This is not a good look for the league. They look utterly unprepared for worst case scenarios. There were definitely warnings regarding air quality prior to the Edm/Cgy LDC game and this will happen more and more in the future.
I think a lot of this falls on the fact that there are really no contingency plans if a game is to be postponed. The schedule is fairly tight as it is.
There’s no way that games can be tacked onto each other or at the end of the season, and I doubt they want to have a shootout-style for an unplayed game like for weather-postponed games.
If I were the PA, I would definitely ask the league how they could bake some contingencies in before agreeing to the next contract.
They need to figure out a way to attach oxygen tanks to players. Perhaps they could play flag football without equipment. Modifying the rules is better than total cancellation.
Interesting. I don’t remember hearing any meaningful discussion on this in game.
It’s certainly a conundrum. As you point out, it would be very difficult to reschedule the game. I don’t know whether players would be paid if the game wasn’t played. I also wonder whether a policy exists to refund ticket prices to fans who couldn’t go because they are medically susceptible to poor air quality.
One thing I do know is that the players would have overwhelmingly if not unanimously voted to play the game had they been asked. I’m more concerned about the fans. This is yet another case where the union did the opposite of what the players wanted. I have some difficulty with that in principle. Remind me again who the union represents.
In any event I don’t think much will come of this.
I think if its something that is decided during the actual game, its fully possible to play a shortened game (the the OT rules) 10 mins more in poor aquality is not going to do that much damage.
Based on what I can recall from the 2021 season. Edmonton had to postpone a game due to COVID. They voted to play the game instead of cancelling it even though they had to play 3 games in a short span due to the fact that they wouldn’t have been paid.
I just checked back on that year’s schedule and yes they postponed it from Aug. They played 3 games in 6 days (Nov 13-19). Traveling from Regina to Toronto to Vancouver for 3 road games. Just absurd.
The cflpa is …and the very minimum sense … a union
All union contracts contain the following
“The parties agree that during the life of the agreement that the union shall not engage in any forms of job actions or strikes and the employer will not lock employees out”
A canceled game is NOT a lock out and the cflpa recourse might be limited to seeking compensation if the game isnt reacheduled
Each province has thier own worksafe.rules.
In BC a player who felt the smoke was dabgerous has the right to refuse unsafe work and cant be disciplined
Not all provinces have that same language
So for this game if the players refused to play it “might” be declared by the labour board as an illegal wildcat strike/job action which can expose the union to penatlies and costs if the employer pursued it
