3 CFL player takeaways on new regular season schedule and playoff format

CFL.ca Team

TORONTO – The CFL announced a new regular season schedule, and that the CFLPA and the league have agreed to a new playoff format beginning in 2027.

These changes are designed to create more meaningful games, better summer experiences for fans, and a more competitive path to the Grey Cup.

CFL.ca spoke to CFLPA representatives and CFL players Hamilton’s Stavros Katsantonis and Ottawa’s Brett Lauther to assess their opinions on the new formats.

MORE EARNING OPPORTUNITIES

Katsantonis emphasized how the changes are an improvement to the players’ experience, helping them with more earning opportunities.

“The biggest thing was ensuring that this is creating new revenue opportunities for our members and how they could share in that growth,” said the All-CFL safety.

Lauther shared his colleague’s sentiment that increasing player’s revenue is positive for all parts involved in the CFL, especially when it comes to raising the salary cap and increasing the league’s competitiveness.

“The direction that the league is going,” answered the kicker when asked about what fans should be most excited about. “I really believe in some of the things that are going on behind the scenes. From the revenue for players going up, having revenue sharing more money in players’ pockets, whether it be preseason, post-season or in season, lifts the salary cap.”

EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL FOOTBALL

The veteran kicker also thinks the new playoff format gives teams new chances to go on a run late in the season.

“For clubs, more teams having an opportunity to maybe host a playoff game or be in a playoff game. Having added benefit to coming first or second in Division, where the first loss doesn’t eliminate you, like the curling format as well. Maybe a team that was coming on strong at the end, where they might have had some injuries earlier in the year and couldn’t get it going. They could find a way to get in as a six or seven seed, and maybe normally wouldn’t have been in playoffs, (but now they) could go on a run. I think there’s a lot of benefit, a lot of potential to it.”

Katsantonis also believes that the changes could lead to more meaningful games down the stretch for CFL fans.

“I think the biggest thing is more games of consequence,” said the defender.

“This is the CFL, anyone can win on any given week. I think given that opportunity in the playoffs, it could be against the one seed, but any team can win, what a story that would be. If you were that team on the outside looking in towards the end, maybe you make a run down the stretch and to be able to lift the Grey Cup that way, I think there would be no sweeter feeling than that to say, ‘hey, you know what, we beat all the good teams’. And that’s who the champion is at the end of the day. It’s the best team in the CFL, right? I think it’d be pretty cool to experience that from that end.”

OVERALL OPTIMISM

Lauther knows it’s early to fully assess the impact these changes are going to have, but highlighted his optimism about what the future holds for the league.

“It’s all just speculation, but I am looking forward to the future of the CFL and the direction that the league’s going,” said Lauther.

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