Connect with us

CFL

Dan Ralph ‘if no CFL season, then the CFL, as we see it, does not exist’

Dan Ralph of The Canadain Press was a recent guest on The Markcast. He had some interesting things to say about the importance of a CFL season in 2021. If it doesn’t happen, it could change the CFL forever.

“I’ve been told that if there’s if there’s no season, then the CFL, as we see it, does not exist.”

Ralph is not saying the CFL will close its doors for good, just that it will be a different league in 2022. 

“That doesn’t mean it goes away completely. But I think the way the league you see now with nine entities maybe does not survive, and that maybe you come back and you’re not a national league anymore, or you’ve lost a franchise or two, I don’t know.”

We do know that some of the franchises are struggling. AJ Jakubec was a recent guest on the Rod Pedersen Show and said he was told by a former CFL official that some CFL franchises are only worth $1. I don’t think we should take it literally but what they are saying is some CFL franchises are in bad shape financially.

But losing a franchise or two, does that mean they go out of business or some join the XFL instead? It could go either way. We have heard that teams like the Toronto Argonauts are more interested in playing in the XFL than CFL. We have also heard that the XFL was only interested in a couple of CFL franchises.

These, of course, are just rumors as NDA’s have been signed, and no one really knows. But these quotes are from CFL insiders in Canada.

Could a second season without play result in a significant shake-up in the CFL, and that is the reason why the XFL 2022 season is on pause? 

If the CFL does not play in 2021, will they fully merge with the XFL, or the CFL stays but as a smaller league, and teams like the Argos and Montreal Alouettes jump ship to the XFL. 

“But I’ve been told that if there’s no football this year and you’re out of the public eye for two years, then that’s crippling up here.”

Could something like this happen? Most likely not, as it seems like all systems are go for a 2021 CFL season. Ralph still thinks there will be a season, just a shorter season than the one proposed.

“And I’ve been telling anybody, listen, that you can talk about 18, you can talk about 14. I’m thinking nine or 10.”

“But I do believe there will be football. I don’t believe it’s going to be 14. I think nine. Anywhere. Maybe, eight, depending on how this thing goes, but I think nine or 10 games.”

We know the XFL and CFL are only talking about the business model right now, but they also said everything is on the table. These next couple of months are critical for the CFL’s future. 

You can listen to the full interview here.


Unleash the Action: Sign up for XFL Insider and Fuel Your Passion for Football!


Mark Perry, a devoted sports journalist and founder of XFL News Hub, has been a key figure in XFL coverage since its 2018 revival. Launching XFL News Hub soon after the league's return announcement, Mark has established the platform as a primary source for comprehensive XFL updates. Renowned for his in-depth knowledge and commitment to sports journalism, Mark actively engages the XFL community, welcoming interactions at mark.perry@xflnewshub.com.

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. David Tress

    May 3, 2021 at 2:44 pm

    The CFL Commissioner, Randy Ambrosei, should be held responsible for the loss of season. He should have had them ready to play on time without fans. Anyone who is fully vaccinated should be allowed to attend games.

  2. Jordan

    May 19, 2021 at 4:38 pm

    They should do it like baseball. Different size fields in US than Canada if the American team cant accommodate CFL field (some can) keep it Canadian rules

    The second you get rid of 3 downs the league is dead in the water

    Keep the same line of scrimmage at one yard

    Goalposts can change depending on venue. Im ok with that small change if playing in the US

    I REALLY dont think the changes have to be drastic.

    Canada plays on Canadian Field
    US plays on US size field if they cant fit Canadian size

    Same rules though both fields

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

XFL Kickoff

XFL News Alerts

USFL and XFL Merger: A Deep Dive into the Historic Collaboration

Latest Podcast

Subscribe XFL Podcast

More in CFL

XFL News Hub