It’s been almost fifteen years since the spotlight of the National Football League (NFL) shone in Canada, and it was a magnificent show that I’ll never forget. It was an epic adventure that touched our nation’s most passionate of football fans, and a pivotal moment when we were finally able to experience first-hand the style of play we’d admired from afar.
It all started back in the summer of 2005, when the Buffalo Bills came over to Toronto for the first time ever to play a game against the Dallas Cowboys. I’ll never forget the elation of seeing an NFL field being erected in the Rogers Centre – no more watching pre-season exhibitions on TV, we were all about to watch the big game boys duke it out in our own backyard. It was such an amazing time.
The feeling was palpable in the days leading up to the big day, we were all so excited, like Christmas had come early. The buzz around Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area was electric, everyone talking about the impending showdown. Everyone from the die-hard fans to the casual observers were in on the excitement. Toronto was the centre of the sports universe.
The game itself passed all expectation, it was a surprisingly close affair that ended with the Cowboys edging the Bills 20-16 in sudden death overtime. But despite the loss, the atmosphere that day is something I’ll always remember. The feeling of being part of something bigger, a cultural movement. It was like we had come together as a country to share in a unique experience, and it was incredible.
It took another three years for the Bills to make a return to Canada. By this time the game was being put on at the newly renovated Toronto stadium and the opposition was now the Pittsburgh Steelers. And this time the game had commercial implications, with the onset of relaxed television rules making it the first official regular season game broadcast out of Canada.
The game didn’t disappoint, the Steelers took the win with a 28-10 scoreline. However, the most meaningful result of that day was the cooperation of the two countries in coming together to support a shared passion. It was a symbolic moment, a reminder of the bonds that unify us all.
That isn’t to say that the Bills – and the NFL – haven’t dabbled in our country since then. Many exhibitions and preseason games have, or will, be held in Canada in the near future. But the big question remains: should Canada pursue a full-time franchise?
For me, the answer is an emphatic yes. A full-time NFL team in Canada has the potential to become the cornerstone of a growing cultural shift. The impact of having an entire team dedicated to the nation will have ripple effects across all the industries related to football – from manufacturing to television broadcasting. It would be a watershed moment in Canadian sport, and one that I am optimistic about.