CFL to release full schedule at 2 p.m. EST

The CFL will drop its complete 2018 schedule at 2 p.m. EST, per sources.

The announcement will come after a copy of the Edmonton Eskimos’ schedule was erroneously sent to some season ticket holders early Thursday morning. Sources say the league had planned to release the full version late this week in any case.

The season will feature 21 weeks and three byes for each team, which follows the template announced by the league last September. The pre-season, which began in early June in 2017, will start in late-May to accommodate the change. Moving the season up, which has been raised by commissioner Randy Ambrosie, will not take effect until 2019 at the earliest (assuming it happens at all.)

The CFL has typically released its schedule in February but fans have been asking for an earlier date for years so they can plan their lives. It would likely help teams in their season-ticket renewal efforts.