The CFL outdoing the NFL when it comes to online video

Football fans tend to have very polarized opinions about the CFL. To some, it's a piece of Canadiana, full of tradition, with a championship trophy that dates back to before the First World War. To others, the 12-man game is second-rate version of football, lacking both the excitement and the pageantry of the game as it is played in the States.

Whatever your opinion, the CFL should be applauded for taking a pretty progressive approach to online video distribution. At a time when the NFL has taken steps towards restricting the use of game footage on sites other than its own web properties, the CFL has partnered with Youtube to create a CFLtv channel, where visitors can view, share, and comment on game highlights, weekly recaps, and vignettes showing spectacular plays.

It's a great step forward for a league that has had some rough spots over the past decade, chewing up commissioners on an almost yearly basis. The league has other interesting online initiatives in play, such as the live webcasting of its games on TSN and the CBC. Democratizing its video distribution at a time when the NFL is tightening its grip shows that the braintrust at the CFL is composed of forward-thinkers.

The CFL is doing a nice job of positioning itself to capitalize on the increased interest the league always garners after Labour Day, as teams begin the run towards the playoffs.