THERE WILL BE FOOTBALL

The second strike in CFL history is over.

Two sources told The Canadian Press that the CFL and CFL Players’ Association reached a tentative seven-year collective bargaining agreement Wednesday night.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity as neither side immediately offered confirmation.

The contract must still be ratified by both the CFL board of governors as well as the CFLPA membership but the expectation is players will report to their teams Thursday and go through a walkthrough.

A source said one team, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, was scheduled to have a players meeting later Wednesday night.

A second source said the opening exhibition game Monday between the Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Saskatchewan Roughriders will go ahead as scheduled as a result of the tentative deal.

The agreement comes four days after players with seven of the league’s nine teams opted against the start of training camp hours after the previous agreement expired.

CFL players have gone on strike once, in 1974, but the situation was settled before the start of the regular season.

The regular season kicks off June 9 with the Montreal Alouettes in Calgary to face the Stampeders.

(CP/Photo: Mark Stephen)