The CFL will have a new look moving forward.

The league unveiled updated jerseys for each of its nine teams last week, with new supplier Adidas mixing modern changes with classic nods to produce its 2016 collection.

Along with the new uniforms came a line of modern lifestyle clothing products, aimed at appealing to the next generation of CFL fans.

League commissioner Jeffrey Orridge said the new products were met with outstanding reviews.

“Overwhelmingly positive,” Orridge told TSN.ca. “People are really embracing some of the new looks and also some of the classic looks, with just a few tweaks.”

“I think we’re being responsive to the fact that there is a younger demographic that wants to demonstrate style and show their pride with their Canadian teams.”

Orridge said that while the jerseys and clothes are targeted at a younger demographic, the league isn’t ignoring its entrenched fan base.

“Although it’s very appealing to a younger demographic, the avid fans have responded to it as well,” Orridge said. “Because it’s new and exciting and it’s energizing to people.”

Orridge made it clear the league recognizes the need to stay current in today’s rapidly chaning sports landscape.

“Our goal is to not only meet the expectations of our current fans, but certainly capture the attention of that next generation of fans,” he said. “When you’re a 104-year-old league, you are constantly doing progressive things to keep people engaged.”

The jerseys and clothing line are one part of a broader initiative the league is taking on to attract younger fans to the Canadian game. That means working toward a better online experience and trying to take advantage of emerging technology.

“What we’re doing is across the board,” Orridge said. “Augmenting social media, enhancing our website, looking more into fantasy gaming.”

The league is also making enhanced in-game experiences a priority. When the Roughriders move into the new Mosaic Stadium next year, more than half the league’s teams will playing in buildings either new or largely renovated in the last four years. Orridge said that gives them a great opportunity to be on the leading edge of innovation.

“The offline experience, you can see it manifesting itself in our stadiums — wider concourses and more social areas,” Orridge said. “It’s really about the wraparound experience, and not just the game itself. And we know that the younger demographic is looking for experiences, not just the purchased product.”

Orridge said it’s important to make CFL games feel like a party; to give fans an unforgettable in-stadium experience.

“If you look at the new stadiums that have come online - Ottawa is a brilliant example of that, certainly Tim Hortons Field and BMO Field - wider concourses and more opportunity for socialization. And that’s what it’s about really. Football brings communities together, and we are providing an atmosphere and an environment that just enhances that.”

While the Argonauts haven’t yet played in BMO Field, Orridge said the team’s move from the Rogers Centre to the Exhibition Grounds will be a coup for the league in more ways than one.

“I think that night ushers in a new era,” Orridge said of the league’s regular season opener on June 23 at BMO Field. “For not only the Toronto Argonauts, but also for our league. It’s a brand new start.”

“The great thing about BMO Field is it’s already known as a great venue for sport with Toronto FC,” Orridge said. “So you’ve got that already inherent electricity, coupled with the new improvements. It’s a newly renovated stadium with a bunch of enhancements – wider concourses, augmented hospitality. It’s a party zone.”

The Argos hope the move to BMO Field will increase their attendance numbers dramatically from last season, when the Pan Am Games forced the team on a cross-country tour. A true Argos home game wasn’t played at Rogers Centre until August.

The league could be looking at all teams averaging at least 20,000 fans per game this upcoming season. It’s believed teams in that attendance range can turn a profit, but Orridge doesn’t want to settle for just that.

“I think the goal has always been to sell out the stadium — whatever stadium you’re in, whatever the capacity is,” Orridge said. “That’s the goal and that’s the goal of every league and every commissioner’s wish. If I had a magic wand, it’d be sellouts for the stadiums.”

While attendance numbers across the league are to be determined, Orridge is relishing the opportunities afforded by the league’s state-of-the-art venues.

“We’re going to continue to make enhancements in the game experience,” he said. “It’s a progression and you can see it changing already. We hope to be leaders in many ways on that.”