A new survey conducted by Manitoba-based research firm Probe Research. sheds new light on fan reactions to announcements regarding CFL rule changes for the 2026 and 2027 seasons..
In a random sample of 1,230 Canadian adults conducted via an online survey, as well as an additional survey of 448 Manitoban adults, the company found that 42 per cent of those who identified as fans or who were aware of the rule changes agreed that they did not wantif changes were made, I would watch less CFL football.. Among respondents, that number rose to 58 percent. who were considered interested fans.
However, the survey results first reported by CBC Winnipeg's Bartley Keavesseem amazingly inconsistent. 59 percent of the same group of respondents agreed that the rule changes would make CFL games more exciting, suggesting that at least one percent of fans think the changes will make the product better but will still be less interested. 50 percent also said the CFL is currently less interesting than the NFL.
Overall, 42 percent of fans said they were at least partially in favor of changecompared with 20 percent who said they were against it. 37 percent remain unsure of their position.
No wonder, opposition to change was strongest in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, where 35 per cent of respondents were against it compared to 27 per cent in favor. Ontario had the most support at 49 per cent, while Quebec had the smallest opposition group at 12 per cent.
Support varied depending on which rule change was introduced. The introduction of a 35-second game clock was the least controversial, with just 12 percent of fans saying they were against it. Eliminating the blush after a kick from out of the end zone received the most support, with 28 percent strongly supporting the change. 62 percent and 59 percent of fans, respectively, said they either supported the two changes or were willing to live with them, while 55 percent said the same about reducing end zones to 15 yards and 54 percent agreed with moving the goal posts.
The most controversial proposed change is reducing the field from 110 yards to 100 in 2027, which 29 percent of respondents said they were against. That number rose to 45 percent in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, even though the Prairie provinces were in line with the rest of the country when it came to other changes. However, 19 percent of fans surveyed supported the reduction in viewership, and 34 percent said they could live with it.
The broadest consensus on any topic has been achieved Americanization themewith 64 percent saying that making the CFL more like its American counterpart was the wrong move now. There was no consensus on what that actually meant, however, as 54 percent said they would support or could be okay with the CFL moving to 11 players on the field, and 50 percent were okay with narrowing the field.
Both of these changes drew more opposition than the proposed rule changes—29 percent and 32 percent, respectively. potential shift of up to four falls remains the most controversial, with 34 percent opposed and only 49 percent saying they were okay with it. Opposition to any individual proposal should be taken with a grain of salt, however, as 26 percent of respondents said they were opposed to playing with a ball the same size as an NFL ball, something the CFL has already done for years.
Overall, young people aged 18 to 34 appear more supportive of US-style rule changes, including a full 34 percent who would support moving to four downgrades. Older people, men and those who live on the prairies remain a staunch traditionalist.
While opinions on the changes varied widely and revealed some inconsistencies, the overall data shows why CFL is willing to take such a drastic step in changing the product. In the original survey sample, only 11 percent identified themselves as dedicated CFL fans who regularly go to games and watch them on television, while 29 percent were casual or occasional fans who occasionally watch games on television and check the results. This reduced the number of people asked about the rule change in this survey to 586.
The league hopes the changes will help freshen up the product and attract new fans, but their attempt to make a marketing splash hasn't worked so far. Only 30 percent of those surveyed knew the CFL had proposed any rule changes, meaning even some fans weren't paying attention to commissioner Stuart Johnston's speech.
