The Canadian Football League season ends tonight with the 113th Grey Cup. Much of the country will be watching this annual tradition.
Americans make a big deal of their national championship. The Super Bowl has to be identified by Roman numerals to show just how important it is. The next one, Super Bowl LXI will be played on February 14.
Which, when you think about it, means Canadians were celebrating our national football championship for 52 years before the Americans got the idea to copy us. Sometimes things move slowly to the south of us.
However, this may be the last Grey Cup game I watch. The game is changing.
The powers that be have decided that the game needs to become more like its American cousin. Despite the Canadian game being the older version of football. This year there were some minor changes to the rules. Next year the big ones are coming.
The field will shrink, from 110 yards to 100. The end zone will also contract from 20 to 15 yards. The goalposts will move from the goal line to the back of the end zone. Just like in the USA. There are also a number of less dramatic changes.
All of this is supposedly to increase scoring and make the game more exciting. Apparently those in charge have never watched a CFL game. It is so much more interesting (and higher scoring) than the bland NFL version offered in the US.
Were the fans surveyed about the changes? Not that I am aware of. Are a lot of people upset? That I am aware of – and I am one of them.
The cynic in me says the changes are to make it easier for American players adapt to the Canadian game when they come here to play. There have been some much heralded American stars who never did figure out the rules here.
The fans will of course adapt to the changes. We always do. Those who run professional sports count on that. The customer isn’t a factor to be considered because there is no other game in town.
It will be interesting to see if the fans do indeed stay away next season in protest. I didn’t buy any tickets this year – and before the announced changes I was planning on renewing my season subscription. I have no plans to attend games in 2027. Though, given the nature of sports fans, I am probably in the minority.
Tonight though I will let next year take care of itself. I will have some friends over for some great food and watch the best team in the West take on the best team in the East. I’m expecting a great game, though it may be the last one that will be truly “Canadian” football.
