The owners of the five U.S. franchises in the CFL discussed
seceding and forming their own league during a conference call
last week, according to Marty York in this morning's GLOBE &
MAIL. York reports the U.S. owners have agreed to present a list
of demands to the CFL's Board of Governors. If the demands are
not met, they will "threaten to find three new teams and
establish a league of their own by next spring." The owners will
reportedly demand to change the league name and rules in a
meeting in Toronto at the end of the month. Memphis Coach Pepper
Rodgers is suggesting U.S. teams play with American rules, and
Canadian teams keep Canadian rules. The rumors have CFL Chair
John Tory "unabashedly lived," according to York. Tory: "They
are not going to get us to agree to Americanizing the CFL's rules
because this is something that's too important to us. We didn't
ask for the baskets to be lowered in Toronto and Vancouver for
your home games when the Raptors and Grizzlies were given
franchises ... and we're not going to allow the American teams in
the CFL to play with four downs or 100-yard fields" (Toronto
GLOBE & MAIL, 11/15).
