Samwise CFL Newsletter
Saturday, May 30, 2026
CFL media rights deals deliver ‘significant increase’ in revenue, commissioner says
CFL commissioner Stewart Johnston confirmed Friday that the league’s new media rights agreements represent a ‘significant increase’ in broadcast compensation, while declining to discuss specific numbers. Unveiled Thursday, the deals include six-year contracts with Bell Media and streamer DAZN beginning in 2027, with YouTube added as a platform partner. Bell Media retains 60 regular-season games, six playoff games and the Grey Cup on TSN and CTV; DAZN gains 21 regular-season games and two playoff contests. Arash Madani reported the agreements are worth close to $500 million over their duration. Johnston told 3DownNation the league bucked the trend in a challenged media market.
Sources: 3DownNation
DAZN to launch CFL broadcasts with new crew and ‘unique voice’ in 2027
DAZN will self-produce its CFL broadcasts with an entirely new on-air team when the streaming service begins airing Saturday Night Football in 2027, vice-president Deidra Dionne confirmed to 3DownNation. The games will not mirror existing TSN telecasts, instead featuring DAZN’s own play-by-play announcers, analysts, commentators and sideline reporters across 21 regular-season broadcasts and two playoff games annually. Dionne, a North Battleford, Saskatchewan, native and former Olympic freestyle skiing medallist, said the company will balance innovation with respect for the league’s legacy. DAZN plans interactive fan zones and up-to-the-minute highlights, though subscription pricing for Canadian viewers has not yet been determined.
Sources: 3DownNation
Elks lose two defensive linemen for season to Achilles tears
The Edmonton Elks will lose two defensive linemen for the entire 2026 season, according to a report from TSN’s Farhan Lalji. Veteran American defensive end Brandon Barlow and rookie Canadian defensive tackle Darien Newell have both been diagnosed with torn Achilles tendons. Barlow recorded 35 tackles and two sacks across 18 games in 2025, while Newell was the tenth overall pick in the 2025 CFL Draft. Neither was slated to start, but both were expected to contribute in the rotation. Edmonton will also open the season without offensive tackle Brett Boyko and rookie defensive back Benjamin Sangmuah, who land on the six-game injured list.
Sources: 3DownNation
Roughriders’ Corey Mace won’t guarantee four quarterbacks past cutdown deadline
Saskatchewan Roughriders head coach Corey Mace said Friday he can’t promise all four quarterbacks will survive the CFL’s mandatory roster cutdown, which falls Saturday at 10 p.m. local time. A camp battle for the backup job behind Trevor Harris has tightened between Jack Coan and Brayden Schager. Coan, a Notre Dame product, completed 19 of 33 passes for 198 yards in two preseason games, while Schager went 24-of-37 for 318 yards and authored a memorable game-winning drive. Mace noted the Riders could keep a fourth passer using a new reserve spot or delay the decision behind a Week 1 bye.
Sources: 3DownNation
Stampeders release free-agent defensive back Devodric Bynum before preseason finale
The Calgary Stampeders released American defensive back Devodric Bynum on Friday, hours before kickoff of their preseason finale against the Edmonton Elks. Bynum, 26, was among Calgary’s top free-agent additions this offseason but was listed as a backup halfback for the game and made four tackles in his preseason debut. He appeared in just five regular-season games due to injury with the Elks in 2025, recording 17 tackles, after a 14-game rookie campaign in 2024 that produced 23 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble. The Stampeders open their regular season June 5 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Sources: 3DownNation
Buccaneers promote former B.C. Lion Shelton Quarles to football operations VP
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have promoted Shelton Quarles, who began his professional career in the CFL, to vice-president of football operations. Quarles, 54, has worked in Tampa Bay’s front office since 2007 and previously served as director of football operations. He signed with the B.C. Lions in 1995 after a training-camp stint with the Miami Dolphins, recording 92 defensive tackles, 10 sacks and two interceptions over 32 games in two seasons. The Vanderbilt product parlayed that success into a 10-year NFL playing career with the Buccaneers, earning a Pro Bowl nod in 2002 and a Super Bowl XXXVII title before his front-office rise.
Sources: 3DownNation
East Division
2026 regular season opens June 4 · records reset
1. Hamilton Tiger-Cats — 0 pts (0-0-0)
2. Montreal Alouettes — 0 pts (0-0-0)
3. Ottawa Redblacks — 0 pts (0-0-0)
4. Toronto Argonauts — 0 pts (0-0-0)
West Division
2026 regular season opens June 4 · records reset
1. B.C. Lions — 0 pts (0-0-0)
2. Calgary Stampeders — 0 pts (0-0-0)
3. Edmonton Elks — 0 pts (0-0-0)
4. Saskatchewan Roughriders — 0 pts (0-0-0)
5. Winnipeg Blue Bombers — 0 pts (0-0-0)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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