https://3downnation.com/2026/01/14/cfl-sets-start-of-2026-season-as-self-imposed-deadline-for-new-broadcast-deal/

Well, same ****, different year. The CFL screwed itself 100 times over by going to a single game provider in 2008. The other networks basically said, Eff You. Now, they're stuck with a shitty provider who chronically underpays because they can do what they want. And a former TSN president negotiating with his old company?? What good can come from that?

Bell would be doing Johnston a huge favour by signing any deal before even a snap of Stewball has been played.  They likely want to see what the game looks like and if it's digestible, if people care and if people still watch.

Well. In Canada it’s tsn or sportsnet. Sportsnet don’t even show cfl highlights. 

At the time they went purely to tsn cbc was getting out of pro sports and Roger's was going all in on the nhl so they went with bell. Welcome to the Canadian oligopoly 

2 hours ago, 17to85 said:

At the time they went purely to tsn cbc was getting out of pro sports and Roger's was going all in on the nhl so they went with bell. Welcome to the Canadian oligopoly 

We should be looking at big streaming services to see if we could make a deal to go on Amazon Prime or Netflix. You just don't know until you try. maybe also trying to get the games televised in Europe. I mean, if TSN televises German soccer (Bundeslegia) why can't the CFL have a tv deal overseas? It's all about reaching out & if there's interest to negotiate a deal. Imagine the CFL being paid in Euros??? 

 

10 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

We should be looking at big streaming services to see if we could make a deal to go on Amazon Prime or Netflix. You just don't know until you try. maybe also trying to get the games televised in Europe. I mean, if TSN televises German soccer (Bundeslegia) why can't the CFL have a tv deal overseas? It's all about reaching out & if there's interest to negotiate a deal. Imagine the CFL being paid in Euros??? 

 

Exactly think big, uncover every rock you can find to get our league to a better spot, it feels like it's dying.  Stop wasting time on high browing our rules and taking the easiest path to the real work that needs to happen.

35 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Exactly think big, uncover every rock you can find to get our league to a better spot, it feels like it's dying.  Stop wasting time on high browing our rules and taking the easiest path to the real work that needs to happen.

I used to call the CFL Board of Governors, the Board of Dinosaurs because they just seem to rely on a business model that worked in 1967. It was announced the CFL  won't do an American draft as it's too much work to get organized even though every scout on every CFL team should be a walking encyclopedia as to who may be Neg Listed on every team. The CFL at its highest level are lazy old men who just get by hiring the same people over & over for scouting, managing & coaching. They seem happy with the status quo even as bad as it is right now. As in Commissioner Johnson stating they haven't put out any feelers to any other broadcast companies or streaming services except TSN. So in reality, nothing is going to change. 

Edited January 16Jan 16 by SpeedFlex27

The CFL isn't big enough to go on either Netflix or prime. I love the CFL..  but outside of Canada it's just not a draw.

 

 

Just now, captaincanuck12 said:

The CFL isn't big enough to go on either Netflix or prime. I love the CFL..  but outside of Canada it's just not a draw.

 

 

You don't known that until it's at least tried. How hard is it to actually make enquiries? If threy get doors slammed in their face then at least the CFL gave it a shot. 

7 minutes ago, captaincanuck12 said:

The CFL isn't big enough to go on either Netflix or prime. I love the CFL..  but outside of Canada it's just not a draw.

 

 

I get that the CFL is a niche but our existing niche feels like it's drying up.

Time to re-invent itself that doesn't just involve 'hey let's spend hours/days talking about the pro's and con's of the rouge and how we need to tweak it'.

9 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

You don't known that until it's at least tried. How hard is it to actually make enquiries? If threy get doors slammed in their face then at least the CFL gave it a shot. 

Big assumption that they haven't tried.  BIG

8 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

You don't known that until it's at least tried. How hard is it to actually make enquiries? If threy get doors slammed in their face then at least the CFL gave it a shot. 

I understand that but no network is going to shell out millions of dollars without market data backing it up.  Netflix and Prime are global platforms.  They're going to look at adding things that will make money across the world..  not just in Canada.  

Just now, HardCoreBlue said:

I get that the CFL is a niche but our existing niche feels like it's drying up.

Time to re-invent itself that doesn't just involve 'hey let's spend hours/days talking about the pro's and con's of the rouge and how we need to tweak it'.

I agree that the talking points are dull... But outside of Canada / USA who cares about the CFL.     

4 minutes ago, captaincanuck12 said:

I understand that but no network is going to shell out millions of dollars without market data backing it up.  Netflix and Prime are global platforms.  They're going to look at adding things that will make money across the world..  not just in Canada.  

I agree that the talking points are dull... But outside of Canada / USA who cares about the CFL.     

I'm not even thinking outside of Canada/USA.

I'm just thinking (hoping?) the CFL commissioner and his team could be a lot more agressive within Canada and the US to strengthen/enhance/re-invent the CFL and if they don't have the expertise to do this, hire someone who does.

I doubt the argos will ever become the success the Bombers have attained ....at least as long as the boatmen have owners, who secretly and some times openly pine for the nfl...They will always be a 'rinkydink' after thought UNTIL they can promote the team properly ...Centre of the universe has some very big problems.. You would think with the population they have it could/should be very successful ...but nada

13 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

I used to call the CFL Board of Governors, the Board of Dinosaurs because they just seem to rely on a business model that worked in 1967. It was announced the CFL  won't do an American draft as it's too much work to get organized even though every scout on every CFL team should be a walking encyclopedia as to who may be Neg Listed on every team. The CFL at its highest level are lazy old men who just get by hiring the same people over & over for scouting, managing & coaching. They seem happy with the status quo even as bad as it is right now. As in Commissioner Johnson stating they haven't put out any feelers to any other broadcast companies or streaming services except TSN. So in reality, nothing is going to change. 

I cant see an American draft working unless they were to draft from a pool of players that have committed to playing in the CFL.

Otherwise, there would need to be at least 100 rounds just to ensure you have enough Americans coming up for training camp.

Just look at how often teams' neg lists are changing.

On 2026-01-16 at 11:04 PM, WinnipegGordo said:

I cant see an American draft working unless they were to draft from a pool of players that have committed to playing in the CFL.

Otherwise, there would need to be at least 100 rounds just to ensure you have enough Americans coming up for training camp.

Just look at how often teams' neg lists are changing.

Amazing how drafts work elsewhere like the NHL, NBA, MLB & the NFL but somehow it can't work for the CFL.. Teams draft the players they want out of college as per the number of rounds a draft has. Then they sign free agents from their teams they want to keep, or that were never drafted or veteran players from other teams that are no longer under contract. They also trade to acquire assets. Of course, with veterans already on a roster teams don't need 100 rounds to refresh a roster. 

Just because there would be an American draft doesn't mean teams can't sign players undrafted as free agents which is what teams would be doing. Nothing really would change. A draft is designed to create excitement. College football fans in Canada probably know more about kids in college in the US than kids in Canada that nobody ever sees because games are never televised. And drafting someone from an SEC or Big 12 Conference would definitely create that excitement. 

Edited January 19Jan 19 by SpeedFlex27

Let's stick to football, thank you.