New CBA ratified by both sides

[Toppy Vann]

My strong belief is that the main reason nationals command good contracts is supply and demand - the same principle when it comes to the QBs except the dollars get bigger.

Darren Flutie when he was PA rep grasped the significance of nationals commanding good money as it prevents the mass of US college grads and drop outs from flooding the CFL and dropping the contract values for everyone. So top dollars for Nationals set a benchmark. Agents representing other players each know the values so they make demands such that Ed Hervey is now having to rid his team of guys on STs taking down $130K are going to be off loaded.

I think the players asking for the cap to include more than players is fair too.

[B.C.FAN]

The CFL and CFLPA announced Wednesday they have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement. The deal is subject to ratification by the league's board of governors and the players. The governors were expected to vote today. According to TSN, the players' agreement could take longer.

The contact is pending ratification by the players and approval from the league's board of governors. The CFL could give its approval as early as Wednesday at a previously scheduled meeting of its board.

Getting it ratified by the players will take longer. That's because the union must first present the deal to team reps, which will happen Wednesday. Then, it will be forwarded to the players.

The tentative agreement comes with CFL training camps slated to open Sunday. The deal was reached following two straight days of marathon bargaining.

CFL, CFLPA reach tentative agreement on new CBA

[SammyGreene]

Basically no movement on the salary cap and the ratio remaining locked in at 7 starting nationals could mean more tough decisions ahead for Hervey based on Reilly and Chung's deals.

So starting 7 nationals look to be:
Chung, Steward, Godber (Pierson), Durant, Johnson, Herdman and one more.

7th options:
DT: Luke or Laurent
OL: Knevel or Foucault (he either starts or is released)
Safety: Woodman or a phone call to Anthony Thompson.

[The_Pauser]

Basically no movement on the salary cap and the ratio remaining locked in at 7 starting nationals could mean more tough decisions ahead for Hervey based on Reilly and Chung's deals.

So starting 7 nationals look to be:
Chung, Steward, Godber (Pierson), Durant, Johnson, Herdman and one more.

7th options:
DT: Luke or Laurent
OL: Knevel or Foucault (he either starts or is released)
Safety: Woodman or a phone call to Anthony Thompson.

I don't see Luke or Laurent displacing Louis or Coleman. It's a shame that it seems like we're wasting two good Nationals on our defense, both of whom were first round picks.

Knevel I feel should get a shot at RT, though right now I don't know if that's in the plans. I think it's more likely we'll see a Canadian safety, probably Woodman.

[Hambone]

Basically no movement on the salary cap and the ratio remaining locked in at 7 starting nationals could mean more tough decisions ahead for Hervey based on Reilly and Chung's deals.

So starting 7 nationals look to be:
Chung, Steward, Godber (Pierson), Durant, Johnson, Herdman and one more.

7th options:
DT: Luke or Laurent
OL: Knevel or Foucault (he either starts or is released)
Safety: Woodman or a phone call to Anthony Thompson.

No movement on total cap but minimum gets a significant boost next year. Not surprisingly it will only be a 3 year deal which coincides with the expiry of the CFL deal with TSN.

TSN has been doing up depth charts for all teams and showed BC's today. I don't know if it's speculation on their part or if they got good input from Hervey/Claybrooks.

They list 2 defensive positions with NAT starters; MLB with Herdman-Reed backed up by Chagnon and safety with Woodman pencilled in backed up by Termanson, Guzylak-Messam and Hamlin. With Coleman and Louis in the middle of the DL it's hard to imagine one of them being bumped for a NAT. But there is flexibility there if need be.

Offensively they list the 3 OL you've mentioned; Durant at WR and Johnson in one of the 3 SB spots.

I'm not so sure about Foucault getting released if he doesn't start. If they plan to go with INT bookends at tackle by having Knevel and Foucault backing up the two guard spots they have 2 guys with tackle experience who could practice at both spots then slide out one spot to tackle in case of injury. That to me is more desirable than the old fashioned (and probably not PC these days) Chinese fire drill where one injury requires a shuffle of 60% of the OL to fill.

https://www.cfl.ca/2019/05/14/off-seaso ... -bc-lions/

[Toppy Vann]

Good news that labour peace is going to kick off the season. Hopefully the PA is genuinely happy here.

[B.C.FAN]

Kudos for Farhan Lalji for leading the coverage today and digging up lots of contract details.

[B.C.FAN]

Ed Willes thinks the owners came out on top in the new CBA, as usual. I think it's too early to pass judgment. The players gained three years of medical coverage, which was one of their biggest issues, along a promise of revenue sharing on future domestic and international TV contracts and any other CFL 2.0 initiatives. They also won a significant increase in the league minimum salary beginning next year. Those are pretty big gains in an era of stagnant league attendance and TV revenue.

Willes also makes a common mistake by equating the salary cap with player salaries, and suggesting the players receive only about 22% of league revenue. If $210 million is in fact the league's total revenue, the players' share is probably somewhere between 25% and 30% when you add in player costs that don't count against the cap, such as salaries of players on the 6-game injured list. And that probably doesn't factor in accounting differences such as teams that report gross merchandise and concession revenue rather than net revenue, thereby inflating their overall revenues.

More importantly, trying to compare CFL player salaries as a share of revenue with those of the NFL misses a much larger point. The CFL pie is tiny compared to the NFL but expenses such as travel, equipment, game-day operations, administration and marketing aren't significantly different. Those necessary expenses eat up a much bigger share of CFL team budgets, leaving proportionately less for players. CFL owners aren't getting rich at players' expense.

Ed Willes: A 'new CFL?' Meet the old CFL with players' labour deal

[Toppy Vann]

Deal just about fell through Saturday as players suggest the CFL changed language they felt they agreed upon. Beefing up the CFL with professional labour leaders/union affiliation no doubt is emboldening players who last CBA were hosed by the league and their own players not unified - which is understanding as some of these players naturally need a pay cheque.

Strike averted: a crazy evening ends with labour peace

https://3downnation.com/2019/05/18/mult ... on-strike/



The CFL reneged on elements of the new CBA and almost caused a strike
By John Hodge - May 19, 2019

https://3downnation.com/2019/05/19/the- ... -a-strike/

[DanoT]

So what exactly is the wording that the CFL tried to change at the last minute that almost resulted in a CFLPA strike?

[B.C.FAN]

The players' association and the league announced Wednesday that both sides have ratified the new CBA.

CFL, CFLPA ratify new collective agreement

[Toppy Vann]

Naylor and Farhan on CBA and wins from both parties perspectives.

Player continuity was raised but no real way to address the issue was found.

Players sacrificed $$$ for the big improvement in medical coverage. Got to give players credit for that as many young who think they're invincible typically take money over insurance.

Other issues in the video below:

https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/video

[CrazyCanuck89]

Basically no movement on the salary cap and the ratio remaining locked in at 7 starting nationals could mean more tough decisions ahead for Hervey based on Reilly and Chung's deals.

So starting 7 nationals look to be:
Chung, Steward, Godber (Pierson), Durant, Johnson, Herdman and one more.


7th options:
DT: Luke or Laurent
OL: Knevel or Foucault (he either starts or is released)
Safety: Woodman or a phone call to Anthony Thompson.

The Lions could go with two in the Linebacking corps.

MLB-Herdman
WLB-Konar

Remember it's minimum 7 nationals not maximum. Plus Johnson will probably be starting in the recieving corps also.

[B.C.FAN]

Basically no movement on the salary cap and the ratio remaining locked in at 7 starting nationals could mean more tough decisions ahead for Hervey based on Reilly and Chung's deals.

So starting 7 nationals look to be:
Chung, Steward, Godber (Pierson), Durant, Johnson, Herdman and one more.


7th options:
DT: Luke or Laurent
OL: Knevel or Foucault (he either starts or is released)
Safety: Woodman or a phone call to Anthony Thompson.

The Lions could go with two in the Linebacking corps.

MLB-Herdman
WLB-Konar

Remember it's minimum 7 nationals not maximum. Plus Johnson will probably be starting in the recieving corps also.

The Lions are practising in Kamlooos with a minimum of seven national starters:

LG-Steward
C-Peirson
RG-Chungh
SB-Durant
WR/FB-Johnson/Mackie
CB-Termansen
MLB-Herdman

RT is still open, with nationals David Knevel, David Foucault and Brett Boyko competing with international Casidy Curtis.

[Toppy Vann]

Two Provisions in the CBA with future repercussions for Canadians in the CFL:

https://www.tsn.ca/two-provisions-in-th ... -1.1313456

I believe neither provision goes into effect this season.

The first is the provision allowing teams to replace any Canadian starter who suffers an in-game injury with a veteran American, defined in the new agreement as a player with at least four years in the CFL or three with his current team.

Remember the old days of the designated divers to slow down games late this would make it advantage to have the designated injure-prone player to take a dive on the first play from scrimmage.

Also worthy of attention is the provision that allows an American or global player graduating with a degree from a U Sports school to automatically quality as a Canadian in the CFL, as long as he has played at least three seasons at a Canadian university.

This is a bit problematic as it could fill up Canadian teams with Americans.

I'd have preferred something like the old rule way where a player becoming a citizen after 5 years no longer was an import. That would lead to teams wanting to keep their International top players longer to get that bonus of the player becoming a National.

I might have that old rule off base, but something to keep players in one place longer would be a good thing. But that only works if there's more cap space to pay the player better.