Quote:
Originally Posted by esquire
I would imagine that whatever arrangement is agreed to will be sensitive to Canadian sensibilities... they're not just going to flush all that goodwill down the toilet.
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It depends on the type of arrangement it is.
If it's just a strategic partnership where the two leagues will work together, cross promote, and share expertise? No question, the CFL would be dumb not to explore this. It's astonishing how well the XFL connected with young fans in some of its markets and the CFL could use that energy. Even having the Rock associated with the brand is likely to make some people's perception of the league flip overnight.
If the leagues intend for there to be a merger, it's not clear how they could do that and respect the CFL's heritage. US laws do not allow for the ratio, so you'd either have to get rid of it or only require it in Canada. The American stadiums cannot handle a Canadian field, so that would likely have to change as well. It's unlikely the XFL would adopt Canadian rules, and any attempts to create a compromise rulebook would likely be a disaster. Finally, the disproportionate size of the American markets would guarantee that, without serious revenue sharing, 2/3rds of the Canadian teams wouldn't be able to compete financially.
Even doing something as "simple" as combining head offices and operating both leagues separately under one organization is problematic. I don't see how a merger could work.
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