Spygate certain to stir debate around CFL

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/07/2009 (5931 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If, in light of the Bomber scout being ejected from Ticat practice this week, you wondered what the practice/media policy is in the NFL, here it is in a nutshell: unlike the CFL where teams open their workouts to the public but now pan cameras, NFL teams ask reporters to leave the moment ‘team period’ — when plays are run — begins. NFL squads also regularly employ security guards to monitor their practices.

All of this, of course, will only open further debate about whether CFL practices should be ‘open’ or closed — currently only one workout during Grey Cup week can be closed.

“As a result of (Tuesday) and sending out the notice we did today (warning organizations about ‘spying’ at other teams’ practices) our intention is to help protect our teams’ ability to practice without fear of their opponent’s scouting while keeping practices open to the media,” said CFL communications manager Jamie Dykstra. “An easy way to deal with all this would be to close the building, but that’s by no means the league’s intention. It’s our attempt to try and serve both sides.”

Interestingly, Drew Edwards of The Hamilton Spectator reports that in wake of Tuesday’s incident at Ticat practice, the club imposed a new policy that forced all fans in attendance to sit in one section with the media assigned to another.

The Bombers weren’t fined, according to the CFL, not because they came clean on the scouting issue — which they did — but because ‘spying’ isn’t specifically outlined in the bylaws.