First, the cfl would have a presence in three top 28. End zones and border wars the era of american expansion. Oct 29, 20 end zones and border wars is the story of the cfl s illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to mid1990s. How to make the cfl usa work this time and 15 places where it. Cfl expansion into the country was the brainchild of former commissioner larry smith. The cfl had grand plans to expand into cities that didnt have nfl franchises. It was a time filled with intriguing characters, from john candy to nick mileti to pepper rodgers, the coach who loved everything about the canadian game except the rules and the teams. Cfl expansioncflusa part 2the expansion series nobody. It was a time filled with intriguing characters, from john candy to nick mileti to pepper rodgers, the coach who loved everything. Vancouver province columnist ed willes new book, end zones and border wars. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Cfl confirms discussions have taken place regarding halifax. Sep 06, 2019 the cfl will be charging the schooners owners an expansion fee, of course, and a lucrative, longterm tv deal will surely bolster the value of a 10th franchise.
By 1996 the stallions were gone, undermined by the arrival of the ravens and the overall failure of the cfls u. The era of american expansion in the cfl joins the podcast to discuss the leagues shortlived american expansion effort, which thencommissioner larry smith had hoped to eventually encompass ten us teams in a fully expanded 20team league. Jun 10, 2018 longtime vancouver province sportswriter ed willes end zones and border wars. This goes back to the time of the cfls adding american teams to our league. In 2005, the cfl held its first touchdown atlantic game in a preseason contest. Owners couldnt withstand financial losses and fans were bewildered by cfl rules. Louis could join forces for cfl expansion back to the us. The 2019 canadian football league season was the 66th season of modern canadian professional football. The differences between american football and canadian football nfl vs. But in the early 1990s, the cfl and some of its owners a disreputable group that included names notorious to cfl fans, names like ryckman, glieberman, pezim, and skalbania came up with a scheme to save the league with an infusion of cash, via american expansion. Although football under formalized rules has been played in canada since the 1860s, the canadian football league cfl began its formal existence in january 1958.
The winnipeg blue bombers won the 107th grey cup over the hamilton tigercats. The baltimore stallions known officially as the baltimore football club and previously as the baltimore cfl colts in its inaugural season were a canadian football league team based in baltimore, maryland, in the united states, which played the 1994 and 1995 seasons. The old signal caller takes you into the huddle and into the cfls boardroom. For the purposes of this project we will primarily be focusing on teams eligible to join the east division which would bring the league up to 10 teams, with 2 divisions with.
Rosenberg a look at the miami manatees, the cfl team that never was. End zones and border wars is the story of the cfl s illfated periodof expansion into the united states during the early to mid1990s. Stats player stats team stats league leaders 2019 statistics cfl combine cfl rule book. This is just one of the solutions for you to be successful. Cfl commissioner talks possible mexico game, expansion franchise ahead of 106th grey cup the cfl will move a step closer to playing in mexico next year. Willes thoroughly explores the cfls weirdest era, looking at the factors that led the. Toronto sun one of the last canadian quarterbacks, frank cosentinos lifelong. It was a time filled with intriguing characters, from johncandy to nick mileti to pepper rodgers, the coach who loved everythingabout the canadian game except the rules and the teams. Nov 18, 2015 a few months later, the cfl quashed the entire american expansion effort, folding the teams in birmingham, shreveport, memphis and san antonio, and moving the baltimore franchise to montreal. Maybe the league will try again with nfl teams leaving st. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. The era of american expansion in the cfl, sportswriter ed willes called the browns move the killing blow.
End zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to midend zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to mid 1990s. I certainly recall the baltimore stallionser, coltsum, cflers but vaguely remember the birmingham barracudas, i read ed willes 2004 offering the rebel league and really enjoyed the trip down memory lane with regards to the. I had hoped for its success as i find the canadian game a very exciting variant. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The cfl plays canadian football, a form of gridiron football which is somewhat different from the more common american. The era of american expansion in the cfl was a book that had me intrigued by the title alone. Even without las vegas, the cfl now had five teams in the u. End zones and border wars the era of american expansion in.
Product information end zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated periodof expansion into the united states during the early to mid1990s. Longtime vancouver province sportswriter ed willes end zones and border wars. The canadian football league places teams in america. The cfl plays canadian football, which is somewhat different from the american football usual in the united states. The regular season began on june and was played over the course of 21 weeks, concluding on november 2, 2019. The stallions were managed very professionally and had a lot of fan support, though. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. At least one practice roster spot was required to be a nonimport player. Formed in 1994, they posted the most successful single season in the history of the canadian football league, when in 1995 they became the only u. They were the most successful american team in the cfls generally illfated southern expansion effort into the united. Though neither mls nor american football fields fit cfl dimensions perfectly a fact that was largely ignored in the first cfl usa expansion, a number of these stadiums could easily be modified. If san diego and oakland also end up losing their nfl teams in 2017, ownership groups from those two cities along with st. It had significant fan support and strong attendance averaging 37,347 in 1994 best in the cfl, and 30,112 in 1995 second best.
With a cast of investors who are hopeful but unfamiliar with the game. Posts that are libelous, derogatory or attack individual will. As an american i know that the cfl is a league that for all of its existence has lived in the shadow of the american behemoth known as the national football league. The crazy whirlwind of the canadian football leagues 90s. Their playoffs would feature five teams from the north and three from the south. This book gives an overview of the 1990sera cfl and discusses the reasons pushing that league to try such a radical and risky endeavor. Canadian football league cfl the canadian encyclopedia. I certainly recall the baltimore stallionser, coltsum, cflers but vaguely remember the birmingham barracudas, i read ed willes 2004 offering the rebel league and really enjoyed the trip down memory lane with regards to the wha and its crazy existence. When the world league of american football wlaf announced in 1992 that it was suspending operations, the canadian football league set it sites southward to the united states, hoping to expand its fanbase and popularity. End zones and border wars is the story of the cfl s illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to midend zones and border wars is the story of the cfl s illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to mid 1990s. The cfl is the highest level of competition in canadian football.
Book description end zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to mid1990s. It was a time filled with intriguing characters, from john. I know the expansion in the early 90s that failed with the exception of baltimore that got bullied by the nfl. Conventional wisdom has it that the cfl only stayed afloat through the mid 90s with the expansion fees that came in from us expansion, but it was a pretty serious hit to the leagues credibility. Cfl fumbled its way through southern expansion north. Ambrosie partnered with the professional american football league of mexico lfa for player development, as part of the leagues plan to expand globally.
A number of east coast cities, including saint john hosted preseason games in 1986 and 1987 and then again in 2003. For five years after the expansion era contract with espn ended in 1997, the cfl was absent on american television. At the end of 2001, the league began a relationship with the nowdefunct america one network that would last until 2009. Coverage was relatively generous with 43 games, including the playoffs. If the cfl would award expansion franchises to these cities, it could yield three very desirable results. Jun 24, 2019 as an american i know that the cfl is a league that for all of its existence has lived in the shadow of the american behemoth known as the national football league. To start things off, i am a canadian and a fan of cfl expansion into america. Cfl confirms discussions have taken place regarding. I look forward to more cfl stories from paul woods.
The cfl will be charging the schooners owners an expansion fee, of course, and a lucrative, longterm tv deal will surely bolster the value of a 10th franchise. The canadian football league cfl, the sole major professional sports league in the united states and canada to feature only teams from canada, has made efforts to gain further audience in the united states, most directly through expansion into the country from 1993 to 1995. My spelling is likely wrong but this is the best book i have ever read on the cfl. End zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated periodof expansion into the united states during the early to mid1990s. There were a number of cfl teams in the us, but most of them were a circus. Drawing on original interviews with players, coaches, journalists and fans, this book recalls how the stallions both captured the imagination and broke the hearts of baltimore football fans in just 24 months. Cfl fumbled its way through southern expansion north shore news.
Canadian football league in the united states wikipedia. The canadian football league has responded to a report by tsns dave naylor regarding the leagues interest in expanding to halifax, ns in the near future. He envisioned a canadian league with up to 24 teams, including 8 to 10 teams in american cities, and new teams for montreal and the maritimes as well by 1998. If all seven spots were used, then at least two practice roster spots were required to be nonimport players as defined in article 17. Cfl teams on the field, baltimore was far and away the most successful of the cfls american teams at the box office. Why the cfls humiliating expansion to the united states was actually a force for good get over it, canada. The era of american expansion in the cfl by ed willes at indigo. How to make the cfl usa work this time and 15 places where. By 1996 the stallions were gone, undermined by the arrival of the ravens and the overall failure of the cfl s u. It was a time filled with intriguing characters, from johncandy to nick mileti to pepper rodgers, the coach who loved everythingabout the. At one time before the nfl became the juggernaut that it is today it might have worked. End zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to mid 1990s. Canadian football league cfl previously it had been known as the canadian football council cfc, formed in 1956 as a loose merger of the western interprovincial football union and.
I believe this book, now in the niagara falls public library, can be obtained via an inter library loan from nfpl to another library in ontario sourh. Potential cfl expansion locations wildcard site investigative look into different communities in canada to assess their longterm viability to facilitate a cfl franchise. With most cfl teams losing money after the illfated american expansion ended after the 1995 season, the roughriders would conduct another save the roughriders telethon in 1997 to help the teams financial health they remain the only team who required a telethon to survive, just as they did a decade earlier. They changed their divisions to north the canadian teams and south the american teams. Apr 25, 2014 vancouver province columnist ed willes new book, end zones and border wars. The cfl failed badly when it tried american expansion in the 1990s, so im setting some rules to correct some of the mistakes and hope for better fortune this time. The era of american expansion in the cfl, includes the fascinating details on all of those and many more stories, but its much more than just a collection of unusual anecdotes. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a city in canada. Oct 18, 2014 in his book, end zones and border wars.
The era of american expansion in the cfl by ed willes doesnt know what it wants to be. It wasnt a bad idea, but the nfl is so entrenched in the hearts and minds of american football fans it was hard for these teams to survive. In october 2018, the cfl began focusing marketing internationally again after the unsuccessful expansion into the united states during the 1990s, with ambrosies plan being called cfl 2. Another cfl usa expansion could work, especially in st.
Superb tale of the canadian football leagues 199395 expansion into seven us cities. See more ideas about canadian football league, canadian football and sports logo. Prior to 20 canadian football league teams were allowed to carry a practice roster of seven 7 players. The crazy whirlwind of the canadian football leagues 90s u. Even in its darkest hours, john tory stood tall for the cfl. End zones and border wars is the story of the cfls illfated period of expansion into the united states during the early to mid1990s. Though much smaller in stature, it has existed with the nfl on the same continent for well over 100 years, and as it has a large number of americans, is the only truly international.