Five crucial CFL questions for 2015

2015 will be a time of drastic change for the CFL, which is more stable than it's ever been on some levels thanks to a new TV contract and CBA, but still has some significant issues to address. Here are the five most important questions to keep an eye on from a league-wide perspective.

5. Will David Braley move to sell one or both of his teams this year? The owner of the B.C. Lions and Toronto Argonauts has spoken of selling both teams by the time he's 75, and he'll turn 74 in May. 2014 saw lots of discussions of Braley selling the Argos to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, but although the sides partnered on a new practice facility, talks of an outright sale didn't seem to get too far. MLSE isn't the only potential buyer out there, and Braley said in September that he had two other offers for the team, but a sale seems unlikely to close until the team's stadium situation is resolved (see #2 below). There's been less open talk about selling the Lions, but that would seem likely to happen at some point soon too if Braley can find the right buyer. It seems improbable that Braley will completely exit the CFL in 2015, but he may well be able to get rid of one of his teams this year and come up with an exit strategy for the other one.

4. Will concussion lawsuits spread? 2015 is likely to see plenty of further developments on Arland Bruce III's concussion lawsuit against the CFL, its teams, and associated figures and researchers, and how that case plays out could have significant impacts on the league. An even more important question may be if other CFL alumni will follow Bruce's lead, though. At least seven former players have been reported to be preparing lawsuits, including names like Terry Metcalf, Phil Colwell and Eric Allen, but none of those lawsuits appear to have been filed yet. The Bruce case is notable in its own right, especially for his claims about how poor CFL concussion protocols and treatment were in the last few years when concussion science was advanced enough that the league and its teams should have known better (and when they publicly said that they were taking substantial measures to prevent and treat concussions properly, including protocols which Bruce alleges they didn't actually follow), and it could well end up costing the league money, drastically changing its procedures, or both. Lawsuits from numerous CFL alumni could be even more significant, though, and perhaps more damaging to the league. The concussion front will be a key area to watch in 2015, especially to see if others get involved or if Bruce remains the only one actively suing.

3. Will TV ratings and in-stadium attendance rebound? What about offence? CFL TV ratings had some good moments this year, but fell slightly overall for the season and took particularly concerning drops in the playoffs and the Grey Cup. Now, this isn't a disaster; those ratings are still very good by Canadian sports standards, indicating that the CFL's still one of the biggest Canadian properties out there, and the league is also TSN's particular crown jewel now that they've lost national NHL rights. TSN is also locked into a five-year deal with the CFL through 2018, so it's not like these ratings came in a contract year. However, if the slide continues in 2015, that could be problematic. It's also worth watching the in-stadium attendances, a key revenue generator for the league, but one that's seen some notable declines lately. A factor many cited for 2014's lower TV ratings and attendance numbers was the decrease in scoring; will that change in 2015, and if it does, will that be enough to get the TV and attendance numbers heading in the right direction again?

2. Will the Argonauts solve their stadium situation? The Toronto Argonauts' quest for a new home may seem like a one-team issue at first, but it's actually one of the biggest issues facing the CFL. Having a Toronto presence is important for the league on a variety of fronts, from sponsorship to television to maintaining a national image. The Argos' situation got somewhat better this year thanks to the new practice facility and the end of the Bills in Toronto series (plus the failure of the Bon Jovi bid for the Bills that might have moved them north of the border permanently), but they still need a place to play; the Rogers Centre is a terrible football venue at this point in time, and its booking schedule means the team often winds up with a host of awful dates. Moreover, their lease there expires in 2017. It looks like the most likely solution is moving the team into a renovated BMO Field, something that's been backed and funded by Toronto council, but is under question thanks to federal funds not coming through. Braley is still working on the idea, and MLSE still seems open to it, so if the money's found it, it looks like that will happen. It hasn't yet, though, and the Argos have come close only to have Lucy pull the football away at the last minute before.

1. Who will replace Mark Cohon as commissioner? The biggest question about the CFL in 2015 is who's going to be leading it. Commissioner Mark Cohon announced in August he wouldn't seek a third term, and president/COO Michael Copeland said he wouldn't apply for the top job. Cohon is officially exiting the job Jan. 9, earlier than initially planned thanks to a deal with the board, and board chair Jim Lawson is stepping in as interim commissioner while the search for a full-time replacement continues. There are plenty of intruiging candidates both inside and outside the league, but Cohon leaves big shoes to fill, and while the league's stable on the TV and CBA fronts for now, it still has plenty of challenges. The new boss will have to understand the CFL from a football side and a fan side, but they'll also need a strong background in business. Keeping a group of owners with different interests and agendas united is no easy task, either, and that's a big part of why the CFL had five different commissioners from 2000 to 2007. Cohon brought stability to the league; will his successor be able to maintain that, and where will the league go under new leadership?