ESPN Deal Renewal

[Neely2005]

Looks like the CFL is sticking with ESPN. Hopefully they leveraged the NFL Network to get a significant fee increase.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2019/01/14/Media/CFL-ESPN.aspx

[AngeloV]

By staying with ESPN, this hopefully ends the ridiculous notion of moving the season up and starting opposite the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think Ambrosie has realized that playing up to a quarter of the season against the NHL playoffs is media suicide.

[Neely2005]

By staying with ESPN, this hopefully ends the ridiculous notion of moving the season up and starting opposite the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think Ambrosie has realized that playing up to a quarter of the season against the NHL playoffs is media suicide.

For all we know ESPN also might prefer an earlier start to the season. Hopefully Ambroise continues with this great idea.

[AngeloV]

For all we know ESPN also might prefer an earlier start to the season. Hopefully Ambroise continues with this great idea.

Keep your false hope alive.

[SkalbaniasGhost]

By staying with ESPN, this hopefully ends the ridiculous notion of moving the season up and starting opposite the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think Ambrosie has realized that playing up to a quarter of the season against the NHL playoffs is media suicide.
The season is moving up regardless of The ESPN announcement.Pay attention to the schedule.They have been experimenting with what will work best for TSN's needs.Notice the end of the Thanksgiving Day games.That's a permanent move.It's going to get real interesting when ESPN/TSN renew the MNF deal. Super Saturday it will be.

[Neely2005]

Keep your false hope alive.

IIRC the season has been starting a little earlier each year for the past few years. I wouldn't call that false hope.

[argolio]

It's starting earlier because they had to add a 20th week when the Redblacks came in to allow for a 9-team schedule, and then a 21st week last year in order to give all teams the same number of bye weeks. What they didn't do was change the end of season schedule. Playoffs remain the last three Sundays in November.

If Halifax comes in, I presume they'll remove at least one of the three bye weeks, which means the season would start 1-2 weeks later than it does now.

[argotom]

Like some have said here, I hope this time the league gets some real money for the rights and not freebies for TV exposure only.

[AngeloV]

IIRC the season has been starting a little earlier each year for the past few years. I wouldn't call that false hope.

Only because they added a 3rd bye week. It still ends the same time.


It's starting earlier because they had to add a 20th week when the Redblacks came in to allow for a 9-team schedule, and then a 21st week last year in order to give all teams the same number of bye weeks. What they didn't do was change the end of season schedule. Playoffs remain the last three Sundays in November.

If Halifax comes in, I presume they'll remove at least one of the three bye weeks, which means the season would start 1-2 weeks later than it does now.

I expect it to start the same time if the Halifax team comes in, but end no later than mid November. I would be good with that.

On a side note, I wonder how many fans in Kansas City and New England are crying that the NFL should move their schedule up. I sure as hell didn't see an empty seat this past weekend in their stadiums. And it is supposed to be even worse this Sunday in KC, but again, I doubt anyone won't go because it's too cold.

[Neely2005]

It's starting earlier because they had to add a 20th week when the Redblacks came in to allow for a 9-team schedule, and then a 21st week last year in order to give all teams the same number of bye weeks. What they didn't do was change the end of season schedule. Playoffs remain the last three Sundays in November.

If Halifax comes in, I presume they'll remove at least one of the three bye weeks, which means the season would start 1-2 weeks later than it does now.

Ottawa started playing in 2014.

Regular Season Start Date:

June 26, 2014
June 25, 2015
June 23, 2016
June 22, 2017
June 14, 2018
June 13, 2019

Maybe it's just me but there seems to be a trend.

[Neely2005]

Only because they added a 3rd bye week. It still ends the same time.



I expect it to start the same time if the Halifax team comes in, but end no later than mid November. I would be good with that.

On a side note, I wonder how many fans in Kansas City and New England are crying that the NFL should move their schedule up. I sure as hell didn't see an empty seat this past weekend in their stadiums. And it is supposed to be even worse this Sunday in KC, but again, I doubt anyone won't go because it's too cold.

Who's crying?

[AngeloV]

Who's crying?

A lot of people on social media that claim cold weather keeps fans away. Never used to be like that, and isn't in the NFL.

[Neely2005]

A lot of people on social media that claim cold weather keeps fans away. Never used to be like that, and isn't in the NFL.

Okay but how is that crying? Just because someone has a different opinion than you it doesn't mean that they're crying or whining.

The Edmonton Eskimos have been lobbying to have the season start and finish earlier for years.
The Super Bowl is played in warm weather cities the vast majority of the time.

Do you think that there might be a reason for those things?
Perhaps the Eskimos and the NFL have done the research and found that fans prefer it?

Given that CFL attendance has been trending downwards for years shouldn't the league do everything it can to draw more fans to the stadiums?

[AngeloV]

Okay but how is that crying? Just because someone has a different opinion than you it doesn't mean that they're crying or whining.

The Edmonton Eskimos have been lobbying to have the season start and finish earlier for years.
The Super Bowl is played in warm weather cities the vast majority of the time.

Do you think that there might be a reason for those things?
Perhaps the Eskimos and the NFL have done the research and found that fans prefer it?

Given that CFL attendance has been trending downwards for years shouldn't the league do everything it can to draw more fans to the stadiums?

Don't worry about. You are obviously taking this personally, so I will stop here.

[Neely2005]

Don't worry about. You are obviously taking this personally, so I will stop here.

How did you come to that conclusion? I'm not taking it personally at all. Simply trying to have a conversation.

You seem to get upset when people have a different opinion than you. It's immediately "crying" and/or "whining".
Unless you're just trying to deflect as you don't have a logical response?

Here's a question for you. Do you think that fans prefer to sit outside in warm weather or cold weather?

[AngeloV]

How did you come to that conclusion? I'm not taking it personally at all. Simply trying to have a conversation.

You seem to get upset when people have a different opinion than you. It's immediately "crying" and/or "whining".
Unless you're just trying to deflect as you don't have a logical response?

Here's a question for you. Do you think that fans prefer to sit outside in warm weather or cold weather?

I'm not upset at all. I have no preference to the whether. I will go watch the team I love play whether it's +30 or -10. Makes no difference to me, and have given examples of how NFL fans also support their teams no matter what the whether. I have been to games in Cleveland and Buffalo in December. I've never heard people complain that it's too cold.

And for the record, I equate complaining to whining. So sue me. I whined about many of Trestman's decision last year.

[paulwoods13]

Ottawa started playing in 2014.

Regular Season Start Date:

June 26, 2014
June 25, 2015
June 23, 2016
June 22, 2017
June 14, 2018
June 13, 2019

Maybe it's just me but there seems to be a trend.

One week earlier because there are now 21 regular-season weeks, as argolio noted. The Grey Cup has been on the last Sunday of November every year since 2009. Now *that* would seem to be a trend. Somehow, starting the season earlier is not resulting in the season ending earlier.

[argolio]

Ottawa started playing in 2014.

Regular Season Start Date:

June 26, 2014
June 25, 2015
June 23, 2016
June 22, 2017
June 14, 2018
June 13, 2019

Maybe it's just me but there seems to be a trend.It's simple calendar math. Assuming a Thursday opening day, a 20-week schedule (2014-17) begins June 20-26, and a 21-week schedule (2018-?) begins June 13-19. If they stick to the current format for 2020, the season will open on June 18th.

[CFLfan]

By staying with ESPN, this hopefully ends the ridiculous notion of moving the season up and starting opposite the Stanley Cup playoffs. I think Ambrosie has realized that playing up to a quarter of the season against the NHL playoffs is media suicide.

Can't see why the CFL going up against the NHL playoffs would be media suicide. MLB and the Blue Jays go up against the NHL playoffs every year from April to June. The NFL goes up against the MLB and World Series every year and the NBA and the Raptors go up against the NFL and the CFL playoffs in Oct and Nov every year..
Sports fans can usually watch more than one event a week, besides it's not very often that a Canadian NHL team is still playing in June and that the start times would be the same time as a CFL game.