2023 Schedule

[Scooter McCray]

my 2 cents.

With unbalanced divisions, creating a "balanced" schedule creates unbalance.

The results have been clear - Since Ottawa has come back in the league with a "Balanced" Schedule there was a crossover every year except 1?

If you go further than that, statically there is a better chance for a team from the west crossing over. Almost nil for an east team. I brought this up here with Math before Ottawa came back to the league as a case for keeping Winnipeg in the east for a few years.

You can blame shitty east teams, but there was numerus examples of an east team missing out by 1 game during the crossover era.

Simply put, western teams had more opportunity to beat up on shitty east teams than east teams did. And as we saw last season, the chance to an "unbalanced" schedule allowed Hamilton who was fair behind to string a few wins (also vs Western Team) and make the playoffs.

You are correct in everything you just said. This will just lead to more calls to do away with the divisions altogether and have on division.
Even when we get to 10 teams, I still believe you play each team home and away. Maintain East and West division, and maintain crossover. This way you have 6 very good teams making it to the posy season who all had to travel the same route to get there. I think it's important to maintain the East vs west tradition especially once we are coast to coast.

[Scooter McCray]

Your divisional games become crucial and events.

[OV Argo]

100 times better than the asinine sched. of last season.

Thurs, Friday, Sat. Sunday games, so there is a game on 4 different days up until NFL season, is much smarter. Moron back to back games (outside of Labor day classics) and teams playing each other close together is very dumb and boring.

And the Grey Cup rematch first game of the season was a dumb idea IMO (where did they get that from - the NFL?); those 2 teams should not face each other till mid-season or so. - glad that is gone.

[ArgoFan1]

The only really bad thing is the 6 weeks between home games after Canada Day. That is a killer. There should never be more than 4 weeks between home games for any team. We had the same deal this year, with no games in September and the first week in October....prime football season games. Again, we never get to see Saskatchewan. It won't be so bad for me since in that stretch without home games, they will be playing once in Hamilton and once in Montreal, so I will be at those games. And, finally, after several years, they play in Montreal in the summer, and actually twice !!! Previous two years they've only played there once, at the end of October.

Maybe the Sunday night games will appeal tho those NFL fans that think Sunday is the best day for football. Those days don't bother me... any day is a good day to watch the Argos.

["Issues"Mcgee]

I can usually drag 5 or more extra people to the home opener but 7pm on a Sunday makes that a little more difficult.

One positive is the Argos don't have to play a cursed game in the 'couve, but I would like to see them break that curse one day.

[OV Argo]

The only really bad thing is the 6 weeks between home games after Canada Day. That is a killer. There should never be more than 4 weeks between home games for any team. We had the same deal this year, with no games in September and the first week in October....prime football season games. Again, we never get to see Saskatchewan. It won't be so bad for me since in that stretch without home games, they will be playing once in Hamilton and once in Montreal, so I will be at those games. And, finally, after several years, they play in Montreal in the summer, and actually twice !!! Previous two years they've only played there once, at the end of October.


Maybe the Sunday night games will appeal tho those NFL fans that think Sunday is the best day for football. Those days don't bother me... any day is a good day to watch the Argos.

What 6 weeks between home games ?

[Mocha]

In July and August. There's a "home" game vs Saskatchewan, but it's going to played in a neutral site, not Toronto.

At least there's a nearby road game in Hamilton during that stretch.

[ArgoRavi]

It's F1 weekend in Montreal.If you notice the Alouettes are off that weekend.TSN also has to schedule the MLS game of the week on Saturday Night.MLS is scheduling a majority of their games on Saturday nights between 7:00 and 10:00.Apple TV is dictating the schedule change.You need to accept the CFL is not the priority.Take a number and wait to be served.

TSN isn't showing any MLS games in 2023, correct?

[AngeloV]

The good news is that all home games are on the weekend (Friday-Sunday + a holiday Monday). But Sunday and holiday Monday games at night IMO are stupid. With the next day being a work day for most, I don't see how this is any better than a Thursday night home game (which I couldn't stand).

[AngeloV]

TSN isn't showing any MLS games in 2023, correct?

I can't see this being true.

[ArgoFan1]

The good news is that all home games are on the weekend (Friday-Sunday + a holiday Monday). But Sunday and holiday Monday games at night IMO are stupid. With the next day being a work day for most, I don't see how this is any better than a Thursday night home game (which I couldn't stand).

Blue Jays, Leafs and Raptors play weeknight games all the time. I don't see a weeknight game being an issue. Only for the excuse filled non true fans. In summer, I think a lot of people would prefer a weeknight, so they can get out of the city for the weekend.

[ArgoRavi]

I can't see this being true.

I don't know. Apple has the rights to the MLS beginning in 2023 but will they sell any games to TSN/Bell? I have no idea. I realize this is off-topic though.

As for the 2023 CFL season, the positive is that we will get CFL games on four days of the week for most of the summer. Apparently, the Sunday night games will appeal to both TSN and US broadcasters. It's also interesting that we won't see any late night games until the fall. The BC Lions must have asked for 4 pm local starts in the summer because they are getting several of those.

[gilthethrill]

Blue Jays, Leafs and Raptors play weeknight games all the time. I don't see a weeknight game being an issue. Only for the excuse filled non true fans. In summer, I think a lot of people would prefer a weeknight, so they can get out of the city for the weekend.

This “Non true fan” lives 2 hours away and works for a living. Blue Jays also play games on weekend afternoons in the summer, some thing the CFL seems allergic to. Weeknight games (night games in general ) don’t work for me but I realize I am a small % of fans in this demographic.

[argofan81]

The good news is that all home games are on the weekend (Friday-Sunday + a holiday Monday). But Sunday and holiday Monday games at night IMO are stupid. With the next day being a work day for most, I don't see how this is any better than a Thursday night home game (which I couldn't stand).

Technically the Monday game is not a “holiday Monday” game. The holiday is July 1st which this year is on a Saturday. Employers have to give a day in lieu if the holiday happens on a day that isn’t a regular work day but the employer can choose which day. I suspect that is why it is a night game, to try to accommodate those that don’t get the Monday as a holiday.

[paulwoods13]

As for the 2023 CFL season, the positive is that we will get CFL games on four days of the week for most of the summer. Apparently, the Sunday night games will appeal to both TSN and US broadcasters. It's also interesting that we won't see any late night games until the fall. The BC Lions must have asked for 4 pm local starts in the summer because they are getting several of those.

For all the usual weirdness of CFL scheduling from a game-attendance and competitive standpoint, from a purely TV viewing standpoint (at least in the Eastern time zone) this is a good schedule. Very few doubleheaders (which means not having to sit in front of a TV for six hours, something I'm increasingly unwilling to do), very few day games on summer weekends when people would prefer to be outside, and very few late start times. And I love watching football on Sunday nights at the end of a summer weekend.

[shayman]

Dave Naylor on Twitter -

look at all the night games on Sat & Sun. Look at the consistency of Sunday 7 pm ET starts. Look at the games being played on separate days until Labour Day. This is to accommodate US TV. The league has been targeting this area for revenue growth

I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

In a followup tweet someone asked "shouldn't it be about getting butts in seats?" and he said

In this day and age … cart before horse. There’s an entire US pro league that has no fans but is on TV.

Geez, I hope we're not heading THAT way.

[AngeloV]

Technically the Monday game is not a “holiday Monday” game. The holiday is July 1st which this year is on a Saturday. Employers have to give a day in lieu if the holiday happens on a day that isn’t a regular work day but the employer can choose which day. I suspect that is why it is a night game, to try to accommodate those that don’t get the Monday as a holiday.

When this particular holiday falls on a weekend, the Monday is a statuary holiday, so yes it is a holiday Monday. It’s not like the civic holiday. It is observed as a holiday.

[gilthethrill]

Dave Naylor on Twitter -


I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

In a followup tweet someone asked "shouldn't it be about getting butts in seats?" and he said


Geez, I hope we're not heading THAT way.

I hope all the CFL fans in Mud Lick Kentucky enjoy the schedule.

[AngeloV]

Dave Naylor on Twitter -


I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

In a followup tweet someone asked "shouldn't it be about getting butts in seats?" and he said


Geez, I hope we're not heading THAT way.

Naylor being a TSN employee will never admit that TSN calls the shots here. US tv IMO is BS. Unless they plan on expanding to the US again, US tv money will never be enough to justify catering to them.

[Scooter McCray]

Perhaps Bell can do a little experiment this year to really grow viewership. Put the Sunday night games in the summer on CTV. Guarantee it will draw huge numbers more than any of the summer programming they usually have. That would be a great way to see how committed their partnership is with the league.