The Canadian Football League: The Phoenix of Professional Sports Leagues

Modern North American football was born in the 1860s at the same time Canada became a nation. However, for decades, the growth of Canadian football was slow and unwilling to change from its rugby traditions. In more recent times, it has also been in the shadow of its largest competitor, the National Football League. Although hockey is professed to be Canada's number one sport, the CFL has held as rich and storied tradition in Canadian sports history. This book is not the usual general history detailing on-field accomplishments, Grey Cup winners and so on. Instead, it combines an historical look through 2003 with various continuous themes which have shaped the League. These topics include the role of the Canadian player, marketing, competition from other pro sports, the media's role in creating an image of the CFL, Canadian attitudes towards professional sports, and how the CFL continually struggles to survive.O'Brien, Steve is the author of 'The Canadian Football League: The Phoenix of Professional Sports Leagues' with ISBN 9781411613027 and ISBN 1411613023.