Updated Sept 21: "CFL needs to do better marketing!" @jasongregor! New Rules!

[Myk Aussie]

Sept 21. Excellent article from @JasonGregor ! I listen each day to him on @TSN1260 #YEG! He talks more #Oilers (overrated #NHL) but lots of #Esks!" @MykAussie
#CFL needs to do a much better job of marketing itself ! by @JasonGregor
http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/football/cfl/jason-gregor-cfl-needs-to-do-a-much-better-job-of-marketing-itself

From July 31. "Interesting! @AmandaLang interviews #CFL @Commish13. New #CFLFantasy @DraftKings deal is good & games better in 2016!
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2016-07-27/cfl-commissioner-s-changes-to-the-league-pay-off " @MykAussie

From April 8. Mike Hogan from TSN1050 Toronto talking the new CFL rules with Dave Jamieson on TSN1260 Edmonton radio. Scroll to 17min 30sec mark.
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1260/shows/dave-jamieson-show-april-8-hour-1-1.467195

From Jan 9. Interesting post from the Facebook Group "CFL football at its finest"
"If you were CFL Commissioner for a day, what change would you make?" Wendell Anderson
I said start the season 4+ weeks earlier. Several reasons for this!
Note: You will need to log into your FB account to read this posy. https://www.facebook.com/groups/382635875219261/permalink/579503165532530/?comment_id=579815462167967&notif_t=group_comment_reply

From April 11 2015. Significant changes to the convert, passing rules and the pace of the game will be in place when the new Canadian Football League season kicks off this June! Refer below April 11 report from the BC Lions for the details.

From Mar 18. From I really enjoyed this interview! New CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge joins Dave Jamieson @jamieson1260 on Edmonton TSN1260 radio. They discuss expansion, the Argos' stadium situation and what's ahead for the CFL. Listen now! It's at the start of this link.
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1260/orridge-on-growing-the-cfl-game-1.234251

From Mar 17. Jeffrey L. Orridge is the new Commissioner of the Canadian Football League. He is a  leading executive with a lifelong passion for sport and more than 20 years experience in building major brands and businesses. Refer below Mar 17 post for a report from the CFL that I received via email today. 

From Aug 20 2014. The Commissioner Mark Cohon will not seek a third term! Refer below Aug 20 post for the letter from Mark.

From March 20. A nice email I go today entitled

"From the Desk of the Commissioner!" Good reading from Mark Cohon.

http://view.exacttarget.com/?j=fe55127671600c7f7312&m=feec17767d6d0d&ls=fdab1570716d01747c1d757d6d&l=fe6b17747565027c7410&s=fdf21574776203797d157572&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe111176726d07747c1278&r=0

[Myk Aussie]

The Commissioner will not seek a third term! Below from Mark Cohon today.

Dear CFL Fans

Today I informed our Board of Governors that I will not seek a third term as Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

This is a very personal decision. I knew in my gut when I came here that the CFL was the right place for me and I have never regretted that decision. Today, those same instincts are telling me it is time to move on to tackle new challenges and opportunities.

I won't be going anywhere for a while. I have indicated my willingness to complete my current term as Commissioner. It doesn't expire until April 2015 but I wanted to give our Governors ample time to find the right person for this important position. Their search will begin immediately. And I will continue to work as Commissioner for the rest of this season and for months to come.

Still, I can't help but reflect. It's incredible how quickly time flies. This is my eighth season as Commissioner, and I have loved every minute of working on behalf of our iconic franchises, with our elite and unselfish athletes, and for you, our wonderful fans.

Thank you so much.

Our league has come a long way over these years. You have made every advance possible.

•When we debuted the REDBLACKS this season, you packed the place.
•When we celebrated the 100th Grey Cup, you came to every event, and when we took our historic trophy from coast to coast to coast by plane, train and automobile, you were on board, often literally.
•When we visited Atlantic Canada, you came with us, or were already there for us.
•When we declared This is Our League, you cheered.
•When we sat down to negotiate a transformative deal with TSN and RDS, you armed us with great ratings.
•When we said we needed new stadiums, you showed your support to help make them happen.
•When we launched the Fan State of the League, you filled the room with energy, emotion and tough questions.
•When we launched the SunLife Grey Cup Fan March, you filled the streets with fun and emotion and, as I knew would happen, not one of you dropped the Grey Cup, and all of you cherished the moment.
•When I asked for your rule changes, you had the most innovative ones.
•When I asked for your input, you took the time to write or call or email or tweet, and each and every time, your passion for our league shone through.
•And when I wandered into the stands, into a Sea of Green or Box J or any one of the special places that has made this league what it is, you welcomed me and my family with open arms, good humour, and the occasional priceless one-liner.

Commissioners come and go. So do coaches and quarterbacks. Our league and game are much bigger than any one person. The CFL will continue to grow and succeed in the future because of you, our fans.

Still, I hope the CFL is better for the time I have spent here. I know I am and always will be.

Thank you for everything.

Mark

[Myk Aussie]

Report from the CFL. JEFFREY L. ORRIDGE APPOINTED CFL COMMISSIONER.
 
A leading executive with a lifelong passion for sport and more than 20 years experience in building major brands and businesses, Jeffrey L. Orridge is the new Commissioner of the Canadian Football League.

"Jeffrey will be a tremendous leader for our league at an exciting time for its future," said Jim Lawson, Chairman of the CFL's Board of Governors, as he announced Orridge's appointment as the league's 13th Commissioner.

"He has every skill set our board was looking for and he clearly understands what our league means to this country and what our fans and partners mean to this league."
Most recently the Executive Director of Sports and General Manager, Olympics for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Orridge has overseen rights acquisitions, partnership management, revenue initiatives and program execution involving marquee sports properties and digital opportunities.

In his role as chief strategist and negotiator, he successfully secured the media rights to the 2014 and 2016 Olympic Games, the 2015 Pan Am/ Parapan Games, and the 2018 and 2020 Olympics.

Orridge structured a multi-year sub-licensing agreement to preserve and amplify the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast and brand. Under his direction, the 2014 Sochi Olympics and 2014 FIFA World Cup achieved record setting broadcast reach, digital consumption and profitability.

"I believe we are living in an age of seemingly limitless possibilities and the opportunities ahead for the Canadian Football League are second to none," said Orridge, a graduate of Harvard Law School who will officially assume his new duties April 29th.

Previously, Orridge was the Chief Operating Officer and head of Global Business Development for Right to Play International, a charity that improves the lives of children and youth around the world in the areas of health, education and wellness.

He has also served as Vice-President, Corporate Strategic Planning for Mattel Inc, identifying growth opportunities and capturing emerging trends for this $5 billion company, and as Director, Sport Licensing for Warner Bros. Consumer Products.

His extensive resumé includes stints in the 1990's as Director, Global Sports Marketing for Reebok International and as Assistant Executive Director of USA Basketball, where he played an important role in introducing the first "Dream Team" to basketball fans around the world.

Born and raised in New York, he and his family have lived in Canada since 2007 and he is about to become a Canadian citizen.
"My international experience and background have only reinforced for me the importance of the Canadian Football League," Orridge said.

"Its place in Canadian culture, on the Canadian sporting landscape, and in the hearts and minds of Canadians make this a responsibility I take very seriously and an opportunity for which I am very grateful."

[Myk Aussie]

I really enjoyed this interview! New CFL commissioner Jeffrey Orridge joins Dave Jamieson @jamieson1260 on Edmonton TSN1260 radio. They discuss expansion, the Argos' stadium situation and what's ahead for the CFL.

Listen now! It's at the start of this link. http://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1260/orridge-on-growing-the-cfl-game-1.234251

[Myk Aussie]

From BC Lions. MAJOR RULE CHANGES APPROVED BY CFL GOVERNORS
New Look Convert, Passing Rules Coming This Season

TORONTO via CFL Communications- Significant changes to the convert, passing rules and the pace of the game will be in place when the new Canadian Football League season kicks off this June.

The league's Board of Governors approved today most of the changes proposed earlier this Spring by the CFL's Rules Committee.

"The Board endorsed the view that this is a great time for our league to innovate," said Michael Copeland, the CFL's President and Chief Operating Officer.

"We're looking forward to putting in place changes that have the potential to improve an already great game."

The CFL is modifying the convert that follows a touchdown to make it less predictable.

A kick for a single point, which took place from the 12-yard line in past seasons, will now be kicked from the 32-yard line.

Last year, 99.4 per cent of kicks for a single point following a touchdown were successful. For field goal attempts from between 31 and 33 yards, 81 per cent were successful.

If a team opts to run or pass the ball into the end zone for a two point convert following a touchdown, the ball will be scrimmaged from the three-yard line, instead of the five-yard line, which may entice more coaches to "go for two".

Last year, there were only 23 two-point convert attempts, and seven, or 30 per cent, were successful.

But the Governors rejected the Committee's suggestion that the league test a more radical approach during pre-season games: a convert worth three points if a team chose to run or pass the ball over the goal line from the ten-yard-line.

To open up the passing game, the Governors approved a change designed to create more room for a passing offence.

It will allow a defensive player to contact a receiver that is in front of him within five yards of the line of scrimmage, but it will not allow either player to create or initiate contact that impedes or redirects an opponent beyond five yards.
 
The Board agreed that on a punt play, when the ball bounces on the ground and a five yard no yards penalty is called, the penalty will automatically be added to the end of the return, or from the point the ball was first touched by the return team, whichever is better.

In the past, the receiving team had to choose between the five-yard penalty or the yards gained on the return.

It is believed that making the penalty more punitive could reduce the number of no yards penalties.

To increase the tempo of the game, at any time in the game the offence will now be allowed to signal to the Referee that it doesn't want to substitute and it wants to use a tempo offence.

The officials will then blow the play in immediately upon the ball and yardsticks being set for play.

This new protocol will be combined with a rule change made last year - which meant the offence no longer had to wait for the defense to substitute before initiating a play if the offence had not substituted.

Together, the changes create an opportunity for the offence to dictate the pace of the game.

Also to improve game flow, the CFL is removing the ability of a coach to request a measurement, leaving it to the Referee to measure when he is unsure if a first down has been made or not.

On punts, a rule change will prohibit the five interior linemen on the kicking team from leaving the line of scrimmage until the ball is kicked.

This should reduce the number of illegal blocking and no yards penalties, while increasing the amount of room the receiving team has to set up a return.

There would be a ten-yard penalty for violating this new rule.

The CFL is maintaining the ability for a coach to challenge Defensive Pass Interference, an innovation introduced last year. But the Board of Governors rejected a proposal that Offensive Pass Interference also be made subject to video review.

It approved no longer giving the receiving team the option of demanding that a team kick again after one of its kick offs goes out of bounds. The receiving team will now either take the ball where it went out of bounds, or at a point 30 yards in advance of where the ball was kicked off, whichever is better.
 
The Rules Committee includes several CFL coaches and general managers as well as representatives of the CFL, CFL Players' Association and CFL Officials.

The CFL Board of Governors includes owners of privately held teams, chairmen of community owned teams, and several team presidents.

Thank you for attention and for your support as a BC Lions fan - we look forward to speaking to you soon!
Serving you with PRIDE,

Your BC Lions Fan Customer Services Team

[Myk Aussie]

Interesting post from the Facebook Group "CFL football at its finest"

"If you were CFL Commissioner for a day, what change would you make?" Wendell Anderson

https://www.facebook.com/groups/382635875219261/permalink/579503165532530/?comment_id=579815462167967&notif_t=group_comment_reply

[Myk Aussie]

From April 8. Mike Hogan from TSN1050 Toronto talking the new CFL rules with Dave Jamieson on TSN1260 Edmonton radio. Scroll to 17min 30sec mark.
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/edmonton-1260/shows/dave-jamieson-show-april-8-hour-1-1.467195

[Myk Aussie]

"Interesting! @AmandaLang interviews #CFL @Commish13. New #CFLFantasy @DraftKings deal is good & games better in 2016!
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2016-07-27/cfl-commissioner-s-changes-to-the-league-pay-off " @MykAussie

[Myk Aussie]

Sept 21. Excellent article from @JasonGregor ! I listen each day to him on @TSN1260 #YEG! He talks more #Oilers (overrated #NHL) but lots of #Esks!" @MykAussie
#CFL needs to do a much better job of marketing itself ! by @JasonGregor
http://edmontonjournal.com/sports/football/cfl/jason-gregor-cfl-needs-to-do-a-much-better-job-of-marketing-itself