Week 2 of the NFL is well underway, and as I settle in for a long afternoon of football and writing, I can’t help but ponder the future of football in Canada.
The CFL has seen a big resurgence in recent years. In fact, not a season has gone by in the last decade where we haven’t heard about average attendance numbers going up. But as much as we’ve re-learned to love Canadian pigskin in recent years, it’s unlikely that you’ll ever find a CFL fan that isn’t an NFL fan too. Despite this, Canada has never had an NFL team.
We’re in the NHL, NBA, MLB and even the MLS (go Toronto FC!) — the only major American league we don’t have representation in is the NFL. But do we need to? The Bills seem to think so.
Since 2008, the Bills have been playing both a pre-season game and a regular season game in Toronto. It makes sense, since the team has a pretty strong fanbase in Southern Ontario — but it also feels a little like testing the waters. Due to economic problems in the Buffalo area, the Bills have to keep their ticket prices far lower than their competition. A move to Toronto would address this — after all, look at how much we’re willing to pay for Leafs tickets. 😛
Whether it’s the Bills, Toronto, or any other mix — would you want to see the NFL in Canada? Or are you happy to have the CFL in your backyard, watching American Football from a comfortable distance?
As I type this I’m watching the Packers pummel the Bills. Keep that in mind before you cast your vote for the NFL’s most lovable losers. (for more info on seeing the Bills in Toronto, check out the official website.)
Would love to have the NFL in Canada…DH and I love the Dallas Cowboys, and don’t care at all for the CFL.
I’m a CFL fan and I have no interest whatsoever in the NFL, any more than I have an interest in New Zealand league rugby or Japanese league baseball. By all means, let them play their games; let us play ours.
The Bills games in Toronto have been interesting, in a way, though — despite all the marketing and hype, the numbers of fans have steadily declined, and the prices they were willing to charge for tickets declined as well. It remains to be seen whether the NFL will want to risk getting involved in an undersized venue, with such a soft fanbase.
I would love a Canadian NFL team (especially if it was in Toronto so I could go) but I as I am not a Bills fan, and they haven’t played a team I feel is worth paying to see, we haven’t gone to a Bills in Toronto game.
It is not a smart idea for a Canadian NFL team.
#1 – Ticket prices will be way too high, it’s way cheaper to go to the closest NFL home team
#2 – We already have the CFL which is CANADA’s Footbal league
#3 – Look at the Raptors….ya, enuff said.
I couldn’t care less about football. There’s enough of it on TV as it is without adding a whole other bunch in.
No….love the Argos!!!
I love football, NFL not CFL, but we do not need the NFL in Canada, especially the Bills, no offense to the Bills, I have nothing against them but if we do want a team in Canada lets being original and create one and not steal a pre-existing one.
Well I love both leagues and I hate both leagues. If there was a combo of both then we would have something. I love the air show of the CFL and how close most games are or the fact that you could come back with little time left. I love seeing the crazy punt returns.But why have punt after punt. On the same token, I love the NFL for its war like effort to gain every yard. But it can be so boring going up the field and the scores reflect the stagnation of 14-21 ball.Maybe an extra down to go 15yds with one more defence body on each side the field?
The problem is this, I love the players in the CFL cause they play the game for the love of the game, at least most of them. The players in the NFL are playing for the moooolla. If make a team up here for the NFL now the CFL is the farm team league for the NFL and the salaries and gate prices will go sky high. Families use to take in the NHL games, now they can’t, just corporate idiots who don’t really know the game go. That is the same scenario for the CFL if they bring a NFL team up.
So even though I’d love to see a Canadian NFL team go down there and beat them at their own game, lets leave it the way it is…..for now.
@Litesandsirens911: Go Cowboys!!!!!!!!! My husband and I are big NFL fans we went to see the cowboys play in Dallas in early January. It was awesome! I agree with Scarecrow on all points.
yes!