
On Tuesday December 13th big news dropped from the CFL as they released their league wide 2023 schedule.
Sights set on 2023. 👀
— CFL (@CFL) December 13, 2022
The #CFL Schedule has arrived!
🗓: https://t.co/JXMkYlE6RB pic.twitter.com/PMTLMFNpU3
While every year there is a contingent of fans across the league unhappy with the schedule, this year seems like there may be even more displeasure.
While I will very briefly go around the league and I will make a few observations of some scheduling blunders. Please include your insights for blunders regarding your team in the comments.
Displeasure From Other Team’s Fans
BC Lions
How is it in a 9 team league that we again don’t see every team at least once? Last year was Montreal and now we won’t see The Grey Cup champs? @FarhanLaljiTSN
— Jeff liang (@Jeffliang4) December 14, 2022
The Lions will play Toronto, but it will be in Toronto. It should be a normality of the CFL schedule that the Grey Cup winner plays at least once in every city.
Calgary Stampeders
Apparently those fans are not happy that they do not get every team at home…and I cannot blame them. In a 9 team league that is unacceptable.
I thought you played every Eastern team 2X? Once at home and once on the road. I only see 1 game VS Hamilton listed. Is this schedule FUBAR?
— ryebar (@ryebar3) December 14, 2022
Edmonton Elks
As of now, not much noise from that team’s fans. When your team was so bad, the schedule is what it is.
Saskatchewan Roughriders
They feel like the schedule certainly does not do them any favours.
Even if the riders can improve the team in the off season and come back better, 6 Western opponents and the reigning champs in a row to start the season is a hell of a hill to start climbing from so far down.We'll be lucky to go 3-3 in the first 6 unless we make improvements ASAP
— Dan Streisel (@Dan_Streisel) December 13, 2022
Winnipeg Blue Bombers
By and large the Bomber fans are fairly quite. However in some group chats that I am a part of some fans are lamenting the 5 Thursday games.
As a @Wpg_BlueBombers season ticket holder, I’m not sure we can do seasons this year with all the stupid Thursday home games. Who tf signed off on this shit!!?????
— Jason CFL Fan (@BombersB2B) December 14, 2022
Toronto Argonauts
A team that has won the Grey Cup and is in need of some serious increase in fan attendance did not get any favors from the CFL schedule. Not only did they get a bye week in Week 1, but this is when their first game is scheduled.
First game is a Sunday night at 7pm? Let’s do everything we can to make it tough to bring school aged kids to a game.
— Bill Watson (@BillWatson21) December 14, 2022
Pick Fridays and Saturdays for the games across the league A common day will help with attendance
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Apparently the fans are not so impressed with playing Toronto 5 times! (Once in the pre-season and four times in the regular season). This certainly is an oddity.
Not a balanced schedule again. Play Calgary and Saskatchewan only once. We don't need to play the Argos 5 times, ugh
— Paul Seczek (@PaulSeczek) December 13, 2022
Ottawa RedBlacks
It seems as if their fans are not so concerned about the actual schedule but rather the way their team made the info graphic for the schedule.
Argos did the same thing. For the love of god, please just give me the day of the week so I don't have to check the calendar
— 🇨🇦 Peter Cooper 🏈 (@PeterCooper) December 14, 2022
Montreal Alouettes
They are a strange bird out there! This guy actually wants Thursday night games. Maybe he should become a Bomber fan…unless he is the guy with the air horn.
Why no Thursday games?
— avifichtenbaum (@avifich) December 13, 2022
And Here Is The Bonus List
I do not know how the schedule makers justify this one. If you ever wanted to talk about an unfair advantage, Hamilton is not on the receiving end of it.
Ticats on 3 days rest playing Ottawa coming off a bye. That's a ridiculous piece of scheduling.
— JerkFace Loser 🔨🥓🍕🏈 (@JamFilledLaser) December 13, 2022
These fans think the Head Office has their head in the sand.
It’s so bad, it honestly makes me question if they’re trying to damage the league. Like how tone death can they be?
— CFL Fan (@CFLFan13) December 13, 2022
Also Riders haven’t played in Toronto since 2019….
If indeed Bo signs in Hamilton (which all sings have pointed to for a while) this is an oversight. I know, I know, you cannot make a schedule around potential player movements. But the writing has been on the wall for quite some time that Bo is going to Hamilton. At very least schedule Hamilton in Calgary so if the signing occurs you have a marque game.
It gets even better. Hamilton doesn’t play in Calgary. Supposed to be Bo’s return. This is one of the worst schedules I’ve seen in a while.
— CFL Fan (@CFLFan13) December 13, 2022
Even a former CFL player turned NFL player agrees with the above comment.
@CFL so you are telling me if Bo Levi Mitchell signs with the @Ticats he will not play in Calgary this next year?!?!?!?!?!?!? Who makes these schedules 🙄🙄
— Alex Singleton (@alexsingleton49) December 14, 2022
Here is a sure fire way not to grow the league.
Excited for next season but disappointed again that the league is not sending every team to every other city. Such a disservice to fans of teams in other cities… #isitjuneyet https://t.co/qstLeISQ5Y
— Chris Tymofichuk 🇺🇦 (@Xpeggr) December 14, 2022
And this fan is simply upset that their team only plays higher quality teams.
As a Sask fan I'm PO'd at the schedule too. Literally every game the Riders play is against a team better than they are.
— Christofur Real8️⃣ (@HattanMan77) December 13, 2022
I don't have the answer. @CFL?
The Decision Not To Capitalize
While there are many blunders in the schedule the one that impacts the Bombers, and Toronto the most (a team/fan base really needing to capitalize off a Grey Cup win) is the lack of a Grey Cup rematch in Week 1.
Yes, in my opinion the CFL has blundered the schedule again by not starting the season with a Grey Cup rematch. Some people will disagree and say that the 2022 Grey Cup was poorly attended so nobody really cares to see a rematch.
The reason the Grey Cup in Regina was not well attended was because Saskatchewan was not in the game. Adding further complications for fans that would travel to the Grey Cup was a complete lack of hotel rooms. If you could find a hotel room the price of the room was cost prohibitive for many.
I completely disagree that Bomber and Argo fans do not want to see a rematch in each respective city! So does this guy.
Very disappointed I won’t get to see the Bombers in Toronto. You’d think that’s common sense after they played the Grey Cup.
— Max Ellis (@maxellis26) December 13, 2022
Of course, scheduling takes time, and there are many moving pieces. But here is a novel idea…leave Week 1 unscheduled until after the Grey Cup. That way you can have a Grey Cup rematch in Week 1.
The objection to that would be something like, “We (they/the CFL) can’t do that. I would result in potentially having a whacky schedule.” Hello! We already have a whacky schedule.
What Was Said, Versus What I Think The Conversation Was
Here is what we were told.

However, I think the real conversation was something more like this.
Randy: “OK team we have an opportunity to create some excitement around the league. Any ideas?”
Scheduler 1: “Oh I know I know. Let’s put Toronto on a bye in week one!”
Randy: “Yeah, yeah excellent excellent idea any others are there any other ideas?”
Scheduler 2: “Oh, here’s a good one let’s not have a grey cup rematch in week one that goes well with Toronto bye.”
Randy: “Yes, yes another great idea. Excellent, anyone else?”
Scheduler 3: “You know it would be really good for the league in for the Toronto fan base. Let’s only have Winnipeg and Toronto play once in the regular season and not at all in Toronto!”
Randy: “Oh that’s excellent you are all on fire today everybody gets a raise!”
The Method Behind The Madness
If you are trying to make sense of all of this here is some suggested rational.
On the @CFL schedule: look at all the night games on Sat & Sun. Look at the consistency of Sunday 7 pm ET starts. Look at the games being played on separate days until Labour Day. This is to accommodate US TV. The league has been targeting this area for revenue growth.#CFL
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) December 14, 2022
That may explain some of the dates and times, but it sure does not explain many the complains above. Sure it is not an easy task, but you could get a more balanced schedule by pulling teams out of a hat.
Here is some added perspective.
That may seem simple and you could be 100 per cent correct. But in schedules nothing happens in isolation. There are always implications from changing one thing. I just don’t think @CFL had a meeting and said “how can we have Argos off on week 1.”?
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) December 15, 2022
However, if the CFL has only a little control over their scheduling that is a much larger organizational issue than the Argos not playing in Week !.
What did I get right? What did you disagree with? Let me know in the comments.
Find all my articles here.
Written by a Bomber fan, for the Bomber fans.
Stay with CFL News Hub for the 2022 season.

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Kyle Hepner
December 15, 2022 at 10:20 pm
Bombers host 4 Thursday games
Elks his 2
Every other team hosts 1 or even 0 Thursday games
This schedule sucks and Elks and bombers fans are getting the brunt of it
Sproule Daryl
December 16, 2022 at 10:42 am
Stupid, stupid, stupid,dumb,dumbest schedule ever! Can’t they figure out something better than that. SK. fan.