CFL Expansion Question?

Question

A couple of years ago I remember hearing that the CFL was looking to expand to either Quebec City or possibly somewhere in the Maritimes? Is this pretty much dead now that the league is down to 8 teams?

Answer 1

I find the idea intriguing.  I don't understand how the previous posters can compare expanding within Canada to the fiasco of expanding to the US.  They are two completely different things.  This is a uniquely Canadian game, and deserves to be played professionally across Canada.  Whether or not it would be successful is a different story, but it would be cool to have a coast-to-coast football league.  I'd love to see the BC Lions playing in Halifax or somewhere around there.

Answer 2

The CFL has tried expansion to the States before and it was not worth it.

However, there is a lot of sympathy for Halifax as a new CFL city.There would have to be a suitable stadium available,if that happened I think they would green light  a Maritime team if one approached with good ownership.The CFL nowadays has improved it's popularity,TV ratings are good and it is a healthy league.So expansion is possible if the pieces are all in place.I think that The CFL also has an ethos of being a patriotic league ,it receives allowances from the Federal Government that other professional leagues do not enjoy.Expansion to the Maritimes would create a "coast -to coast" Canadian league.The same standard would apply to other Canadian cities as well- Quebec City, for example.

Answer 3

I doubt it. Right now they're more focused on bringing a club back to Ottawa. Personally I don't think that will last long because Ottwas has had 2 teams and both folded, The Renegades after only a few seasons. I'd love to see a CFL team in every province. I don't thinks it will happen but it would be great. Quebec City could definatley get a team. Halifax maybe.

Answer 4

The Canadian Football League already tried some expansions. In the 1990s they attempted to have teams that were in the USA (Sacramento, Las Vegas, Baltimore, Shreveport, San Antonio, Birmingham, and Memphis.) They did this to try to help the CFL's populatiry in the U.S.A. However, the whole thing was unsuccesful.

There have been rumors of expansions in Canada. There has previsouly been a Canadian team from Ottuwa (Rough Riders)

Throughout most of the 1980s and 1990s, despite having two even 0.500 records (8–8 in 1983 and 9–9 in 1992) along with hosting the 1988 Grey Cup, the Riders struggled with losing seasons, poor ownership, mismanagement, and decreased fan support, which ultimately led to the team folding in 1996. Football fans in Ottawa lived without CFL football for the next five years until 2002, when the city regained a CFL team, this one called the Renegades. (Although there was sentiment toward resurrecting the Rough Riders name, the final owner of the previous franchise expected payment for the rights to it; the new franchise declined the request, and went with a 'fresh' name for the new team.) Since the suspension of the Renegades for the 2006 season, there has been some interest in purchasing the rights to the Rough Riders name by several groups looking to return a CFL franchise to Ottawa. However, the logo chosen by the Renegades shows similarities to the logo used by the Rough Riders for much of their existence up until 1992 and most fans believe that is where the similarities should end.

Most new expansion teams fail because of poor ownership and management, and end up having to leave. If the CFL got some new teams, they wouldn't be very good and the same thing might happen that happened to some other unsuccesful teams.

Answer 5

To me its not.  I remember the US Experiment, when Sacramento received an expansion team in 93.  WOW, CFL has gone American?  i saw one game on Prime sports, when the Gold Miners were playing at BC.  I could never forget expansion got bigger, and in 95 when the CFL finally came to SA.  I was thrille about the CFL coming to SA, I listened and watch the games.  I wasnt thrilled when I realize some US teams like Las Vegas were drawing crowds like 2000, YIKES, thats pretty small.  which is why the experiment folded.  I could understand that the NFL is big here, but give credit to the CFL as a Major League too.  For those who didnt attend the the game in their cities that had US clubs(like Birmingham, Las Vegas, etc) SHAME ON YOU.   What im say is help the League, i know its funny, but its a League just like the NFL.  

OK lets say its 1994, a fan lives in Shreveport, who likes the NFL and College Football, but the city was awarded a CFL team, and he would like to watch the games on TV, or even attended the game because theyre the only Major Team in the city, since the CFL is a Major League that is dying.  

In reality that never happened cause the US Fans perfer to watch some boring NFL or college game pitting teams they dont care about or a boring high school game pitting schools they didnt attend!  

I remember about Windsor(pretty close to Detroit in the USA, and the silverdome being a parttime home to the franchise) possibly getting a franchise in the future, if that happens, WOW, CFL is back in the states.****

The Only reason why I checked out the CFL is because my favorite teams from other leagues arent playing and I know the CFL is desperate for support.  I dont care how bad the games are, ill watch CFL games no matter what.

Answer 6

Not dead...just resting.

The expansion concept seems to have been put on hold when the Renegades' operations were suspended two years ago.

The league, in my understanding, wants to get the Ottawa market running again with a more solid ownership group while, at the same time, potentially adding on a tenth franchise either in Quebec, Halifax or London...or parts unknown (just hopefully not looking south of the border again).  The scheduling snafu that was nine teams became a travel issue and I am certain that the league and players union will not want to return to that.

I also agree with the one who answered just ahead of me.  I don't think the league would want more than ten teams...twelve maybe at the absolute most.  Part of the league's appeal is its size.  Also, with the potential of two new US leagues starting in 2008, there may be talent issues when both of those leagues will likely line the players pockets more than the CFL does.

Answer 7

Hold on... I wouldn't say there should be way more teams. The CFL is appealing because there are so few teams. This enhances the rivalries and creates a familiarity between the fans and players. I do think Ottawa, as the nation's capital should have a team. Then, to balance the divisions, it would be logical to put a franchise in Quebec City or Halifax. I think Halifax makes more sense. I think we could see this ten team scenario by 2015, provided that the league continues to grow in popularity.