MADANI: COHON LOWERS THE BOOM
SPORTSNET.CAThe CFL isn't commenting about collective bargaining negotiations, but the head of the league has suddenly threatened heavy discipline to all nine teams, and its employees, if any further news, or opinion, is leaked publicly.In the aftermath of Sportsnet's story Wednesday – regarding CBA talks coming to an impasse between the league and its players' union – CFL commissioner Mark Cohon sent a stern memo to each member club. Cohon is threatening discipline should any franchise speak publicly regarding internal conversations that the league's upper brass has hoped would remain confidential.Sources told Sportsnet that Cohon has issued threats of fining any CFL team employee who speaks to media regarding the talks between the league and the players union. Further, Sportsnet has learned that the commissioner told teams that any leak from a team would lead to the organization being fined $100,000.A CFL spokesman refused to address the matter, stating "We're not going to comment at all on our internal management."Breakdown in talks at the CFL and CFLPA level has occurred, fundamentally, over distribution of league revenues. The players union is in search of a 56% share of the overall pot, while the league will not budge on re-implementing revenue sharing into the collective bargaining agreement.The CBA expires on the day before training camps open in May.Sportsnet reported Wednesday that meetings scheduled, between both sides, for March 20 and 21 have been cancelled because the league is not even willing to negotiate a model of revenue sharing.The CFL refuses to comment publicly regarding the impasse, but clearly Wednesday's story ruffled feathers at the league office – prompting Cohon to issue the league-wide memorandum threatening fines for public comments about CBA negotiations.What irked the commissioner most, sources said, were front office folks showing their displeasure on how the process has unfolded. As Sportsnet reported Wednesday, one executive was appalled that bargaining talks had started only this month, and that another called it "absurd" that teams are still unaware of what the 2014 season's salary cap will be.
Today it was announced that the evaluation committee has chosen PCL Construction Management Inc. as the Preferred Proponent
Yeah, riiiiight.
As if, lowers the boom. Mark Cohon nothing but a lackey.
time for the cfl to be fair to the players
Cohon's 15 minutes of fame are up. His demise started with an exclusive TV deal and will come to an end over the CBA.
Roddy quit stirring up the pot here, you and Madani are going to be responsible for a CFL players strike.
This threat from the Commish of a League who can not tell the Teams what the Salary Cap will be this upcoming season ????
What a joke…. maybe Head Office should get their "you know what" together, before they start dictating Protocol and Policy to member Teams…..
If he's incapable of deciding what the salary cap is how does he think he can penalize anyone else
I hope Mark Cohon's mother is proud of him, because no one else is. What kind of BS is he trying to pull off here???
Okay Mark…love you as a Comish of the CFL. There is no question you have done a great job; HOWEVER, time to reward the players. I am supporting the players on this one!!!
Matthew
I also think it's finally time to reward the players. The CFL struggled through a lot of years where the players had to sacrifice for the stability of the league. At that point, I supported the league in bargaining hard. Now that the league is much more solid and has a huge new TV deal, it's time to be fair to the players. The CFL is not about anyone getting rich. That's why 1/3 of the teams are still community-owned. The CFL has been able to resist selling itself out for money (like the NHL did), because there just wasn't… Read more »