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That certainly seems to be the case this week, with not one but two major sports leagues announcing significant amendments.
The public reception, however, couldn’t be more different.
Let’s start close to home, where the Canadian Football League is under fire from many angles — current and former players, coaches and fans — for what many see as a big step toward the so-called “Americanization” of our uniquely Canadian, three-down game.
The tweaks coming next season don’t seem overly controversial to me: a set 35-second play clock, a modified rouge that no longer rewards failure, and benches on opposite sidelines. All perfectly logical, no?
(Then again, in today’s world, even getting everyone to agree the sky is blue feels ambitious, so maybe I’m being naïve.)
But 2027 is where the outrage really ramps up. Moving the goalposts to the back of the end zone, shrinking end zones from 20 yards to 15, and reducing the field from 110 to 100 yards has many fans declaring disaster and seeing it as a slippery slope toward some kind of U.S. alliance.
My hot take: Is that necessarily a bad thing? Reports suggest only the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders are profitable these days, with the other seven teams losing money. That’s not sustainable. especially with a fan base that isn’t getting any younger.
And let’s be honest: the NFL’s version of football is king, even here in Canada. Especially among younger sports fans.
I value tradition as much as anyone, but if the CFL’s survival depends on outside-the-box thinking, then maybe change isn’t the enemy.
Commissioner Stewart Johnston claims the adjustments will lead to more aggressive play-calling and could add 60 overall touchdowns per season, further boosting a league already higher-scoring than the NFL.
Will that translate to more fans in seats or viewers on TV? Hard to say. But at least they’re trying something.
And for now, there’s still enough Canadiana in the game to satisfy the die-hards. I’m willing to give it a shot. How about you?
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Meanwhile, Major League Baseball announced its own shakeup — and the reaction has been far less dramatic.
Beginning next season, “Robo Umps” will be in play.
To be clear: humans will still be behind the plate, but their ball-and-strike calls can now be challenged. That’s a win in my books. Too often, games are decided by mistakes we can all see instantly on TV thanks to technology. And not just one or two.
Case in point: home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz recently blew 25 calls in a single San Diego Padres-Milwaukee Brewers game with playoff implications.
Woof.
And don’t get me started on the Toronto Blue Jays — the team I admit to both loving and, more recently, loathing — who have been burned by brutal calls while their grip on first place has slipped away.
Starting next year, each team will get two challenges per game (kept if successful), with video replay quickly determining the outcome.
I get the need for limits — you’ve got to keep the game moving. But eventually I’d like to see judgment calls removed entirely, with umpires simply relaying the ruling on every pitch which they get through an earpiece.
That would eliminate doubt and ensure games are settled fairly and squarely.
Finally, the sport I cover for a living: hockey.
The NHL has its own changes on the way, which were announced earlier this summer as part of a new collective bargaining agreement.
First, training camp will shrink to four preseason games starting next fall. Count me in.
This week’s Winnipeg Jets games against the Minnesota Wild and Edmonton Oilers proved once again that exhibition hockey isn’t exactly a thrill ride. Necessary? Sure, to some degree. Coaches need to evaluate players. But six to nine games, as teams currently play, is overkill.
Next, the league is scrapping mandatory fitness testing at camp. I have no skin in the game, but Jets players I spoke with were thrilled their union pushed hard on this.
The logic is sound: In today’s era, guys arrive in top condition rather than show up to camp trying to get back into shape after a sloppy summer. And they say the testing has often led to injury. Good riddance.
And last, but certainly not least: no more dress code on game days. Personally, I can’t wait to see how players express themselves — and I’m planning a story this season on what Winnipeg’s roster rolls out in.
Hockey has long been a sport of conformity; a little individuality could be a lot of fun.
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