Raising the players salary cap could force teams to reduce coaches salaries but the fact is it’s “supply and demand” , there are thousands of players available. But try finding good qualified coaches, the CFL has to not only compete with the NFL for coaches but also the NCAA.
As an example, the Argos non-player football operation salaries are broken down as follows, most teams are similar:
President and CEO – Chris Rudge
Vice-Chair – Michael Clemons
General Manager – Jim Barker
Director of Football Operations – Ian Sanderson
Director of Player Personnel – Chris Rossetti
US Scouting Coordinator - Demetri Betzios
Consultant, Football Operations – Nick Volpe
Equipment Manager - Danny Webb
Assistant Equipment Manager - Tom Bryce
Head Athletic Therapist - Scott Shannon
Assistant Athletic Therapist - Josh Shewell
Head Coaches
Head Coach – Scott Milanovich
Offensive Coaches
Offensive Coordinator – Marcus Brady
Running backs – Anthony Ierullo
Receivers – Jaime Elizondo
Offensive Line / Assistant Head Coach – Jonathan Himebauch
Assistant Offensive Line – Mike Preston
Defensive Coaches
Defensive Coordinator – Rich Stubler
Inside Linebackers – Peter Kuharchek
Outside Linebackers – D.J. Wingate
Defensive Backs - Jordan Younger
Special Teams Coaches
Special Teams Coordinator – Scott Downing
Assistant Special Teams – Mike Preston
Equipment managers, therapists, GM's, Presidents, Vice Chairs, Personnel Directors, consultants, scouts etc etc etc are NOT coaches.
..and the Esks list exactly 10 coaches on staff = $275,000 average.
in addition, one can only imagine the enormity of other compensation packages doled out to Executive Staff, Football Ops, Administration, Medical, Scouting etc etc many of which also make higher average salaries than do players.
But the financial report says nothing about the coaching salaries, it’s not broken down. It states that the Esks were under the salary cap and total football operations expense were $11.3 million.
The salary cap is $5 million but that’s just for the 42 players, the Tiger Cats had 77 players on their roster and that included the injured that didn’t count against the cap and the reserve players.
Most teams are juggling over 70 players but only 42 against the cap.
So we don’t know the total salaries of the coaches
The Esks football operations expenses - broken down as follows
Players and coaches 7,815,323,827,839
Scouting and football administration 1,090,777 976,297
Medical, video and other team costs 719,251 661,035
Away game travel 713,161 836,014
Training camp 580,442 392,558
Equipment and training supplies 390,884 393,363
total 11,309,838 11,087,106
It's interesting when you compare some of the financial numbers between the Esks and the Riders.
The last balance sheet for the Riders was 2014
Ticket sales - Esks $8.6 million Riders - $15 million yet attendance approx 31k for the Esks and 28k for the Riders
Merchandise sales - Esks - $1.6 million and the Riders - $9.5 million !!!
Sponsors - Esks - $4.5 million Riders - $5.9 million
Concessions almost the same
Football operations expenses pretty close at $11.3 Million and the Riders at $12.2 Million, the Riders don't break down their player or coaches costs either.
Training camp, season travel, hotels etc are all included in the $11.3 million football operations espense:
Players and coaches 7,815,323 7,827,839
Scouting and football administration 1,090,777 976,297
Medical, video and other team costs 719,251 661,035
Away game travel 713,161 836,014
Training camp 580,442 392,558
Equipment and training supplies 390,884 393,363
Esk @ $8.6 million ticket revenue divided by 310,000 for 10 games = $28.00 average ticket price
Sask @ $15.0 million ticket revenue divided by 280,000 for 10 games = $54.00 average ticket price
Any Eskimo fans confirming a $28.00 average ticket price while your neighbours are charging double?