‘Definitely a bigger pool of players’: Stampeders’ Dave Dickenson believes XFL, USFL merger could benefit CFL

Calgary Stampeders general manager and head coach Dave Dickenson said that the recent merger between the XFL and USFL will make his general manager duties easier in terms of acquiring talent.

“It will (make it easier to sign American players), it’s eight teams as well so everyone has kind of brought it down to a number that will take good players away but not dry out the talent pool like it was last year,” Dickenson said in an interview with Jock Wilson on QR 770’s Sports Talk with Jock.

“It was a rough one on us having the most injuries we’ve ever had and really having a limited pool to try and go get.”

The new American spring league which will be known as the United Football League, took four teams from the USFL and four teams from the XFL. Each league previously had eight teams for a combined total of 16.

“I already feel like it’s making a difference,” Dickenson said. “I have players getting ahold of me and sending me film, agents calling … there’s definitely a bigger pool of players out there and now it’s our job to find the right ones to fit our system.”

Dickenson also believes that there are a lot of reasons as to why players are choosing to play in the CFL rather than the UFL.

“I think our salaries are better than theirs,” Dickenson said. “Obviously we play more games, we got the history, I believe we got the stability and the fan support.”

The Stampeders will kick off the 2024 CFL season on June 7 when they host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

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