The 2021 NFL playoffs will feature 14 teams instead of the recent 12, meaning two more franchises in the field and two more games for the NFL to cash in on. That answer is four – and here is how it will break down. The top two teams in each conference will meet up in the playoffs. 1 seed in the East and West divisions will have the home-field.

• The official schedule of the CFL including dates and times, access to tickets, broadcast information and game results.
• Get the latest 2020 NFL Playoff Picture seeds and scenarios. See the full NFL conference standings and wild card teams as if the season ended today.
• The new format will add one team to the playoff field in both the AFC and the NFC, making it a 14-team postseason (seven teams per conference) rather than the prior 12-team format.

Hockey is coming back this winter! On Sunday, the NHL and NHLPA announced the formalized plans for the 2020-21 season -- though it's really the 2021 season, since it's beginning on Jan. 13.

Things are going to look different though, as the league navigates playing 868 games over 116 days amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Here's everything we know -- and what we still need to know -- about how the league plans on pulling it off.

When will the season begin?

Training camps will begin on Jan. 3, though the seven teams that did not qualify for the 2020 postseason are allowed to open camp on Dec. 31. Teams are able to invite 36 skaters and an unlimited number of goalies to camp.

Over the past several weeks, players have been migrating from their offseason homes to playing cities; that includes several players (like Toronto's Joe Thornton) who had been playing for European teams to stay sharp during the extended pause. There are still some players who need to travel back -- and potentially serve quarantines before getting on the ice, depending on local restrictions. According to the agreement, those players would receive per diems as they quarantine.

Because of the condensed schedule, there won't be any preseason games. Jumping straight into game action could mean we get some wonky upsets the first couple of weeks, but hey, nothing could be wonkier than 2020. The NHL says it will release full schedules 'in the coming days.'

How Many Teams In The Cfl

What does the divisional realignment look like?

Here are the new divisions:

North: Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks
East: Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals
Central: Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning
West: Anaheim Ducks, Arizona Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota Wild, Los Angeles Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues

As you can see, the NHL opted not to get too creative with names -- fans will inevitably call the all-Canadian group the #WeTheNorth Division, borrowing from the NBA's Toronto Raptors.

All teams will play only divisional opponents in the regular season. Teams in the North division will play each other nine or 10 times, while everyone else will face their divisional opponents eight times.

The realignment was necessitated by the Canadian border remaining closed to nonessential business, the same reason why the Raptors are beginning their season in Tampa, Florida. But there's an added benefit, too: The NHL shifting exclusively to intradivisional play for this season also minimizes travel, which helps reduce costs, as well as potential spread of the virus.

Where will teams play?

The hope is for all teams to play in their own arenas, though we've already hit some snags. The biggest issue so far has come in Canada. Some provincial health authorities aren't enthused about entire teams flying in and out of provinces throughout the year.

According to sources, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec have yet to sign off on their teams (the Canucks, Maple Leafs, Senators and Canadiens) hosting home games. Conversations between those governments and the NHL will continue this week. If agreements can't be reached, it's possible those teams could play in a hybrid hub (most likely in Edmonton, where the NHL conducted a bubble this summer and awarded its 2020 Stanley Cup) or even temporarily relocate the Canadian teams to the U.S. for the season. We should know more this week.

The Sharks, meanwhile, are unable to open training camp in San Jose due to Santa Clara county's ban on contact sports, which runs through at least Jan. 8. On Sunday, Sharks GM Doug Wilson said his team would begin training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona -- at the Coyotes' training facility -- and the plans remain fluid after that.

'I think the county officials are doing what they think is in the best interest of our community, and we certainly respect that,' Wilson said. 'It's our hope that we get to a place that we can get our team back to San Jose and in the Bay Area for the start of the regular season, but a lot of those decisions are out of our hands.'

The NHL also pledges to remain 'flexible and adaptable' and could even pivot to hub cities at some point if things go awry.

'Depending on prevailing conditions both in local markets and across North America, the League will be prepared to play games in one or more 'neutral site' venues per division should it become necessary,' the NHL said in a statement Sunday.

Are fans allowed at games?

The NHL isn't going to have a blanket policy for how many fans will be allowed in arenas, instead following governmental guidance from market to market. Expect it to look similar to what we've seen in the NFL this season, with varying levels of attendance from team-to-team -- and situations in markets constantly evolving, even on a week-by-week basis.

'Most arenas will not, at least in the initial part of the season, be able to host fans,' the NHL said in a statement Sunday.

However there are some markets that will allow fans from the jump, including the Dallas Stars. On Sunday, Stars president and CEO Brad Alberts told reporters that Dallas will have fans at home games, with a reduced capacity of around 5,000 people, similar to the amount of fans at watch parties during the Stars' run to the Stanley Cup Final in September. For context, the Stars' home arena typically can host about 18,500 fans.

Texas is currently allowing its professional sports teams to have 50% capacity at indoor events, though there are some social distancing and spacing requirements.

What happens if a player wants to opt out?

The NHL and NHLPA plan to announce their health and safety protocols in the coming days, so we'll get a better sense of what the day-to-day requirements of the season will look like for players. Of course, players earn large salaries by playing a game for a living -- but they're human, too.

As one veteran player told me recently, the one thing that keeps him up at night is the thought of bringing COVID-19 home to his family. The player has a young child who is immunocompromised, and he has been extremely cautious with his interactions over the last several months. As safe of an environment as the NHL can create, he will inherently assume more risk by going to the rink, staying at hotels and traveling across as many as eight cities. This player said he intends to play this season, but I share his story as a reminder that this season will require sacrifices and difficult decisions.

According to the NHL and NHLPA protocols, players must provide at least seven days before training camp to declare their intention to opt out. So the deadline is Dec. 24 for players on the Sharks, Ducks, Kings, Devils, Sabres, Senators and Red Wings, and Dec. 27 for everyone else. There is no obligation for teams to pay those players' salaries, and teams will also have the option of tolling (rolling over) the players' contract.

If a player chooses to opt out for medical reasons -- if it is deemed that he or an immediate family member has heightened risk -- the situation is more complex. Those players wouldn't be paid salary or bonuses for the duration of the time they opt out, but they would receive a monthly stipend. Teams won't toll contracts for those players if it is initiated on or after Feb. 28, though prior to that, the team would have the option to toll the contract.

A handful of players opted out of this summer's postseason, and there was one-high profile case of a player choosing to leave the bubble after the tournament began (Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask, citing a family emergency). It's unclear how many players will choose to sit out 2021, though newly signed Capitals goalie Henrik Lundqvist announced last week he will not be playing this season due to a heart condition.

What do we know about the NHL and the COVID-19 vaccine?

The NHL has been in contact about procuring the vaccine from private companies to distribute to players, coaches and other staff, but nothing is imminent. As they did with securing COVID-19 tests over the summer, the NHL is extremely image conscious about jumping the line in front of public need, so this is something that wouldn't come down for a few months.

The NHL has never previously mandated a vaccine to players. Generally, the league will send recommendations to teams and players to get vaccines -- such as the flu shot, or during the mumps outbreak a few years ago -- and doctors who can administer the vaccine will come to training camp or the team facility. However, it is up to the player whether he wants to be vaccinated.

It's a discussion the NHL is having with the NHLPA as they hammer out details for the season, but a few players and player agents told me they believe the NHLPA would fight back against mandatory vaccinations. Even if most agree that vaccination is the best path forward, enforcing mandatory vaccinations infringes on players' individual rights and could be a slippery slope going forward.

What will the playoffs look like?

The regular season will wrap up on May 8 and then the league will return to a 16-team, best-of-seven, four-round playoff format. Four teams from each division will qualify for the playoffs.

The first two rounds will be intradvisional play. Then, the four division winners will advance to the semifinals, reseeded based on their regular-season point totals (No. 1 would play No. 4, No. 2 would play No. 3). The two semifinal teams will play in the Stanley Cup Final -- and if you've been following along, that means it's not necessarily going to be an Eastern Conference team versus a Western Conference team competing for the Cup. Bring on the chaos!

The Stanley Cup should be awarded around mid-July.

Any other key dates to keep in mind?

Here are some other events to put into your calendar:

• The trade deadline will be on April 12.

• The Seattle Kraken expansion draft will be on July 21 (teams need to submit their protected lists by July 17).

• The 2021 draft will be held July 23-24.

• The free agency signing period will begin on July 28.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly said his goal is to return to a normal October-to-June cadence for the 2021-22 season, which is especially important to the league since that's when it is welcoming Seattle into the fold, as well as beginning a new television rights deal in the U.S.

What are other changes we will see?

For the first time, NHL teams will be able to put advertisements on the sides of players' helmets. It will be a way for teams to recoup some revenue, and also make good to pre-existing or naming rights sponsors. According to league sources, the agreement is only for this season, and the league will sign off on the ad choices (knowing the NHL, don't expect to see anything too outlandish).

The prorated season also forced a few other tweaks. For example, typically if a rookie plays 10 games, that means his entry-level contract kicks in for that season. This season, that threshold for rookies will be seven games.

To help alleviate call-up issues, teams will be able to carry taxi squads of four to six players. Taxi squad players will receive their full AHL salaries, and therefore not count toward the team's $81.5 million salary cap. The taxi squad would practice with the regular 23-player roster, potentially travel with the varsity club (it's an option, not required) and have to follow the same COVID-19 protocols.

What are waivers? What is the waiver priority order? How is the waiver priority order determined? How long is the waiver period? Why do teams put players on waivers?

Before a team may terminate a player (release the player from the standard player contract), they must allow other teams to claim the player at the current contract. This process is called waivers. If a player clears waivers (is not claimed by another team) he is released and becomes a free agent. There are two types of waivers, with recall and without recall. With recall allows the team waiving the player to recall the player if claimed by any other club. Full details of the waiver rules (albeit outdated in some areas) can be found in the CFL By-laws, Section 4.

The waiver priority order is the order which teams are given the opportunity to claim a player. It is established based on the finish order from the previous season with the Grey Cup Champion having the least priority and the other club competing in the Grey Cup game have second least priority with the remaining teams ordered by their reverse order of finish, using the tie breaking procedures if necessary. After the first third of the season (all teams have played six games) and the second third of the season (all teams have played twelve games), the priority order changes to the current reverse order of the teams, using the tie breaking procedure if necessary.

Cfl Playoffs 2020

From midnight after the Grey Cup game until midnight, May 15th, the waiver period shall not be less than seven days, not less than 48 hours from May 15th until the date final rosters must be set and not less than 24 hours from the date final rosters are set until the date of the Grey Cup.

How is the location/host city of the Grey Cup determined? How do they determine where to play the Grey Cup? Does the Grey Cup alternate between East/West host cities or all teams? Who is the home team for the Grey Cup?

The Grey Cup host is determined by a bid process. This is similar to the bid process for cities to host a Brier, World Junior Hockey Championships, etc. or even Olympics, though the bid will be initiated by the member club in cooperation with the host city. Once the Grey Cup is awarded, a Grey Cup organizing committee and company will be setup to conduct the Grey Cup festival and game planning and business.

Starting in 2018, the league is phasing in a new collaborative hosting arrangement. Hosts will no longer receive all profits after costs, including a fee to the league, are covered. Instead, after costs are paid, hosts will receive a larger portion of the profits with the remaining profit split equally amongst the remaining clubs. The league is also developing a evaluation methodology to score Grey Cup bids and plans to assist in selecting Grey Cup hosts.

Previously, teams/cities submitted bids to the CFL to host the championship game and the prior week of festivities. A 2016 report out of Hamilton indicated the CFL has formalized this process, establishing criteria to compare bids. The host city is awarded the Grey Cup by a vote of the board of governors. The game is usually awarded about 15-18 months prior to the date to allow for planning, though special events may be award as much as 2+ years in advance. There is an attempt to rotate the game between all member cities of the league, however all bids must guarantee certain revenue to the league. Teams without the facility capabilities to guarantee the necessary revenue will refrain from bidding, such as Hamilton from 1997 to 2014, and presently Montreal who have issues with Olympic Stadium being a viable site if there is snowfall. Hosting the Grey Cup has been used as an incentive to cities/owners seeking franchises (will host a Grey Cup in x years after franchise takes field) or cities building/expanding stadiums (bids to host x Grey Cups in 10 years after stadium is constructed will be strongly considered).

If multiple cities bid for any specific year, revenue, market saturation (how long since they've last held the event) and special circumstances will be considered, likely in that order. If only a single city bids, but low balls their revenue due to lack of competition, the league could defer a decision, asking for other bids. Lack of being named a Grey Cup host is only due to not bidding or having an unacceptable bid. This is capitalism, where the bid that guarantees the most revenue to the league wins, not socialism, where everyone gets a turn, even if they can only offer break-even prospects.

The home team for the Grey Cup game is determined by the division of the host. When a Western Division city hosts the game, the Western Champion is the home team, when an Eastern Division city hosts the game, the Eastern Champion is the home team. This provides for who is the home and away for any regulations that specify the home or visiting team and for things like dressing rooms, etc. I believe this may be a change in policy that occurred sometime since 2000 from a policy of each division be considered the home team in alternating years. The home team for the championship does not seem to specified in the league constitution, by-laws or regulations. If anyone can get confirmation of a change, please let me know.

How do the CFL playoffs work? How many teams qualify for the CFL playoffs? How does the crossover rule work? What have been the CFL crossover teams?

How Many Cfl Teams Make The Playoffs 2019

Since 1973 six teams have qualified for post-season play in the CFL, three in each division, and played single game semi-finals/finals. The only exception to this was in 1986 when four teams in the West division qualified and two qualified in the East as explained in the article Crossover Blues and 1994 and 1995 during the expanded CFL years. Prior to 1973 it was common for Conference finals to be best of three or two-game, total point affairs.

In the first round of the playoffs, the first place team in each division gets a bye week. The second place team then hosts the third place team in the division semi-finals, unless the crossover qualifier is in effect (see below). The winner of the semi-finals travel to play the first place division finisher in the division finals. The winners of the division finals face-off against each other for the national championship in the Grey Cup game, whose location is determined at least a year prior.

The CFL playoffs are explained visually in a CFL Playoff Bracket Razzle Dazzle document.

The current crossover rule has been in place since 1997¹, a clarified version of the rule introduced in 1996². The crossover rule, as outlined in Article XII 12.01 of the CFL Constitution, provides for the fourth place team in a division with more points than the third place team in the other Division to replace the third place team in the other division's semi-final game.

The crossover qualifier has occurred twelve times.

¹ — The 1997 to present rule reads as (from the CFL Constitution):

12.01 The Board of Governors shall establish the format of the Divisional Championship Games including the basis on which the sites, dates, starting times and ticket prices are determined. The playoff arrangement in each division shall be as follows:

1. the third place team in each Division shall play in the semi-final game at the home of the second place team in that Division.
2. the semi-final winner shall play in the Divisional Championship Game at the home of the first place team in that Division.

Notwithstanding paragraph (a), in the event that at the conclusion of the regular season schedule the fourth place team in one Division has a higher points standing than the third place team in the other Division, such fourth place team shall replace the said third place team in the other Division semi final game.

² — The 1996 rule read (from the 1996 CFL Facts, Figures and Records):

The top three teams in each Division will qualify for post-season play. However, if the fourth place finisher in either division has a higher point total than the third-place finisher in the other division, then that team will qualify for post-season play.

What were the CFL historical playoff formats? When did the CFL have two-game, total point series in the playoffs? When did the CFL use best-of-three playoff series?

The last time a two-game, total-point series was used in the CFL was in 1986. This was the result of a new rule introduced to reward the best teams across the league with playoff spots. If a 4th place team in one division had a better record than the 3rd place team in another division, the playoff format switched from the traditional three teams in each division playoff format to four teams in the better division and two teams in the other division. The two-team division would playoff in a two-game, total point series over two weeks while the four team division would play 4 vs 1, 3 vs 2 semi-finals with the winners meeting in the division championship. This playoff format was in use for only the one year it was in effect. It was repealed in 1987 with the demise of the Montreal Alouettes.

The two-game, total point series was last used in 1972 by the Eastern Conference for the Conference Final. It was used by the Eastern Conference/IRFU Final from 1956 to 1972. It was also used prior to 1955, with 1952's IRFU Final a three-game affair after the series was tied 33-33 after two games. A two-game playoff was also used for the 1951 IRFU Semi-Final.

The Western Conference/WIFU held two-game, total point series for their Semi-Finals from 1952 to 1964.

The best-of-three playoff series was used by the Western Conference/WIFU Final from 1950 to 1971. Series that required three games were normally played over a span of seven or eight days with the first game at the lower finisher on a Saturday and the final two games at the higher finisher on the following Wednesday and, if necessary, the next Saturday.

Prior to 1973 and even more so prior to 1955 the CFL playoffs were a non-standard mixture of formats, participants and football unions. For a complete picture of the early history of football and Grey Cup before the CFL, I suggest you pick up a copy of the CFL's Facts, Figures and Records or one of many books on the early days of Canadian football and the Grey Cup.

How do I become a CFL official? What are the qualifications of CFL official? How are CFL officials trained?

The CFL addresses this question in their FAQ. The CFL draws most of its officials from the CIS level.

There is a large need for football officials in Canada, starting at the grass roots level. If you have an interest in becoming a football official and don't believe you should start at the professional level, then get involved at the minor football or high school football level before moving up into Junior and CIS football.

If you are going to be a football official, you need to know the rulebook, and the rule differences between the different levels of football. Work hard and you may make it as a CFL official and officiate 500 games like Bud Steen, Don Ellis or Jake Ireland.

More information can be found on the Canadian Football Officials Association website and the Canadian Professional Football Officials Association.

How much does it cost to purchase the rights for a CFL playoff or Grey Cup game? Who holds the rights to CFL playoff games? Who pays for the CFL playoff share and travel expenses?

Starting in 2018, the league is phasing in a new collaborative Grey Cup hosting arrangement. Hosts will no longer receive all profits after costs, including a fee to the league, are covered. Instead, after costs are paid, hosts will receive a larger portion of the profits with the remaining profit split equally amongst the remaining clubs. The 2018 Grey Cup result from Edmonton is the first example of what this new arrangement provides to the host and other teams. The league is also developing an evaluation methodology to score Grey Cup bids and plans to assist in selecting Grey Cup hosts. The awarding of the 2020 and 2021 Grey Cups were the first to use the new selection process

Starting in 2011, teams are required to purchase the rights to playoff games from the league for an apparent $100,000 (thanks Jacquie). (Last available figure, likely increased since 2011). Prior to 2011, teams had the option of purchasing the rights to playoff games from the league for a specific dollar amount and keep all profit (or incur any loss), or let the expenses/revenue be shared at the league level. It is unknown whether this practice has change since these reports.

Purchasing the game from the league has a cost of $100,000 plus assuming all expenses for the game, specifically both team's playoff shares and the visiting team's travel expenses (flights and hotel) as well as marketing costs. The host team's profit/loss is determined after all their expenses are paid against their ticket, concession and other ancillary revenue received from the game.

History

Prior to 2011, if a team chose not to purchase a playoff game, the gate was split equally among all teams in the league and expenses were paid by the league. Without a stake in the game, franchises were more tempted to spend less promoting the game, even when a smaller crowd affected their home field advantage. We assume the CFL closed this embarrasing loophole for this reason.

Based on Tiger-Cat President Scott Mitchell's comments on Prime Time Sports Nov. 4, 2010 (about 3:12 in, 11:41 5.4MB) it appeared the cost at that time to hold a semi-final game was in the $900,000 range (north of $750,000, close to seven figures). Assuming this includes the playoff shares for two teams (50 x 2 x $3,300 = $330,000) and travel expenses ($150,000) this would indicate additional expenses of $300,000 - $450,000 for the game, including a $100,000 guarantee to the league.

This is similar to the cost of $100,000 reported just a few years earlier. Teams had tight timelines and complicated decisions to make regarding purchasing a playoff game from the league. Based on Mitchell's comments, it appeared in the last few years the option existed that teams needed to provide notice to the league of their intentions before it was even clear whether they would host a game or who their opponent may be.

After requiring $3 million from Grey Cup host committees for many years (dating back to mid or early 1990s), the guaranteed revenue or fee for the Grey Cup game increased over the years 2005-2017 until the present revenue sharing formula was adopted. Winnipeg paid a $4.3 million license fee for the right to be the 2015 Grey Cup host. For the 2013 101st Grey Cup, the host Saskatchewan Roughriders paid $3.78 million to the league for the game and recorded $3.36 million in game operation expenses (of which approx. $1.25 million would have been for player bonuses). It has been long believed teams paid a $3 million fee to the league for the right to host the Grey Cup game (2009 - $3 million, 2008 - $3.5 million, 2007 - $3-$4 million, 2006 - $3 million, 2004 - $3 million). Mitchell's comments indicate it was north of $3 million in 2010. Terry Jones indicates the Eskimos paid $3.6 million for the 2010 Grey Cup and the 100th Grey Cup in 2012 may have cost $4-5 million.

What is the CFL record for number of overtime games in a regular season? In the post-season or playoffs? How many overtime games were there in [year]?

The record for overtime games in the CFL regular season is eight (8), which occurred in 1992, 2002 and 2016. Two other seasons (1991, 2000) had seven games go into overtime. Interestingly, only one of those years had an overtime game ended in a tie. Comparatively, the first three regular season overtime games in the CFL in 1986 and 1987 decided nothing and ended in ties.

Eleven playoff or Grey Cup games have gone to overtime (1 each in 1957, 1961, 1973, 1984, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016), with the Grey Cup overtime games occurring in 1961, 2005 and 2016.

The number of regular season overtime games since 1986 when overtime was introduced are listed below. Years not listed did not have any overtime games. The number of games that finished in a tie after overtime are also listed.

What is the CFL drug policy? Where can I find a list of banned substances tested for in the CFL?

The CFL drug policy is defined by the CFL/CFLPA Policy to Prevent the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs, which was revamped by an agreement between the parties prior to the 2016 season.

... [T]he number of tests will be equal to 100 per cent of the players in the league. Testing is administered on a random basis, so it is possible some players will be tested more than once, and a small number may not be tested.

Players who test positive will face a two game suspension for a first doping violation, a nine game suspension for a second violation, a one year suspension for a third violation, and a lifetime ban for a fourth violation.

Violations will be publicly disclosed once all appeals have been exhausted.

History

How Many Cfl Teams Make The Playoffs Season

The first policy was bargained in the 2010 CBA. A copy of the policy can be found on the CBA page. The drug policy focuses on performance enhancing drugs. A list of the CFL's 132 prohibited performance enhancing drugs in the original 2010 policy can be found in Appendix D of the policy.

How do I become a contract advisor or player agent able to represent CFL players? What is required to represent and financially advise CFL players? How do I find a CFL player agent? Where can I get a list of registered CFLPA player agents and financial advisors? What are the player agent fees in the CFL?

Player agents, or contract advisors in the CFLPA parlance starting in 2014, must pass a certification exam, register and pay annual dues to the CFLPA in order to represent CFL players as agents or financial advisors. Contract Advisors must achieve a score of 75% or greater on the examination in order to be considered for registration with the CFLPA. Per the 2021 products listed on the CFLPA store, the agent renewal fee is $412.45 and initial agent registration is $791.

Player agents registered with the CFLPA and allowed to represent CFL players have their fee guidelines set by the CFLPA in a standard player/agent contract. The fee structure defines an maximum percentage for agent compensation only on the portion of salary above the standard minimum contract value. It is believed this structure is 7% for the first year, 4% for the second year and 2% for any third year of the contract. In 2012, the CFLPA rejected a proposal to change the structure to a flat fee of 3% of the contracts value annually.

Please see the CFLPA site for a list of registered contract advisors and financial advisors or contact the CFLPA for full requirements on becoming a contract advisor.