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As Grey Cup weekend approaches in Winnipeg, an Angus Reid poll finds that only 16% of Canadians follow the CFL closely or very closely.
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This compares to both 2014 and 2018, when 21% Canadians said the same thing. Three different iterations of this survey (2021, 2023, and 2025) concluded that interest peaked at just 17%.
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The championship game between Montreal and Saskatchewan will be the last Grey Cup played before “tweaks” to field dimensions and game rules are introduced over the next two seasons
These changes include shortening the field from 110 yards to 100 yards, shortening end zones from 20 yards to 15 yards, moving the goalposts from the goal line to the back of the end zone, nixing the single point awarded for a missed field goal that goes through the end zone, and using an automatic 35-second play clock which will start after each play.
“This, and the league’s strength among older viewers rather than younger, is perhaps cause for recently announced rule changes that will roll out over the next two seasons,” said Angus Reid’s analysis of the findings. “For the league’s gamble to pay off, it must not alienate those who support it already, while trying to draw in new fans. It’s a risky bet.”
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OPPOSED TO MOVING TOWARDS AMERICAN STYLE
The poll shows that half of those who follow the CFL (47%) and three-quarters who follow most closely (74%) shun the idea of moving more toward American-style rules.
Among fringe followers, 38% say the CFL should remain as unique as it can, while 30% would align more with NFL rules and 31% are unsure.
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When asked about recent changes to the play clock, and the placement of the goal posts from the front to the back of the endzone, fans are generally more supportive than opposed.
However, the idea of reducing the field size from 110 to 100 yards is opposed by 64% who follow the league very closely and half who follow it closely.
Conducted Oct. 7-11, Angus Reid Institute conducted an online survey of a randomized sample of 2,031 Canadian adults. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of 2%, 19 times out of 20.
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