AU Fiction: CFL-USA - A different telling.

I doubt we will get XFL, the whole idea was to give mcmahon to buy a CFL team when the CFL was struggling but expanded into the spring league when NBC loss the rights for SNF to ESPN, so maybe that is butterfly away

Seems the CFL finally feel the growing pains, hope they can stabilize soon.

True but the XFL would have the TNN and UPN to air games. They wouldn't need NBC to air games. Also, the idea of how it got off the ground is original.

Also will be posting the other news before the 1996 season starts. Stay tuned to find out what happens.
 
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From Wikipedia's entry on the XFL:

Vince McMahon's original plan was to purchase the Canadian Football League(after the CFL initially approached him about purchasing the Toronto Argonauts) and "have it migrate south,"[6] while NBC, who had lost their long-held broadcast rights to the NFL's American Football Conference (AFC) to CBS in 1998, was moving ahead with Time Warner to create a football league of their own.[7]

Based on that, I doubt this CFL would consent to have its league "move south" and lose its Canadian identity. Vince could still form the XFL to satisfy his desire for a pro football league.
 
Chapter 8 - 1996 In Other News
In Other News:​

Besides the relocation of the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore. Art Modell announced he would rebranding the team to create a new identity in wake of the lawsuit by The City of Cleveland. Deciding to go with the Ravens nickname. The new team, Baltimore Ravens, were pretty much a new team with a new legacy to build from the past. However, one person was upset by the idea. Johnny Unitas, Baltimore football legend from the Baltimore Colts, had enough of the new team and what they did. Johnny would distance away from the Ravens as he did to the Indianapolis Colts a decade prior. Instead of giving the CFL and the Stallions his support. He was criticized by the fans of the new team but was praised by critics and the CFL for his support.

The other big relocation story was the Los Angeles Rams moving to St. Louis to become the St. Louis Rams. This move wasn’t as badly hated compared to the other one. It was still heartbreaking as LA fans were used to two teams. The Raiders, however, managed to score a good deal with the city of angels. Instead of moving back to Oakland, the Raiders will remain at the Memorial Coliseum for two to three more years until a new stadium will be built. In case the stadium plans fail to happen.

Meanwhile for the Oilers fans in Houston. This was to be the final season with their beloved team. Bud Adams Houston Oilers announced they would move their team to Nashville to become the Tennessee Oilers. However, due to the Cleveland relocation fiasco, the NFL forced Bud to keep his team in Houston for another season. The fan was calling for the head of Bud Adams. However, little could have been done to save the Oilers, despite a good start in the 1990s, by 1995, they were washed up and losing cash. The moved was to help keep the Oilers legacy around longer but now still in Houston, the team was the most hated thing in the city.

With that all happening, NFL Europe was doing pretty well. They added the Amsterdam Admirals to the league to fix the schedule conflict from last season. This year World Bowl was played in Scotland as the Scottish Claymores defeated the defending champs Frankfurt Galaxy to win the “second” World Bowl in front of their fans in Murrayfield Stadium.


NFL Europe 1996 Standings
  1. Frankfurt Galaxy
  2. Scottish Claymores
  3. London Monarchs
  4. Hamburg Sea Devils
  5. Barcelona Dragons
  6. Amsterdam Admirals
 
. The Raiders, however, managed to score a good deal with the city of angels. Instead of moving back to Oakland, the Raiders will remain at the Memorial Coliseum for two to three more years until a new stadium will be built.
That is a massive butterfly...a nice one too
 
That is a massive butterfly...a nice one too
Thanks. I did think this one though and even Al Davis would agree too.

It would be a bad move on the Raiders owner to relocate the team back to Oakland and for them not to get a new stadium like they wanted. It makes more sense for them to stay put and see if LA builds a new stadium.

Plus Davis, wanted to do what was best for the league as well, him moving his team after Cleveland Browns, LA Rams and later on Houston Oilers would be a bad move on the league part and would hurt it more. Expecially with the Canadian Football League expanding to more US markets.

So in others words, Al Davis LA Raiders are the only football show it town. They have the market to themselves and no one would dare challenge it.

So basically, they are the Highlander. XD
 
Umm but oakland now might like the idea of a team from one of that new north league, specially as two team are thinking of moving
Already thought about it too. It a wait and see. Still trying to picture out the best way to make it work.

Oakland will get a team but idk if the CFL will get there first?
 
Chapter 9 - CFL 1996 Season
"Due to how the regular season played out, this season would be split in two. Here the season for 1996 and I will have the playoffs done soon."

1996 CFL Season

Standings:

Eastern Division:
  1. Birmingham Fire
  2. Hamilton Tiger-Cats
  3. Montreal Alouettes
  4. Cleveland Stallions
  5. Toronto Argonauts
  6. Hartford Knights
  7. Orlando Thunder
  8. Ottawa Rough Riders

Western Division:
  1. Calgary Stampeders
  2. Saskatchewan Roughriders
  3. Winnipeg Blue Bombers
  4. Edmonton Eskimos
  5. BC Lions
  6. Sacramento Miners
  7. San Antonio Texans
  8. Shreveport Pirates

The CFL Western Division was wild compared to the East. For starters, the Stampeders returned back in the first place spot after years of wandering around the bottom. Doug Flutie playing at his best in years. The Western Riders also saw them doing better this season. Winnipeg and Edmonton battled it out for the final two spots for the playoffs. The only Canadian team not to make it to the playoffs where the BC Lions. The surprise to CFL fan was the fact that the three US team made up the bottom three. Sacramento and San Antonio at the end of the season would fire their coaches.

In Shreveport, the Pirates were considered a massive flop. Not only they failed to win any games till week 9, but the team also had the worst record in the CFL in the 1990s. Fans were also unhappy by their performance and left the final game of the season that ended in a blowout from Calgary. CFL started to take notice of this. Shreveport Sports LLC president Jamie Howard would try to keep things calm in Shreveport. Promising to the city that they would improve for the next season. However, some of the CFL owners, including Fred Anderson (Sacramento Miners) started to call Howard out for putting a team on the field that failed to compete.

In the Eastern Division. Cleveland Stallions were the most popular team in the US. Rating for the Stallions games on both CBS and ESPN were higher than other games in the CFL. For their debut, actor Drew Carry would support the team by wearing the team jerseys in front of a sell out crowd in Cleveland Stadium. While in Birmingham, the Fire would play better this season than the last. This season would also signal the end of the Fire time in legendary Legion Field. The City of Birmingham would secure fund to build a new stadium for the Fire and for the UAB Blazers College Football team. The Stadium would be finished by 1999 and be ready for the 2000 season. Hamilton and Montreal would reform and take second and third place respectively. Cleveland became a surprise team for the playoffs, thanks to the support of fans and a returning Bill Belichick to coach, the new team would land the last playoff spot for the Eastern Division Toronto would fall to fifth and Hartford wasn't that far behind in sixth. Orlando Thunder would also fire their head coach after the season due to poor performance. However, Ottawa became a problem.

The CFL found out about the Rough Riders money problems and told Bernard Glieberman to address the issues before they strip him of the team. However, he argued that the NHL was the issue. The Ottawa Senators were taking the fans away from the team. The Rough Riders had the second-worst performance this season behind the Shreveport Pirates. Despite his claim that the NHL was to blame for his team problems, At the end of the regular season, the Rough Riders have been stripped away from Glieberman and returned to the CFL in hopes in finding a new owner. However, this upset Bernard and vowed to get revenge for losing his team to in his point of view, “F****** idiots”.

-Continue in Part 2-​
 
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, At the end of the regular season, the Rough Riders have been stripped away from Glieberman and returned to the CFL in hopes in finding a new owner. However, this upset Bernard and vowed to get revenge for losing his team to in his point of view, “F****** idiots”.
Interesting and nice seeing the cleveland stallions being a sucess too
 
Chapter 10 - CFL 1996 Playoffs
"This took a bit longer then I wanted to upload since I was busy getting it out. Here part two. It kinda short and probably shouldn't be split up but due to storms this morning here in Texas, I didn't want to take a chance. Here you go and hope you people enjoy it."

1996 CFL Playoffs:

Eastern Semi-finals

Cleveland Stallions vs Birmingham Fire​

Stallions first playoff game was short lived as they would put out to pasture by the Birmingham Fire. While the Stallions would continue to put pressure on the Fire defense. It wasn't meant to be and they made a playoff exit. Still, they were considered the favorites for among football and sports critics and the press.

Cleveland 10 - Birmingham 21

Montreal Alouettes vs Hamilton Tiger-Cats​


Montreal and Hamilton match was considered a close battle. This game would enter overtime where one touch down would win the game. Montreal would be the lucky ones and would advance to the Eastern Finals. Hamilton would once again fall short. Hamilton would fire their coach also after failing to get further than the first round.

Montreal 20 - Hamilton 14​

----------------

Western Semi-finals

Edmonton Eskimos vs Calgary Stampeders​


With a revived Doug Flutie, Calgary was untouchable in the point department and here it showed and the defending Western champions were easily kicked out with a playoff loss.


Edmonton 11 - Calgary 28

Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs Saskatchewan Roughriders​

In the second game, Winnipeg would fly high until they were shot down Western Riders. Winnipeg was considered the best to win but wasn’t meant to be.

Winnipeg 17 - Saskatchewan 24

----------------

Eastern Finals
Montreal Alouettes vs Birmingham Fire
Legion Field
Attendance: 25,200
Broadcast: CBC (Canada), CBS (USA)​

Fans in Legion Field were ready for a show and they got it. Montreal would put up a good fight and would do better than expected against the top team of the east. However, QB Reggie Slack was ready to outwit the Alouettes defense and would help the Fire to capture the team third trip to the finals.

Montreal 17 - Birmingham 33

-----------​

Western Finals
Saskatchewan Roughriders vs Calgary Stampeders
McMahon Stadium
Attendance: 35,029
Broadcast: CBC (Canada)
Due to a scheduling conflict on CBS part, the game was only shown in highlights on CBS networks. However, CBC would air what was the game of the year by Canadian Football fans and sports critics. Doug Flutie was playing his best out there and it showed. The two top teams in the West was showing their stuff out there. This also marked the second playoff overtime this season as the game was tied 21-21 heading to the 4th quarter. However, despite the great showing by WR Curtis Mayfield, Doug Flutie would find the endzone and help his team capture the Western Title

Saskatchewan 21 - Calgary Stampeders 27

--------------​

84th Grey Cup Finals
Calgary Stampeders vs Birmingham Fire
November 24, 1996
Ivor Wynne Stadium
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Attendance: 39,595
Broadcast: CBS (USA), CBC (Canada)​

Originally planned for Baltimore Memorial Stadium, the Grey Cup game was then moved to Ivor Wynne due to what happened last year. The CFL would announce the next grey cup would be placed in San Antonio, Texas. This would upset some CFL fans but it would be settled down.

The Stampeders and the Fire would showcase their team offense and it was a touchdown bonanza. The 4th quarter came and the game was a 30-21 lead for the Fire. Doug Flutie would score a touch down to make it a 30-27 but they would fail to get the two-point conversion. By then there were 6 minutes left and the clock was against them. Despite a good showing by Reggie Slack, he would give up an interception to an outside linebacker to give the Stampeders one more chance.

Doug Flutie would get to work. The team would work their way to the Fire yard line. Despite two missteps, the Stampeders were finally the 10-yard line of the Birmingham Fire. With one minute left, The Stampeders would grab the last minute touchdown and score Calgary their first Grey Cup in years. Fans for the Stampeders finally had a reason to celebrate again in Calgary. CFL Grey Cup trophy was back with a Canadian team.

After the Grey Cup, CFL would reach a new deal with CBS and ESPN. The deal would include more games for ESPN including airing playoff games along with CBS. CBS would also help CFL by extending the deal till 2001. CBS would also fund the CFL to help them through this rough time. Including more money for expansion.

With the CFL Grey Cup behind them, the league would look for a new owner for Ottawa Rough Riders. However, the CFL would gain more headache as they would have to deal with the former owner wanting revenge and a potential owner wanting to capitalize on the football changing landscape.
 
With the CFL Grey Cup behind them, the league would look for a new owner for Ottawa Rough Riders. However, the CFL would gain more headache as they would have to deal with the former owner wanting revenge and a potential owner wanting to capitalize on the football changing landscape.
Ummm Omnious, amazing cup and congrats to flutie for his win too
 
I am interested to see what you have for 2002, assuming that in your version of the NFL, the Houston Texans are a part of it.
 
Chapter 11 - 1996-97 Offseason Report
CFL 1996-97 Offseason Report

The Grey Cup is behind them and now they need to take care of some business. The Ottawa Rough Riders, one of the longest-running CFL club, has just been stripped away from Bernard Glieberman. They were open to finding a new owner who is willing to keep the team in Ottawa. However, no potential owner wanted to do it. Then came one man who wanted to move to New York City. His name is Vince McMahon. McMahon wanted to showcase the sport to the Big Apple.

The CFL liked the offered but some owners didn’t agree with how he wanted to do it. He wanted to dub the team the Hitmen and wanted to treat it as a sideshow to his other company (World Wrestling Federation). Larry Smith would decline the offer. Vince would walk off from the meeting upset but not deterred. He would make a new football league that would compete against the NFL and CFL.

When Bernard found out the Vince McMahon was looking to buy his Rough Riders, he called Vince and schedule a meeting at the WWF Headquarters in Stanford. Both men knew they wanted to start a rival league. Glieberman was already hard at work coming up with the All-American Football League or AAFL for short. Vince had another name. The XFL. Bernard ask what the XFL stood for and he said the “X” would be for Xtreme. Vince was looking to give American Football a new attitude for a new generation.

Both men agreed on the name and they would form their new league together.

Meanwhile, the CFL would fail to find a new owner for the Ottawa Rough Riders and on March 1st, 1997, The CFL would disband the club and give the players out in a dispersal draft. The people in Ottawa just lost their football team due to an inept owner. Larry Smith would promise the city that they would gain an expansion franchise before the year 2000.

With that going around, The CFL would try to move forward with the draft. Toronto would sign SB Matthew DuBuc from Texas Tech. Sacramento would sign WR Jerome Pathon from the University of Washington. And in a surprise move by the San Antonio Texans, they would sign Ike Hillard from Florida before he would sign to an NFL team. This was seen as risky but it paid off as the NFL didn’t see it coming.

Outside of that, the Hartford Knights and the City of Hartford have come to terms for a new stadium. The stadium would be finished by 2000, would also mark the end of the UCONN Huskies stay in the old Hartford Memorial Stadium. Also during the offseason, the new stadium in Birmingham gained a new name. Before it was dub Legion Field 2, now it is called Legion Stadium. Also, the stadium finishing date would be moved up to mid-1999.

And for San Antonio, they would move into their new home. The City originally built the Alamodome for a potential NFL franchise. But now would be the home for the CFL Texans and the NBA Spurs. The Stadium could also home a baseball team if they have to.
 
I love where this is going, despite my Ticats losing heart-breaking in the East semis... which is pretty much a Ticats' special, particularly during and after the Austin period.

I really hope the Ottawa Renegades make it this time; very cool name and logo.

I do expect there's going to be some push-back from the Canadian fan-base about the "Americanization" of the game; you hear this even now any time the league talks about changing the ratio. There may also be cap concerns from some of the community-owned franchises--particularly if big-ticket signings from some of the new expansion clubs look like they're tilting the playingfield.

That said, those are much better problems to have than, for example, not being able to fill Toronto for the Grey Cup, so this is an awesome TL for the CFL and I look forward to seeing it continue.
 
Chapter 12 Pt 1 - 1997 In Other News
In Other News:
The NFL lawsuit by the City of Cleveland was still raging onward into 1996 season and ending in the NFL offseason. NFL would lose the Browns trademark as the City of Cleveland would gain it back. But due to this, Cleveland was stripped of their future NFL franchise. Art Modell would also have to pay back to the city for not telling anyone about it sooner.

The Houston Oilers played their final season in the city before moving to Memphis, Tenneesse. But their lame duck season was a complete and utter mess. People barely watch their final season and boycotts were made to attack the NFL and Oilers owner Bud Adams. Unline in Cleveland, the NFL would allow an expansion team in Houston in the year 2000. Elsewhere, in St. Louis, the Rams set up shop in the Trans World Dome. While NFL did promise an expansion team for St Louis before 1993, the city was happy to welcome the Rams in. Games played at the Trans World Dome would be total sellouts, making the team a success in their new home.

Back in Los Angeles, the LA Raider finally ran the show. Al Davis would make the right call despite upsetting people in Oakland. Despite that, the LA fans were okay with one team instead of two. They even did well in the playoffs and punched a ticket to the Super Bowl. They would fail to win against the Green Bay Packers.

The NFL Europe League was doing the same as last season. With Amsterdam Admirals as the sixth team, the league would stay that way for now. There were rumors that Rhein and Dublin were proposed for future expansion. The NFL wouldn’t comment about it at the time.

The 1997 World Bowl was played in London as the Monarchs played against the Claymores. It was a battle between North and South. In a surprising outcome, the London Monarchs would win over the Scottish Claymores and capture their first (technically second) World Bowl title.


1997 NFL Europe League Standings:
  1. Scottish Claymores
  2. London Monarchs
  3. Frankfurt Galaxy
  4. Hamburg Sea Devils
  5. Amsterdam Admirals
  6. Barcelona Dragons
Bold = World Bowl Champions
 
The 84th Grey Cup IOTL was known as the Snow Bowl because it occurred in a literal blizzard; I'm assuming it's the same here...

Also, it's known in pop culture for another reason: in the show How I Met Your Mother, it's where then-teen idol Robin Sparkles (who's one of the main characters of the show as an adult) debuts her grunge persona...which flopped big time...

Wonder if Cleveland will get an NFL team...
 
Chapter 12 Pt 2 - The XFL is Born!
The 84th Grey Cup IOTL was known as the Snow Bowl because it occurred in a literal blizzard; I'm assuming it's the same here...

Also, it's known in pop culture for another reason: in the show How I Met Your Mother, it's where then-teen idol Robin Sparkles (who's one of the main characters of the show as an adult) debuts her grunge persona...which flopped big time...

Wonder if Cleveland will get an NFL team...
Yeah, it is pretty much the same thing like it was in Real Life. Also, I never saw the show but while researching the grey cup I saw the reference on the Wikipedia article.
Cleveland is probably on the NFL ****list for suing them in court and due to the court agreement the Browns trademark and history (which I forgot to mention "D'Oh") are reverting back to Cleveland. What they will do with it is up to debate in my head...

Meanwhile, a breaking news story just happened.


The XFL was Born!
The New York Times
June 20, 1997​

In what could be the sign of changing time not seen since the Canadian Football League accepting the former WLAF teams that the world of American Football would change again so soon. However, in 1999, things are about to change once more. Former CFL Ottawa owner Bernard Glieberman and owner of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon, are joining forces on a new football venture dubbed by them the Xtreme Football League or XFL for short.

“We are proud to announce the new league would be original and will be based on American Football and not Canadian Football codes. We are one hundred percent American made league and will showcase the top talent in the United States.” Vince McMahon, XFL Co-owner.

The league will have three division with twelve teams in the United States. The league will be a Spring to Summer league as well. Vince own company, the World Wrestling Federation, will also hype the upcoming league in there shows. The United Paramount Network (UPN) and The National Network (TNN, formally The Nashville Network) are announced as protentional tv networks for the football league.

Teams are rumored to be based in Memphis, Oakland, New Jersey, Anaheim, Las Vegas, El Paso, Portland and five more yet to be announced.

Already critics are harping on the XFL. Saying the league would be a complete flop. Whatever the outcome may be, the NFL and more importantly the CFL and NFL Europe would affect about this league. Only time will tell.
 
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