The challenging side to the Canadian Football League adopting a playoff format where eight of nine teams reach the playoffs is obvious.
In a league already battling from a perception that the regular season doesn’t matter in a format where six of nine already make the playoffs, that problem is about to get worse.
And to casual fans or non-CFL fans, it’s going to be easy fodder for poking fun at the league, akin to the way folks used to do so about two teams named Rough Riders (or Roughriders.)
There are elements to the new format that are intriguing and the final month of games will all have some sort of implications for seeding. But the CFL schedule is essentially now one long exercise in seeding teams for a post-season tournament.
And while regular seasons are supposed to separate contenders from pretenders, in the CFL that will now happen in the playoffs.
The rollout of the playoff format was a little different from the announcement about new rules last September, with commissioner Stewart Johnston this time flanked by CFLPA Executive Director David Mackie sharing the spotlight in a show of support from the players.
There have been those in and around the CFL who have endorsed the new format by focusing on its virtues. But it’s hard to argue that going from six of nine teams making the playoffs to eight of nine is an improvement on its own.
So why did they do it?
Well, the answer to that comes down to the forever problem in the CFL - finding ways to raise new revenues.
There have been all kinds of initiatives over the years aimed at creating new revenue streams for the CFL, such as the global player initiative that was supposed to attract international sponsors and streamers. It didn’t.
But in a nine-team league based solely within Canada there are only so many ideas you can come up with.
And the new playoff format is the latest.
In adopting the new format, the CFL increases its number of playoff games per season by 80 per cent, going from five to nine in 2027 - a move made no doubt to improve the value of the league’s media deals which have been in negotiations this off-season.
The league knows exactly what those additional four playoff dates represent to the broadcast deal, as well as to the teams which will secure four additional home playoff dates.
And it’s decided the trade-off is worth it.
When the CFL announced changes to its rules and playing field last September, the aim was solely to improve the product, plain and simple. And any revenue growth that comes from that is theoretical and won’t be measurable for years.
In this case of the new playoff format, it’s not so much a case of it being improved as it is being re-engineered to drive more revenue.
And the price for that is the potential of having a 5-13 Grey Cup champion.
All of which should inspire the league to prioritize expansion to ten teams as soon as possible because with more teams, the new playoff format more palatable.
Of course, a big part of the reason the league hasn’t expanded within Canada in more than 60 years is a business model that’s made profitability a challenge for most teams.
And it is Johnston’s job to improve that, which is exactly what he’s done in this case.
If that moves the needle far enough to attract new investors for expansion to grow the league, is it worth it?
This latest change may not be to everyone’s fancy, but the financial windfall for teams and players is real.
And in a league where creating new revenue streams has been a tough, tough mountain to climb, that’s what’s going to carry the day.
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music, Soaps
http://almosthuman99.com
Babe Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/babes/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month - Vote Now!
http://almosthuman99.com/polls/hunks/hunkofthemonth.html
No comments:
Post a Comment