I've been to both CFL and NFL games on multiple occasions, and it is an unfair comparison.
How can a reasonable person separate the atmosphere from the game? All the hoopla/tailgating/entertainment that goes on at an NFL game is the biggest part of the experience. Every NFL game I've been to is an afterthought when compared to the action surrounding it.
tragicallymike Wrote:Judging by an attendance average of 25,240 per game probably not many can say that.
Stephen Dame Wrote:Unless of course, you've actually expereinced both games live on multiple occasions. I wonder how many folks voting in the poll can say that?
When a town of 1 million can draw 20,000 to a game, that means that a respectable equivalent turn out in New York or LA would be 300,000.
Economies of scale. Try again.
I won't even complicate the argument with the Regina numbers. A little more knowledge of the league and its markets might actually help your argument.
And BTW, the league turns a profit and so do a vast majority of the teams.
Look at Buffalo then.
500,000 people and we draw 80,000 a game.
better yet look at green bay
Tthip Wrote:Look at Buffalo then.
500,000 people and we draw 80,000 a game.
Tthip Wrote:Look at Buffalo then.
500,000 people and we draw 80,000 a game.
Yep. That's a diehard town. Just like Regina.
Generalities don't help anybody, I'm not making any sweeping claims, just trying to broaden Mike's horizon's.
Again, it's all subjective, but I'll take the atmosphere and excitement of a single Al's game in downtown Montreal over all the Bills and the one Giant's game I've been to combined.
CFL, hands down. No contest.
It is the only league to have two teams with the same name, and a champion defend its title as team from a different city (Baltimore Stallions/Montreal Alouettes). It expanded only to watch all the new franchises disappear three years later. The league often has to hand out loans so that teams can finish a season.
I went to an Argos game a couple of years ago, and there is no way you can even to begin to copmare the experience to a Bills game.
Tailgating for 4 or 5 hours.
Loudest place I have ever been to during the game.
Great time.
Stephen Dame Wrote:Tthip Wrote:Look at Buffalo then.
500,000 people and we draw 80,000 a game.
Yep. That's a diehard town. Just like Regina.
Generalities don't help anybody, I'm not making any sweeping claims, just trying to broaden Mike's horizon's.
Again, it's all subjective, but I'll take the atmosphere and excitement of a single Al's game in downtown Montreal over all the Bills and the one Giant's game I've been to combined.
CFL, hands down. No contest.
I've been to NFL games in Dallas and Buffalo and I've been to CFL games in Vancouver and Calgary. Here's my best analogy: the difference between the NFL and the CFL is akin to the difference between an Oilers/Flames game in the late 80s (to avoid the discussion about how "boring" the NHL is today) and a game in the Swedish Elite League. Those Swedes may put on a good display of hockey and their fans may get excited by the wide open ice and lack of contact, but the best game is the one featuring the best players.
akoso Wrote:cferneyh Wrote:Every 20 years or so, a guy who was a star in the CFL does well in the NFL (Warren Moon, for example) but those examples are few and far between.
Let's not exaggerate too much. Flutie saved the Bills a couple years ago, he's now starting in San Diego. Garcia was one of this season's hottest free agents after saving the 49ers. I'm not saying there's an abundance, but don't exaggerate.
This is my quick take on the comparison. I think the rules of the CFL lend themselves to a much more exciting game (3 downs = more passing, larger field) and allows the players to showcase their talent more.
However, the reason I love football is because I think it's a coach's game. A good coach and good play calling will not influence any other sport nearly as much as it will football. It's that strategy that makes me love the game so much. And I think that the better coaches and the more even balance between a running and passing game provided by the NFL makes for a more strategic game.
Flutie starting in San Diego? Where did you get that info? <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.dougflutierules.com">www.dougflutierules.com</a><!-- w -->? According to this link, he's third on the depth chart this year:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg/depthchart">http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg/depthchart</a><!-- m -->
Flutie-mania, will it ever end?
Good call on Garcia though. He did have a couple of solid years in SanFran.
Stephen Dame Wrote:Wow Mike, it's just a game.
And this poll BTW, is like asking people which is better: Nickleback or The Tragically Hip.
One is well marketed, and unless you have seen the other live, you probably just won't get it.
Steak over sizzle. As I said previously, any objective comparison: the CFL wins in a blowout.
Have fun.
Well said! I couldn't agree more.
I know guys from Toronto who will take the NFL over the NHL, the CFL doesn't even come into play.
Stephen Dame Wrote:It's all about where you live, when you lived there, and what your Dad watched.
It's all subjective.
Unless of course, you've actually expereinced both games live on multiple occasions. I wonder how many folks voting in the poll can say that?
Here's one.
As I said in another thread...I have seen both live on multiple occassions and I don't know how you can even compare the live experience of the NFL to the CFL. Granted, I am sure the CFL experience is better in Western Canada (and even Hamilton) than it is in Ottawa or Toronto (where I have seen multiple games) but it still doesn't come close to seeing a game at an NFL Stadium with 80,000 people, the intense media attention.............the game action......Everything is just magnified 100%.
I grew up watching the CFL....my Dad watched it when I was younger, we went to every Ottawa home game, I even got a job at the Roughriders training camp one year.......at that point it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I was enamoured by the CFL. Absolutley loved it. That is until I discovered the NFL and realized that the game can be taken to a whole other level.
Marketing, fanbase and money aside, the NFL is still far superior. I still like the CFL a lot. I just can't support the argument that it is better than the NFL.
If you want to get into how ridiculously well managed the NFL....well that is another story.
Anyway, thats my two cents. :lol:
Stephen Dame Wrote:tragicallymike Wrote:Judging by an attendance average of 25,240 per game probably not many can say that.
Stephen Dame Wrote:Unless of course, you've actually expereinced both games live on multiple occasions. I wonder how many folks voting in the poll can say that?
When a town of 1 million can draw 20,000 to a game, that means that a respectable equivalent turn out in New York or LA would be 300,000.
Economies of scale. Try again.
I won't even complicate the argument with the Regina numbers. A little more knowledge of the league and its markets might actually help your argument.
And BTW, the league turns a profit and so do a vast majority of the teams.
There are many small NFL Markets in the league too. Buffalo, if I am not mistaken is only over 300,000 people and has one of the largest stadiums in the league which sell out quite often. 83,000 I think it holds.
cferneyh Wrote:Flutie starting in San Diego? Where did you get that info? <!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.dougflutierules.com">www.dougflutierules.com</a><!-- w -->? According to this link, he's third on the depth chart this year:
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg/depthchart">http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg/depthchart</a><!-- m -->
Flutie-mania, will it ever end?
Good call on Garcia though. He did have a couple of solid years in SanFran.
First of all, I hate Flutie, so I'm not saying this as a crazy fan. Secondly, he started 3 games at the end of last season for the Chargers, because they were giving up on Brees. The word now is they have no confidence in Brees starting at QB and they want to train Rivers before starting him... so Flutie will start.
I guess the biggest thing for this thread is what's a "better product"? Are we just talking about the football or are we talking about the whole atmosphere/experience?
I have been to both an NFL game and a CFL game and whether you've seen it live or not, makes no difference to me. In the CFL, you have 2 downs to produce some offense. The NFL, to me, ends up being much more of a game where field position matters, you have more control of the clock and there is much more of a balance between the running game and the passing game. That is why I prefer the NFL.
football is so freakin boring...end of discussion :lol: