earlier season

[zark]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatche ... -1.2434449

CFL's Cohon mulls earlier season start to avoid winter
CFL Commissioner Mark Cohon says the time has come to look at the league schedule with an eye to an earlier start so as to avoid playing games in sub-zero weather.

This year's Grey Cup, the championship game, is being played in Regina where the temperature Wednesday hovered around -20 C throughout the day. There was also a windchill that made it feel even colder, around -30.

The forecast for the Sunday game, which will start at 5 p.m. CST - right around sunset in Regina - calls for warmer temperatures with a daytime high of -1 .

Cohon said Wednesday he hopes to get feedback from fans about the CFL schedule during an event Thursday.

"That's one of the questions we're going to be asking fans: can we move it up earlier in June?" Cohon told CBC News. "And it's something we're going to consider 'cause from a business perspective, we want our stadiums to be full and if it's -20, it's more difficult. So it's something we're going to contemplate."

Might not be a bad idea. I hate teams making excuses. We can't keep having games in Vanc., TO, or Mont.

[sj-roc]

Just leave it where it is and let global warming run its course.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/nfl-me ... s-oc,2340/

[David]

We have a very powerful owner who knows that a June start date would be horrible for business in this market. End of story.


DH

[notahomer]

Okay..... you avoid the weather but other things come into play. I know Canadian teams have not been long in the NHL playoffs (save the Canucks last run) lately but they are still popular. I think a shift in season may help not having to compete as much head/head with the NFL. I know the leagues have different but sometimes overlapping fanbases but still not playing at the same time they do may help.

IMO, the days of watching players shiver in front of heaters IS NOT something I want to go away. I want to see wind and weather impact the game. I don't want it to decide the game but impact it, for sure.......

[TheLionKing]

Okay..... you avoid the weather but other things come into play. I know Canadian teams have not been long in the NHL playoffs (save the Canucks last run) lately but they are still popular. I think a shift in season may help not having to compete as much head/head with the NFL. I know the leagues have different but sometimes overlapping fanbases but still not playing at the same time they do may help.

IMO, the days of watching players shiver in front of heaters IS NOT something I want to go away. I want to see wind and weather impact the game. I don't want it to decide the game but impact it, for sure.......

I agree. Any earlier start you will be competing with the NHL playoffs.

[Spud387]

Okay..... you avoid the weather but other things come into play. I know Canadian teams have not been long in the NHL playoffs (save the Canucks last run) lately but they are still popular. I think a shift in season may help not having to compete as much head/head with the NFL. I know the leagues have different but sometimes overlapping fanbases but still not playing at the same time they do may help.

IMO, the days of watching players shiver in front of heaters IS NOT something I want to go away. I want to see wind and weather impact the game. I don't want it to decide the game but impact it, for sure.......

I agree. Any earlier start you will be competing with the NHL playoffs.

Bingo! This is why I think its a bad idea to start earlier.

[sj-roc]

Okay..... you avoid the weather but other things come into play. I know Canadian teams have not been long in the NHL playoffs (save the Canucks last run) lately but they are still popular. I think a shift in season may help not having to compete as much head/head with the NFL. I know the leagues have different but sometimes overlapping fanbases but still not playing at the same time they do may help.

IMO, the days of watching players shiver in front of heaters IS NOT something I want to go away. I want to see wind and weather impact the game. I don't want it to decide the game but impact it, for sure.......

I agree. Any earlier start you will be competing with the NHL playoffs.

Bingo! This is why I think its a bad idea to start earlier.

We already are competing to some extent. 2-1/2 years ago the Canucks' Stanley Cup Final game 7 loss to the Bruins was played on the same night as the Lions' first preseason game — which happened to be on the road against the Cgy. If this game had been played here, the stands at Empire Field prob would have been nearly empty that night.

[Rammer]

Okay..... you avoid the weather but other things come into play. I know Canadian teams have not been long in the NHL playoffs (save the Canucks last run) lately but they are still popular. I think a shift in season may help not having to compete as much head/head with the NFL. I know the leagues have different but sometimes overlapping fanbases but still not playing at the same time they do may help.

IMO, the days of watching players shiver in front of heaters IS NOT something I want to go away. I want to see wind and weather impact the game. I don't want it to decide the game but impact it, for sure.......

I agree. Any earlier start you will be competing with the NHL playoffs.

Bingo! This is why I think its a bad idea to start earlier.

Plus the league gates only really kick in come Labour Day and beyond, so anything earlier just affects the post LD gate revenue. Bad idea, just stop holding playoffs on the Prairies....do you hear that Benevides.

[B.C.FAN]

The league usually moves the Grey Cup up a week when it's held on the Prairies. November weather isn't a major concern in B.C., Ontario or Quebec, which are home to five of the nine teams next year. This year is an exception in that the Grey Cup is being played on the traditional last Sunday in November, but at least it's Nov. 24. Next year's game at B.C. Place is scheduled for Nov. 30. There may be a West Final in Calgary or Regina on Nov. 23, but the Lions can solve that problem if they can finish first in the West.

It's often said that the CFL season doesn't really begin until after Labour Day. In this market, that's certainly how the fans think of it. An ideal schedule would see the Lions play five Saturday night games after Labour Day and host a playoff game. Even with an open roof at B.C. Place, it's tough to draw fans in the summer when many people are out of town or enjoying the outdoors. Holding training camp in May and playing league games in mid-June would put the CFL up against the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Also, June in Vancouver has been called Junuary because of the prevailing cool, damp weather. It's bad enough bundling up in a rain jacket and huddling under an umbrella at training camp in early June, which I do every year. Lions' players often suffer a rash of hamstring and other injuries in training camp due to the cool, wet conditions. Forcing players to practise in those conditions for another two weeks would be a health risk and would make it extremely difficult to properly evaluate players.

[Coast Mountain Lion]

While the NFL goes deeper into winter (and the NHL almost into summer). I'd rather go later. If the NFL can have playoff games in Philadelphia in January, the CFL can play in Regina in December.

[notahomer]

While the NFL goes deeper into winter (and the NHL almost into summer). I'd rather go later. If the NFL can have playoff games in Philadelphia in January, the CFL can play in Regina in December.

I agree!

Its weird to me that the NFL does all that it can to hold the SuperBowl in 'warmer' cities. IOW, the teams meeting in the Superbowl can win their conferences in snow blizzards but 'THE GAME' will be played in short sleeve weather (or a dome).....

[cromartie]

The CFL season should always run from Canada Day through the week before American Thanksgiving. No sense in fixing what isn't broken.