Is Canadian Football Stronger than American Football?

While the Canadian Football League may see the sport brought back to that nation's capital thanks to a brewery owner, the Chicago Bears have announced new plans to cut off beer sales and try to control rowdy fans at night games in the Windy City.

Frank D'Angelo, CEO of Steelback Brewery in Ontario, says he'd like to be the owner of Ottawa's CFL franchise and bring football back to the city. Football in Ottawa has a history that goes back to 1876. For most of those years the Ottawa Rough Riders played in the CFL until folding in 1996. In 2002, the Ottawa Renegades entered the league, but the CFL shut the franchise down this past Spring. Two other potential ownership groups have emerged, including at least one that has negotiated rights to the old Rough Riders name.

While everyone might be toasting the kick off next season in Ottawa with a Steelback, fans in Chicago may have to go without a cold brew during the second half of night games at Soldier Field. The beer-sales restriction affect two pre-season exhibition games and the Oct. 1st regular season contest against the Seattle Seahawks. Beer sales in most stadium areas will end 5 minutes into the third quarter of the night games. Fans in the V.I.P. Cadillac Club will be able to buy beer until 30 minutes after the games conclude. All fans at every game will be limited to one beer at a time per person. At day games, alcohol will be sold until the end of the third quarter, which is a rule that has been in place for several seasons.

After hearing about how some visiting Carolina Panthers fans were treated by Chicago supporters during both a regular season loss last November and play-off victory in January, the Bears might want to cut off beer sales during the pre-game tailgate parties.