1986 CFL Season - CFL News in 1986

CFL News in 1986

The Canadian Football League decided that all nine teams will play 18 games each, in the regular season. The playoff structure was revised to allow a fourth place team from one of the divisions to qualify for the playoffs if that fourth place team has earned more points in the regular season standings than the third place team from the other division. Until 1992, however, that team stayed in its own division for the playoffs (the league began American expansion in 1993, changing the rules along the way). The four qualifiers in one division played semi-finals and a final while the two qualifiers in the other division playing a home-and-home, total-points, 2-game playoff. This was somewhat unfair to the first place team, who might no longer receive a first-round bye based simply on what happened at the bottom of its own division. (The current format, which began in 1996 after the league ceased its American operations, sees a fourth-place qualifier cross-over to the other division, essentially becoming the third-place team in that division.) As it turned out, 1986 was the only year this playoff format was needed.

The Canadian Football League and the Canadian Football League Players Association agreed on a new three-year agreement.

The Concordes changed their name to the Alouettes, on the 40th anniversary of the founding of the original Montreal Alouettes.

The Sports Network started to carry live coverage of the first round of the 1986 Canadian College Draft from coast-to-coast.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers and the Montreal Alouettes played the first CFL pre-season game at Canada Games Stadium in Saint John, New Brunswick, Winnipeg won the game, 35–10.

The CFL also amended the quota to the teams 35-man roster to include 13 imports, 19 non-imports and 3 quarterbacks. The designated import rule was eliminated.

On the field, the end zones were reduced to 20 yards from 25 yards. Also, the Canadian Football Association changed its name to Football Canada in June.