On the heels of the announcement of a historic broadcast agreement for the Canadian Football League, commissioner Stewart Johnston said that expansion is something the league will be exploring closely.
The CFL announced an extension of its longstanding partnership with Bell Media on Thursday morning, while adding a subscription-based streaming partner in DAZN and a business agreement to air preseason games on YouTube.
Johnston joined First Up on TSN1050 on Thursday morning to discuss the agreement as well as the potential for expansion for the league with the historic agreement in place.
“We’ve had three years of growth in linear ratings with TSN, that was almost unheard of,” Johnston said. “With all the attention we’ve got on our league the possibilities are endless with where we can go.”
As TSN’s Dave Naylor reported, the higher broadcast revenue from this deal in 2027 means the league’s salary cap is expected to meaningfully jump in 2028.
Johnston said in a release that the “record-setting agreements mark a transformative moment for the CFL,” and that they also reflect the “deep passion of our powerful fanbase and the accelerating momentum of our league.”
Johnston was hired just over a year ago as commissioner of the league, and has made significant changes in his short time at the helm. He spoke of the changes to come with increased broadcast revenue available.
“This is a strong step forward for the league in terms of where we can innovate, where we can invest and develop, and certainly we’re looking forward to seeing what we can do from that standpoint,” Johnston said to First Up.
“I’ve been consistent in saying it’s about optimizing against revenue, but also reach and the development of new audiences.”
The league has flirted with expansion from its current nine-team format for years. The East Coast has been floated as a possibility for more than a decade, with the CFL staging games in Moncton, NB and Halifax with its Touchdown Atlantic series as early as 2010.
Expansion discussions have also moved out west with the Touchdown Pacific series in recent years that has featured a game in Langford, B.C. in 2024 and will play two games in Kelowna, B.C. this summer.
“It’s important, and the reason I’ve been asked [about expansion] in every single media conversation I’ve had [since being named commissioner] is because I think anyone in the CFL community has felt that a 10th team here in Canada would be simply outstanding,” Johnston said. “And we agree. I agree.
“This has been my priority over the last year to get the league ready and in shape for an outstanding 2027 and beyond, and certainly we have been encouraged by the number of inbound calls from significant groups and individuals interested in the league.”
Johnston spoke about the current difficulties the league has faced in expansion, with one particular hurdle that it has failed to clear in multiple instances.
“It’s very hard ... It’s been 20 years of looking where we can expand, and stadium is absolutely the No. 1 issue,” said Johnston. “If we can manage our way through that and figure it out, I know there are [multiple] locations where I think the CFL can thrive in this country, and we’re certainly going to continue to explore that.”
The broadcast deal is the third major change in Johnston’s short tenure - last September, the league announced a series of rule changes that are being introduced this season and next, while last month it brought forward a new playoff format that will go into effect in 2027.
