The CFL Players Association ratified its new collective agreement with the CFL on Thursday night.
The CFLPA made the announcement by email. The players’ vote came hours after the two sides reached a seven-year interim agreement.
Ratification came two days after CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie presented the league’s final offer to its players.
The agreement also needs to be ratified by the CFL governing board, but this is not expected to be a problem. With the agreement of the players of the agreement, the exhibition season of the league will open punctually on Friday night.
“We are pleased that the players have now ratified a new collective agreement between the CFL and the CFLPA,” Ambrosie said in a statement. “The governing board of the CFL will hold its ratification vote shortly.
“We look forward to a successful season, including pre-season games this weekend, and a long and productive partnership with our players.”
The CFLPA did not provide the overall results of the vote. Players from six of the nine CFL teams had to accept the deal for it to be ratified, with the required margin of at least 50 percent plus one vote in favor.
On Monday, the players voted against an interim agreement that the union had recommended accepting. The CFLPA also recommended ratification of the interim agreement on Thursday.
According to sources, the CFL teams will have seven Canadian starters and a total of 21 on the roster this year. In 2023, that number will increase to eight, with a Canadian nationalized: an American who has spent five years in the CFL or at least three with the same team.
Clubs will also be able to rotate two nationalized Canadians up to 49 percent of the time. Teams may move to three nationalized Canadians in 2024, but the two franchises that play the most Canadians at the end of the season will receive additional second-round elections.
And the seven pure Canadian headlines per party will remain intact for the duration of the agreement, which will be able to reopen after five years when the CFL’s broadcast agreement with TSN expires.
Sources spoke on condition of anonymity, as neither the league nor the union have given specific details of the new deal.
Sources also said the CFL will provide $ 1.225 million in a ratification group for players. This year’s salary cap will remain at $ 5.35 million and will increase to $ 5.51 million in 2023. It will be $ 5.99 million in 2028.
The minimum salaries of world, national (Canadian) and American players will be consistent. The figure will increase from $ 65,000 to $ 70,000 next year and $ 75,000 in 2027.
The maximum housing allowance this year will be $ 2,300 a month for six months. The CFL and CFLPA agree on an annual review to determine the maximum number of housing allowances for next season.
In return, the CFL gets a long-term peace of mind and the opportunity to really rebuild their business. The league did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic – which is supposed to have lost between $ 60 million and $ 80 million – and last year launched a short 14-game campaign.
Last December, the league announced a partnership with Genius Sports, a data, technology trading company that connects sports, betting and the media. In August 2021, the CFL signed a multi-year partnership with BetRegal to become its official partner for online sports games.
Last month, the one-game sports betting industry fully opened up in Ontario.
But Canadian Justin Palardy, a former kicker who spent time with five CFL teams between 2010 and 2015, used social media to express his displeasure with the deal.
“As I said in another tweet, what’s the point of writing more (Canadian) if we get rid of Canadian headlines?” he tweeted. “Maybe you think it’s a great idea, it doesn’t make sense.”
Defensive linebacker / linebacker Shomari Williams, who was first overall in the 2010 CFL draft in Saskatchewan and played with four teams for six professional seasons (2010-15) was also not impressed.
“I think the main goal of the CFLPA for (Canadian) members is NOT to diminish the roles of (Canadian) players in the CFL,” he tweeted. “How do you handle this for your (Canadian) members after they have voted against and are confident that you will be re-elected?”
Both sides had disagreed over the Canadian proportion.
Last Wednesday, the CFL and the CFLPA reached a seven-year interim agreement, which ended a four-day seven-day strike by nine teams in the league. At first glance, there seemed to be many positive aspects for players, including a revenue-sharing model, the possibility of reopening the pact in five years once the CFL signed a new retransmission agreement and veteran players with the ability to negotiate partially secured contracts. .
But the deal also called for CFL teams to increase the number of Canadian starters from seven to eight. The extra would also have been a nationalized Canadian.
In addition, three other nationalized Canadians could play up to 49 per cent of the snaps. And the agreement did not include a ratification bonus.
On Tuesday, Ambrosie introduced an amended proposal that included a $ 1 million ratification group and the abolition of the three nationalized Canadians who played 49 percent of the snaps. However, it also reduced the number of Canadian incumbents to seven, including one nationalized Canadian.
Ambrosie not only said it was the CFL’s final bid, but it was good until midnight ET on Thursday, as the league’s show schedule was scheduled to begin Friday night with two games. Ambrosie added that if the players turned down the offer and chose to return to the strike, they would be warned to leave their respective training camp facilities.
This was the second time that Ambrosie had been made public with a final contract offer to the CFLPA. On May 14, he posted a letter to fans on the league’s website detailing the league’s proposal to players hours before the old CBA expired.
The next day, the players of seven CFL teams chose not to appear on the training ground and went on strike. The Edmonton Elks and Calgary Stampeders opened the camp on schedule because they were not in a legal strike position at the time, according to provincial labor laws.
It was only the second stoppage in league history and the first since 1974.
This report from The Canadian Press was first published on May 26, 2022.