Samuel Friedman, Contributor, says YES.
NFL is my number one, and it’s obvious that the NFL far surpasses the CFL.
The NFL is the largest professional sports league in the world.
According to Askmen.com, the NFL earned $984.5 million in 2005—more than any other professional sports league. The average NFL team is worth approximately $898 million.
Not only does the NFL have more fans and generate more revenue than the CFL, they also have the better players.
Unlike the CFL, the NFL is comprised of a 32-team league with a 16-game schedule.
Top-ranked college football recruits all choose to play in the NFL because of the league’s credibility, talent pool, and the immediate exposure they receive through the league’s massive fan base.
It’s hard for me to watch the CFL when I know the NFL has better players.
This year alone, three rookie quarterbacks (Luck, Griffin III, and Wilson) will play in the NFL playoffs who were all drafted from the American collegiate level.
The talent that the NFL puts onto the field every week can’t be matched by the smaller pool of the CFL’s eight teams.
The NFL recognizes their massive fan base, and knows they must provide quality football and entertainment to keep their fans happy.
The NFL is known for making spectacles of almost every game with celebrity appearances, larger-than-life fireworks, you name it.
At the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks game, the majority of discussion surrounded PSY’s halftime performance of “Gangnam style.” The show was as anticipated and almost as talked about as the football game itself.
The spectacle of all spectacles for the NFL is, of course, the Super Bowl.
This February, the highly anticipated event will be held in New Orleans, and according to reports, CBS will be asking a record $4 million for every 30-second advertisement booked for that time.
Everyone wants to be a part of the hype, apparently willing to pay the price of a luxury car to attend the game. But that’s the value of NFL entertainment.
How can the CFL compete with that?
Aileen Ormoc, Sports Editor, says NO
Most football fans are inclined to say that it is better than the CFL. Although the NFL has its perks, I think watching the CFL is worth a shot.
For starters, the difference in field size can make for an incredible game. At 110 yards, the CFL’s field is 10 yards longer than the typical NFL field. The CFL has two 20-yard end zones whereas the NFL has 10-yard end zones.
But what does all of this really mean?
A larger field means players have more room to run around and maneuver, which ultimately results in bigger plays and more excitement on the field.
The end zone in the CFL is 25 yards deep rather than a measly 10 yards, allowing for more room between the 20-yard line and the goal line, better known as the “red zone.” Kickers are also able to punt the ball further with a deeper end zone.
Watching the CFL also means we’re taking part in developing homegrown talent.
Because the NFL is so adamant on recruiting the best of the best, the league leaves virtually no room for a starting athlete to grow and fine-tune their skills given some time.
In the CFL, however, there is a tendency to recruit young talent, straight out of university, molding these players into stronger athletes.
That’s not to say that the CFL hasn’t had its fair share of notable players throughout the years.
Quarterback Anthony Calvillo of the Montreal Alouettes has led his team onto three Grey Cup Championships, and has the second-highest number of career passing yards and touchdowns as of 2011.
Former York Lion, is a veteran slotback for the Toronto Argonauts, and had his career high in 2012 with 842 yards and five touchdowns.
My point is although the CFL hasn’t been able to bring forth the same entertainment value as the NFL’s million-dollar endorsements and intentional celebrity mishaps (re: Super Bowl 38’s Nipplegate controversy), the games in the CFL offer something completely different than those of the NFL, and can be a lot of fun to watch if you give them a chance.
