During Thanksgiving weekend, my dad and I traveled to an unfamiliar land to watch football at its finest. We traveled to Edmonton, in Alberta, Canada for the 98th annual Grey Cup game — the Super Bowl of the Canadian Football League (CFL).

“Passport?,” my dad asked before we left for the airport. 

“Check,” I replied.

“Winter coat?” 

“Check.” 

“Gloves? Long johns? Winter hat?”

“Got em’.” 

“Second coat?”

“Got it.”

The forecast for the game was 16 degrees with 10 mph winds. Snow had to be shoveled off of the 110-yard-long playing field in Commonwealth Stadium which featured a rematch of the 97th Grey Cup between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Montreal Alouettes.

Despite the Roughriders’ 13th-man advantage, which was their fan base that is by far is the largest in the CFL, the Alouettes won 21-18 behind the passing connection of quarterback Anthony Calvillo and wide receiver James Richardson. 

Passing is a vital part of the winning strategy in the CFL, much more so than the NFL because of the larger field dimension and the extra man each team has on the field. 

A CFL field, not including the end zones is 10 yards longer and 12 yards wider than an NFL field, which opens the field for passing. Other unique differences between the two leagues are that the CFL plays with three downs instead of four, any player with possession of the football can drop-kick a field goal for three points. Any kick that is downed in the opposing team’s end zone or kicked out of their end zone counts as a single point to the kicking team.

The most obvious and splendid difference that explains my favoritism toward the CFL is the die-hard football culture in Canadian football.

If there is no frostbite, no below freezing temperature and no snow, than there should be no glory. That is my new rule for football. For every Super Bowl, the NFL escapes the bitter-coldness of playing in northern cities to play in southern cities where temperatures stay above 50 degrees.

The NFL has become so corporate and so business-minded that they have taken away from the best parts of game. The 2011 Super Bowl, held in Dallas, Texas, has started selling tickets that range from $2,500 dollars to $6,900. Year after year, the Super Bowl sells out to corporate sponsors and not true fans. 

Attending the Grey Cup was refreshing. Tickets went to true fans for $98 to $250. Fans supported their team with jerseys on their backs and paint on their faces. While I watched one fan cheer for a Roughrider touchdown, I could see the paint on his face freeze.

The NFL needs to take a page out of the CFL book. If the NFL wants to attract the next generation of fans, they need to reserve tickets for the true fans who would trade their soul for a seat at the Super Bowl.