Is the CFL Screwing Canadian QBs?

[Mocha]

The travel costs makes some sense, though I think a western circuit could overcome the costs, given CJFL and USports teams do it.

I think teams could be put in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg at least. Not sure about BC though.

It is a bit of an oddity about USports attendance out west. Regina-Saskatchewan games sometimes draw quite well, but other times not so much. It's a shame that Simon Fraser plays in the NCAA, as the Shrum Bowl between them and UBC used to be a big event. It would be great if someday Mount Royal University in Calgary and MacEwan in Edmonton could field teams to create some cross-town rivalry bowls there. Straying off topic here, but I wish BC had at least one more USports football program.

[OV Argo]

Yeah, but - do those cities out West have stadiums with 7K plus capacity if the CFL teams/stadiums would block them from hosting?

IF there was no such issue then by all means try.

Moncton, Quebec City, Montreal (if Saputo would allow them?), Toronto (Lamport); Kingston (Richardson); London (TD) = all have such stadiums; and I doubt Ottawa/Lansdowne would block them from hosting even if the RedBlacks were to play in the sell-out XCFL; doubt they would be prohibited in Montreal from using McGill either (?)

[Mocha]

Calgary has McMahon stadium, which I think is controlled by the U of C, not the Stamps. Anyways, I don't see any teams there blocking an upstart Canadian league from using their stadiums. I think they'd rather encourage it, like they do for university and junior ball now.

[OV Argo]

The travel costs makes some sense, though I think a western circuit could overcome the costs, given CJFL and USports teams do it.

I think teams could be put in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg at least. Not sure about BC though.

It is a bit of an oddity about USports attendance out west. Regina-Saskatchewan games sometimes draw quite well, but other times not so much. It's a shame that Simon Fraser plays in the NCAA, as the Shrum Bowl between them and UBC used to be a big event. It would be great if someday Mount Royal University in Calgary and MacEwan in Edmonton could field teams to create some cross-town rivalry bowls there. Straying off topic here, but I wish BC had at least one more USports football program.

Quebec has added U Sport teams in Laval, Montreal (both powerhouse Vanier winning teams) , Sherbrooke since older days; Junior League there too; a Q team has competed for the Vanier (National Championship) the past 10 straight years and has won 6 of them !!!; plus lots of CEGEP (post HS teams) ball = Quebec is the real hot-spot in Canada for Canadian football IMO - blows away out West.

[Mocha]

I think both areas have much to crow about.

The west has five CFL teams; Quebec has one. Canada West has six USports teams; RSEQ has five (but Laval has clearly proven to be the #1 football school for about two decades now). Quebec has CEGEP football (something I wish colleges around the country would try to emulate). The West has 12 CJFL teams, with Saskatoon being as dominant a program as Laval. I wish Quebec would add teams to the CJFL ranks too.

I'm excited to see what Jim Mullin and Football Canada can come up with to integrate the different regions and leagues and hopefully grow the game even more.

[OV Argo]

[QUOTE=Mocha;153039]I think both areas have much to crow about.

The west has five CFL teams; Quebec has one. Canada West has six USports teams; RSEQ has five (but Laval has clearly proven to be the #1 football school for about two decades now). Quebec has CEGEP football (something I wish colleges around the country would try to emulate). The West has 12 CJFL teams, with Saskatoon being as dominant a program as Laval. I wish Quebec would add teams to the CJFL ranks too.



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You're wanting to compare 4 Western Provinces combined to just one - Quebec ?


Not only has Quebec added strong football programs in U Sports ball - Laval, Montreal, Sherbrooke - in the fairly recent Canadian football past; but they have (always had) a Junior ball league (not currently involved with the CJFL) and something like 26 CEGEP teams - all with coaching included ;o) Again, per capita wise, they blow away any Western area, in both football participation and lower levels (not the CFL) fan support; the attendance at some very fine CanWest programs like for Calgary Dinos games, is putrid mostly; compare that to Montreal vs. Laval in the Q.

[Mocha]

Per capita, the West has far more professional teams (about 1 team per 2.5 million people) than Quebec has (1 team per 8.5 million people). The west also has solid participation from women with the WWCFL. That's not to say I think the West is THE centre for football in Canada. BOTH areas have much to be proud of.

[OV Argo]

Per capita, the West has far more professional teams (about 1 team per 2.5 million people) than Quebec has (1 team per 8.5 million people). The west also has solid participation from women with the WWCFL. That's not to say I think the West is THE centre for football in Canada. BOTH areas have much to be proud of.

Yes - agreed basically.

But football in Canada can be viewed in a broader way - the CFL is not the be all and end all of Canadian football IMO

Montreal - with the Big Owe - still holds all-time attendance marks for CFL games (reg. season + GC); and the difference between support for U Sport ball - where Montreal vs. Laval at PEPS - in the regular season - has drawn a 19K plus crowd, vs. some of the pathetic attendance #s in CanWest ball, is eye-opening and telling. Very sad to see a powerhouse Calgary Dinos team - that has produced so many CFL players - draw flies to some of their games ? = not near good enough if you consider yourself real Canadian football territory, IMO.

And the much maligned Ottawa as a football town (especially by some snotty Westerners) deserves some recognition - not for just the successful revival of the CFL team, but Panda Games (GGs vs. Ravens) have drawn 20K plus crowds recently. Nobody out West in U Sports ball ever shows that kind of support for any Canadian football other than CFL teams. Ottawa also had (late 80s /early 90s) a semi-pro American league team - the Bootleggers - who drew crowds in the 5K plus range. And Ottawa has 2 U Sports football teams and 2 Junior ball teams (plus a Senior league team too still i believe (?) ) And Ottawa minor or HS ball has produced lots of pro level talent - like 2 current NFL D-lineman (Ankou & Gallimore - both with the Cowboys); a bunch of players on NCAA Div I ball teams; also some QB by the name of O'Connor.

[Mocha]

I'd love to see more teams in Canada West get fan support like we see in Laval or for the Panda game in Ottawa. It's high time Edmonton and Calgary get second USports teams to help create cross-town rivalries. UBC could use another team within 1000 km too. Unfortunately I don't think Simon Fraser has any intention of returning.

Likewise I'd love to see pro teams in Quebec get the kind of fan support we see in Winnipeg, Regina, and Edmonton. The record numbers for football at Olympic Stadium were, sadly, set a long time ago.

Agree that Ottawa is a solid football city. I'm impressed by how many kids I see throwing around footballs in parks and/or wearing Redblacks gear.