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?

We're all hardcore fans and we're balking and saying its a lot to pay for one game a week or realistically 1 game a month that you want to watch. I get the extra money and how its good but this just seems like a way to lose more fans.

20 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

We're all hardcore fans and we're balking and saying its a lot to pay for one game a week or realistically 1 game a month that you want to watch. I get the extra money and how its good but this just seems like a way to lose more fans.

As with everything the new commish does....

56 minutes ago, bearpants said:

When I read it, I understood that they would hire their own crew... and I had the exact same thought as you

It's interesting because it's in Canada and the US that they have exclusive rights, but they are stepping into the CFL+ role for outside that market, so are they just going to provide the TSN stream for those markets or are they going to have to actually cover all those games? It would be kind of lame if they did remote commentary outside of Saturday... Even if I wouldn't typically be subjected to it.

I wonder if the CBS Sports contract is still in effect at the start of this or if there is going to be a further announcement about the 60 game slate in the US

Just now, ShyGuy said:

It's interesting because it's in Canada and the US that they have exclusive rights, but they are stepping into the CFL+ role for outside that market, so are they just going to provide the TSN stream for those markets or are they going to have to actually cover all those games? It would be kind of lame if they did remote commentary outside of Saturday... Even if I wouldn't typically be subjected to it.

I wonder if the CBS Sports contract is still in effect at the start of this or if there is going to be a further announcement about the 60 game slate in the US

The US distribution deal is seperate and also up for renewel. So we'll hear about that at a different time.

5 hours ago, Mike said:

I'm really curious to know why everyone seems to think DAZN is so low on the totem pole. They're huge outside of the US. Their NFL service in Canada is great. I hate the price, but the quality is amazing.

no kidding lol just such unawareness

How many people do you know currently have a DAZN subscription... now how many people do you know have a Netflix / Prime / any other larger streaming service....

I don't think a guy across the world who has a DAZN sub to watch Cricket is going to tune into CFL Saturday nights. I've only known a few complete die hard MMA/boxing fans who used to use DAZN because back in the day it was a thing for C level fighting leagues to get a streaming provider. It was hot garbage and none of the promotions as far as I could tell generated any large revenue with being with them.

If I am to believe the subcriber numbers from google:

Netflix - 325 million

Prime - 200 million

HBO Max - 140 million

Disney+ - 131 million

YouTube Premium - 125 million

Paramount+ - 80 million

Hulu - 64 million

and waaaaaaay lower is Dazn with 20 million for which a large portion is outside of North America because of the Soccer streams they have.

DAZN By The Numbers

• Global Subscribers: ~20 million paid subscribers worldwide.

• Global Ranking: #18 overall, positioning it directly ahead of specialized services like Sony's Crunchyroll (~17–21 million) and Starz (~10–19 million).

• Primary Markets: Strongest domestic presence and broadcast rights packages are held in Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, and Taiwan.

Sooo you were saying unawareness?

How is this going to attract new fans? Maybe it's a short term money influx but long term it's impossible to think this is a good for growing the league. All I can see is this alienating the die hards (on top of adding the new rules) and basically making the CFL an even lower presence in Canada.

5 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

Wow now that’s a panel.

Throw in a 24 of Club along with the OV and include Suitor as a whipping boy for Walby and Dunnigan as the beer flows and takes effect. I would definitely pay a subscription fee to watch that.

I think after watching the first episode this is what would happen:

Who won the game?

What game?

0 PBP, but 3 colour guys in various states of rapid decline. Colour me intrigued.

Edited yesterday at 09:03 PM1 day by Pete Catan's Ghost

To be able to download the games will be cool, have checked their site nothing up yet...love to sign up before i head overseas,something different,at least they are trying something different. TBH, i thought prime mondays for the NHL was pretty lame,just didn't have the right feel,but maybe in time.

Edited yesterday at 09:19 PM1 day by bb1

4 hours ago, Noeller said:

As with everything the new commish does....

But who got a nice chunk of change out of selling a bunch of games to DAZN? Bell. Where did Johnston work? Where will he go back to when he's a ******* nobody who put this league on its deathbed again within 5 years?

Honestly can't believe the owners/governors are on board with all of this.

I get the money piece in the immediate but there's big long-term implications too. And with the rule changes etc.

28 minutes ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

But who got a nice chunk of change out of selling a bunch of games to DAZN? Bell. Where did Johnston work? Where will he go back to when he's a ******* nobody who put this league on its deathbed again within 5 years?

Honestly can't believe the owners/governors are on board with all of this.

I get the money piece in the immediate but there's big long-term implications too. And with the rule changes etc.

How would Bell get money selling games they don’t have the rights to? DAZN plays the league for the rights to their games. Bell paid the league for the rights to their games.

Owners are on side cuz they see the dollar signs right now, and they don't care if it kills the CFL if/when DAZN pulls its money for lack of viewers.

9 hours ago, Super Duper Negatron said:

An additional $3.5 million a year per team is a giant boost to sustainability, no? Sucks to have to pay for another service, but better than having no league.

So, why can't the CFL put financial terms in the announcement? Why the cloak & dagger garbage?

Edited 22 hours ago22 hr by SpeedFlex27

5 hours ago, rebusrankin said:

We're all hardcore fans and we're balking and saying its a lot to pay for one game a week or realistically 1 game a month that you want to watch. I get the extra money and how its good but this just seems like a way to lose more fans.

The CFL plays Thurs till the NFL season starts, Friday nights as well as Sat aftn & evening. At worst, if you don't subscribe you'll miss one game a week. I don't think the world will come crashing down for the CFL losing one game a week to fans who don't want to pay for the service. This is the proper way to grow the game internationally. Not the Ambrosie way of bringing in Euros, Australians, Mexican or Japanese & forcing them on rosters thinking that people in those countries will suddenly be interested in our league.

5 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

The CFL plays Thurs till the NFL season starts, Friday nights as well as Sat aftn & evening. At worst, if you don't subscribe you'll miss one game a week. I don't think the world will come crashing down for the CFL losing one game a week to fans who don't want to pay for the service. This is the proper way to grow the game internationally. Not the Ambrosie way of bringing in Euros, Australians, Mexican or Japanese & forcing them on rosters thinking that people in those countries will suddenly be interested in our league.

The International market is a dream that will never exist. IF Europe or China were to suddenly enjoy Football... why would they watch the CFL when the NFL is already much more international and has way more appeal. It's a phantom market that doesn't exist.

Canada is the only market that the CFL can exist and maybe some day thrive again.

1 hour ago, Brandon said:

The International market is a dream that will never exist. IF Europe or China were to suddenly enjoy Football... why would they watch the CFL when the NFL is already much more international and has way more appeal. It's a phantom market that doesn't exist.

Canada is the only market that the CFL can exist and maybe some day thrive again.

It still makes more sense to do this than what Ambrosie tried. If the CFL can make some money internationally then why not? Do you think some casual fan in Europe who doesn't know a first down from a hash mark is going to pay attention to whether it's 3 or 4 downs? It'll look the same so they probably don't know the diffence anyway. I think despite the sellouts when the NFL plays around the world it's still a niche sport compared to the popularity of soccer & hockey.

If they make money now...and it has some success...even limited....it's a bonus and all good

Of when the contract runs it's course, and the DAZN peeps feel they no longer wanna be a part of it...then so be it and you will adjust your teams revenue stream and everything involved accordingly....won't be demise of anything, and in that time maybe there will be new different options too....guess we shall see

But going status quo with TSN as the sole distributor of the product had to change/shift, unless they did a total overhaul/revamp of how they go about it...and that was never happening.

So the CFL is trying to branch out and find new ways and means to promote and get the product out there, and have added a buttload of cash to the teams in doing so...which isnt a bad thing by any stretch

I can't share the link, but Luke Willson is all kinds of mad at us long time CFL fans.... Aka "potatoes" (... apparently....)

20 hours ago, ShyGuy said:

It's interesting because it's in Canada and the US that they have exclusive rights, but they are stepping into the CFL+ role for outside that market, so are they just going to provide the TSN stream for those markets or are they going to have to actually cover all those games? It would be kind of lame if they did remote commentary outside of Saturday... Even if I wouldn't typically be subjected to it.

I wonder if the CBS Sports contract is still in effect at the start of this or if there is going to be a further announcement about the 60 game slate in the US

The agreement with CBS expires after this year. It's a piddling amount anyway. Each teams get just over a hundred grand a season.

15 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I can't share the link, but Luke Willson is all kinds of mad at us long time CFL fans.... Aka "potatoes" (... apparently....)

Luke Wilson is a jerk.

10 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I can't share the link, but Luke Willson is all kinds of mad at us long time CFL fans.... Aka "potatoes" (... apparently....)

I think he's just expressing frustration (in his annoying way) over fans wanting to see some changes and then constantly complaining about the changes. How long have we said on here the CFL should absolutely be exploring streaming services? They not only get one, but they get one that is going to significantly increase league revenue while only using 1/4 of the games. Even if I was unable to get a free DZN stream, I would still consider this a win for the league.

The sky is falling people will just never be happy until TSN pays 600 million a year to broadcast the game while using John Madden to do PBP. I'm not sure what the "use a streaming service" crowd thought would happen when the CFL got on with a company, but it would always cost money to see it.

8 minutes ago, rebusrankin said:

Luke Wilson is a jerk.

Thats being nice

Actually one of the interesting things I read yesterday is the subscription fee for CFL on DAZN hasn't been set yet. It's not a given that you have to purchase their whole package, containing NFL, Soccer, etc... it's a very real possibility that there will be a cheaper "CFL Only" option. So we shall see... If it was like 5-10 bucks/month for just the CFL, then I might... Just to support the league and see what their product looks like.

You know what i would love to see? And option to buy just cfl games ans then I could watch cfl and only cfl on whatever streaming service had that particular game.

42 minutes ago, Noeller said:

I can't share the link, but Luke Willson is all kinds of mad at us long time CFL fans.... Aka "potatoes" (... apparently....)

So if I’m reading this correctly people who already prob pay for Amazon or Netflix (I do that) are upset cfl games are on another service they don’t currently pay for? Cool story.

You can’t want change and for the cfl to be successful long term when you old geezers ;) die out then complain when they do things. Thats crazy talk. Thats not in my backyard stadium talk. This is what is needed and who is to say this will fail, maybe the cfl plus numbers suggest more international fans are watching than people think.

Also. Why is it hard to believe right now that we would maybe be trying the international route instead of the USA route right now? Is anyone paying attention to what’s going on there like at all? Canada as a whole is distancing ourselves from the USA.

I’ll bet cfl plus numbers showed a large number of international fans were watching.

Edited 4 hours ago4 hr by Goalie

2 hours ago, Noeller said:

Actually one of the interesting things I read yesterday is the subscription fee for CFL on DAZN hasn't been set yet. It's not a given that you have to purchase their whole package, containing NFL, Soccer, etc... it's a very real possibility that there will be a cheaper "CFL Only" option. So we shall see... If it was like 5-10 bucks/month for just the CFL, then I might... Just to support the league and see what their product looks like.

Sounds like something they may consider just to get some new people subscribing, much like TSN does with TSN+. You can watch all of TSN CFL games with some enhancements, minus the pregame stuff plus a couple of other sporting events for only $8.00 per month rather than the regular $29.95 to get all of TSN. For me it works perfectly because I'm not really interested in any of the other TSN programing.