CFL LOCKOUT?

The CFL would be crazy to actually do a lockout. Its just a negotiating tactic.

For those of us who have followed the league a long time (for me it is 3 decades and I am not 40 yet) others on this forum it is even more. Whenever the ownership required a break they received it from the players. EVERY TIME. Unfortunately the elevater was never or seldom returned. The team player expenditures that the CFLPA agreed to is somewhere around 55 percent and the first time they are due to benefit the league comes out with a bogus argument to keep the money, you can also do a search on pension moneys and medical expenses due to players historicaly and see what turns up.

While the current crop of owners is probably the best in the history of the league. I understand why players want their share regarding entry salary, percentage of revenues and probably things like pensions and insurance. They agreed to 56 percent but now can’t get their money…

As far as the ratio again it was lowered to 7 when the US expansion teams collapsed it was supposed to be a temporary measure and 14 years later not only has the ratio not been restored they want to go the other way.

Right now the league is trying to get some credibility in Ottawa, they have all kinds of projects involving public money, this is not a time to have their dirty tossed all over the road for all to see…

I have to admit that I was unaware that the league balked at paying the players what they had agreed too. It is disgusting and completely unethical. If you are not as good as your word (or signature in this case), you are nothing. The whole point of the SMS was to try to grow league revenues and reward everyone accordingly. This is why a small part of me would not like to see the CFL do extremely well, and turn into a smaller version of the four big leagues.
The players have repeatedly made concessions in the past. In order for the league to survive, they often had no choice. It's time for the owners to honour their agreement and share the league's good fortune with the players who are, and have been, essential to the success of the league.
I've been watching the CFL since the early '80's. This type of behaviour is one of the only things that would make me consider stopping.

I'd rather have a CFL Players Strike then have the # of players starting reduced to 4.

First of all, I’m note sure pre-paid expenses affect the income statement - they are balance sheet transactions. Maybe an accountant on here can clarify that. Second of all, I’m no genius in terms of financial statements, but I do know that out-of-ordinary course loans have to have corresponding notes in the financials, so can’t just loan money somewhere and not have to explain it. Again, that too is a balance sheet transaction, not affecting income.

As for the gist of your post - are you suggesting that you’re smarter than the audit team from a big 4 accounting firm, who either are too incompetent to notice such irregularities or too professionally delinquent in not saying anything?

You’re nuts if you think it’s that easy, especially for a community-owned team with absolutely no corporate structure around in which to move money.

The general rule when it comes to tax-strategies affecting income (and therefore tax payable) is - if you can think of it, it’s too simplistic and won’t work. That’s why professional tax accountants make money.