Football (North America: NFL, CFL, Arena Football, minor leagues)

[thspfc]

The Bills are never leaving Buffalo.

[SEWIGuy]

The Bills are never leaving Buffalo.

Not sure why you would say that.  They have had trouble with stadium deals for years there and its a shrinking fan base.  The only other team that would seem likely to relocate is Jacksonville.

The Bills moving to Toronto would not go over well in Western NY, especially now that they finally have good leadership and (maybe) a franchise quarterback after 20 years of ineptitude.

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

[SEWIGuy]

I'm pretty sure the NFL would require a new stadium for a team to be located in Toronto.  I do think it would be incredibly successful though, and a natural move would be the Buffalo Bills.

The last several seasons, in local discussions, I was making analogies to the 'split stadium' situation WRT the Bills in Buffalo and Toronto to the Packers before 1995 WRT playing home games in both Green Bay and Milwaukee.

If the ongoing powers'-that-be reaction to the virus in Canada (it's much more intense there than it is here in much of the USA) ultimately kills the CFL, what is the likelihood that the NFL would absorb several other CFL teams, such as the BC Lions (would they have to be renamed?), Edmonton Eskimos (ditto?), and Montreal, as well as some of their playing rules?

Mike

0.0%

Those franchises are funded like minor league teams and none have a desirable stadium situation.  Toronto at this time would be the only feasible market based on how its worked for both the NBA and MLB.

[webny99]

its a shrinking fan base.

According to what sources?

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

Ha. Ha. The Bills have always had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL. Not to mention that there's probably just as many, if not more Bills fans from the Rochester area than the Buffalo area. You could see a few dozen Bills fans in about 2/10 of a mile on the Thruway after a Bills game.

[Alps]

its a shrinking fan base.

According to what sources?

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

Ha. Ha. The Bills have always had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL. Not to mention that there's probably just as many, if not more Bills fans from the Rochester area than the Buffalo area. You could see a few dozen Bills fans in about 2/10 of a mile on the Thruway after a Bills game.

Buffalo is shrinking, but the Bills have WNY and the GTA in their fanbase.

[SEWIGuy]

its a shrinking fan base.

According to what sources?

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

Ha. Ha. The Bills have always had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL. Not to mention that there's probably just as many, if not more Bills fans from the Rochester area than the Buffalo area. You could see a few dozen Bills fans in about 2/10 of a mile on the Thruway after a Bills game.

The population in western New York at best is steady and the Buffalo metro area is declining and by a number of metrics, the Bills are considered one of the least popular franchises in the league.  Furthermore, now that LA and Las Vegas are opening new stadiums, its a race between them and Washington for the worst stadium in the league.

Put it this way, if you were going to chose a "most likely relocation candidate," I'm pretty sure the Bills would win in a landslide.

[SEWIGuy]

its a shrinking fan base.

According to what sources?

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

Ha. Ha. The Bills have always had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL. Not to mention that there's probably just as many, if not more Bills fans from the Rochester area than the Buffalo area. You could see a few dozen Bills fans in about 2/10 of a mile on the Thruway after a Bills game.

Buffalo is shrinking, but the Bills have WNY and the GTA in their fanbase.

Right, which is a reason that relocating closer to Toronto makes sense.  Much larger metro area.

[1995hoo]

its a shrinking fan base.

According to what sources?

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

Ha. Ha. The Bills have always had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL. Not to mention that there's probably just as many, if not more Bills fans from the Rochester area than the Buffalo area. You could see a few dozen Bills fans in about 2/10 of a mile on the Thruway after a Bills game.

The population in western New York at best is steady and the Buffalo metro area is declining and by a number of metrics, the Bills are considered one of the least popular franchises in the league.  Furthermore, now that LA and Las Vegas are opening new stadiums, its a race between them and Washington for the worst stadium in the league.

Put it this way, if you were going to chose a "most likely relocation candidate," I'm pretty sure the Bills would win in a landslide.

I'm no Bills fan, but by all accounts, Jacksonville would win that vote. The Chargers are the team the league would most like to see relocate (back to San Diego), but the Rams' owner needs them as a tenant to pay for that new stadium.

....

Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Winnepeg, Vancouver, Ottawa, Saskatoon, Edmonton
San Diego, Saint Louis, San Antonio, Portland, Columbus, Salt Lake City, Birmingham, Providence

....

The Roughriders play in Regina, not Saskatoon.

[tigerwings]

Move the BC Lions to Detroit, they can't be any worse.

[CNGL-Leudimin]

And meanwhile I've seen "the" Football Team being referred to as the "former Redskins" in a media outlet... strangely, it was a Spanish one, and not many news about American football reach here, other than the Super Bowl.

[1995hoo]

And meanwhile I've seen "the" Football Team being referred to as the "former Redskins" in a media outlet... strangely, it was a Spanish one, and not many news about American football reach here, other than the Super Bowl.

I've jokingly called them the OFKAR (Organization Formerly Known as Redskins) several times, inspired by some references I saw over the years to TAFKAP (The Artist Formerly Known as Prince). More often, though, if I have reason to refer to them, I call them the Redskins.

[webny99]

Put it this way, if you were going to chose a "most likely relocation candidate," I'm pretty sure the Bills would win in a landslide.

I'm no Bills fan, but by all accounts, Jacksonville would win that vote.

I often think back to that Jan. 2018 wild card game between the Bills and Jags and think about how the two franchises have gone in completely opposite directions since then. That was somewhat of a high point for the Jags - they made it to the AFC title game that year - but wow, it really has been a tale of two cities since then.

[thspfc]

its a shrinking fan base.

According to what sources?

I'm sure the few dozen people who still live there can find another team to follow.

Ha. Ha. The Bills have always had one of the most passionate fanbases in the NFL. Not to mention that there's probably just as many, if not more Bills fans from the Rochester area than the Buffalo area. You could see a few dozen Bills fans in about 2/10 of a mile on the Thruway after a Bills game.

Buffalo is shrinking, but the Bills have WNY and the GTA in their fanbase.

Right, which is a reason that relocating closer to Toronto makes sense.  Much larger metro area.

Why don't the Cowboys move to Tokyo then? Much larger metro area.
I'm being sarcastic, but the point remains the same. Larger metro area does not equal a more sucessful/profitable franchise, especially when you consider the fact that football isn't close to being the most popular sport in Toronto.

[thspfc]

Put it this way, if you were going to chose a "most likely relocation candidate," I'm pretty sure the Bills would win in a landslide.

I'm no Bills fan, but by all accounts, Jacksonville would win that vote.

I often think back to that Jan. 2018 wild card game between the Bills and Jags and think about how the two franchises have gone in completely opposite directions since then. That was somewhat of a high point for the Jags - they made it to the AFC title game that year - but wow, it really has been a tale of two cities since then.

Both went down immediately after that season - Jags finished 5-11 and Bills finished 6-10 in 2018 - but the Bills were much better in 2019 while the Jags weren't any good. Jacksonville is now in a rebuilding state, while Buffalo should be a playoff team this season (though they did benefit a ton from having the league's second-easiest schedule last year).

[webny99]

Both went down immediately after that season - Jags finished 5-11 and Bills finished 6-10 in 2018

But that's not the full picture. Despite the 6-10 record, the Bills were on the right track with their leadership, and the Jags, well... weren't. They've been basically one of the worst teams in the league ever since losing that title game to the Pats.

[Roadgeekteen]

Both went down immediately after that season - Jags finished 5-11 and Bills finished 6-10 in 2018

But that's not the full picture. Despite the 6-10 record, the Bills were on the right track with their leadership, and the Jags, well... weren't. They've been basically one of the worst teams in the league ever since losing that title game to the Pats.

I thought that the Jags would be a contender for years to come.

[thspfc]

Both went down immediately after that season - Jags finished 5-11 and Bills finished 6-10 in 2018

But that's not the full picture. Despite the 6-10 record, the Bills were on the right track with their leadership, and the Jags, well... weren't. They've been basically one of the worst teams in the league ever since losing that title game to the Pats.

I thought that the Jags would be a contender for years to come.

I did too. And I also thought Buffalo that year was just a facade, since the barely slipped into the playoffs at 9-7, but they turned out to be more successful in the long run.

[Buck87]

The Big Ten will indeed play football this year.

Still waiting on the schedule release, but the plan is for 8 regular season games in 8 weeks from Oct 24 through Dec 12, then on Dec 19 the Big Ten championship game will take place, as well as the other teams playing an extra game from the other division based on divisional place. So each team will play 9 games, assuming everyone opts in and there are no covid cancellations.

Note: The College Football Playoff selection this year was moved back to Dec 20.

[NWI_Irish96]

Finally the last FBS conferences hit the field in the PAC-12 and MAC.

Notre Dame upsets #1 Clemson in 2OT, with a rematch almost certainly coming in December. If Clemson wins the rematch it will be interesting to see if one or both get playoff berths over an undefeated PAC-12 Champion that has played only 7 games or perhaps a 1-loss Texas A&M that won't even make the SEC championship game.

[Alps]

Interesting result: The second place Pac-12 North team has won the conference championship and will go to the (edit) Fiesta Bowl, after the first place North team dropped out due to COVID.

[NWI_Irish96]

Interesting result: The second place Pac-12 North team has won the conference championship and will go to the Rose Bowl, after the first place North team dropped out due to COVID.

The Sun Belt canceled its game entirely due to COVID, and declared Coastal Carolina and Louisiana to be co-champions. An important distinction for Coastal Carolina as being a conference champion increases their chances at getting into a top tier bowl.

Another thing I found interesting: among the 20 teams in the 10 championship games (including the canceled one), six different states have two teams in: Alabama, California, Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma and South Carolina

[thspfc]

Interesting result: The second place Pac-12 North team has won the conference championship and will go to the Rose Bowl, after the first place North team dropped out due to COVID.

They won't go to the Rose Bowl, unless Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and maybe a few others all have COVID outbreaks this week.

[NWI_Irish96]

Interesting result: The second place Pac-12 North team has won the conference championship and will go to the Rose Bowl, after the first place North team dropped out due to COVID.

They won't go to the Rose Bowl, unless Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and maybe a few others all have COVID outbreaks this week.

The playoff teams are going to be selected tomorrow based on today's games, so I don't think there will be the option for replacement teams. Games will either get postponed or forfeited.

The Rose Bowl may not be played in the Rose Bowl stadium anyway, as California currently won't allow even enough attendees to account for the families of players and coaches.

With the parade and all the other festivities surrounding the game canceled anyway, there's no real point in having the game there anyway. It got moved east for WWII, so might as well move it for COVID. Play it in Indianapolis or St. Louis.

[ilpt4u]

Interesting result: The second place Pac-12 North team has won the conference championship and will go to the Rose Bowl, after the first place North team dropped out due to COVID.

They won't go to the Rose Bowl, unless Clemson, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Iowa State, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Northwestern, Indiana, Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and maybe a few others all have COVID outbreaks this week.

Because the Rose Bowl is (currently) scheduled to host the CFP Semi-final

The Pac-12 Champ Ducks will get an auto-qualify for another BCS NY6 Bowl

Now with ND's coach talking that he will turn down a Rose Bowl/CFP berth if players' parents are not allowed as spectators...makes me wonder if 1) The Rose Bowl/Pasadena, Cali regulations are willing to allow very small numbers of fans/parents 2) If not, if the CFP committee would move that Playoff game elsewhere, to somewhere that does.  And I'm guessing that somewhere would have to NOT be in California, unless regulations change, of course

[1995hoo]

Not allowing the families is a bit absurd in a 92,000-seat stadium. Allow families and team staff and nobody else.