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U Sports chief executive officer Pierre Arsenault says Canadian universities have the luxury of time to decide how they\u2019ll tackle impending change in the country\u2019s football landscape.\nOn Monday, CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston unveiled significant changes it will make over the next two years. In 2026, the league will eliminate single points from missed field goals, punts and kickoffs that clear the end zone \u2014 either through the air or on a bounce \u2014 while instituting a 35-second playclock and having teams\u2019 benches on either side of the field at all venues.
\nBut the most significant changes come in 2027, when the CFL will modify its fields. They\u2019ll be reduced from 110 yards to 100 yards, end zones will go from 20 yards to 15 yard and goalposts will be moved from the goal-line to the back of the reconfigured end zones.
\nArsenault said U Sports officials were apprised of the CFL\u2019s intentions Monday before Johnston\u2019s afternoon news conference at a Toronto hotel. He understands the CFL doing what it must to enhance its product but added Canadian universities will take their time to gather facts before discussing the future.
\n\u201cWe want to make sure in the time since the announcement that we communicate with member schools and conferences and just set the direction where we\u2019ll all talk about this,\u201d Arsenault said Tuesday. \u201cWe\u2019ll look at all of the vantage points for what\u2019s the direction that makes sense.
\n\u201cWhen you talk about the infrastructure, it could be really expensive certainly for the university system and then municipal and school board-run fields across the country. I think then it becomes a question of what\u2019s possible over what time span?\u201d
\nArsenault had no issue with U Sports not being involved directly in the CFL\u2019s discussion.
\n\u201cWe respect the fact it\u2019s a complex matter to discuss changes of this magnitude and they took the approach they felt they had to and that made sense,\u201d he said. \u201cNow we\u2019re on the other side of it with the information being out there and we\u2019ll do the same.\u201d
\nIt\u2019s estimated the cost to reconfigure a Canadian field to 100 yards with 15-yard end zones could be between $800,000 to $1-million per school. And that would be at a time when many Canadian universities are facing financial challenges.
\nMany artificial turfs have a lifespan of roughly 10 years and so schools budget accordingly. For those institutions that have recently installed a new field, the idea of having to pay for reconfiguration could result in the decision to keep playing on the surface until the time it was budgeted for replacement.
\nAnd if a field has numbers and lines stitched into it, there\u2019s the real possibility of having to purchase a new playing surface.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s premature to project what our system is going to decide about what field we\u2019ll use,\u201d Arsenault said. \u201cUltimately, that part aside, you\u2019d think we\u2019re heading into a phase here that could be a number of years, it could be prolonged where both types of fields exist at the university and amateur levels.
\n\u201cI think what might be a good starting point is the fundamental question, \u2018Is it going to be OK for leagues to play games that are on either field format?\u2019
\nLike U Sports, Football Canada will thoroughly review the CFL\u2019s changes before deciding the path it will follow.
\n\u201cTogether with our leadership and partners, we will evaluate these changes and thoroughly address their potential affect the amateur football ecosystem within Canada,\u201d it said in a statement.
\nU Sports is annually a major provider of football talent to the CFL, something Arsenault said is a source of pride for Canadian schools. However, universities haven\u2019t always adopted the same changes the CFL has \u2014 including the size of footballs used, where converts are kicked from and field hash marks.
\n\u201cSo there are differences now,\u201d he said. \u201cUltimately we\u2019re very proud of the connection and number of U Sports players that jump to the CFL.
\n\u201cWe want to make sure that pathway and those avenues are still there for our student-athletes.\u201d
\nThis summer, Laurier quarterback Taylor Elgersma, signed as an undrafted free agent with the NFL\u2019s Green Bay Packers. The 2024 Hec Crighton Trophy winner as Canadian university\u2019s top player performed well in training camp and exhibition games before being among the team\u2019s final cuts.
\n\u201cIf you look at Taylor Elgersma\u2019s story, he showed he can hang with any NFL player,\u201d Arsenault said. \u201cThe differences in the games weren\u2019t a barrier.\u201d
\nThis report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 23, 2025.<\/p>\n