CFL to be broadcasted on NBC in the states

[dj_patm]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/s...025/story.html

American football fans will be able to watch this year's historic Grey Cup game without actually being there. The 100th Grey Cup will air live in the U.S. in November on the NBC Sports Network. The CFL says NBC will also carry nine-regular season games as well as the East and West Division semifinals and finals. The Nov. 25 Grey Cup will be played at Rogers Centre in Toronto. NBC's regular-season coverage of the CFL will begin with the Aug. 27 game between the Edmonton Eskimos and Toronto Argonauts. The network will also broadcast the Labour Day doubleheader involving Toronto and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats as well as Edmonton and the Calgary Stampeders.

Kind of weird.... Can't see a lot of people watching it seriously down there...

[Benny]

Some people might watch the Grey Cup. Nobody will give a shit about the regular season games though.

[CanmoreOrLess]

I was watching 42 seconds of arena football on TV yesterday, about all I could take. If 500,000 people watch a CFL game from the USA I will eat my Rider cap. I can hardly watch a CFL game, the NFL is the only game worth watching football wise. The CFL commentators get under my skin, ditto the three downs..... on and on I could go.

If the CFL is the only channel on in the entire prison system, they may very well hit 500,000 viewers.

[TeamBestBud]

Originally posted by CanmoreOrLess
I can hardly watch a CFL game, the NFL is the only game worth watching football wise.

This.

[Dren]

i think its a good idea

[Benny]

Originally posted by Dren
i think its a good idea

I'm all for getting the CFL out there but I just don't think anyone will watch it. From my experience in the states, they'd rather watch college and probably high school football before any CFL games. They honestly just don't give a shit down there.

[HuMz]

I could see it reaching 500 000 for a grey cup as early as this year. Americans still love there football, the CFL debuted on the NFL network last year and the first game during the regular season drew 58,000.

I can't seem to find any number for last years grey cup but they should have been double that. And during the playoffs you always hear references on the NFL network or during the NFL games. (Calgary's last grey cup win was mentioned on monday night football)

NBCSN is a much bigger network and I doubt they would have even picked the CFL up if the numbers didn't look promising.

[95teetee]

Originally posted by CanmoreOrLess
the NFL is the only game worth watching football wise.

a good CFL game can never compete with a good NFL game.

But bad NFL games are in a class of stink that few other sporting events can match.

[SKR]

I don't know, when I was in California last fall someone recognized the logo on my Riders hat and they weren't Canadian. I also had someone in the Denver airport ask me how the Riders were doing, as he lived in Canada for a while before moving back to the US. In North Dakota I worked with a guy who was able to watch all the games online and probably knew more about the CFL than I did.

I think it's probably also good for high school and college players to get some exposure to the league. Even if they'd rather play in the NFL, which of course they would, they might pay attention to a league they might end up in. Plus there's the families of all the American players currently playing, and any Canadians who are travelling or working and want to catch a game while they're away.

[CanmoreOrLess]

Now in the USA you're going to get asked: What the fuck is RONA?

[buh_buh]

3 downs, 1 point rouge, 110 yards, wide fields, it's trying too hard to be different from American football to be good. The only thing the CFL has going for it is its overtime format.

[Team_Mclaren]

NCAA > CFL

[SKR]

Originally posted by buh_buh
3 downs, 1 point rouge, 110 yards, wide fields, it's trying too hard to be different from American football to be good. The only thing the CFL has going for it is its overtime format.

I don't know if that's a fair way to describe it. The game of football is over 100 years old, and the Canadian game has deviated less from the original rules than the American game has.

[adidas]

CFL grey cup is on Nov 25, 2012 which is a Sunday.

The NCAA football season is already in full swing and the NFL season is getting more serious at that time. Those who work on saturday will catch up on NCAA games on Sunday and others will sit in front of the TV the entire day following every NFL game that day.

Lets not forget NCAA and NBA basketball.

So you are telling me someone is gonna watch the CFL game? lol

[Kloubek]

I watch the CFL and not NFL - because here I have a team to cheer for and it is a somewhat unique Canadian spin on the game.

But honestly - the quality of football cannot be compared. It is like Jr. Hockey to the NHL, and I can't see any reason why US citizens would want to watch it.

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by buh_buh
3 downs, 1 point rouge, 110 yards, wide fields, it's trying too hard to be different from American football to be good. The only thing the CFL has going for it is its overtime format.

Trying too hard to be different? When do you think Canadian football started?

[buh_buh]

I'm not trying to argue who invented what and who's deviated more from the original game. Because to be honest, I have no idea who has. But the CFL just tries too hard to differentiate itself from the game down south and make it strictly Canadian. I'm not sure of the economics of when the CFL tried to expand to the US, but I think if they weren't so hell bent on trying to be different, some of those teams might've had a shot at surviving and US viewership now may be better.

If the CFL were willing to change it's game a bit (though it's probably too established now to make radical changes like go to 4 downs or change field sizes), it could try and market itself as a minor league to the NFL, upping to overall talent pool as there would be more players going across leagues. They are currently seen as two completely separate entities, as the two leagues focus on different skill sets and it's rare to see a player from the CFL "make the show".

[SKR]

Originally posted by buh_buh
They are currently seen as two completely separate entities, as the two leagues focus on different skill sets and it's rare to see a player from the CFL "make the show".

That's the best way for the league to survive though. Offering the same thing, but doing a worse job of it, doesn't bring in any viewers either. Look at how much coverage the NHL gets, and how little the AHL gets. Or all the other pro football leagues, for that matter.

I don't think it would be a very good idea to change the game just to get a few more viewers in the US. At least with being weird and different, the CFL has something to offer. Being the same but worse wouldn't draw anyone in, and would probably push more people away.

[dandia89]

Originally posted by 95teetee
a good CFL game can never compete with a good NFL game.

But bad NFL games are in a class of stink that few other sporting events can match.

Nope

The CFL is annoying because:

- The high amount of dropped passes
- The amount of blown coverages (this could be more due to the fact that there is only one safety, wider fields, running starts on SBs which means no bump and run)
- The god awful tackling. So many poor tackles in the CFL.
- 3 Downs (game just becomes incredibly slow with a punt every few minutes)
- 1 pt rouge (really?)
- The general skill level of the league is so lower compared to NFL.


I'll watch the CFL, but there will never be a day in my life (and most football fans) where I'd choose to watch a CFL game over an NFL game.

[btimbit]

I much prefer the rules of the CFL over the NFL, but the overall skill level is the difference. If NFL players played with Canadian rules, it'd be a fantastic game.

Americans won't give two shits, just like I don't care about any of there minor leagues. Why would I, and why would they?