Category: Alternative Football

While much of the tackle football world is focused on the first round of the NFL Draft tonight (I’m hoping the Jets don’t select a Division III long snapper with their first pick), I was more interested in the event that took place in Toronto this morning.

That’s when Stewart Johnston, the 15^th commissioner of the Canadian Football League, held his introductory press conference. As a longtime CFL fan from south of Canada’s border, I was both curious and excited to hear what the new boss had to say.

There were no surprises and none were really expected. He thanked outgoing commissioner Randy Ambrosie for his “dedication and leadership and friendship,” and stressed that he’ll be overseeing a healthy organization.

“Over the past few years, the CFL has seen remarkable growth,” said Johnston, a longtime executive at The Sports Network (TSN), a Canadian sports channel. “Last year, leaguewide revenues surpassed the threshold for growth sharing by $18 million, resulting in a significant increase to the 2025 cap. Game day revenues and attendance have increased in each of the last three seasons. Our digital presence has expanded with 42 percent growth in engagements. TV audiences have increased in each of the last two seasons. These stats highlight the positive trajectory of our league and the bright future ahead.”

Ambrosie spent eight years as CFL commissioner, with mixed results.

During his watch, ownership was solidified in the Edmonton, Montreal and Vancouver markets, and – as Johnston mentioned – the circuit appears to be as healthy as it’s been in a while. All those were major wins for the former commish.

But there were also big swings and big misses.

The CFL 2.0 initiative added some international players to CFL rosters, but it didn’t provide a financial boost or expand the league’s footprint. A partnership with Mexico’s Liga de Futbol Americano Profesional hinted at the CFL playing games in Mexico, but that never happened.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season was cancelled when Ambrosie was unable to secure financial help from the federal government. Neither a bubble format or shortened season could be worked out, and according to the Canadian Press, the CFL lost anywhere from $60 million to $80 million that year.

And in 2021 there was talk of a possible merger with the third reboot of the XFL, which some people feared might remake the three down game into a more Americanized competition.

Johnston wants to make sure the CFL maintains a strong Canadian “feel.”

“The CFL is a symbol of Canadian pride and unity,” he said. “Our league embodies the values that make Canada great –resiliency, diversity and community spirit.”

Johnston added that franchises are more than a business venture, but part of the fabric of their communities. He vow they’ll stay that way.

“The CFL has always been more than just a sports league, it is a community,” Johnston said. “Our teams are deeply rooted in their cities and towns, and our fans are the lifeblood of our league. At a time when Canadians are feeling a renewed sense of patriotism, we will strengthen these bonds by engaging with our communities, supporting local initiatives and giving back in meaningful ways.”

A major issue facing the CFL is an aging fan base. Under Ambrosie, the league seemed to be running in place in that regard. Johnston wants to use every avenue to make it more appealing to younger people, and says flag football is a good tool to bring in younger fans.

“We face stiff competition from other sports leagues as well as other forms of entertainment, and we must work diligently to attract and retain fans,” Johnston stressed. “Adapting to changes in consumer behavior, such as the shift towards digital media and streaming platforms is crucial, and we must address the aging fan base by developing strategies to appeal to younger generations. Introducing young people to the sport of football is essential for the future of the CFL and flag football plays a crucial role in this effort.

“So, short term, let’s go to where those younger fans are looking for entertaining content. Long term, I want kids touching footballs. I want them playing football. I want them understanding football. I want them loving football.”

Johnston also admitted expansion to a tenth franchise was not a top priority. There has been talk of a Halifax team for decades, but funding for a suitable stadium has yet to be secured.

“It will not be a primary focus for me as I take on this role,” he said. “I want to get this league with the nine clubs that we have in the best shape it can be. I think if we accomplish that, and I’m confident that we can, that expansion becomes even more viable. So no, I’m not going to be actively looking for a tenth team.

“However, if a great ownership group approaches us, we’ll certainly be listening.”

As someone who has loved the CFL for more than half a century, I always hope the tenure of a new commissioner will be the best tenure yet. With Johnston’s background and obvious passion for the game, he has a chance to be transformative.

Although I’m a fan of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, I cheer for the entire league. So that means I’ll be cheering for Johnston as he takes the reins of my favorite gridiron league.

Thirty years ago this month, the World League of American Football came out of hibernation.

The WLAF began play in 1991, featuring six United States-based teams (Birmingham Fire, Orlando Thunder, New York/New Jersey Knights, Sacramento Surge, San Antonio Riders, Raleigh/Durham Skyhawks), one Canadian (Montreal Machine) and three European franchises (Barcelona Dragons, Frankfurt Galaxy, London Monarchs).

But after two seasons the league proved to be a hit overseas and a miss in North America, so it went dormant for two years. When it resurfaced in 1995, it featured an all-Europe lineup – the Amsterdam Admirals, Rhein Fire and Scottish (Edinburgh) Claymores, along with three holdovers from 91-92 (Dragons, Galaxy, Monarchs).

“Last time, we had to work around American television schedules with USA and ABC,” NFL President and CEO Neil Austrian told USA Today for an April 7, 1995, story. “We were trying to do too many things. This time, U.S. television is not a factor.”

When the NFL-owned WLAF first took to the field, its goal was to give players a showcase that might help them get to – or back to – the big league. That goal remained the same once it went to an all-international lineup.

But, like modern spring leagues, it also served as a laboratory for rule innovations. Chief among them was the 4-point field goal for kicks that split the uprights from 50 yards or beyond.

“We think the 4-point play is an exciting rules change which is in keeping with the innovative style of the World League, “ WLAF vice president Jerry Vanisi said. “The NFL’s competition committee has frequently debated awarding different points based on the distance of a field goal. We think this change and others will add even more excitement to our league.”

The circuit also introduced defensive conversions (called “a deuce”) in which blocked extra points, recovered fumbles or interceptions returned to the opponents’ goal-line were worth two points.

Receivers needed just one foot in bounds for receptions; defenses could rush no more than three players on punts; and each team would have an opportunity to possess the ball in overtime.

The season consisted of 10 regular season games but was split into two parts. The team that finished with the best record over the first five games automatically earned a berth in the World Bowl championship game.

The Frankfurt Galaxy was far and away the top draw in WLAF ‘95, averaging 29,076 fans per home game. They were the only club during the reboot campaign to draw more than 30,000, which they did twice. Barcelona was the next-best supported team, bringing in an average of 18,599 per home date.

The rest of the franchises, however, were disappointments at the box office.

The Admirals drew only 7,911 on average, while the Claymores and Fire pulled in around 10,000.

The Monarchs welcomed more than 40,000 fans during four home dates in 1991, and averaged nearly 22,000 each time they played at Wembley Stadium in 1992.

However, the reborn London team slipped to 10,417 per host outing.

The World Bowl was played in Amsterdam, with Frankfurt winning 26-22 in front of 23,847 paying customers. For the year, though, average attendance was an underwhelming 14,560.

Still, there were plenty of reasons for the WLAF to play on. Including the 1992-93 seasons, 73 of its players were on NFL rosters in 1996, including 13 quarterbacks.

Monarchs QB Brad Johnson, who struggled to find playing time after being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1992, found his groove during the WLAF relaunch. He went on to spend 17 years in the NFL and guided the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to victory in the XXXVII Super Bowl.

And while we hail the current spring football model for making it to a fourth season, the second coming of the WLAF had a 13-year run. The World League changed its name to NFL Europe in 1998 and played its final season as NFL Europa in 2007.

The Galaxy, Fire and Admirals were the only remaining teams from 1995. The Hamburg Sea Devils, Cologne Centurions and Berlin Thunder rounded out NFLE’s farewell lineup.

The minor league reportedly was losing $30 million per year, and with the NFL starting to play regular season games abroad, WLAF/NFL Europe/NFL Europa had finally run its course.

By the time it closed shop, it had helped develop the likes of Kurt Warner and Jake Delhomme, and three of its veterans (Adam Vinatieri, Dante Hall and Brian Moorman) made the NFL All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

Looking back, it’s obvious that a league such as this certainly has a place in the sports landscape. But turning it into a money-making venture for its stakeholders … well, that code has yet to be cracked.

When you think of the Canadian Football League, it’s a good bet you never associate it with Jackson, Mississippi. But 30 years ago, the capital of the Magnolia State was holding out hope it would be home of the circuit’s 14^th franchise – and holding up the 1995 CFL schedule in the process.

What became something of a wild ride began on April 5, 1995, when the beleaguered Las Vegas Posse franchise called it quits. Several attempts to sell the debt-ridden club had failed, so CFL commissioner Larry Smith announced that it had suspended operations.

A group in Jackson was interested in relocating the franchise there, and Smith set a February 28 deadline for that to happen. But the calendar flipped to March and then April, and Smith was out of options.

“If I had waited another couple of days, it would’ve been too long,” Smith said in a conference call. “The last 24 hours, I started feeling a little pressure from the owners. When you’re doing a deal, you can always sense when it’s going to happen.

“I could sense we weren’t going to get a deal, so I suggested to the parties it was time to get on with life.”

The league had been working on a schedule that included 14 teams, but had to start over once the Posse went under.

So, the plan was to go with a North Division (BC Lions, Calgary Stampeders, Edmonton Eskimos, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ottawa Rough Riders, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Toronto Argonauts and Winnipeg Blue Bombers) and South Division (Baltimore Stallions, Birmingham Barracudas, Memphis Mad Dogs, San Antonio Texans and Shreveport Pirates).

Birmingham and Memphis were the expansion cities for ‘95, while the Texans had relocated from Sacramento, where they were known as the Gold Miners.

End of story, right?

Nope.

On April 11, Orlando multi-millionaire real estate developer Norton Herrick entered the picture. Although he had originally hoped to bring an expansion team to Florida in 1996, he was willing to buy the Posse and take them to Mississippi, where he would team up with Bill Van Devender, a Jackson businessman.

So, the CFL draft was postponed and the scheduling was again put on hold.

“It would nice to get this Las Vegas thing cleared up,” Lions owner Bill Comrie, chair of the CFL Executive Committee, told the Vancouver Sun. “If we can bring in someone like Norton Herrick, it would be another real bonus.”

By April 13, however, a deal still hadn’t been done and owners were getting antsy – and angry. There was no schedule and no assurances about how many teams would be in the CFL fold for ’95.

“I don’t think I was going back on my decision (to suspend the Posse) because we have a unique situation here,” Smith said in an interview with the Canadian Press. “The long-term opportunity of getting a person like Norton Herrick, I think, overrides any awkwardness this transaction might portray.”

Calgary Stampeders owner Larry Ryckman said he didn’t want to publicly criticize the league, but thought the situation was being mishandled.

“If it were my decision, I would not vote in a club to try and start up six to eight weeks prior to training camp,” he said. “It’s not that we don’t want this owner in. It’s that we want to see something work out in Vegas.”

However, things did not work out in Vegas – or Jackson.

Herrick and Van Devender were given until 4 p.m. on April 14 to complete the move, or the Posse would really, truly, honest-to-goodness fold this time, and the players dispersed in a draft.

The deadline came and went, with Herrick pulling out after saying he couldn’t get solid guarantees from Mississippi investors.

“The city and state would probably get $4 million in sales tax revenue because the team would probably bring in about $30 million in spendable dollars,” Herrick said to CP. “Everyone was telling me how great it was to bring a team to Jackson, and I was willing to spend $4 million to start the team there, but no one local was willing to tell me not to worry about the downside.

“If I can’t get anyone local to help out, then what the heck am I doing trying as an outsider? Even my partner wasn’t willing to assume some of the losses.”

Coinciding with news of the deal falling through, Smith released a statement: “The league has shown great patience and flexibility in providing additional groups in order to conclude this deal, but time has run out.”

The dispersal draft was held on April 18, the 1995 schedule finalized on April 28, and 13 teams participated in the final CFL season that featured franchises based in the United States.

As for Jackson, it finally got a play-for-pay club in 1999. The Mississippi Pride competed in the one-and-done Regional Football League, which was a high-level minor league.

The Pride finished 4-4 in the regular season and lost its semi-final playoff game to the Houston Outlaws, 27-3.