SPORTSNET/CKRM’S ARASH MADANI ON CFL LABOUR TALKS
Madani’s collection of social media bites from Thursday’s CFL labour negotiations in Toronto:
– BREAKING: CFLPA presented an offer with a $5.8 million cap, which increases by 3% each year. The #CFL rejected the offer.
– Scott Flory just told the media in a Toronto airport hotel that the #CFL rejected the latest player offer ($5.8 mil cap, 3% annual
increase)
– And that is that. Strike vote is the next step, you have to think. RT @danralphcp: #CFL talks break down, CFLPA announces.
– CFLPA proposed a “revenue protection clause” allowing a 2-year fixed cap, then if revenues increase, CBA gets re-negotiated. #CFL rejected.
– CFLPA proposal to the #CFL was a $4.8 million floor/$5.8 million cap, with a 3% annual increase and a $15k one-time bonus to vets. Rejected.
– On player safety, CFLPA wants one practice a week in pads (#CFL offer is 28/year). Players insisting on independent neurologist on sideline.
– CFLPA is “also maintaining our position on the elimination of the option year EXCEPT on new players to the #CFL.” League expressed concerns.
No doubt players are not being reasonable.
Does anybody know how many concussions Scott Flory suffered during his career?
If you take the 5.8M cap in year 1 and increase it by 3% each year, in year 5 it’ll be 6.7M – No different to their original offer that was tied to revenues! the 4.8M salary floor is nothing but a red herring, no team will spend the floor when to be competitive you need to spend to the cap. If all teams spend to the cap and 1 to the floor the one that spends to the floor will not be competitive, which will drive away their fans and make it even harder for them to be profitable.… Read more »
Unbelievable. Both sides are going to be stubborn and dig in for the long haul. You can pretty well guarantee now that the NFL will supplant the CFL as the more popular football league in this country if this happens. What a crock of garbage.
Dubya
Negative Madani fails to mention that the players will attend camp 'in good faith'. That's what TSN is saying.
Players are not attending “in good faith” because Alberta labour laws state you have to give 72 hour strike notice AFTER the CBA expires. Therefore the players have to show up for the June 1st day of camp (because CBA expires midnight 29th) and then can walk out after that.
Good faith will be if they are at camp on June 2nd
The point is that TSN story leaves some hope. Madani's doesn't.
So for many many years this league struggled to make it financially….they get SOME success and the current players want to cash in immediately…what about the owners and communities that have bailed out clubs, forgiven taxes and gave extra tax breaks so the league could survive? It seems like these current players have no appreciation what so ever for the struggles and pain that many had to go thru before this limited success was achieved. To say these current players seem greedy and completely unappreciative of the what has been done so they have a league to play in is… Read more »
I am stunned at some (most?) fans dumping on the players. No one asks for the numbers. Accept owners crying poor but no numbers. If a private business can't generate enough revenue while community business can whose fault is that? Employees? Get the facts and then pass judgement.
And please don't think your lowly job is at all comparable. You may envy those with a union you don't have but that's your choice. And how many are lined up to take your job if you have a bad day. Jeez.
What I find most surprising is that people in union heavy provinces (SK, BC, QC) are the most vocal about how unreasonable the CFLPA is. We know Ont won’t say anything because they don’t even know there is a CFL.
To the players, 1) Take the original offer by the CFL 2) Fire Scott Flory and be better prepared next time 3) Drop your sense of entitlement. You are very lucky to play a sport for a living and get paid quite well. 4) Understand what the league has gone through, historically, with its financial challenges (still ongoing with some teams), then make a conscientious decision not to derail the league as it starts to hit its up-curve. 5) Understand that even though Scott Flory is the leader of the CFLPA, just know that he is not the know-all regarding… Read more »
Thumbs up to Kel in Victoria.
Thumbs down to Kel in Victoria. 🙁
THE PLAYERS MIGHT AS WELL GO TO CAMP AND PLAY OUT THE PRE SEASON… IT WON'T REALLY THROW A WRENCH INTO THINGS UNTIL WE GET INTO THE REGULAR SEASON GAMES ANYWAY.
Sorry for using this vehicle but got to get this off my chest and get it into public debate. Regina High School Sports Coaches (RHSAA) block Rural Teams from participating in League Playoffs !! Boy, have they lost sight of the reason for and the benefits of High School Athletics…. Shame – the people making these decisions are our childrens' leaders and role models – YIKES
or some people have forgotten the boundaries of Regina…
Boundaries have nothing to do with it…. this is all about inclusion and acceptance and providing other opportunities for ALL students, not just a chosen few based on your postal code. Remember, students go to school and participate in extra-curricular activites, not the other way around. Shameful decision by our educators…. one coach stated in the LP that the City Team had no chance in the Playoffs against a Team from Lumsden … wow – this is what High School atletics represents ? Trophies and Glory ??? Shameful
REGINA HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION.
Not
REGINA and general area HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOC.
rural schools should have an opportunity to participate at provincial playoffs in their respective division (4A, 3A, 2A 1A). Beat the city teams there.
Obama has been proven right again in his bold predictions on this negotiations? A man (?) with a pile of credibility!
Regina public schools. 1) Create a bare minimum standard 2) No accountability 3) No consequences 4) Everybody wins 5) It's the Teacher's fault the kids are stupid, not the parents 6) If you can't beat a team, ban that team rather than learn from it, modify and try again. …that quip Herb Brooks gave he Americans about the Soviets, "..if we played 'em 10 times they might beat us 9…not tonight" – no point in even letting the kids try. Hey, it's the society we live in and these kids watch in 15 years how they wind up under this… Read more »
The problem with letting the fringe schools compete is that they usually want to cherry pick when they are in the league or not. Most sports and teams are cyclic. So when they have a strong group of kids they are in, when the have a down year the want out.