For members of Gen-Z, “cap” is a slang term denoting a lie or falsehood. As it turns out, the CFL’s reported salary cap increase might be exactly that.
In a press conference on Thursday, the Canadian Football League Players’ Association revealed that they are still deciding where additional funds obtained through the revenue-growth-sharing model will be allocated and confirmed speculation that the announced salary cap increase is not yet set in stone.
“That’s the conversation we’re having with the league right now in terms of the allocation. For us, the expediency of it is making sure that it touches all our members because they all played a hand in the win of increasing revenues and us getting revenue-sharing,” CFLPA president Solomon Elimimian said.
“Those discussions are happening. The good thing is, there is new money. How it’s allocated is something that we’re trying to work through.”
The CFL and CFLPA caught teams — and fans — off-guard when they announced the second-largest salary cap increase in CFL history with a pair of statements on February 5. According to the press releases, the salary cap ceiling would rise to $6,062,365 in 2025, representing a $537,365 increase from 2024 and a bump of $412,365 from the previous cap projection.
However, all nine franchises have been slow to utilize the supposed windfall, with teams sticking to their previously agreed-upon budgets through free agency and staying cautious in the weeks since. Several general managers, notably Kyle Walters in Winnipeg and Ted Goveia in Hamilton, have since expressed skepticism that the increase is official, citing language in the collective bargaining agreement that allows the CFLPA to apply their share of league revenue to areas other than the salary cap.
Those concerns were acknowledged to be real for the first time on Thursday, as the CFLPA provided no official deadline on when teams would know how much they’ll be allowed to spend.
“We’d like it to be completed before training camp, and there’s an interest on their side too. That’s something we’re working through,” newly-hired CFLPA executive director David Mackie said. “We want to make sure that the season kicks off, and I’m sure a new commissioner coming in is going to want to make sure that that goes smoothly as well. We’re working through that with them in terms of how it’ll be allocated and when.”
According to the CBA terms, the CFL established an initial baseline mark for defined league revenue during the 2022 season. For every dollar revenue increases above the baseline, a quarter is supposed to be allocated to the salary cap, which is then split evenly between all nine teams. However, the CFLPA has the ability to take that money and apply it to forms of direct player compensation instead, including player pensions and increased pre-season or playoff pay.
Because the salary cap can never decrease under the terms of the CBA, an increase ensures there is more money for players for years to come. Unfortunately, only a small percentage of players in any given year are in a position to sign new contracts and reap the rewards of extra cap space, while teams can also artificially deflate the impact of an increase by spending only to the cap floor. That is why the union is considering alternative applications that would affect a wider swath of players.
“What we want to see is the money to be allocated to touch every member. This is a win for all our members,” Elimimian said. “Whether you’re a starting quarterback or a special teamer, you’ve contributed to the excitement of the game. We’ve increased revenues, and that’s on the back of players. We want all players to benefit from that.”
Both the CFL and CFLPA were roundly criticized for the timing of the salary cap announcement, which came three days after the opening of the free-agency negotiation window when the majority of players had already agreed to terms. Those complaints are unlikely to quiet with uncertainty regarding the league’s spending limit continuing with six weeks remaining until training camp.
Elimimian declined to elaborate on the cause of the late announcement and subsequent uncertainty, choosing to keep those discussions between the league and union. However, both CFLPA representatives stated that the process was being cleaned up for the future and that getting the information out faster is a priority, though they believe no perfect solution exists.
“There’s never going to be a perfect time. There’s always going to be athletes under contract, guys that signed last year who if it got announced in December, they’re going to be upset because they’re not part of it,” Mackie said.
“Obviously, the earlier, the better. We understand limitations in language and when that information is going to get to us. We would prefer it to be as quickly as they know — we should be in the know. We’re going to continue working through the league to make sure that whatever bugs came out this year may not be there in the future.”
In the meantime, the union is urging patience as they do their due diligence and allocate the new money appropriately to help the largest number of players.
“This is the first time that this program that we bargained in ’22 has paid significant dividends,” Elimimian said. “The timing of it was really unexpected, we got this information unexpectedly, and that’s a good thing that should be celebrated. We want to help the league grow so the players can get a share of that pie moving forward.”
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