Big Week Upcoming for XFL

XFL Football discussion.
Gopher123
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by Gopher123 »

DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 6:31 am
Gopher123 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:05 am Let’s also remember the CFL had a chance to be part of this. No crying over spilled milk now. They need to forge their own path moving forward on how to expand interest.
The CFL wasn't going to sell it's soul to a twice failed league that had nothing built up. How can a league build interest when it's buried behind a cable wall? it's shitty that ESPN is treating the CFL like red headed step-child.
The relationship the CFL has with ESPN expires after next week's Grey Cup. I will be glad to see another partner that wants help promote the CFL game
So the answer is to do nothing and blame/drop ESPN? I understand the purists not wanting to sell out but the league needs to start making some changes to grow the brand. We don’t know exactly what the proposals were in the meetings. Joining leagues might not have been the answer but they need to do something to get out of neutral. The clock is ticking.
4th&long
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by 4th&long »

Gopher123 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:05 am
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 6:31 am
Gopher123 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:05 am Let’s also remember the CFL had a chance to be part of this. No crying over spilled milk now. They need to forge their own path moving forward on how to expand interest.
The CFL wasn't going to sell it's soul to a twice failed league that had nothing built up. How can a league build interest when it's buried behind a cable wall? it's shitty that ESPN is treating the CFL like red headed step-child.
The relationship the CFL has with ESPN expires after next week's Grey Cup. I will be glad to see another partner that wants help promote the CFL game
So the answer is to do nothing and blame/drop ESPN? I understand the purists not wanting to sell out but the league needs to start making some changes to grow the brand. We don’t know exactly what the proposals were in the meetings. Joining leagues might not have been the answer but they need to do something to get out of neutral. The clock is ticking.
9 out of 9 teams are in Canada. nuff said
Tank55
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by Tank55 »

DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 7:35 amAmericans love football, they will get to love the CFL.
Americans do love football, and in September, October, and November they have it in abundance. If the CFL wants Americans' attention, the season can't culminate in November. Move the Grey Cup to Labor Day, and suddenly you have a VERY compelling product to sell American football fans. As it is, it's just not going to get traction.
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DavedaHammer
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by DavedaHammer »

Tank55 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 10:10 am
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 7:35 amAmericans love football, they will get to love the CFL.
Americans do love football, and in September, October, and November they have it in abundance. If the CFL wants Americans' attention, the season can't culminate in November. Move the Grey Cup to Labor Day, and suddenly you have a VERY compelling product to sell American football fans. As it is, it's just not going to get traction.
I think the CFL will be fine if it shaves off two weeks from it's schedule and end the season on Halloween. Football is meant to be played in crisp Autumn weather than cold wintery conditions
DavedaHammer
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by DavedaHammer »

Gopher123 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:05 am
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 6:31 am
Gopher123 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:05 am Let’s also remember the CFL had a chance to be part of this. No crying over spilled milk now. They need to forge their own path moving forward on how to expand interest.
The CFL wasn't going to sell it's soul to a twice failed league that had nothing built up. How can a league build interest when it's buried behind a cable wall? it's shitty that ESPN is treating the CFL like red headed step-child.
The relationship the CFL has with ESPN expires after next week's Grey Cup. I will be glad to see another partner that wants help promote the CFL game
So the answer is to do nothing and blame/drop ESPN? I understand the purists not wanting to sell out but the league needs to start making some changes to grow the brand. We don’t know exactly what the proposals were in the meetings. Joining leagues might not have been the answer but they need to do something to get out of neutral. The clock is ticking.
Yes, go with a partner that will support and promote the CFL better. Go where you are wanted. It's just ESPN has too much on their plate to concentrate on the CFL. I'm okay for the CFL to move on from ESPN. I think they can find a better partner at a better price than what ESPN paid($200,000) them. Streaming is the new frontier. Time for the CFL to stake it's claim elsewhere. The NHL did the same, why can't the CFL do it too?
DavedaHammer
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by DavedaHammer »

4th&long wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 9:26 am
Gopher123 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:05 am
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 6:31 am

The CFL wasn't going to sell it's soul to a twice failed league that had nothing built up. How can a league build interest when it's buried behind a cable wall? it's shitty that ESPN is treating the CFL like red headed step-child.
The relationship the CFL has with ESPN expires after next week's Grey Cup. I will be glad to see another partner that wants help promote the CFL game
So the answer is to do nothing and blame/drop ESPN? I understand the purists not wanting to sell out but the league needs to start making some changes to grow the brand. We don’t know exactly what the proposals were in the meetings. Joining leagues might not have been the answer but they need to do something to get out of neutral. The clock is ticking.
9 out of 9 teams are in Canada. nuff said
There is talk of expansion in Halifax/Atlantic region. Halifax is dragging their feet on it citing stadium costs. But I say the CFL expands into northern US cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, Syracuse, Portland Ore, Seattle. Just need a couple of those cities I mentioned to revitalize the CFL.
DavedaHammer
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by DavedaHammer »

Tank55 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 9:16 am
laxtreme56 wrote: Mon Nov 14, 2022 8:54 am Look at these CFL on ESPN2 ratings. ESPN will live just fine without the CFL, they could replace it with bowling and draw 300k+. https://cflnewshub.com/cfl-news/cfl-202 ... -on-espn2/
Bingo.

The XFL and the USFL are made for TV leagues. The CFL is not. That's why they're treated differently.

If the CFL wants to be treated seriously in the US, move the season up two months.
Two months is too drastic. There is still winter in March. The CFL can shave off a couple of weeks and end it's season on Halloween. Can still play football in good weather conditions instead of the cold and snow as there was in Winnipeg and will be in Regina
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by GDAWG »

DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 10:09 pm
4th&long wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 9:26 am
Gopher123 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:05 am

So the answer is to do nothing and blame/drop ESPN? I understand the purists not wanting to sell out but the league needs to start making some changes to grow the brand. We don’t know exactly what the proposals were in the meetings. Joining leagues might not have been the answer but they need to do something to get out of neutral. The clock is ticking.
9 out of 9 teams are in Canada. nuff said
There is talk of expansion in Halifax/Atlantic region. Halifax is dragging their feet on it citing stadium costs. But I say the CFL expands into northern US cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, Syracuse, Portland Ore, Seattle. Just need a couple of those cities I mentioned to revitalize the CFL.
The Carrier Dome is used all year long and doesn't need a pro tenant.
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johnnyangryfuzzball
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 9:59 pm
Gopher123 wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 8:05 am
DavedaHammer wrote: Tue Nov 15, 2022 6:31 am

The CFL wasn't going to sell it's soul to a twice failed league that had nothing built up. How can a league build interest when it's buried behind a cable wall? it's shitty that ESPN is treating the CFL like red headed step-child.
The relationship the CFL has with ESPN expires after next week's Grey Cup. I will be glad to see another partner that wants help promote the CFL game
So the answer is to do nothing and blame/drop ESPN? I understand the purists not wanting to sell out but the league needs to start making some changes to grow the brand. We don’t know exactly what the proposals were in the meetings. Joining leagues might not have been the answer but they need to do something to get out of neutral. The clock is ticking.
Yes, go with a partner that will support and promote the CFL better. Go where you are wanted. It's just ESPN has too much on their plate to concentrate on the CFL. I'm okay for the CFL to move on from ESPN. I think they can find a better partner at a better price than what ESPN paid($200,000) them. Streaming is the new frontier. Time for the CFL to stake it's claim elsewhere. The NHL did the same, why can't the CFL do it too?
Because TSN and ESPN are locked in until 2025. Now, if it were Rogers, or the CBC, or even Global (the other three major media players in Canada), they wouldn't be stuck with ESPN. And as recently as 2007, that was the case: the CFL saw the importance of over-the-air TV and ensured part of their contract was on CBC, which also allowed them to pursue outside syndicators for their American coverage (it usually was America One, which distributed them to regional sports networks).

But the TSN/ESPN deal is exclusive, and I believe worldwide. And why do they do it? Because TSN does well in its native Canada with the CFL. They hold a monopoly on televising pro football in Canada now with the NFL, CFL and eventually the XFL. (They call it "Football Lives Here.") TSN pays tens of millions for that exclusivity and the CFL isn't willing to give that up any time soon, as they've secretly renewed it without ever considering other bids.
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johnnyangryfuzzball
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Re: Big Week Upcoming for XFL

Post by johnnyangryfuzzball »

I'll also add that they don't call ESPN "The Worldwide Leader in Sports" for nothing.

The NHL never recovered from leaving ESPN back in 2004. They had a few blips of success on NBC, including the early Winter Classics, but the ratings for sports clearly show a lot of favor to ESPN.
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