Time to take a break from the CFL
I've been a fairly dedicated Rider fan my whole life, closely watching the ups and downs of entire seasons. 2025 has been the highest point of my sports watching career (you can't beat winning the Grey Cup in Winnipeg), especially after watching my teams fail for years. I'm also a Leafs fan 😞
But signs of the CFL's new direction are extremely off-putting. Stewart Johnson comes across as extremely arrogant, and his top-down corporate leadership style seems completely contrary to what has led at least to the Riders' financial turnaround in the past 20 or so years. The Riders turnaround was largely grassroots, and wasn't led by self-styled "visionaries."
To do such significant rule changes with no consultation is a cardinal sin, and clearly the rule changes are meant to facilitate increased revenue from the US. All this at a time when Canadians are paying way more attention to what makes us special in the world. Who the hell knows whether or not it'll bring in any extra money. And what hell is a Wake Forest??
Furthermore, I have no reason to support a league that promotes rodeo clown Luke Willson to any position of prominence. He's an unprofessional, attention-addicted blowhard who doesn't even understand what his purpose here is.
Why not end a dedicated fandom on a high note. I'll still go to games if my friends/family lead the charge, but no longer will I be the lead in my friend group. When I went to school in Regina, I could easily bring in a dozen people and like $1,000 to the Riders organization on game day.
I'll always be a Rider fan and I'll spend money on the team, but rather than being a weekly depth chart follower, I think I'll become a waaaay more casual fan that appreciates the Rider organization's long term accomplishments over whatever the hell Frankenstein league Clueless Stu wants the CFL to be.