Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League (CFL; French: Ligue canadienne de football, LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. They play Canadian football and are they highest level of competition for the sport. The CFL is the second most popular sports league in Canada after the NHL. There are 9 teams; 4 in the Eastern Division and 5 Western Division. The Grey Cup is the championship for the CFL. The league was founded on January 19, 1958,[2] making it the second oldest professional gridiron football league in North America that still operates.
| Current season or competition: 2023 CFL season | |
| Sport | Canadian football |
|---|---|
| Founded | January 17, 1958 (66 years ago)[1] |
| Inaugural season | 1958 |
| No. of teams | 9 |
| Country(ies) | Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | Toronto Argonauts (7th title) |
| Most championships | Edmonton Elks (11) |
| TV partner(s) | TSN TSN2 RDS |
| Official website | cfl |
However, several of its teams played for many years before the modern league was formed. One current team, the Toronto Argonauts, was formed in 1873, and four other teams claim descent from teams that played before 1900.
Teams
Active teams
1The Montreal Alouettes play their regular season games at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium and play their playoff games at Olympic Stadium.
- Notes
- ^ The Hamilton Tiger-Cats were created in 1950 as a merger between the Hamilton Tigers (founded in 1869 as the Hamilton Football Club)[6] and the Hamilton Wildcats (founded in 1941).
- ^ The CFL considers the current Montreal Alouettes franchise (founded in 1994 as the Baltimore Stallions, moved to Montreal and renamed the Montreal Alouettes in 1996) to be a continuation of the original Montreal Alouettes (founded 1946, played in the CFL 1958–1981) and Montreal Concordes (founded 1982, renamed the Montreal Alouettes in 1986, folded just before the 1987 season).[7] However this does not include the Montreal Football Club that was formed in 1872, and joined the IRFU in 1907–1915, and the Montreal AAA Winged Wheelers, who played in the IRFU during the 1930s and 40's, winning the Grey Cup in 1931.
- ^ All Ottawa clubs including the previous Rough Riders and Renegades are combined with current Redblacks for historical consistency only, even though the CFL considers them separate clubs.
- ^ While football in Edmonton was first played in 1890,[8] the Edmonton Elks (in their current incarnation) recognize their first season in 1949.[9] This was further evidenced by the "60 seasons" decals worn on their helmets during the 2008 season.
- ^ Became Saskatchewan Roughriders officially in 1950, after the team became the only pro football team left in the province in 1948. Roughriders were originally called the Regina Rugby Football club from 1910 to 1924. then called the Regina Roughriders from 1925 to 1949.
- ^ Created by a merger of the Winnipegs and the St. John's team on June 10, 1930, and become known as the "Winnipeg Pegs" before changing to the current name, Blue Bombers, in 1937.[10]
Canadian Football League Media
Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium (shown during player introductions prior to a game) is the largest venue in the CFL.
Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo looks down field with the ball during the 2005 Grey Cup game against the Edmonton Eskimos at BC Place
The Grey Cup
References
- ↑ 2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 978-0-9739425-4-5, p.281
- ↑ "Canadian Football League Record Book - 2011 Update" (PDF). Canadian Football League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-01-12. Retrieved 2014-11-03.
- ↑ "About the Ottawa REDBLACKS". Ottawa Redblacks. Archived from the original on 2014-02-17. Retrieved 2014-02-16.
- ↑ Toronto Argonauts Archived 2013-06-28 at the Wayback Machine. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved on July 26, 2013.
- ↑ "MLSE ACQUISITION OF TORONTO ARGONAUTS APPROVED BY CFL BOARD OF GOVERNORS". Toronto Argonauts. 2018-01-19. Retrieved 2018-01-19.
- ↑ "Canadian Football Timelines (1860–present)". Football Canada. Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. Retrieved December 23, 2006.
- ↑ "History of the Montreal Alouettes". CFL.ca. Retrieved December 4, 2006.
- ↑ 2009 Canadian Football League Facts, Figures & Records, Canadian Football League Properties/Publications, Toronto, Ontario, ISBN 978-0-9739425-4-5, p.282
- ↑ "History". Esks.com. August 23, 1978. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved February 18, 2011.
- ↑ "History". Bluebombers.com. September 27, 2011. Archived from the original on October 18, 2011. Retrieved September 27, 2011.
