Photo courtesy: Bob Butrym/RFB Sport Photography
The Canadian Football League is in the midst of reviewing all aspects of its game and it appears the replay centre will be a topic of conversation this offseason.
“Game flow is critically important. I think every league in the world of a similar nature — not just football — is trying to simplify that type of process,” CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston said during his State of the League address in Winnipeg.
“I know at the winter meetings in January we will go over how do we keep the excellence of what we do, but simplify the process and move that game flow faster.”
The league’s replay centre, formerly known as the command centre, underwent a change in mandate last year to focus on what the league called its “clear and obvious principle.” The alteration was made amid considerable fan blowback and limited replay officials to overturning plays only when provided with an unobstructed view of the action and unmistakable evidence of an error.
The replay centre recently came under criticism again, this time from B.C. Lions owner Amar Doman. The lumber magnate took to social media to post a screenshot of Tommy Nield’s game-winning touchdown from the West Final with the caption “not a catch,” a sentiment later echoed by general manager Ryan Rigmaiden.
Trevor Harris, Saskatchewan’s franchise quarterback, kicked off Grey Cup week dismissing the complaints from Vancouver, telling Doman and the Lions to “get over it.” He also indicated he wasn’t even aware the play had been under review until the head official announced Nield’s touchdown was upheld by the replay centre.
This is a common complaint among CFL fans: it’s wholly unclear when the replay centre will or won’t halt play to conduct a review. Coaches challenges are one thing, but the replay official sometimes butts in at odd moments.
These disruptions are a problem given Johnston’s commitment to game flow, which was cited as one of the reasons to change to a 35-second play clock next year.
The importance of game flow is actually baked into the CFL’s rulebook. On page 68, where the replay guidelines are outlined, it says the replay centre must not cause “significant delays to the flow of the game” in the very first sentence.
While the goal is to have fast, smooth-moving football games, the league’s arguably in a no-win situation. If the officials get something wrong — which they always will at least occasionally, since they’re human beings — everyone expects a correction. If the replay centre steps in to correct something, everyone expects it to happen instantly.
Johnston, who remains in his first year on the job, strongly believes in the league’s officials and pointed out that the parameters of review aren’t merely an issue in the CFL.
“I believe we have world-class referees and part of what I’ve really enjoyed learning is dealing with football operations and dealing with our crew of referees. I watch them week in and week out doing one of the hardest jobs I can imagine and they do it exceptionally well. We have very strict review of every play in every game and it is impressive how effective they are,” said Johnston.
“The replay centre is trying to support those incredible referees with anything that might be clear and obvious that might be missed. I sat and watched a full game in the replay centre just to get a sense of what that was like. I was incredibly impressed with the communication that happens from that crew down to the field.”
As for how the replay centre will look in 2026, one might say that’s still under review.