Some things people should know before making wild accusations that the CFL's offer is "a slap in the face"
-The CFLPA formerly had a revenue sharing agreement with the league set at 56% of gross revenue as recently as 2006. The fact is the CFLPA negotiated that away in the 2010 CBA preferring an immediate and schedule cap increases over a continuance of revenue sharing. (So I have precious little sympathy that a players association that walked away from revenue sharing thinking that a highercap was a better plan is now *****ing and moaning about not being revenue tied. Looks like the players association hoodwinked themselves there. Yeah, how much changes with that view on the situation? This is a PA that basically underestimated future league revenues, wanted no part of continued revenue growing/revenue sharing partnership with the league but now 4yrs later are clamoring to get that pie back that they gave away. You should all be shaking your heads at the CFLPA around now)
Player salaries do not include such things as exhibition/TC pay,(750/week, minimum 3weeks paid for veterans) per diem(115 bucks/travel, away from home day) playoff pay(as much as 16K) Benefits, pension, disability payments, practice roster payments, and that practice roster players have room and board included.
An average(real average not including injured players or players that only played a few games) for starting players is around 80K. This jumps closer to 100K or over when other benefits/payments are included. Also, bonuses, endorsements, appearance fees are not included.
So being that we've established that players are paid for preseason and postseason(quite well) the pay for regular season in the CFL is really for around only 4months of football. So 80K average base pay(again not including all payments) is essentially for 1/3 of a year.
I ask again, if CFL reimbursement for players isn't enough then why is there never any shortage of players willing to come and play here. Why can any team just phone up and get a taxisquad of players on a dime to come out and try out or be on practice roster?
Fact of the matter is CFL clubs have zero difficulty with player recruitment at this pay scale. Even less so at NFL cuts time.
People bleating about the CFL not paying enough need to establish why, from a supply and demand perspective, that the CFL should be paying more.
The CFL would be stupid to pay more. Whens the last time you heard a CFL player say they're quitting, retiring, relocating, because they're not getting paid enough and may as well stay at home?