CFL invites fans to hear what you think on rules!

CFL INVITES CANADIANS TO PROVIDE INPUT TO OUR RULES COMMITTEE

This is Our League means "it belongs to every Canadian who cares about the CFL and supports it"
Toronto, ON (February 19, 2009) -- For the first time, Canadian Football League (CFL) fans are being asked to propose rules changes that can "make our great game even better," says Commissioner Mark Cohon.

"We know our fans have the best interests of our game at heart, that they cherish its traditions, understand what makes it unique, and yet want to make it even stronger," Cohon said yesterday after inviting fans to submit their suggestions to the league's rules committee.

"So it makes perfect sense to include them in our annual discussion of rule changes. It's part of what we mean when we say This is Our League: it belongs to every Canadian who cares about the CFL, and supports it."

Fans are asked to send their ideas by visiting CFL.ca/rules or by emailing -- rules@cfl.ca -- by Friday, February 27. They will be shared with the members of the league's rules committee as it prepares to meet as part of the annual CFL Congress, this year in Hamilton on March 3rd and 4th.

"Our fast-paced, wide-open, three-down game is a great game, and that was never clearer than last season, when scoring was up, games were close, and exciting finishes were the order of the day. But everything can be improved," Cohon said in a message to fans posted on the league's website, CFL.ca.

"That's the spirit in which our rules committee gathers each year during CFL Congress. A collection of team presidents, general managers, coaches and officials, along with a representative of the players' association, it meets to discuss which rules should be replaced, changed or tweaked to make our game even better," he said.

"This year, we're asking you to provide input to the committee. We want your ideas and suggestions. We can't promise the committee will accept them all. But we will make sure your ideas are shared with its members."

Tom Higgins, the CFL's director of officiating, said it's impossible to predict the outcome of this year's meeting.

"The committee takes its task very seriously, and has tremendous respect for the game and its place in our country," Higgins said.

"The changes it has brought forward over the years to the Board of Governors have ranged from significant innovations, such as our overtime format, to subtle changes in how we interpret existing rules. Sometimes, new ideas make their way into our rule book, sometimes they fall by the wayside because of a lack of consensus, and sometimes they're tabled for further research and refinement," he said.

"What we can say without a doubt about this year's discussion is that it can only be strengthened by including input from our fans."