Big thread warning.

There is another way than an XFL “affiliation” to re-boot the @cfl after a season (or more) of no games. The path has been there all along, but hasn’t been touched. There might still be time. 1/14

Across most demographic bands, consumers have switched spending from big brands and slick products to those that fit other values, like “authentic” and “local” 2/14

Meanwhile, as the pandemic winds down, consumer spending is shifting. Those that can afford it have been spending on nesting. Outdoor furniture, home decor, fancy food, home electronics, renovations, etc. 3/14

But once the pandemic lifts, spending will quickly shift to the “fun” industries. People will have all the stuff they need. Instead, they will want experiences. 4/14

Travel will boom. Events will boom. The CFL is perfectly positioned to cash in on the dual consumer demand for both authenticity and fun experiences. Game days are social days. CFL needs to sell that, and they need to focus on the authenticity and local nature of the CFL 5/14

The question is how to make the league’s authenticity and local nature a selling point. The XFL dalliance is the opposite of what the CFL should be embracing. 6/14

Years ago the league should have recognized this. The @redblacks appeal to younger demo should have shown it’s possible. So how? 7/14

First, embrace the rule differences that make the CFL unique, because they make the game more athletic, faster and unpredictable. 8/14

Secondly, get real about helping teams keep their stars. This may start with cap calculation or ratio incentives that make it easier to re-sign players. 9/14

Much of the RedBlacks branding success was because they had the smarts to let fans define themselves; marketing then just ran with it. You can smell the “committee” on CFL’s marketing efforts, and it doesn’t smell like “authenticity”. Embrace what the fans already embrace. 10/14

Quit shying away from the league’s personalities and their athleticism. Dish up personalities, don’t hide them. Quit apologizing that the incredible athletes aren’t in our league, because there are. Let’s showcase them. 11/14

Live fan experience drives the CFL tv audience. Not the other way around like most sports. The pandemic end will help fill stadiums with people getting their long overdue “fun experiences” fix. Focus how to keep that post-pandemic crowd coming back & they’ll tune in, too. 12/14

Meanwhile, the finances are broken? Selling tickets to experience-hungry people will help. So will relentlessly selling (and protecting) the league’s authenticity. Diluting the CFL season, or becoming some hybrid N/XFLLite would completely undermine that. 13/14

Lastly, owners are own worst enemy. Salaries broken? Let’s talk $500k head coaches & $750k QBs. Don’t break the fans’ league because you let $ get away from you. CFL can work without blowing it up, just get out of your own way a little. 14/14