CFL 2024

[Kyle McMahon]

Well, I do agree with some of your points here but unfortunately good old Canada isn't looking like much of a haven right now.

Without getting into a political discussion here, many of the social problems in the USA have been exported to Canada-- and here, North of the border-- we are looking down the barrel of tough economic times.

Inevitably, it will impact the CFL and sooner or later the NHL as well. In the NHL, players are paid in American bucks but a big chunk of the revenue is in the Northern Peso. That is not good for the Canadian clubs.

Ticket buyers will endure a certain amount of financial pain---just how much remains to be seen.

The decline of the Canadian dollar is going to become a problem quickly for the CFL. At this point, is it even worth it for an American to come up here for less than 100k CAD? Young guys hoping for an NFL shot will probably remain willing, but once that chance comes and goes, I doubt they'll see the CFL as worthwhile if they're not making star-level money.

I don't see any reasonable scenario on the horizon that suddenly strengthens the CAD against the USD; a further weakening is much more probable. For players that are actually interested in relocating to Canada on a permanent basis, this might not be a huge roadblock, but those players aren't the majority. We're not there yet, but there exists a scenario where American imports become expensive luxuries.

I hope we've got some forward-thinking owners paying attention to this. A mostly Canadian league would see a further decline in on-field talent and I don't see the CFL surviving as a bona fide major league under those conditions. Corporations and institutions, soon governments, are starting to accumulate Bitcoin to hedge against eventual currency collapse. Haven't heard about any sports leagues keying in on this yet, or if the CFL itself has any sort of collective war chest, but they should be examining the possibility. They won't be able to pay imports with Canadian dollars forever. File it under pipe dream, but the CFL surviving and thriving with big-name players poached from the NFL because they had the foresight to load up on bitcoin would be the most clutch shit ever.

 

[bellagiobob]

The decline of the Canadian dollar is going to become a problem quickly for the CFL. At this point, is it even worth it for an American to come up here for less than 100k CAD? Young guys hoping for an NFL shot will probably remain willing, but once that chance comes and goes, I doubt they'll see the CFL as worthwhile if they're not making star-level money.

I don't see any reasonable scenario on the horizon that suddenly strengthens the CAD against the USD; a further weakening is much more probable. For players that are actually interested in relocating to Canada on a permanent basis, this might not be a huge roadblock, but those players aren't the majority. We're not there yet, but there exists a scenario where American imports become expensive luxuries.

I hope we've got some forward-thinking owners paying attention to this. A mostly Canadian league would see a further decline in on-field talent and I don't see the CFL surviving as a bona fide major league under those conditions. Corporations and institutions, soon governments, are starting to accumulate Bitcoin to hedge against eventual currency collapse. Haven't heard about any sports leagues keying in on this yet, or if the CFL itself has any sort of collective war chest, but they should be examining the possibility. They won't be able to pay imports with Canadian dollars forever. File it under pipe dream, but the CFL surviving and thriving with big-name players poached from the NFL because they had the foresight to load up on bitcoin would be the most clutch shit ever.

Some excellent forward thinking thoughts. Unfortunately this is a league that can’t even get their own stats properly publicly available, I doubt they even know what bitcoin is or how to use it as a currency hedge. But as you say maybe some of the owners are bright enough to figure it out.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Some excellent forward thinking thoughts. Unfortunately this is a league that can’t even get their own stats properly publicly available, I doubt they even know what bitcoin is or how to use it as a currency hedge. But as you say maybe some of the owners are bright enough to figure it out.

Sadly I suspect you are quite right. One slim hope would be that a single well-respected owner with long term vision might be able to sway the group as a whole. Hearing the detailed breakdown of those team report cards was disheartening...lots of stuff that is just downright unprofessional occurring...players having to find their own doctors for injury rehab and such. That doesn't paint a rosy picture in terms of owners being willing to invest in their own franchises.

 

[MoontoScott]

The decline of the Canadian dollar is going to become a problem quickly for the CFL. At this point, is it even worth it for an American to come up here for less than 100k CAD? Young guys hoping for an NFL shot will probably remain willing, but once that chance comes and goes, I doubt they'll see the CFL as worthwhile if they're not making star-level money.

I don't see any reasonable scenario on the horizon that suddenly strengthens the CAD against the USD; a further weakening is much more probable. For players that are actually interested in relocating to Canada on a permanent basis, this might not be a huge roadblock, but those players aren't the majority. We're not there yet, but there exists a scenario where American imports become expensive luxuries.

I hope we've got some forward-thinking owners paying attention to this. A mostly Canadian league would see a further decline in on-field talent and I don't see the CFL surviving as a bona fide major league under those conditions. Corporations and institutions, soon governments, are starting to accumulate Bitcoin to hedge against eventual currency collapse. Haven't heard about any sports leagues keying in on this yet, or if the CFL itself has any sort of collective war chest, but they should be examining the possibility. They won't be able to pay imports with Canadian dollars forever. File it under pipe dream, but the CFL surviving and thriving with big-name players poached from the NFL because they had the foresight to load up on bitcoin would be the most clutch shit ever.

Agreed--but I far prefer Gold and Silver as hedges against the inevitable disaster.

36 Trillion (10^12, hard to even imagine that number) at the USA federal level (and counting as I write this note) but nobody will admit it to it. Well, that's a political discussion for another day.

Canada is also debt ridden and in disarray. It will impact the CFL. Like you say, at some point it isn't worth coming North but some will still come out of love for the game. Few will play 10 or more years here like the days of old.

At least there is someone in charge of the EE franchise now and he looks like a very successful businessman. Better times for the EE based on that alone.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Agreed--but I far prefer Gold and Silver as hedges against the inevitable disaster.

36 Trillion (10^12, hard to even imagine that number) at the USA federal level (and counting as I write this note) but nobody will admit it to it. Well, that's a political discussion for another day.

Canada is also debt ridden and in disarray. It will impact the CFL. Like you say, at some point it isn't worth coming North but some will still come out of love for the game. Few will play 10 or more years here like the days of old.

At least there is someone in charge of the EE franchise now and he looks like a very successful businessman. Better times for the EE based on that alone.

Hedge preferences aside, we realize the debt snowball is rolling down the mountain and gathering speed, little debate to be had there. I couldn't even imagine facing down the impending economic realities with the previous board in place. Thankful to have somebody at the helm in LT that (presumably) understands business and money...traits that have seldom been prerequisites among CFL owners.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Sadly I suspect you are quite right. One slim hope would be that a single well-respected owner with long term vision might be able to sway the group as a whole. Hearing the detailed breakdown of those team report cards was disheartening...lots of stuff that is just downright unprofessional occurring...players having to find their own doctors for injury rehab and such. That doesn't paint a rosy picture in terms of owners being willing to invest in their own franchises.

I don't know for certain we can assume the review is unbiased or unselective. Or not had by dynamic. Historically we're not used to seeing information like this because the Eskimos were the well run flagship for years. When you have that, and nothing pleases like winning, you have a lot of positive reviews. When a club is in dissaray on the field and few people in stands the whole feel of being on the club starts to be more negative. Some of it real, some of it just felt.

I take some umbrage as well to the players here talking dietary concerns. One of the foremost social media posts from the players all year is how they just loaded up on the the greasiest worst to eat garbage at fast food locations around the league. Not exactly athlete food. Maybe some of the players themselves have some blame in the dietary department.

That said I wish the team moved things back in TC to somewhere like Concordia College which is a nice and attractive location on the river, for camp, and in a facility that is mostly empty then and where room and board can be provided at lower cost. With everything needed located there.

In anycase when your record on the field is bad a lot of distortion can take place where everything is perceived badly. Despite the team having the best field house training facility in the league, one of the best stadiums in the league, and a pretty decent City in which to live and love. Some of the distortion also being the shot taking that is so loved around Canada, around the league loving to disparrage the once Evil Empire.

Meanwhile the AL's play in a stadium that once had trees growng through the concrete stands. A stadium that was so deplorably kept University teams didn't like playing there. A stadium that still today has bench seating in a lot of areas.

Or lets talk about Regina where 3down nation disseminates this stuff. I guess they have better watermelons there.

 

[bellagiobob]

And Rider fans laughed at us for trading for Fajardo.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Jake Maier. Oofffff. Hands down thats the starting low bar recently in CFL.

I'd pay this guy like they used to in Regina.

 

[brentashton]

I feel like we’re shopping at Giant Tiger

Saskatchewan Roughriders acquire Jake Maier's negotiation rights from Calgary Stampeders | TSN

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have acquired the negotiation rights to quarterback Jake Maier from the Calgary Stampeders in exchange for an eighth-round draft pick in the 2025 CFL Draft.

www.tsn.ca

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

And Rider fans laughed at us for trading for Fajardo.

Another Festivus miracle

 

[brentashton]

And Rider fans laughed at us for trading for Fajardo.

Hey, wait a minute…I think I’m the only Rider fan usually in this thread…

 

[Stoneman89]

And Rider fans laughed at us for trading for Fajardo.

This is beautiful. Things are really lining up for us nicely.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[Kyle McMahon]

I don't know for certain we can assume the review is unbiased or unselective. Or not had by dynamic. Historically we're not used to seeing information like this because the Eskimos were the well run flagship for years. When you have that, and nothing pleases like winning, you have a lot of positive reviews. When a club is in dissaray on the field and few people in stands the whole feel of being on the club starts to be more negative. Some of it real, some of it just felt.

I take some umbrage as well to the players here talking dietary concerns. One of the foremost social media posts from the players all year is how they just loaded up on the the greasiest worst to eat garbage at fast food locations around the league. Not exactly athlete food. Maybe some of the players themselves have some blame in the dietary department.

That said I wish the team moved things back in TC to somewhere like Concordia College which is a nice and attractive location on the river, for camp, and in a facility that is mostly empty then and where room and board can be provided at lower cost. With everything needed located there.

In anycase when your record on the field is bad a lot of distortion can take place where everything is perceived badly. Despite the team having the best field house training facility in the league, one of the best stadiums in the league, and a pretty decent City in which to live and love. Some of the distortion also being the shot taking that is so loved around Canada, around the league loving to disparrage the once Evil Empire.

Meanwhile the AL's play in a stadium that once had trees growng through the concrete stands. A stadium that was so deplorably kept University teams didn't like playing there. A stadium that still today has bench seating in a lot of areas.

Or lets talk about Regina where 3down nation disseminates this stuff. I guess they have better watermelons there.

I wasn't singling out Edmonton with my comment, it was directed at the whole league. Seems just about every team had some pretty obviously bush-league stuff come to light in those reports. I don't love the 3Down Nation podcast, but they did a pretty detailed breakdown on a recent episode. You're always going to have squeaky wheels exaggerating a little bit I'm sure, but it's clear there needs to be some improvement of standards across the board if the CFL wants to have a reputation as a major league just a step below the NFL. You can't have guys coming up here from lower-end NCAA programs and feeling like they've been demoted.

It's concerning that money is tight enough around the league that there are teams who can't provide equipment, training facilities, game-day meals, medical staff, and training camp accommodations that are deemed acceptable by significant numbers of players. It's not where every complaint applies to every team, but basic stuff like this needs minimum requirements mandated by the league as a whole. Teams cheaping out in certain areas tarnishes the whole collective operation. Reality may be that the money just no longer exists to fund non-salary player expenditures to the degree a pro athlete in 2024 expects coming out of college. But we also know some owners can be notoriously cheap, and let's honestly hope this is the case, and not the former.