Is a CFL-NFL merger coming in the future?

[Jerome007]

10 hours ago, Red Squirrel said:

When I've watched CFL over the years, I have often wondered how much the humongous field devalues the in-person fan experience.

Awful.  A friend had perfect tickets and invited me. At the 50 yard line (55 is the middle number...), and lower echelon but high enough. And I still felt far from the action compared to the Bills game I've been to. The field is longer and larger, so you're far regardless where you are.

 

Hey, there are likely some rules that are better or more exciting, but in the end, it's ridiculous. So I'm from Québec, we speak French (at least 80%). We are of course VERY influenced by American culture, customs and all, but because of the language difference, also have sa little bit of our own, some influence from France and Europe. But English Canadians? What makes them different from their US counterparts in the same West-Center-East zones? Next to nothing. So they have to compensate. Molson Canadian, Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire aren't exactly true differentiators.

So ridiculous how the rule differences are made everywhere and deliberately. Think  about this: different field size, 12 players instead of 11, 3 minute warning (!), different time stops between plays, 3 downs, and on and on. Only two countries truly play football, and they use different rules! 

A merger of the "spring league" and CFL would likely be good for players who are just below NFL level, with just a few getting to the big league after a few years there. But at least it gives them a way to play football. Would the NFL care? I don't think so. The NCAA is enough to fill the talent pool, and the looooong days without football (over 200!) create a huge buzz when the season is on.

[BigAl2526]

I could see the NFL trying to set up some form of farm system with the CFL.  Changing the Canadian game to be more like NFL rules would make the transition back and forth easier.  A formal relationship might allow for expansion of the CFL.

[Einstein]

25 minutes ago, BigAl2526 said:

I could see the NFL trying to set up some form of farm system with the CFL.  Changing the Canadian game to be more like NFL rules would make the transition back and forth easier.  A formal relationship might allow for expansion of the CFL.

 

I understand why, logically, people think the NFL would want a farm system.

 

But the they don’t.

 

The NFL wants more revenue. And only way to get more revenue, is to produce more of the thing that makes revenue. Games. And the only way to produce more games is to have more teams.

 

Creating a farm system does not help any of that. 

[4th&long]

15 hours ago, Einstein said:

I found it interesting that the CFL announced many changes today that essentially makes their game more similar to the NFL.

 

Shrunk their field to 100 yards. Moved goalposts to the back of the endzone. Shrunk the endzone to make them closer to NFL size. Changed the play clock from 20 seconds to 35 seconds. etc

 

Conspiracy theory without any evidence: They are getting people ready for full NFL fields and rules when the leagues merge at some point in the next decade.

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/the-cfl-will-shrink-its-field-from-110-yards-to-100-among-other-changes

That two bit league? No way. 

[GerstAusGosheim]

There aren't 32 good QBs in the league, they can't add more teams.

[Augie]

9 minutes ago, GerstAusGosheim said:

There aren't 32 good QBs in the league, they can't add more teams.

 

If we are going by the Good QB Count, they may need to consider contraction. 

[Big Turk]

because we desperately need this rule added apparently?

 

 

 

[Augie]

1 hour ago, Big Turk said:

because we desperately need this rule added apparently?

 

 

 

 

It would affect ST because you’d want to have a guy back there to prevent that generally (I think?), but what does that open you up to? I think of that as a CFL Power Play if they put a man back to avoid that point. Do they have an empty net play as well? Maybe put a Safety in snow shoes?  We do that sometimes! 

 

I kid, I love our neighbors living in our attic. Kathleen Madigan does a very funny bit on that. 

 

I seem to recall the Chiefs used to put a super tall guy who could really jump back at the goalposts on long FGAs. Anyone else remember that? 

[Big Turk]

14 minutes ago, Augie said:

 

It would affect ST because you’d want to have a guy back there to prevent that generally (I think?), but what does that open you up to? I think of that as a CFL Power Play if they put a man back to avoid that point. Do they have an empty net play as well? Maybe put a Safety in snow shoes?  We do that sometimes! 

 

I kid, I love our neighbors living in our attic. Kathleen Madigan does a very funny bit on that. 

 

I seem to recall the Chiefs used to put a super tall guy who could really jump back at the goalposts on long FGAs. Anyone else remember that? 

 

How could you prevent it when kickers can simply kick the ball well into the stands?

[Augie]

10 minutes ago, Big Turk said:

 

How could you prevent it when kickers can simply kick the ball well into the stands?

 

I’m only talking about very long kicks, which don’t even have to be made to earn points. 

[Nester]

For some context on the huge disparity between the leagues. 

 

The entire CFL payroll is $54mm.   Less per year than what Josh is paid. 

 

They cant afford more payroll, a merger cant work. 

 

NFL could buy them, that might be fun, but they cant merge. 

 

 

[WotAGuy]

This is putting lipstick on a pig. I’d bang her but I ain’t marrying her. 

[Buffalo716]

Not gonna happen 

 

CFL will not allow an NFL franchise on Canadian territory 

 

And the CFL doesn't have the payroll to pay for an NFL team

[BillsFanForever19]

8 hours ago, Einstein said:

What an absolutely useless post. You knew the point I was making (as did everyone

 else) but instead you chose to waste board space with this nonsense. 

 

Do they?

 

Bc there's posts taking it to mean acquisition as a separate developmental league and posts talking about Canadian teams in the NFL - whether that be expansion teams or taking on CFL teams in a straight up merger.

 

There's even someone at the top of this page saying almost verbatim what I did in my "useless" post. But please, continue to gatekeep the precious public "board space" for replies you don't like on your posts.

[FireChans]

21 hours ago, Einstein said:

I found it interesting that the CFL announced many changes today that essentially makes their game more similar to the NFL.

 

Shrunk their field to 100 yards. Moved goalposts to the back of the endzone. Shrunk the endzone to make them closer to NFL size. Changed the play clock from 20 seconds to 35 seconds. etc

 

Conspiracy theory without any evidence: They are getting people ready for full NFL fields and rules when the leagues merge at some point in the next decade.

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/the-cfl-will-shrink-its-field-from-110-yards-to-100-among-other-changes

The CFL wishes.

 

the nfl doesn’t touch money losers.

[Einstein]

50 minutes ago, FireChans said:

The CFL wishes.

 

the nfl doesn’t touch money losers.

 

They touch the Jaguars 😂

[Freddie's Dead]

That will essentially kill off what makes the CFL unique.  It's a shame, really.

[Thurman#1]

On 9/24/2025 at 12:00 PM, LEBills said:

Doubt the NFL would be interested. Probably more profitable to grant an expansion team to Toronto and Vancouver and collect the associated fees.

 

IMO they are trying to have it look more like American Football so more Americans will want to watch it on TV.

 

 

This.

 

Probably three cities in Canada anywhere close to enough of an economic / population base to think about supporting an NFL team.

 

Getting Americans to watch might be a reason for this. Or making it even more of a development league for the NFL. 

 

I wonder if this will work out for them.

[ProcessTruster]

On 9/23/2025 at 11:10 PM, GASabresIUFan said:

Maybe the CFL becomes an NFL minor league after merging with the spring football league (whatever it is called this year).  

makes sense... summer football in Canada, pretty much what CFL does now to some extent, although their season runs from June into November.. not sure how that gets fixed .  also, CFL is pretty popular in many Canandian cities, plus if CFL had NFL talent, those players would be in the NFL 

[djp14150]

On 9/23/2025 at 10:55 PM, Einstein said:

I found it interesting that the CFL announced many changes today that essentially makes their game more similar to the NFL.

 

Shrunk their field to 100 yards. Moved goalposts to the back of the endzone. Shrunk the endzone to make them closer to NFL size. Changed the play clock from 20 seconds to 35 seconds. etc

 

Conspiracy theory without any evidence: They are getting people ready for full NFL fields and rules when the leagues merge at some point in the next decade.

 

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/the-cfl-will-shrink-its-field-from-110-yards-to-100-among-other-changes

They could be a minor league  where 4 teams feed one CFL club with developmental players.