National Football League Fans: Exciting CFL Games on NFL Network

The NFL has the CFL beat in many ways but it may not be more exciting than the smaller league where the bigger field makes for lots of action.

The National Football League and Canadian Football League are the biggest American style football professional leagues in the world. But while the NFL is much stronger than the CFL it’s arguable neither can claim to be more exciting and with CFL games being broadcast into the States on the NFL Network this year American football fans can judge for themselves.

The eight team CFL is the second most popular sport in Canada to the NHL, managing average crowds of 30,000 but the NFL averages 67,000 and the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins average over 80,000 per game. The NFL, which began in 1920, is also above the CFL, which came along in 1954, in television audience size, the size of contracts awarded to players and quality of players.
14 CFL Games to be Shown on NFL Network by ESPN in 2010 Including Five in October

Games on the NFL Network began July 1 with a rematch of the Grey Cup final as the champion Montreal Alouettes (formerly Baltimore Stallions, 1995 Grey Cup Champs) played the Saskatchewan Roughriders. There are no games on in August but three in September, five in October and a final game November 5 between the Calgary Stampeders and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

Rules Differences Between NFL and CFL and Import Rules in Canada

Many American fans may not know there are rule and field differences between the leagues and that the CFL has import roster rules. CFL rules require 20 Canadian players on each club,19 imports are allowed and there are 3 quarterbacks, virtually always American (the last Canadian quarterback to start a CFL game was Larry Jusdanis for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 1997).

Fewer Canadians would make the CFL if not for import player limits but many great CFL players are from the league’s host country. And this year in the NFL there will be about 15 Canadians, such as C Brett Romberg of Atlanta, WR Nate Burleson and punter Jon Ryan of Seattle Seahawks. Past Canadian NFL’ers include Jerome Pathon, punter Mitch Berger who won a Superbowl with Pittsburgh, Tony Mandarich, Reuben Mayes and quarterback Mark Rypien.

The NFL Plays Four Down Football While CFL Plays Three Down Football

The CFL field is well wider and ten yards longer with one extra player, 12, and only three downs to make a first down. Also, in the CFL there are differences in how overtime is played that allow for each team to have a chance at offense during overtime.

“The CFL gives up nothing in terms of excitement,” Canadian Paul Welsh, a 40 year observer of both leagues said in August of 2010. “There’s more action with that bigger field and yeah three downs but defenses are tested big-time with the offenses the CFL can run with that extra player.

“Lots of high scores but not as many of the blowouts as you get south of the border.”

American Teams in the CFL in the 1990’s But Experiment Failed

The CFL tried expansion into the U.S. with American franchises in the league from 1993-95; the first was the Sacramento Gold Miners, with former NFL’er David Archer as their quarterback. They lasted two seasons there then moved and became the San Antonio Texans for a year before folding.

There were not enough fans to keep the seven American franchises going. Others were the Las Vegas Posse, Shreveport Pirates, Baltimore Stallions, Birmingham Barracudas and Memphis Mad Dogs. Matt Dunigan was the quarterback for the Barracudas, Anthony Calvillo, still a star with Montreal, was quarterback for Sacramento and Daman Allen, brother of former Oakland Raider Marcus Allen, was the pivot for the Memphis Mad Dogs.

The Baltimore team did have strong attendance and became the only American team to win the Grey Cup but owner Jim Speros moved the team to Montreal when the then Cleveland Browns became the Baltimore Ravens. The American experiment in the CFL was over.

Each year a few CFL players take a shot at the NFL, some make it, like Cam Wake with the Miami Dolphins, some don’t, like B.C. Lions QB Casey Printers who, after being named CFL MVP in 2004, spent a year on the Kansas City Chief’s practice roster before returning to Canada. Players who’ve had success in both leagues include Doug Flutie, who threw 270 CFL touchdown passes before playing an NFL game (brother Darren Flutie played in the CFL), Warren Moon, Raghib ‘The Rocket’ Ismail and Ricky Williams.
Buffalo Bills Playing Regular Season Games in Canada

In a first the Buffalo Bills are playing a regular season game in Toronto each year for five years. “The team hopes to capitalize on the increasing interest of fans in the Canadian market by playing a regular-season game in Toronto,” the Bills said in a 2007 release announcing their Toronto schedule.

There has been talk of the leagues playing an exhibition game but with the rule differences, even the balls are slightly different, it is not likely. But the NFL supports the CFL as a place where young players can get better (the NFL has even loaned the CFL money in the past).

Expansion back into the States has been talked about but first the CFL has it’s Ottawa franchise set to return in 2012 and the league would like to first expand into Eastern Canada, likely either Moncton or Halifax. Finally, there has been talk of an NFL team in Toronto should that league decide to expand.

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