called the planned modifications<\/a> \u201cgarbage.\u201d<\/p>\n“What we’re moving toward is not Canadian football, the game I grew up loving,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
While the CFL is changing, it\u2019s up in the air whether all of Canadian football will change with it. U Sports, the governing body for Canadian University sports, has yet to decide if they will adopt the CFL\u2019s upcoming rule changes.<\/p>\n
In response to the CFL\u2019s initial announcement, U Sports released a statement asserting that they would \u201cbegin engaging with [their] members and stakeholders \u2026 to determine the ramifications for U Sports football, and the best course of action\u201d.<\/p>\n
The impact of this decision would affect the majority of large universities within Canada, including UBC, all of which fall under the domain of U Sports. While an air of uncertainty abounds, for those actually working in and playing the game, some changes may be more welcome than others \u2014 especially those occurring in 2026.<\/p>\n
As of this year, the CFL will stop using its 20-second play clock, which is manually initiated by an official, often creating inconsistencies, and replace it with an automatic 35-second countdown that begins when the prior play is whistled dead.<\/p>\n
I appreciate the fact that they\u2019re trying to change the game but still keep \u2026 appreciation for the Canadian game and how it differs from America.<\/p>\n
\n\u2014 Kieran Flannery-Fleck, kicker, UBC Football\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way they want to change the [play] clock, I think, is a good decision,\u201d said the head coach of UBC\u2019s football team, Blake Nill. \u201cI wish U Sports would do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another 2026 rule change will mandate the locations of team benches.<\/p>\n
Some CFL stadiums currently place opposing team benches on the same sideline, with the teams right next to each other. Starting next season, this will change, as the league will require benches positioned on opposite sides of the field. This arrangement is not just in-line with common procedure for the NFL, but also already used in some Canadian venues, like UBC\u2019s Thunderbird Stadium. Ideally, having benches on opposite sides will smooth out substitutions, preventing situations where a team\u2019s bench is dozens of yards downfield of the line of scrimmage.<\/p>\n
Having managed the bench of a CFL team himself as the head coach of the CFL\u2019s Montreal Alouettes from 2019\u20132022, UBC offensive coordinator Khari Jones has plenty of experience to draw on when judging this change. He approves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe one rule change that I love \u2026 is both teams on opposite sides,\u201d said Jones. \u201cTo have teams on the same side has always been ridiculous to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
In the only direct modification to how the game is scored, 2026 will also see adjustments to the rouge. Unique to Canadian football, the rouge is a single point awarded to the kicking team when a punt, kickoff or missed field goal travels into the receiving team\u2019s end zone and is not returned to the field of play.<\/p>\n
For instance, according to current CFL rules, a kicking team might earn a rouge if a punt sails through the back of the end zone, or if the returner goes down in the end zone. However, under the modified rules, a rouge will no longer be earned when a field goal misses wide of the goalposts or when a punt or kickoff travels through the end zone. Instead, the point will only be awarded if the kick is received by a returner who either gives himself up or is tackled in his own end zone.<\/p>\n
As someone who has kicked plenty of rouges himself, UBC kicker and punter Kieran Flannery-Fleck is in favour of this particular alteration.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom a kicker\u2019s perspective, I was never really a fan of the rouge,\u201d he said. \u201cI didn\u2019t really love the fact that \u2026 you\u2019d be awarded a point for a missed field goal.\u201d<\/p>\n
For many in the CFL community, the 2027 rule adjustments are the real source of apprehension. This final wave of modifications will alter the gridiron, shortening the field of play from 110 to 100 yards and the end zones from 20 to 15 yards. Goalposts will also be relocated from the front of the end zones to the back.<\/p>\n
Though CFL fields will remain about 10 yards wider than those south of the border, these new dimensions evoke the NFL, where teams play on a 100-yard-long field with 10-yard end zones and the uprights at the back. These changes are core to the sentiment that the CFL is becoming more like the American game.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what Canada\u2019s known for,\u201d said Flannery-Fleck. \u201cWe have the big end zones, which are now going to be smaller. We have [a] wide and long field, which is now going to be smaller. I don\u2019t love it, because I feel like you\u2019re just changing the Canadian game and making it more American.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the Canadian game,\u201d said Jones, an American and former CFL quarterback. \u201cI’ve been up here now since 1997, playing and coaching, and made my career up here. And I really love the way the game is played. I love the field dimensions \u2026 I don’t want to see that change.\u201d<\/p>\n
The field alterations could transform the style of football played in the CFL \u2014 much more substantively than the 2026 changes. As Commissioner Johnston put it, the CFL is \u201ctrading field goals for touchdowns.\u201d In other words, by shortening the field, the league is de-emphasizing special teams \u2014 which has historically been more prevalent in the CFL than NFL \u2014 in favour of play that is considered more exciting.<\/p>\n
They\u2019ve taken the opinion that these changes will help fan experience, in an attempt to increase ticket sales. But it won\u2019t impact the athlete\u2019s ability to play the game or to transition [to the CFL].<\/p>\n
\n\u2014 Blake Nill, head coach, UBC Football\n<\/p>\n
By decreasing the distance to the goal line while increasing the distance to the goalposts, the CFL hopes to limit situations where teams can settle for a field goal, instead creating more scenarios where teams are scoring touchdowns or attempting third-down conversions. Shortening the field may also lessen the importance of starting field position and, consequently for kickers, special teams play as a whole.<\/p>\n
\u201cKicking is such a massive part of football, and Canadian football more so than American, so it\u2019s too bad that it\u2019s changing,\u201d said Flannery-Fleck. \u201cYou have to be optimistic about it in the sense that it\u2019s going to be higher-scoring games \u2014 maybe kickers are going to be relied on more.\u201d<\/p>\n
While the rule changes will also impact offensive and defensive play, it is more as a reaction to the lessened importance of special teams. Because kicking has been disincentivized, both units will need to prepare for an increase in third-down attempts around the 40 to 30-yard line.<\/p>\n
\u201c[Currently,] once you hit the 40-yard line or so \u2026 you\u2019re kind of in field goal range. You\u2019re still playing two downs and kick,\u201d said Jones.<\/p>\n
However, pushing the goalposts back means that attempts from this area will no longer be in safe range for most CFL kickers. Rather than punting in enemy territory, most teams will likely opt to go for it. From a scheming perspective, Jones would have to \u201cbe more creative\u201d inside the 40, with the knowledge that the region is three-down territory.<\/p>\n
The new field dimensions will also impact how teams approach plays near the end zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be more congested down there when you get down to the three, four or five-yard line,\u201d said Jones. \u201cYou\u2019ll probably start seeing things similar to the NFL, where it is a little tougher to score because it\u2019s condensed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fortunately for offences, the goalposts will no longer be an obstacle in the end zone \u2014 removing the uprights from the front of the end zone will \u201copen the playbook a little bit more, close to the goal line,\u201d according to Jones.<\/p>\n
However, while modifying the field will bring significant changes to the strategy and identity of the game, it may have even greater consequences for the youth and amateur level of Canadian football.<\/p>\n
U Sports now faces a dilemma. CFL stadiums are used by several university teams, including the University of Calgary Dinos and the University of Regina Rams, who share a conference with UBC. By the time CFL fields are renovated in 2027, either these teams will have to relocate to fields with the original, 110-yard length, or U Sports will have to adopt the CFL\u2019s new field dimensions nationwide.<\/p>\n
U Sports may be exploring some middle-ground solutions \u2014 for example, converting individual conferences to the CFL\u2019s dimensions \u2014 but it is highly unlikely that such a situation would be feasible long-term. The organization must also consider whether or not to implement the CFL\u2019s other changes, irrespective of the field. Nill and others at UBC believe that the U Sports will maintain its current field dimensions.<\/p>\n
\u201cUniversities are not going to assume the cost of changing fields,\u201d said Nill. \u201cI cannot see there being a lot of interest at the administrative levels [in] spending money to change the way the game of football is played.\u201d<\/p>\n
If U Sports decides to make the switch, the necessary field modifications would cost around $800K to $1 million per university \u2014 a tall ask on a tight budget.<\/p>\n
Of course, upholding the field dimensions poses its own complications, particularly for the universities sharing venues with CFL teams. For instance, Nill pointed out that McMahon Stadium is owned by the University of Calgary, but the CFL\u2019s Calgary Stampeders are \u201cits biggest client.\u201d The university will likely have to choose between losing the Stampeders or relocating the Dinos, the latter being more beneficial.<\/p>\n
At UBC, there has been little discussion between the administration and the football team about potential field changes. For now, it seems like decision-makers are confident that the new CFL rules will not result in significant changes for the school.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s going to move the needle one bit,\u201d Nill said. \u201cI would be surprised if it did.\u201d<\/p>\n
U Sports may still choose to adopt the CFL\u2019s smaller rule changes, like the modified rouge, without altering the gridiron. If Nill, Jones and Flannery-Fleck are any indication, these new rules would be welcomed by many and hardly impact the game as a whole.<\/p>\n
More pressingly, if U Sports does not adjust its fields, the 2027 season will mark a sudden divergence between Canadian university football and the CFL, the primary destination for U Sports athletes aiming to play professionally. The gravity of this depends on where you stand on the field.<\/p>\n
As a kicker, Flannery-Fleck believes that the new rules will initially favour prospects from American schools, where the uprights are already at the back of the end zone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Canadian field goal kickers will have more of an adjustment,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t know if \u2026 Americans would have a complete advantage. But \u2026 I think it\u2019s going to be a bit of a rough patch for Canadian guys coming out of U Sports, because guys coming out of college in the States, they\u2019re used to this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having experienced the American field at NCAA camps, the difference in the goalpost placement was notable for Flannery-Fleck. \u201cVisually, you\u2019re just not used to it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Kickers aren\u2019t the only ones who will be affected. The drastic changes to special teams matter more broadly, because that phase of the game has often been a stepping-stone for U Sports players getting into the CFL.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be an adjustment for everybody, especially because \u2026 in the CFL, they recruit U Sports players mostly to play special teams at first,\u201d said Flannery-Fleck.<\/p>\n
Comparatively, Jones, who has spent his extensive career on offence, foresees little change in the pathway from U Sports to the CFL. \u201cI think the biggest thing is it’ll be maybe a little tougher to evaluate [players],\u201d he said. \u201cThe way the game is played is still going to be similar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike the kicker position, Jones felt that the rule changes would not make the CFL more friendly to quarterbacks from stateside.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeeping the width, keeping the 12 guys out there, it\u2019s still going to be an adjustment,\u201d said Jones. \u201cIt\u2019s still going to take some time for most of them.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u2019s speaking from experience \u2014 Jones played quarterback at an NCAA college in America before winding up in the CFL.<\/p>\n
Nill believes that the rule changes aren\u2019t significant enough to affect the overall experience \u2014 especially given that most of the CFL\u2019s players already come from American schools \u2014 emphasizing that the adjustments are targeted at the audience.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ve taken the opinion that these changes will help fan experience, in an attempt to increase ticket sales,\u201d said Nill. \u201cBut it won\u2019t impact the athlete\u2019s ability to play the game or to transition [to the CFL].\u201d<\/p>\n
Yet, in pursuit of audience growth, the CFL has upset much of its current fan base. A petition<\/a> imploring the CFL to delay the rule changes has acquired nearly 8,000 signatures. They state, \u201cThe CFL is not just a game; it is a cultural institution woven into Canada’s fabric. \u2026 Our league should not surrender its identity or abandon the elements that differentiate Canadian football from its southern counterpart.\u201d<\/p>\nI love the Canadian game. I’ve been up here now since 1997, playing and coaching, and made my career up here. And I really love the way the game is played \u2026 I don’t want to see that change.<\/p>\n
\n\u2014 Khari Jones, offensive coordinator, UBC Football\n<\/p>\n
Flannery-Fleck, a lifelong CFL fan, offered a more optimistic view. \u201cI appreciate the fact that they\u2019re trying to change the game but still keep \u2026 appreciation for the Canadian game and how it differs from America.\u201d<\/p>\n
For now, the CFL will be keeping some of its more unique features, namely three downs, 12 men and a wider field. Both Flannery-Fleck and Jones expressed hopes that these aspects of the game would remain intact.<\/p>\n
The \u201cAmericanization\u201d of the game is difficult to deny, but changes to the sport, even those inspired by the American game, are nothing new.<\/p>\n
In the early 20th Century, Canadian football was influenced by an influx of American players and coaches. For example, American player Frank Shaughnessy, who became a football coach at McGill in 1912, is credited with bringing the concept of the forward pass to Canada.<\/p>\n
More recently 2023, the CFL moved its playoff games to Saturday to avoid conflict with the NFL\u2019s Sunday games. For similar reasons, the CFL had previously moved its doubleheaders to Friday and Saturday.<\/p>\n
The flow of influence isn\u2019t one-sided. In the 1990s, the CFL briefly expanded to the States, placing teams in a handful of American cities. The Baltimore Stallions \u2014 named after the NFL\u2019s former Baltimore Colts \u2014 were especially prosperous. In 1995, they set the CFL record for the most wins in a single season and became the only non-Canadian team to win a Grey Cup, all while ranking second in attendance numbers across the league.<\/p>\n
A month after the Stallions\u2019 Grey Cup win, the NFL announced plans to return to Baltimore, likely influenced by the CFL\u2019s success within the city. The Baltimore Ravens debuted a year later, won the Super Bowl in their fifth season, and have remained one of the winningest NFL teams of all time. To avoid competing directly with the NFL, the Stallions moved to Montreal, becoming the present-day Alouettes.<\/p>\n
The Baltimore situation encapsulates the symbiotic, sometimes antagonistic, relationship between the CFL and NFL.<\/p>\n
For over a century, American and Canadian football have evolved alongside each other, making adjustments according to the other\u2019s influence. The upcoming rule changes are a more extreme extension of that pattern.<\/p>\n
Still, one has to question rules that are more focused on growing viewership than improving player experience, and risk the league\u2019s current fans for the prospect of new ones.<\/p>\n
Only time will tell if the CFL\u2019s rule modifications are for the better or worse. For now, the CFL community will enjoy one more year before the field, and the game they love, is changed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What makes Canadian football \u2018Canadian\u2019? Perhaps it’s purely about the physical location: Canadian-based organizations in Canadian communities participating…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":472445,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[437],"tags":[49,48,521,522,520,82],"class_list":["post-472444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cfl","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canadian-football-league","tag-canadianfootballleague","tag-cfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472444\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/472445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}