for D1 FCS & FBS colleges. They spend 2 years in a classroom setting where they are taught how to become students. Some of them have to take a remedial English or Math class & have to pass those courses before they can further their studies. Some guys are so far behind it takes them three years to finish a 2 year course so they redshirt but after their time is over most can handle university level courses. They won't be Nobel Prize winners or doctors but they'll come away with a degree from an accredited 4 year university. 

A lot of players redshirt which means they don't play their first year but it doesn't affect their 2 years of eligibility at JUCO. A lot of them graduate & are offered 2 year scholarships to 4 year colleges which before would have been a dream for most of them. Aaron Rodgers got no scholarship offers after high school so the JUCO (Butte College) in his hometown of Oroville, CA, offered him a chance to play & in 2 years he ended up going to Cal. My son quarterbacked his team (College Of The Siskiyous) against Butte when Rodgers younger brother was one of the qbs there, Both teams were in the same conference. The level of play is outstanding. 

Edited June 27, 20214 yr by SpeedFlex27

1 hour ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

JUCO is pretty damned good ball. My son played it.

Did he play at central state junior community college? It's an accredited place of learning...

31 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

Did he play at central state junior community college? It's an accredited place of learning...

College Of The Siskiyous. it was established in 1957 & is one of 116 publicly funded community colleges & is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community & Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools & Colleges.

Edited June 27, 20214 yr by SpeedFlex27

9 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

College Of The Siskiyous. 

It's an inside joke... That post was meant for me. And I laughed. 

2 minutes ago, Noeller said:

It's an inside joke... That post was meant for me. And I laughed. 

 

2 minutes ago, Noeller said:

It's an inside joke... That post was meant for me. And I laughed. 

Well, COS is accredited. 

On 2021-06-25 at 4:40 PM, Noeller said:

Schitts Creek was never anything than a weird and unfuny show about..........something.........I'm still not sure what. Calling it a SitCom definitely not accurate tho...

It was the Canadian equivalent of Seinfeld.

On 2021-06-25 at 6:57 PM, wbbfan said:

Honestly the over the top claims make it seem far less credible to me.  If some thing seems too good to be true it probably is.  How would netflix and streaming even work with our TSN deal?  Smells fishy af to me. 

Netflix can restrict the airing to US markets only, as they already do with some shows.

On 2021-06-26 at 3:26 AM, SpeedFlex27 said:

That's TSN's problem. They own the TV rights but I doubt they own any streaming international rights. If it makes TSN pay up to have them then good. They've had a good thing going for along time at a cheap price. I'm all for more money & exposure. Maybe they'll actually take broadcasting the games more seriously & be better partners with the CFL because they sure don't do much now.

I know people who streamed the games on tsn.ca internationally in the past. And if it messes with our TV deal its our problem too. Seems like a big risk. 

3 hours ago, Tracker said:

It was the Canadian equivalent of Seinfeld.

Netflix can restrict the airing to US markets only, as they already do with some shows.

They can but doesnt every one have a VPN to watch American and other countries netflix? That also reduces the TSN streaming value mid contract. 

Idk about it being the Canadian equivalent of Seinfeld. Id say its more like a Canadian version of Fraser. 

4 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

I know people who streamed the games on tsn.ca internationally in the past. And if it messes with our TV deal its our problem too. Seems like a big risk. 

They would sell the rights separately. TSN, unless they've negotiated the global rights, would have zero say in it. The CFLs rationale for the global punter draft was to expand their reach internationally. That would have nothing to do with TSN. The same demographic of people that are using VPN to stream from elsewhere are the same that stream through random online links. 

58 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

I know people who streamed the games on tsn.ca internationally in the past. And if it messes with our TV deal its our problem too. Seems like a big risk. 

They can but doesnt every one have a VPN to watch American and other countries netflix? That also reduces the TSN streaming value mid contract. 

Idk about it being the Canadian equivalent of Seinfeld. Id say its more like a Canadian version of Fraser. 

SSHHH, DAMMIT! You're gonna ruin it for the rest of us! Realistically, few people will go through the trouble.  Over the next few years, you will see the traditional networks begin to fade out of prominence as more and more TV content providers start streaming directly to subscribers.  

7 hours ago, JCon said:

They would sell the rights separately. TSN, unless they've negotiated the global rights, would have zero say in it. The CFLs rationale for the global punter draft was to expand their reach internationally. That would have nothing to do with TSN. The same demographic of people that are using VPN to stream from elsewhere are the same that stream through random online links. 

"Global punter draft" Lol. Oh, when you're good, you're VERY Good.

 

 

Edited June 29, 20214 yr by SpeedFlex27

19 hours ago, Tracker said:

SSHHH, DAMMIT! You're gonna ruin it for the rest of us! Realistically, few people will go through the trouble.  Over the next few years, you will see the traditional networks begin to fade out of prominence as more and more TV content providers start streaming directly to subscribers.  

100%. Even most of the hold outs I know have been switching to stuff like prime with subscribed channels. Cable may well die before printed new media. 

 

27 minutes ago, wbbfan said:

100%. Even most of the hold outs I know have been switching to stuff like prime with subscribed channels. Cable may well die before printed new media. 

 

If the telcos were smart enough to lay fiber optic cable instead of banking on metal wires that were barely good enough for analog phones, the future is bright for them. BTW, I believe that the Opera browser has VPN built in.

Please don't use a 'free' or 'built in' VPN. If you're not paying for the product, you are the product. You can buy a good VPN for less than $5 a month (VPN.AC) that won't track your every click. You can also create your own for less than $4 a month if you know what you're doing and then you don't have to worry about anyone tracking you.