N/C sports question

So was watching football(NFL) tonight and got to wondering why, in North America, there are 2 football leagues but most other sports like Soccer, Basketball, and Lacrosse they play each other on both sides of the border? I do realize that the rules for the 2 football leagues there are some very different rules. Was that a factor as to why they didn't join together?

Inter league play except in the championship game ruins the game.

I don't think she's talking about inter league play but rather the NFL and the Canadian Football League.

The CFL did expand to a few US teams (San Antonio Texans actually beat them at their own game in '95) but expansion was unsuccessful as it drew hardly no fans/ no money.  Ultimately, the CFL is just regarded as the bush (minor) league of football.

Canada has their own basketball and hockey leagues as well, but just as with Canada's CFL, they are a lower level of play and amateur talent in comparison.

duh.

when there were two football leagues in the US, the superbowl was created. the draw was that they didn't play each other all year with inter division play and there was a large unknown factor that people were curious about.  that has been lost.

I would be careful when you include Canada's hockey league as below par.  I understand their league might be below the NHL, but where would the NHL be without Canada's influence?  I would say that Canada IS the NHL.  There are some US teams and some US and European players, but without Canada, there is no NHL. 

As far as North American teams, professional franchises go where the money is.  Study the development of baseball.  For many years, there were no teams west of St. Louis.  They expanded to find new money.  Montreal just didn't support the Expos, no need to discuss the many reasons, so they left.  You'd have a hard time convincing NFL owners they need to share their cash with Winnipeg.

frostback said:

I do realize that the rules for the 2 football leagues there are some very different rules. Was that a factor as to why they didn't join together?

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I believe that the difference in rules absolutely prevented a bigger push to merge the CFL into the NFL. 

The size of the field in the CFL causes a completely different skill set among the players.  We see players that struggle in the NFL actually achieve great things in Canada.  The question is, are there players that are good in the NFL that actually would struggle to find that same success in the CFL?

In my opinion, yes there are. 

Warren Moon and Joe Kapp come to mind when thinking of good CFL players that had very good NFL careers, at quarterback, no less.  As long as our American universities keep providing (and paying for) NFL and NBA minor leagues, the cream of the crop will stay in the states.  Student athletes?  Yeah, right.

oakview said:

Warren Moon and Joe Kapp come to mind when thinking of good CFL players that had very good NFL careers, at quarterback, no less.  As long as our American universities keep providing (and paying for) NFL and NBA minor leagues, the cream of the crop will stay in the states.  Student athletes?  Yeah, right.

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Doug Flutie, Jeff Garcia, Joe Theismann, and the list goes on and on.

The big money is in the NFL, and I couldn't agree more with your comments!

Don't get me wrong I love my Roughriders but the cfl does not even come close to the NFL for football. However the chl compares to the NHL is not apple to apples I'm comparison. The chl is a junior league that feeds the NHL. Its one of the largest contributing leagues to the NHL draft producing the likes of Stamkos Crosby Sguin Hall just to name a few. I'm Canada there is also the sr AAA leagues that consist of former nhlers and undrafted players from the junior leagues. It's not comparable to the NHL but very good hockey all the same.