Is American Football coming to Canada?

Prelude - There are lots of sports happening this weekend, Baseball playoff, Hockey on Saturday, North American soccer is finishing up its regular season, football galore (college, NFL and CFL) and there is even some golf and tennis, but in short, nothing an avid sports fan is looking forward to beyond their normal level of watching. So today's blog will introduce to a topic that looks to generate an ongoing discussion with your sports fan.

Sport - Football

Event - The Buffalo Bills of the National Football League announced that they will be playing some of their regularly scheduled home games, not in Buffalo, but rather Toronto starting next year.

Issue - This is watershed moment in the long history of whether the NFL will ever come to Canada. In short, every sports league has teams based in both countries save football. In the US they have their four down game (NFL) and we have our three down game (CFL). This is for historical reasons (see links below). Percentage wise, you'll probably know more NFL football fans than CFL fans (certainly if you live in Eastern Canada). Reason? In short, the NFL is the top league for that sport.

As such, in Canada, there has always been discussion as to whether Canada had the market to support an NFL franchise. Further, with an already established league with its own tradition, it was always considered hands off. Any encroachment was thought to kill of this product, certainly in Toronto.

With Buffalo making this announcement the rules are changing.

Point to Say - "So, with the Bills about to play some home games in Toronto, do you think this is the first step for a Toronto NFL franchise?

Follow up point - "Do you think the CFL will survive if the Bills play more home games in Toronto?"

Backgrounder
Football in Canada has a long tradition. The CFL has a long long history too. However, the NFL is THE big money sport in the US. It is the top grossing sport for money and the most watched sport on TV.

Links
Get more in this Article from today's Globe and Mail newspaper.

For those living in Ottawa, there is still ongoing talk about bringing a football team to the city. Find out more here.