For the first time in over 20 years, Canadian football will be played in the United States and it will bring a lot of change to SUNY Buffalo State.

On Monday, Canadian Football League (CFL) commissioner Randy Ambrosie announced that the Hamilton Tiger-Cats will be moving to Buffalo State.

The team, which will be known as the Buffalo Tiger-Cats, is going to be the league’s first American franchise since 1995.

The Tiger-Cats’ move to Buffalo is a part of a seven-way agreement between the CFL, Buffalo State, the U.S. and Canadian governments, SUNY, New York State and the Liberty League (Division-III Football conference) that makes Coyer Field official Canadian territory.

The deal which was finalized last week not only brings Buffalo State a profession football team but a host of other changes to the school and its community.

Those other changes include legalization of Marijuana and the drinking age being lowered to 19 at the field as well as the Buffalo State football team playing all their home games under Canadian football rules.

“Bringing the CFL back to America has been long overdue,” Ambroise said. “The relationship between the two countries has never been better. Buffalo is the perfect place for the CFL because it’s basically a Canadian city in the States.”

“As SUNY’s only urban-engaged campus we expect Buffalo State to be great hosts for us,” he continued.

Schools officials are excited to put Buffalo State on the map.

“We are excited to partner with the Canadian Football League,” Buffalo State president Kathrine Conway-Turner said. “This is part of our goal to be the best urban-engaged campus in the country.”

The annexation also means that Canadians who chose to attend Buffalo State can qualify for the Excelsior Scholarship just like residents of New York State.

“No longer is it enough to educate middle-class students in your own state for free, we now must educate students from the entire continent for free,” New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.

Despite the ownership change, students, staff and others will still be able to assess the facility as they currently do.

The artificial surface of the field will be redone to have lines and markings for Canadian Football. The Liberty League, which is the conference the Buffalo State football team will play in starting this upcoming season, agreed to have all of the Bengals’ home games being played under Canadian football rules.

The school was already planning to have the turf and track replaced this summer.

“Every 10-12 years we have to have our field and track re-done so the timing couldn’t have been any better,” Buffalo State Athletic Director Jerry Boyes said. “Our football program will have to make some adjustments but we look forward to the future.”

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The news isn’t fake… but today it is. This story is a part of our annual April Fool’s coverage, The Wreckard. It’s not true. It’s not factual. It’s all in good fun.

Happy April Fool’s Day!

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