http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/2016/02/19/us-football-fans-urge-cfl-to-play-in-st-louis.html

Is this a bad idea? My first concern would be that it would water-down the league. Then again, if the league could thrive there it would be a good thing. 

11 minutes ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

thats a weird concept. Why would the americans have an issue with a canadian company trying to do business in the american economy that for the vast majority employs americans and generates business in the american city its in.  Is there an issue with Canadians playing on an american team in any other sport/league that they are essentially taking a spot that could be filled by an american? if not then i dont see why it'd be such a huge deal to say because it's the Canadian football league,  one requirement is starting 7 canucks, its part of the league and rules, but doesnt prevent any american from playing or making the team on their own merit. in fact the CFL heavily employs more americans as it is in Canada

Go write a letter to Trump, Cruz & Rubio. Or Obama. Better yet write a letter to Us Immigration & ask them why. You'll get the big raspberry back. The Americans have different labour laws than we do & are far more protectionist than Canada. This was a huge issue 20 years ago & nothing has changed.

 

10 hours ago, AtlanticRiderFan said:

Hell no. The CFL belongs in Canada and only Canada.

When the rider fans and bomber fans agree you know its an end of days level bad idea. 

 I cant help but laugh at the idea of all the cfl teams going to st louis and playing NFL rules against a team will all americans then them playing canadian rules in the canadian league when they come here. So much bad. just no. Id rather have marcel bellefool back as our OC for 10 years then see this shenanigans. 

Get an AFL team, or that out door played at college sub cfl league. 

6 hours ago, TBURGESS said:

It flies in Canada in the CFL. We mandate a certain number of Canadian jobs and allow the rest to be taken by foreign workers. (I know the US wouldn't allow it)

No it doesn't.  Teams could dress an entire team of Canadians if they wanted to.  The restriction is on the imports, not the Canadians.  It's reversed.  If the current ratio was in on play on an American team, they couldn't dress a team full of Americans.  That's why it violates anti-trust.  It has to be a open market (lots of hockey teams in America with few Americans on them) or the restriction has to favour Americans.

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by JuranBoldenRules

On 2016-02-20 at 4:50 PM, The Unknown Poster said:

I think the issue is the Canadian ratio rule. It's illegal in the uS. Although I wonder if there is a way to get around it with a CBA. I know they didn't last time but probably didn't want to try 

We can't get rid of the Canadian ratio! That would mean an increase in the quality of the play.

3 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

We can't get rid of the Canadian ratio! That would mean an increase in the quality of the play.

Frosty, I was going to say something but your comment doesn't deserve a response. Other than what I just said. 

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by iso_55

On 21/02/2016 at 11:08 PM, STLRAMSCFL.COM said:

IT WILL WORK! And here's why. Die-hard football fans in the U.S. hate that the NFL takes a break from football all the way from after the Super Bowl until the fall. That leaves the entire summer with absolutely NO FOOTBALL (or sports betting on football) in America. The CFL plays from June-November. The CFL would rule the ENTIRE SUMMER in the U.S. (more at: www.STLRAMSCFL.com 

Broadcasting: The NFL Network has taken over a lot of the broadcasting for 2016, leaving ABC completely out of the broadcast picture, with Fox and ESPN broadcasting only postseason games. Which means that if the CFL did a good enough job of marketing to the U.S. during the summer, they'd definitely maintain a strong following after the NFL starts back up in the fall. With no NFL or college in the summer, ABC could partner with Canadian broadcasters to broadcast CFL games on Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays in the U.S. ESPN and/or FOX could cover the CFL postseason . When ESPN and FOX pick up their broadcasting duties in the U.S. postseason, the CFL Football season will have long been over.

Finances: The Stadium Task Force in St. Louis raised $1 billion dollars to build a shiny new stadium on the St. Louis riverfront in order to keep the Rams in town. St. Louis doesn't actually need a new stadium because the Edward Jones Dome, where the Rams used to play, is still a very nice facility. So, there's more than enough money in St. Louis to afford an expansion team.

NFL vs CFL Rules: Simple!!! Play NFL rules when plyaning in the U.S. and CFL rules when playing in Canada. Just think major league baseball in America for example. During interleague play, the teams play occording to the rules of the home team. NLB rules in NLB stadiums and ALB rules in ALB stadiums. Doing the same with football wouldn't be complicated since U.S. players, playing in Canada, played their college football on NFL size fields, and according to rules NFL similar to NFL rules.

As for ratio's and differences in currencies, these are businessmen and at the end of the day, if there's enough money involved, they would figure it out. That's why it's called "business".

Football is much bigger in the U.S. in 2016 than it was in 1994-95. And there are lots of large cities that that can afford teams, and wish they had their own, but are forced to root for teams from other cities simply because it's in the NFL's best interest to not grant them a team.

Trust me, it will work! To see the original article that sparked this conversation, go to:  www.STLRAMSCFL.com. 

While I appreciate the effort. The problem with this is. THIS IS THE CFL. Believe it or not, most people don't want it to become the NFL. I don't want to watch my team play NFL rules ball (because it's boring, yeah I said it. It's the truth). I'm a fan of the CFL, because of what it is. Not what it could be or what "businessmen" would want it to be.

If you can't see why playing NFL rules for some games, then CFL rules for others won't work at all. I suggest you actually take an interest in OUR league and learn why that's one of the most ridiculous things we've heard around here...maybe ever.

The CFL motto for a few years summed it up perfectly. "This is our League".

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by Bigblue204

I wouldn't mind if we opened into smaller markets like ND, SD, etc...  I would love to have more then 9 teams in the league.  The issue, like everyone has already stated, is the ratio.  If you get rid of that ratio, that could possibly hurt lower levels of football for collage, university, CIS, etc...  If there was a way to do it with the ratio, then I'd be all for it.  Although I would never want them to go into a big area like St. Louis.  As others have stated, I don't want to just have a football team in there for a few years just to have NFL steamroll it's way back in and take over.  I'd like to keep it in smaller markets.  You'd have to have some very smart executives that could convince the US to allow that kind of thing into their country.  I'm sure it's not impossible, but the likelihood is a very low percentage that they'd be able to make something work.

10 hours ago, JuranBoldenRules said:

No it doesn't.  Teams could dress an entire team of Canadians if they wanted to.  The restriction is on the imports, not the Canadians.  It's reversed.  If the current ratio was in on play on an American team, they couldn't dress a team full of Americans.  That's why it violates anti-trust.  It has to be a open market (lots of hockey teams in America with few Americans on them) or the restriction has to favour Americans.

I get what you're saying, but the ratio rule leads to the same thing. X # of Canadians and Y # of Americans and you couldn't make that mandate in the states. When you take into account that the 3 QB's are imports, we actually allow more Americans (23) than Canadians (21) although we make 4 of the Yanks DI's. 

I have no objection to an American team in the CFL... especially in a northern American market that isn't near the NFL... but realistically this conversation starts and ends with the ratio... and the conversation is over...

20 hours ago, Taynted_Fayth said:

Well if your trying to put a CFL team into a market that believes its an NFL market (St. Louis, Baltimore,  hell Toronto) you probably wont see as much interest.  

and yet of all of the laughable places that the CFL expanded into (Sacramento, Birmingham, Shreveport, Vegas, Memphis, San Antonio) Baltimore was the only team that was successful in drawing fans, purely because it was an old NFL market with a fanbase hungry for professional football.

You have to have empathy for the fans of a team that gets 'yanked' out of their home. I can't think of a worse scenario than losing "my" team. And would I have complete frustration with a league that allows this? You betcha. When a league gets so rich and uncaring that they can thumb their noses at a fan base and their city, well, you can have that league. I wouldn't want any part of it.

If St Louis can find a way to comply with our rules, ratios(must employ Canadians) and salary cap (pay whatever currency you want, but the cap translates into Canadian $$) then I'm not opposed.

Absolute No to rule changes. 

Absolute no to ratio changes

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by SteMar_67

Have you ever seen the Simpson's episode where Bart Simpson gets a "Big Brother" and then Homer Simpson is jealous so he goes down to the office to become a Big Brother himself?

In that episode, the Big Brother representative asks Homer what his reason is for wanting to join Big Brother.

His brain is telling him "don't say revenge, don't say revenge", but then inevitably he blurts out revenge, and it's at that point that his brain has had enough and leaves. The Big Brother rep checks off the box that says revenge and Homer is on his way. lol

That's what this reminds me of.  After reading everything on the website I get the impression that one of the main reasons this person wants to acquire a CFL team for St.Louis is to stick it to the NFL and take revenue away from the NFL. Obviously not the best reason to start up a franchise, but knowing the CFL, revenge might very well be a box on their check list.

The reality though, is that a CFL team in St.Louis will do nothing to the NFL's bottom line.

 

and when the NFL returns to St Louis they'll get one of these

 

which results in lots of this to cope with the initial rejection

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by Taynted_Fayth

"....the drunken gambler???!!"
"Yes, and who might you be?"

lol looking at homer simpson gifs is funny as ****  im just gonna post this one to get it outta my system

 

1 hour ago, Mr Dee said:

You have to have empathy for the fans of a team that gets 'yanked' out of their home. I can't think of a worse scenario than losing "my" team. And would I have complete frustration with a league that allows this? You betcha. When a league gets so rich and uncaring that they can thumb their noses at a fan base and their city, well, you can have that league. I wouldn't want any part of it.

We all remember some people complaining about the financing of IGF. Well those people have to look at how the NFL works.  How much blackmailing goes on to force cities to spend not millions but billions. Just look what is happening now. It is amazing that a stadium is being built by one of the owners even though the money in the NFL is almost infinite when compared to CFL. with the money the NFL has it is obscene how they grab even the smallest coin. Several NFL teams even asked the American army for money for their flag wavy displays in games. No the NFL besides being the No Fun League is the Nasty F****R League.

Ridiculous and stupid is what this idea is.

On 2/20/2016 at 5:55 PM, iso_55 said:

Were you around back in 1994 as a fan? Most US teams were drawing 10-15,000 fans a game except Baltimore. Pepper Rogers, the coach of the Memphis Mad Dogs hated the Canadian rules & wanted them changed. Basically said they were ****. Couldn't play on Friday nights because of HS football. Couldn't play Saturday because of NCAA college football. Couldn't play Sunday or Monday because of the NFL. Today they couldn't play because of Thursday Night Football which leaves Tuesday or Wednesdays. If they did play those days virtually no one showed to watch most teams.

I recall and I read the recent book about US expansion.  It had merit.  Was just a gong show how they did it.

Not sure if this was mentioned yet and ofcourse I know nothing about US labor laws but technically drafts should be illegal but are allowed under US Anti-Trade laws because they are fairly negotiated within Collection Bargaining Agreements by labor lawyers.

I wonder if the Ratio would be insurmountable in that regard of it it could be negotiated. 

Here's the thing, if there were 2 or 3 (or more) US markets that would be positive  contributors to the CFL and played in front of large enthusiastic fans and accepted the rules of the CFL, would anyone still object?  Im wondering its its an objection based on the idea it wont work and would hurt the league or the idea that it's a "Canadian" game and should remain as such?

14 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

I recall and I read the recent book about US expansion.  It had merit.  Was just a gong show how they did it.

thats pretty much it,  I dont think it was a stupid idea to try, or even spit ball the thought of it happening again,  but the way they did it the first time didnt work,  and unless they made the appropriate changes to make it work upon a 2nd attempt, doomed to repeat. 

Baltimore went to the GC both years, winning once, drawing 37k and 30k respectively on average in attendence both years.  I think in the right place, the right time and the right changes it could work.

IF a place like St. Louis was seriously considered,  I'd probably have them do a 5 year commitment ahead of time like the Jets did upon their return,  just to make sure it stays there and afloat while getting it's feet wet. If/when the time came the NFL returned and a St. Louis franchise was no longer wanted/needed, it might give ample time to find a suitable replacement elsewhere

Edited February 22, 20169 yr by Taynted_Fayth

The only concession I'd potentially make to the rules is the "no yards" rule being changed to American rules, just because it is so arbitrary and confusing.  But we need the rouge, as the end zones are different.

If the ratio could be kept in place and the rules not changed substantially (no we are not adding another down) then I would look at opening an exploratory committee, into some markets.  Perhaps the Argo franchise could be moved to St, Louis, purely because it couldn't do any worse anywhere else?  I kid...I kid...

Some will tell you if the CFL didnt expand when it did, there would be no CFL right now.

Remember that Vince McMahon offered to buy the entire league! 

27 minutes ago, kelownabomberfan said:

The only concession I'd potentially make to the rules is the "no yards" rule being changed to American rules, just because it is so arbitrary and confusing.  But we need the rouge, as the end zones are different.

If the ratio could be kept in place and the rules not changed substantially (no we are not adding another down) then I would look at opening an exploratory committee, into some markets.  Perhaps the Argo franchise could be moved to St, Louis, purely because it couldn't do any worse anywhere else?  I kid...I kid...

Kicking game in NFL is boring as hell they should implement a no yards rule. You have these world class athletes and they return one or two balls a game it's beyond dumb founding.

14 minutes ago, The Unknown Poster said:

Some will tell you if the CFL didnt expand when it did, there would be no CFL right now.

Remember that Vince McMahon offered to buy the entire league! 

Yes the CFL was definitely in dire straits at that time.