The CFL is typically celebrated for its differences from its cousin to the south, the NFL. However, CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston is hoping some significant tweaks will result in some more NFL-like highlights.
On Monday, Johnston unveiled the CFL’s two-part plan to update the game and make it more engaging for fans. The biggest change will be shrinking the length of the field from 110 yards to 100 yards, matching its American counterpart. Endzones will come down from 20 yards in length to 15 yards, and the goalposts will be moved to the back of the end zone. They are currently situated in the front.
The time between plays will be extended from 20 seconds after the ball is set to 35 seconds from the end of the previous play. And the ways that a team can score a one-point “rouge” will change.
About the only significant thing not to change is that the CFL field will remain 65 yards wide, about 12 yards more than an NFL field.
All of these changes, which will be phased in over two years, are being done in large part to juice scoring, specifically touchdowns, and encourage more big plays that can be turned into highlights that go viral on social media and elsewhere.
“This is going to create more touchdowns, more touchdowns creates more highlights and highlights drive through all forms of media,” Johnston said during a news conference Monday. “And that does drive fandom. We hope these changes will make (CFL games) more entertaining, we hope there will be more touchdowns. I hope there are going to be more third-down gambles in the decision zone. We feel very confident in the direction of this league.”
Understandably, the plan is facing significant pushback from fans and players (imagine if the NFL announced it was shortening the field to 90 yards and making the endzone smaller). Still, Johnston remains adamant that the league is taking the necessary steps to compete in the modern media landscape.
“We understand the passion of our fans,” Johnston said. “But I’ve also heard as I’ve gone market to market that a lot of our fans are yearning for some change. . . . I truly believe this is going to elevate our game and as people think about it and what we’re trying to achieve, I believe we’re going to have a really good reception.”
It’s unclear what the CFL’s end goal is here, whether it’s growth across social media, expansion, a new TV deal, or even an attempt to garner interest from American audiences. We’ve seen similar changes work well, for the most part, for Major League Baseball. We’ll see if it pays off for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.