Canadian football is an iteration of gridiron originating in, you guessed it, Canada. Governed by the Canadian Football League, the sport is most often compared to its United States counterpart. Though similar, there are quite a few differences between CFL rules and NFL rules.
Regardless of the differences, one thing is true, the NFL has pretty much overshadowed Canadian football, in terms of worldwide popularity (and even local popularity). But, the question we have is this; does Canadian football truly lack popularity? In this article, we attempt to answer that question.
The CFL vs. The NFL
Off the bat, we have to say that there is no doubt that the National Football League in the U.S.A. is much bigger than the Canadian Football League. The main reason is that American culture has simply grown a lot more popular worldwide, and so the NFL has been able to reach a lot more people. Indeed, it wouldn’t be surprising to find out that a lot of people worldwide aren’t even aware of Canadian football’s existence.
The other reason is that plenty of CFL fans are also NFL fans. The National Football League broadcasts in Canada after all, and plenty of the Southern regions of the country are just as deeply invested in the NFL as they are with the CFL, if not more so.
Finally, betting certainly plays a huge role on the industry. There is no doubt that NFL betting is much more popular. Most people spend a considerable time on NFL odds, and try to come up with the best possible result. While wagering on Canadian football is popular in Canada, most punters worldwide aren’t that invested in the sport.
But, speaking of the sport’s popularity in Canada, many have made some curious points regarding the topic. That is why, in this next section, we’d like to take a look at the CFL’s popularity, in a vacuum, outside of comparisons to the NFL.
Canadian Football: Does it Lack Popularity?
The popularity of the Canadian Football League only comes into question when compared to its southern counterpart. However, as a sport in its own right, it is actually quite unfair to say that Canadian football lacks popularity.
If we compared the level of success that Canadian football enjoys, to the population in Canada, we’d notice that it is actually incredibly popular. Indeed, most lesser-known sports organizations would kill for the kind of recognition that the CFL gets. So, where does the misconception that Canadian football is unpopular come from?
Well, we already addressed the point, but it basically comes from the constant comparisons to the National Football League. By constantly, and consistently, comparing the two, the CFL falls behind, and is doomed to always live in the NFL’s shadow. However, if somehow we manage to separate the two interlinked sports, the CFL could be recognized as what it is – quite a success in its own right.
Why the NFL Got Bigger
Now that we know that the CFL’s and NFL’s fates are so interlinked, we should address why the NFL got so much bigger than the CFL. There are multiple factors worth looking at, of course, with the most obvious one being the factor of time.
- Time
American football is older than Canadian football. Indeed, because of their numerous similarities, one might assume that Canadian football is largely inspired by its U.S. counterpart. However, it might just be those similarities that drag the sport down.
Let’s put it this way; if there is already a game that you enjoy watching, you might want to see something that is similar. But, if you are given the option between a game you enjoy, and one that is similar but you’re not familiar with, you are much more likely to pick the one you already enjoy.
- Cultural Impact
The NFL simply has a larger cultural impact worldwide. We can see games, movies, TV shows, even online slots inspired by American football. All you have to do is visit gambling sites and look at all of the NFL-based games there to see how significant of an impact the NFL has on culture. And with a welcome bonus from casinos.com, most gamblers today are doing just that; visiting online casinos.
The NFL also has a significant impact outside of iGaming too. Think about all of the Madden games, and other video games inspired by American football, and compare that to the number of games inspired by the Canadian version. There aren’t many. The same is true for films, television shows, and any other media, really.
- Marketing
Lastly, we can’t deny that a major reason for the NFL’s success is just, better marketing. Part of the reason that the NFL has better marketing is because it has a bigger budget. That means they can pour a lot more cash into advertisement, and the results are self-evident.
The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events in the world, comparable to the FIFA World Cup or even the Olympics, both Summer and Winter. That means that a single country’s annual sports final is just as big as elaborate, worldwide events that come once in every four years. The results speak for themselves.
Could the CFL Grow?
Anything is possible. We may see a future where the Canadian Football League becomes an international phenomenon, just like the NFL. However, it is much more likely that it will remain a locally-popular, yet still somewhat niche sport, that mostly Canadians will enjoy.
In truth, there isn’t much wrong with that. Understandably, many sports fans want to share their love for CFL with friends and close acquaintances. It might get lonely having no one to talk to the CFL about, after all. After all, sharing similar hobbies is one of the foundations of a good friendship.
However, with the internet, it is now possible to find communities for any sport, no matter how big, small, popular, or niche it is. So, whether or not the Canadian Football League grows in popularity or not, really doesn’t matter. Anyone can step into contact with like-minded people and discuss the latest games in the sport.