CFL CBA Situation

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Curious where people stand on this one.

I tend to approach things through a business lens, and rarely do I have a lot of time or respect for unions. I believe that they've had their place historically, but that the pendulum swings back and forth and too often they end up causing waste and protecting incompetence.

With that said, I'm full on #TeamCFLPA - I want the clubs to have a deal that keeps them financially viable and believe that owners (private or community based) deserve a return on their investment/operations, but it is the players that are what makes the game great. I have come to appreciate the sacrifices that they make, not only potentially in body and health, but often with time away from family, friends and loved ones. Yes, they're getting paid to play a game, and yes, they're chasing a dream, but looking at guys like Brandyn Thompson, John White IV or Matt Nichols and what they've overcome, rehabbed through and persisted at to play a game that doesn't always love them back, it's easy to develop some empathy for the players.

I'm not saying upset the whole business of the CFL, but I'd like to see gains for the players in the cap - particularly focused towards the minimum salary and the bottom 1/3 of the guys, and gains in taking care of their health, both during their career and through the period of any ongoing injuries suffered while playing.

[nafnikufesin]

Sports are a distraction. Our priorities in this world are screwed up. There is no way that entertainers, be it athletes or actors, should be making millions while nurses, teachers, scientists, people that actually make a difference in this world, get paid a small fraction of that.

Tickets to sporting events cost way too much. The concessions cost way too much. The owners profits are ridiculous. Players make way too much.

Except in the CFL. Most of these guys draw an average salary. They have to take jobs in the off season to pay the bills. They have to have skills outside of football, because their careers are short, and they still need to make a living when they turn 35 (if they are lucky that their football career even lasts that long).

It's one of the reasons that I love the CFL. It isn't ridiculously out of touch with the rest of the world. These players might not be the best in the world, but they are playing for the love of the game, not to get obscenely rich. Give them the support they need.

[tigerdar]

Sports are a distraction. Our priorities in this world are screwed up. There is no way that entertainers, be it athletes or actors, should be making millions while nurses, teachers, scientists, people that actually make a difference in this world, get paid a small fraction of that.

Tickets to sporting events cost way too much. The concessions cost way too much. The owners profits are ridiculous. Players make way too much.

Except in the CFL. Most of these guys draw an average salary. They have to take jobs in the off season to pay the bills. They have to have skills outside of football, because their careers are short, and they still need to make a living when they turn 35 (if they are lucky that their football career even lasts that long).

It's one of the reasons that I love the CFL. It isn't ridiculously out of touch with the rest of the world. These players might not be the best in the world, but they are playing for the love of the game, not to get obscenely rich. Give them the support they need.

Well said beer man

[turftoe27]

Well said beer man

X 2. super post.

[Esks1975]

Also agreeing with beer man and gwn.

[Sticker]

Also agreeing with beer man and gwn.

They both got it right for sure.

[BeaverSports]

They both got it right for sure.

Agreed with the above posts. I'm kind of — actually, very — shocked that there isn't a deal finalized here, especially with Randy Ambrosie's leadership. With the new league starting in the U.S. it's really not the time for the CFL and CFLPA (and the league in particular) to be dickering around on making a deal. It's a make-or-break time for this league and the longer the CBA remains unsettled, the harder it's going to be to attract players of the necessary calibre to make this a go.

Sure, there will be players who are more suited to the CFL game with the wider field, etc. (though the off-field cap may limit the ability to recruit them) but if I'm a talented, young American kid, given the idea of making greenbacks (and likely more than CFL can offer) in a warmer climate, playing a game I already know, I'm less inclined to look north of the border.

Ultimately, that situation is going to hurt those with a vested interest in the league. Fan support has been dwindling already with the mediocre officiating and struggles to attract the younger generation, but a mass exodus of talent might be a death blow.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Agreed with the above posts. I'm kind of — actually, very — shocked that there isn't a deal finalized here, especially with Randy Ambrosie's leadership. With the new league starting in the U.S. it's really not the time for the CFL and CFLPA (and the league in particular) to be dickering around on making a deal. It's a make-or-break time for this league and the longer the CBA remains unsettled, the harder it's going to be to attract players of the necessary calibre to make this a go.

Sure, there will be players who are more suited to the CFL game with the wider field, etc. (though the off-field cap may limit the ability to recruit them) but if I'm a talented, young American kid, given the idea of making greenbacks (and likely more than CFL can offer) in a warmer climate, playing a game I already know, I'm less inclined to look north of the border.

Ultimately, that situation is going to hurt those with a vested interest in the league. Fan support has been dwindling already with the mediocre officiating and struggles to attract the younger generation, but a mass exodus of talent might be a death blow.

It is seemingly a small point, but the immediacy of the financial payoff is also an attraction for the AAF. Guys can have their full season worth of paycheques before they would even get a game cheque from the CFL in Week 1.

I know of at least one CFL player that is upset that he can't get out of his contract early to sign in the AAF, even though he is confident that he is not in his current team's plans for the upcoming season and will be a free agent in mid-Feb. If CFL teams start releasing guys early to pursue this, it could cause the floodgates to open, and with a prohibition on side-deals, it's not like they can have a handshake agreement to not sign with another CFL club. On the other hand, if CFL clubs do not release guys with interest in the AAF (and interest from the AAF) in cases where their contracts are expiring, there is a risk of being seen by players as dealing in bad faith and depriving them of opportunities (mid-Feb release makes them a long-shot to make an AAF roster that is already likely to be set). I'm not saying it IS bad faith, but I do believe that the perception will grow among players that are feeling deprived of the opportunity. It's a tough one to find the balance on.

[GreatWhiteNorth]

The CFL, back in November, canceled CFL Week this year (was set for Ottawa, though I don't think that was announced yet). I didn't understand the move when I heard about it, as it seemed short-sighted given that they were trying to grow that property, that it had successfully put the CFL in the news at a time they typically are not getting attention otherwise, and that it was a good way to get some of the media stuff (TSN promos with players) done before training camp.

This week, a player pointed out to me, that if the league had not canceled it, they would have left a big leverage point out there for the CFLPA. If no deal was yet done, and the league had everything arranged and booked (hotels, flights, media, venues, sponsor events, etc), that the PA would have been in a position (not saying they WOULD do it) to say they weren't sending their membership. It would tank the event, and potentially be both expensive and embarrassing.

As it stands, players that would have been involved (about 50 overall) lose out on fairly lucrative appearance fees and sponsorship money, and the CFL loses out on some real positive publicity. The combine takes a few more steps backward in coverage and the fans (in Ottawa, and those of us that would travel for the event) miss out.

I understand better why it had to happen, but it seems that assurances could have been sought and commitments reached to not politicize it. Instead, the CFLPA wasn't even consulted.

[GungaDin]

Typical labour negotiation stuff, much cutting off noses to spite faces on both sides.