CFL concerns

As the CFL decision makers meet in the next few days they have a number of issues to address.

1--Announce or at least establish a reasonable time frame -when the new commissioner will take office

2---Announce the preliminary 2007 schedule {why not ?--they know the number of teams and how the division will be set up.Whats the delay?}

3---Make changes in the CFL game which will restore it to the level of being the most exciting game to watch {when compared with the NFL } They lost that position last year.

Here are the stats;

-The ratio of return TDs on kicks in the CFL in 06 was 1 in 24.The NFL was 1 in 10.The league {CFL} in total had only three returns.Compare that to the Chicago Bears who had five in the regular schedule.In 2005 the CFL ratio was 1 in every 5 while the NFL was 1 in 12.Perhaps it was the incessant flags on runbacks.that prevailed in 2006

----The CFL average points per game in 06 was 46.7 which was 7.2pts lower than 05.The NFL was consistent at 41.25 each year.

-----The CFL averaged 4 TDs per game in 06.Thats 1.7 TDs lower than in 05 .The NFL on the other hand ,increased its TD per game output to 5 in 06 from 4 in 05.

-------Nearly 32 per cent of the offensive scoring in the CFL in 06 came via the Field Goal{23 percent in 05}.The NFL was virtually static in this statistic in both 05 and 06 at 23 per cent

-In 2005 the CFL was more than 150 yards passing per game over the NFL {561 for the CFL over407 for the NFL} in 2006 the difference dropped to 100 yards per game.

If the CFL powers that be want to continue to receive staunch support of Canadian fans over the NFL they better address some of these statistics.That support is not unconditional.

Another factor is that the NFL has done a great job over the last eight years in gaining parity throughout the league. The CFL needs to bear that in mind when it comes to stocking the Ottawa team..the NHL went through a few expansions before they also realized everybody was better off when top calibre players were available in the draft providing more balance right away among all teams.

The CFL has some very bright volunteer decision makers involved with the individual clubs who are marketers deluxe in their own world and are aware of trends .Lets hope they apply some of that moxie to the CFL on field product.