The CFL playoff changes and announcement -was/is an absolute failure.
Anyone trying to defend it or rationalize it. Isn’t doing so in good faith (or is clueless).
As far as the change itself:
I love the idea of trying to create revenue, but not at the expense of sacrificing the purity of competition. 8/9 teams making the playoffs is unacceptable in a professional sports league. And although seeding matters, it heavily devalues the regular season. The CFL is a league that struggles with its public perception in certain provinces, this is going to continue those perceptions and perhaps make them even worse now.
As for the announcement of it:
On draft day? You gotta be kidding me. A day that should be celebrated by the football community across the country is instead overshadowed by this announcement. Coupled with the fact that the website crashed, so no one really understood what was happening in the later rounds, created a devastating effect.
The CFL draft, if executed properly, could organically grow and eventually be a huge asset in helping build the leagues brand and changing its perception. Instead the polar opposite occurred.
Final thoughts:
Where is all the outrage from the players/coaches that were so outspoken about the incoming rule changes at? I guess a couple extra guaranteed bucks and they will gladly endorse American ideology.
‘Don’t build the best product, build the one that pays the fastest’ … doesn’t get much more American than that!