Okay, so the off season officially begins now that the Grey Cup is over. Lots of topics for discussion in the months to come with the Bombers & the League. A new CBA needs to be negotiated sooner rather than later.  Will there be an eventual agreement or a lockout? How much will the salary cap go up? Randy Ambrosie is on record that wants the cap to significantly go up so that is a positive.  Will Bo Levi Mitchell sign with an NFL or perhaps another CFL team? What about Mike Reilly & Trevor Harris who are also free agents? There's a new start up league called the  AAFL & there are legit concerns that it'll draw star CFL players away or hamper free agent signings with CFL teams. Coaching changes in BC & Toronto. The continuing evolving story of the expansion Halifax Schooners & possible exhibition games in Mexico. 

Edited November 27, 20187 yr by SpeedFlex27

44 minutes ago, Floyd said:

CFL has no bargaining power - open up all these channels and then lock out the players... I don’t think so

The teams have smallish budgets- the players don't have a lot of leverage, either.

33 minutes ago, Tracker said:

The teams have smallish budgets- the players don't have a lot of leverage, either.

I think this long term benefits thing will be tougher than they think 

2 hours ago, Mr Dee said:

You should read the article..

Oh I read it - that doesn't mean I agree with it.

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

The teams have smallish budgets- the players don't have a lot of leverage, either.

The public airing of grievances isn’t a good omen for negotiations.      I’m not saying that they are legit, just that it’s aired in the media even before talks start.  This doesn’t set a good tone.  

Both sides have bungled this so badly. 

and yet a deal will get done because neither side can afford to **** around too much. 

4 hours ago, 17to85 said:

and yet a deal will get done because neither side can afford to **** around too much. 

Ambrosie wants to up the rookie salary to $70,000 Canadian. 

How soon do these international partners ask "um, yeah about those rules of yours...we need to talk"

25 minutes ago, Zontar said:

How soon do these international partners ask "um, yeah about those rules of yours...we need to talk"

Which rules are you referring to?   Te rules that make the Canadian game what it is?  Do you actually think that those would ever be changed because Mexico or Germany doesn't like/understand them?  Personally, if that's what you're referring to, it's little more than fear mongering because if the rules got changed then the CFL would no longer be the CFL.  Not going to happen.  

I’m thinking the ratio...

I’m thinking that the European countries that are interested will have their own standards - EU’Rules..so to speak.

My opinion on CFL 2.0. We are all here, I would assume because we think that the CFL is the most exciting brand of football right? Why would we not want for people in Mexico, Austria, German, France, Finland, ect, to think CFL when they think football. Share what we love with millions more people seems like a no brainer.

12 hours ago, Jpan85 said:

My opinion on CFL 2.0. We are all here, I would assume because we think that the CFL is the most exciting brand of football right? Why would we not want for people in Mexico, Austria, German, France, Finland, ect, to think CFL when they think football. Share what we love with millions more people seems like a no brainer.

At the same time, the NFL Brand is known world wide. The CFL Brand  isn't. Why would countries that play 4 down football suddenly embrace our 3 down brand with a bigger field & different rules? I just can't see that happening anywhere.

3 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

At the same time, the NFL Brand is known world wide. The CFL Brand  isn't. Why would countries that play 4 down football suddenly embrace our 3 down brand with a bigger field & different rules? I just can't see that happening anywhere.

 These leagues are looking for a partner to grow the game. The commissioner said on Friday night that when he started talking to these leagues that they were really surprised that he asked them how the CFL could help them grow and develop. The NFL had dictated what the relationship was going to be with them to benefit of only the NFL. 

8 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

 These leagues are looking for a partner to grow the game. The commissioner said on Friday night that when he started talking to these leagues that they were really surprised that he asked them how the CFL could help them grow and develop. The NFL had dictated what the relationship was going to be with them to benefit of only the NFL. 

We're the same. We're doing this to hopefully benefit the CFL. But the 2 games are very different.  Maybe there are revenue opportunities for the CFL in Europe. I just don't know how or what they are so I'm skeptical. I doubt Ambrosie knows this either which is why this isn't exciting for me as of yet. We know the CFL will be second fiddle over there. That the style of game & rules won't be suddenly embraced.  They should play some exhibition games over there to introduce Euros to our game in person.  So fans can see just how wide open the CFL can be.

I get the skepticism about it from the the bits and piece of info that the media have put out. I sat and listened to him talk about this for hour on Friday it’s not as crazy as people make it out to be.

10 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

I get the skepticism about it from the the bits and piece of info that the media have put out. I sat and listened to him talk about this for hour on Friday it’s not as crazy as people make it out to be.

Remains to be seen.

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

At the same time, the NFL Brand is known world wide. The CFL Brand  isn't. Why would countries that play 4 down football suddenly embrace our 3 down brand with a bigger field & different rules? I just can't see that happening anywhere.

I don't think anybody is expecting it to happen suddenly.  However,  it's logical that if things get to the point where players have a real opportunity to come to the CFL and play that they would want to best prepare their players for the tranistion.  Its kind of pointless to play American rules when there is no real opportunity to make the jump to the NFL.

On 2019-03-01 at 6:12 PM, Floyd said:

CFL has no bargaining power - open up all these channels and then lock out the players... I don’t think so

CFL has more bargaining power than most league's.  The main advantage is that the players aren't already millionaires. They rely on the money to make ends meat.   Players don't want to see a lockout any more than owners do. These are players who are under contract. They decided against the sure money of the AAF to stay in this league. They would really miss out now if there was a lost season.

19 minutes ago, Colin Unger said:

CFL has more bargaining power than most league's.  The main advantage is that the players aren't already millionaires. They rely on the money to make ends meat.   Players don't want to see a lockout any more than owners do. These are players who are under contract. They decided against the sure money of the AAF to stay in this league. They would really miss out now if there was a lost season.

And yet the CFL does the deed of not paying off season bonuses even though the current collective agreement has not expired. That's bush league.

 

Players have been peeved off since the league ordered teams to stop payment on signing bonuses and other off-season bonuses until a new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out.

“To be fair, it happened before I arrived,” Randy Ambrosie said. “It was something that was in place.”

 

The CFLPA will have to negotiate this clause out of this upcoming agreement.

1 minute ago, Mr Dee said:

 

Players have been peeved off since the league ordered teams to stop payment on signing bonuses and other off-season bonuses until a new collective bargaining agreement is hammered out.

“To be fair, it happened before I arrived,” Randy Ambrosie said. “It was something that was in place.”

 

The CFLPA will have to negotiate this clause out of this upcoming agreement.

It was Jeff Orridge who did this but Ambrosie could have overruled it as an act of good faith. Chose not to.

2 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

It was Jeff Orridge who did this but Ambrosie could have overruled it as an act of good faith. Chose not to.

The governors/presidents probably are the ones that want them not paid. It’s there money not the commissioners. 

In terms of offseason bonuses it’s something that i think can be viewed more than one way. We have to keep in mind that this is a negotiation. If you’re buying a car do you give the dealership 5 grand up front that they get to keep regardless of whether you end up purchasing a vehicle?      The money that’s being paid in these bonuses is for playing in the upcoming season.  So what happens if the season is lost due to the labor dispute?  Do the players then pay back the unearned money?  As Darian Durant proved the owners would have no recourse in recovery the unearned funds. 

4 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

We're the same. We're doing this to hopefully benefit the CFL. But the 2 games are very different.  Maybe there are revenue opportunities for the CFL in Europe. I just don't know how or what they are so I'm skeptical. I doubt Ambrosie knows this either which is why this isn't exciting for me as of yet. We know the CFL will be second fiddle over there. That the style of game & rules won't be suddenly embraced.  They should play some exhibition games over there to introduce Euros to our game in person.  So fans can see just how wide open the CFL can be.

Thumbs up to this

Now have never seen a game from any of these leagues, but am picturing semi pro level or worse- there will be some talent and skill, but not a ton

So now assuming we're not seeing high end skill with top coaching ,  the cfl game and rules would be far more entertaining than 4 down rules ,