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As the CFL prepares to introduce a series of rule and field changes, a new poll shows overall attention for the league continues to decline.
The Angus Reid Institute reports that the percentage of Canadians who follow the CFL closely or very closely has dropped from 21 per cent in 2014 and 2018 to 16 per cent in 2025.
The online poll was conducted Oct. 7-11 and was released this week as the Saskatchewan Roughriders and Montreal Alouettes square off in Sunday's Gray Cup tournament in Winnipeg.
Those who follow the league most closely have leaned heavily toward the CFL being different from the American game.
Among less engaged fans, opinions were more mixed: 61 percent of non-close followers and 53 percent of casual followers were unsure or preferred it to be more in line with the NFL, compared to 46 percent of avid fans.
On September 22, the CFL announced a series of rule changes, including increased playing time, a revised rouge rule, and a smaller field, causing mixed reactions among those torn between preserving tradition and modernizing the game.
Starting next season, teams will no longer be able to win games using a blush, the only point awarded for a missed field goal that flies through the end zone. One point will only be awarded if the returner kicks a missed field goal, punt or kickoff in the end zone and either kneels or is tackled in the end zone while attempting to move the ball forward.
Additionally, the game clock will automatically reset for 35 seconds. Currently, teams have 20 seconds to play the game, but usually the clock only starts when the referees call the ball.
Another change is that the team benches will be moved to opposite sides of the field to facilitate substitutions. Both benches are currently on the same side.
The most significant changes will come in 2027, when CFL fields will be shortened from 110 to 100 yards, end zones will be reduced from 20 to 15 yards, and the goal posts will be moved from the goal line to the back of the end zone.
The poll found that two-thirds of hardcore fans opposed the field change, while half of casual followers also disagreed.
BC Lions defenseman Nathan Rourke called the new rules “garbage,” criticizing the league for not consulting with players.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats defensive end Beau Levi Mitchell took the opposite position.
“It's not about Americanizing the game, it's about modernizing it,” said Mitchell, a 12-year veteran and two-time Most Outstanding Player.
“What can we do to put a better product on the field, a product that people want to watch, that will go faster? It doesn’t take away from the uniqueness (of the CFL).”
The polling industry's professional body, the Canadian Research Council, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.
