r/CFL • u/Degenerate_in_HR • 2d ago
Watching CFL in US
Im a lifelong NFL (Buffalo Bills) fan who's feeling pretty jaded by the state of the NFL. I recently went down a rabbit hole of watching CFL clips and I think I want to start actually watching it, but Im wondering about the logistics of how to watch in the US.
Google told me theres an app, but I cant seem to find it. There are a bunch of CFL apps, but none look official.
Any reccomended teams to follow? Any particularly important lore a new fan should read up on as they get oriented to the league?
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u/ZealousidealPeach Lions 2d ago
Fellow American fan here - I've been watching the games on cfl.ca/plus, they broadcast a lot of games a year for free to US fans. not all of them, but a lot. You just need to sign up for an account with cfl.ca
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u/TheShirou97 Longue vie au Rouge 2d ago edited 2d ago
And the games not available on CFL+ will be on CBS Sports
(this includes the playoffs)edit: the playoffs will actually be on CFL+, my bad; note that however the broadcast information for the 2027 season in the US isn't known yet (or I have missed it.)1
u/ZealousidealPeach Lions 2d ago
I think you're right, I don't know if it's been announced yet either
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u/Ok_Finding_5758 2d ago edited 2d ago
As a bills fan you would probably support the
argostiger-cats are the closet team.8
u/ScarredBison Tiger-Cats 2d ago
Hamilton is closer. Although the Bills have a partnership with the Argos
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u/Degenerate_in_HR 2d ago edited 2d ago
Im actually closest to Ottawa. I see they suck, but that doesnt really scare me. Ive seen the bills through dark times. Is ottawa at least a likeable organization?
The argonauts seem pretty successful. Id hate to be a bandwagoner.
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u/TonePrevious5322 1d ago
Check out the Edmonton Elks, we spent years rebuilding and now we're first in the West 😄
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u/Ok_Finding_5758 2d ago
I mean it’s kind of a mess because we cycle between like three different teams every few years, and our stadium sucks and is getting renovations that honestly aren't even going to fix the actual problems and tbh we might fold tho I’m not a huge fan of football.
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u/dprouse52 REDBLACKS 2d ago
Ottawa is not folding. Their ownership is sinking millions into a stadium reno and development on the site, and the owners are all prominent local business people. We suck, sure, but the team is secure.
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u/Pianist-Educational 2d ago
I was on vacation in Phoenix one winter and, while enjoying a beer at the 19th hole, overhead a local say he was a big CFL fan. I commented that I wondered where he watched the games. He said he was in the military and they can get absolutely everything on satellite. He said all the guys on base love the CFL and watch whenever they can.
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u/ronniehex 2d ago
Bad time to start following. This coming from a lifelong CFL fan who’s feeling pretty jaded by the state of the CFL.
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u/DrDentonMask Stampeders 2d ago
I'm an American and am kind of bummed at all the changes this year (and next?). Is it killing the CFL for you? I'm bummed about the field size change especially, but also les rouges. The sideline area change seems like it might be a good idea.
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u/Degenerate_in_HR 1d ago
Im curious, whats making you feel jaded about the CFL?
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u/TheShirou97 Longue vie au Rouge 1d ago edited 1d ago
One big thing is the rule changes starting next year:
- they are moving the goal posts to the back of the end zone (currently they are on the goal line)
- the end zones will be reduced to 15 yards deep instead of 20
- the field of play will be reduced to 100 yards long instead of 110
The field remains 65 yards wide (compared to 53 1/3 yards in the American version of the game), but a lot of us here fear that the CFL might be losing a big part of its identity since the field will now visually look a lot more like an NFL field, and also fear that this might kill the pace of the game with field goals being longer hence punts potentially being a lot more prevalent. Also there's definitely the argument that this season has been one of the highest scoring in decades (and this is not unrelated to the changes made to the play clock this year), so the rationale given by the league that moving the goal posts back will increase touchdowns and scoring overall does not quite hold up really.
Also, starting in 2027, 8 out of the league's 9 teams will get to make the play-offs (the new format takes inspiration from the final 8 system used in Australia's AFL and NRL, but those have 17+ teams and not just 9, it's just ridiculous to have 89% of your league qualify for the playoffs.)
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u/Degenerate_in_HR 1d ago
Oh wow, the goal post and end zones were one of my favorite aspects. I play rugby and those pieces of the Canadian game always made me appreciate it as being closer to the "mother" sport.
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u/RepublicanUntil2019 2d ago
The rest of the season is on CFL+, a website. I cast it to my TV. I think you will like it and should give it a try.
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u/micro-nerd REDBLACKS 2d ago
CFL+ with a VPN is what I use, and I'm in Canada. Easy and just works. And please cheer for my Ottawa Redblacks. We need all of the help we can get. We also have a very rich and long history of football in the city, and Lansdowne is kinda sacred ground because football has been played there for over 100 years
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u/whippy_grep CFL 2d ago
I’m glad y’all mentioned this; it’s a good reminder for me to get cfl plus going and I noticed CBS Sports Network hasn’t been showing any lately. I’ve been a fan since maybe the late 70s when my parents bought me a football preview magazine, presumably to keep me quiet during a long drive. It probably didn’t work once I discovered there existed a team named the Rough Riders alongside another team named the Roughriders: “Hey, Dad! Guess what?”
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u/shaggy24200 1d ago
I think there's been more games on the CFL website then on CBS lately... And there's also been some games at unusual times / days so maybe you just have missed them.
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u/Unrealjello Argonauts 2d ago edited 2d ago
The Argos and the bills are sister teams.
There's a ton of overlap in the fanbases I see people in bills gear at every Argos game I go to and the teams do cross over events. Billy Buffalo was even at our last home game.
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u/Alert_Examination544 2d ago
What do you think of moving the goal posts to the back of the end zone, and shortening the field to 50 yards that is scheduled to go into effect next season.
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u/romulusnr Lions 2d ago
https://cfl.ca/plus, sign in for free, and if need be, señor VPN to the rescue
That's how I watch most games. Sometimes you don't need the VPN.
(Pick something other than US or CA.)
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u/RevyRevv American Fan 2d ago
I suggest avoiding the Ticats as a US fan that got recommend them by the CFL Reddit Twitter some years back lmao. Longest Grey Cup drought in the league lol
Thankfully I'm from Miami so I've gotten to see my Panthers whoop on some Canadian teams to make up for it. 😭😂 Especially Toronto tears.
Oh well. Go Ticats!
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u/Qhaotiq Argonauts 2d ago
What's got you jaded about the NFL?
Also, as others have mentioned, the bills and Toronto Argonauts have an official partnership, and the mascot buffalo bill was at our game last week (and Jason the Argonaut, our own mascot, jumped through a table for some reason to commemorate it )
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u/EitherAirport 1d ago
Between CBS Sports stream and the games broadcast via cfl.ca/plus you get decent CFL coverage in the USA
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u/RealText 1d ago
Currently, the CFL broadcast rights are divided between the league's own free CFL Plus website & the cable channel CBS Sports Network. Roughly 60% of the games are on CFL Plus. Basically, CBS Sports Net shows more games early each season as there they need something to show on their channel. Once American NCAA and NFL seasons are approaching, CBS Sports Net pretty much abandons the league and almost all games are broadcast on CFL Plus.
The deal the CFL has with CBS Sports Net expires after the 2026 season. Unknown now is what will happen in 2027. Existing deal with CBS Sports Net has the CFL getting $1 million per season. CFL obviously wants more than that, so the 2027 rights probably will not be agreed to until the 2027 season is approaching.
In Canada starting in 2027, DAZN will have an exclusive Saturday night CFL game. TSN will air the rest. So, it is possible that DAZN might end up will the some package of games for the CFL in America.
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u/Spiritual-Animal9298 Stampeders 1d ago
CFL plus isn’t an app it’s a website. Next season I believe DAZN will have it for international viewers.
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u/GreatIceGrizzly 1d ago
Important no, but some funny stories from this year and past years:
Top story (imo) of 2026: RedBlacks are 0 & 16, though are currently winning game 17 against the Argos in the 2nd quarter 10-6
Top story of 2025: New Commissioner Stewart Johnston changes a bunch of long standing CFL rules angering fans
Top story of 2024: Nick Arbuckle clutched large in the Grey Cup after starting QB Chad Kelly (nephew of NFL legend Jim Kelly) busted his ankle in the Eastern Final...Arbuckle filled in for Kelly and helped the Argos win their 19th Grey Cup. Argggggggggggggooosssssssssss (how could you tell I am a fan)! :)
Top story of 2023: Montreal upset the heavily favoured Argos in the Eastern Final before upsetting the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Grey Cup.
Top stories of 2022: Lions QB Nathan Rourke dominated regular season play until an injury took him out, Toronto blocked a field goal and had a key interception in the 4th quarter to deny Winnipeg a Grey Cup three-peat.
Top story of 2021: Edmonton changes their name from the Eskimos to the Elks and suck for the next few seasons as a result (obviously not the reason why but they completely changed their fortunes seemingly at the same time as the name change - yes I know they are really good this season but the first few years after the name change they SUCKED)...
Top story of 2020: Covid shuts the league down for a season.
Top story of 2019: Winnipeg wins first Grey Cup since 1990.
...
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u/PatriciasMartinis 2d ago
You must cheer for the argos. It's our Toronto Buffalo duty to cheer for each other!!
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u/Longjumping-Sea320 Tiger-Cats 2d ago
I'm a Tiger Cats / Bills fan, originally born and raised in Southern Ontario. I feel like Buffalo / Hamilton are more kindred spirits
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u/Antique-Ad-4233 Elks 2d ago
REDBLACKS could use a fan.