Global/International Players

When international players became a thing I was really interested in the whole idea. But the idea seems to have been a bit of a bust. Thoughts?

I think it would be a simple fix if they were allowed to pay the “Global Players” more after they graduated from their initial contracts. Thiadric Hansen was a good player for the Blue Bombers but he gave up football because he wasn’t getting paid enough. As long as the Global Players are playing 5 years or less then it’s a bust as you say.

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The Global player initiative was a bust, as you say. It hasn't increased interest in Canadian Football in Europe and never will because Europeans don't see us playing Canadian Football, but as American Football with some slightly different rules.
Spend more time marketing the game to Canadians. Try to get the younger generation interested, instead of chasing European interest (of which there really is none).

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While he seems to have given up playing he was working as a coach for a Polish team when he was inspired to help war refugees who were stuck at the Ukraine-Polish border because of their non-European ethnicities. He seems to be still doing that, but I don’t know if he is still coaching.

Solid player, great personality and international humanitarian. He seems like a great face for any organization.

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No it isn't This is a long game. Interest will increase in Europe with the international streaming site Visaic that reaches over 130 countries.

The NFL ain't holding games in Australia and New Zealand because of the travel and 15 hour time difference. So there is hope that the CFL can expand it's brand worldwide

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Exactly. It’s difficult to deem a long-term investment a bust when it’s barely begun. And it brought in a west all-star in punter Cody Grace during its second year.

I think the fact that the lower salary for globals is proving an obstacle shows that the initiative is actually successful. We weren’t sure when the idea started if global players would be good enough to deserve the standard league minimum. Now, we know that some globals deserve to paid above that.

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Other than giving them a raise I didn’t see much about the globals in the articles about the CBA. How long will Cody Grace stick around if he doesn’t get proper compensation?

I think the next CBA treats them the same as any other player as far as contracts are concerned. But until then, teams are only allowed to pay them 54k. So, starting next year they can negotiate for more pay–at least that was my impression.

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If that’s the case then I change my vote to “successful.”

Global initiative quickly turned in to another story of more U.S. college trained athletes being allowed to play.

Cody Grace is Australian and attended Arkansas State. Australian footballers have been around forever.

Also still unclear to me why the CFL is so concerned about being a global entity unless they are trying to mimic the NFL pathways program.

3000 people in attendance in Regina for a marquee matchup that was televised would be more of a concern to me.

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I think the goals of the initiative include:

  1. uncovering better talent than otherwise would have been found
  2. getting more Canadian players jobs to further develop their skills in international leagues (so that they can later be good enough to play in the CFL)
  3. giving the league a more international flavour to appeal to segments of the domestic market who value that and see the CFL as too parochial
  4. attract attention to the league in overseas markets
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The issue internationally, is that if the CFL has any type of success in another country, the NFL can throw a pre-season game or regular season game and some money, and all the CFL momentum stops.

3000 in Mosaic should be noted, but not concerning.
Game was moved from a holiday monday, to the following Tuesday due to the CBA negotiations. Even that game was a question mark until the CBA was finalized. It was preseason with a guarantee that the vast majority of expected starters would not be playing.
I will be concerned if they are under 20k for their season opener.

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The NFL has balked on going to Australia and New Zealand. There are places that the Shield won’t go unless it’s affordable and advantageous to them

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Here's a detailed breakdown of the global players on each team. A lot of kickers, but some positional guys as well. Also, a few teams waiting on global draftees currently in NFL camps.

I also find it interesting that Saskatchewan has a Mexican player who counts as a Canadian because he played at UBC. I'm not sure if that works out better or worse for the player in question, as far as seeing action goes.

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Based on the ridicule of the Mexican players I’ve seen on the forum, having played the Canadian game at a University level should be positive.

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Unless they play games in OZ or Mex next season. This BS needs to end now

Why exactly is it BS?

You make it sound as if these players are taking a huge chunk of roster spots from Canadians and that there are a glut of far more talented or deserving Cdn players getting shafted because of the Global initiative.

In reality, the vast majority of Globals are kickers and punters and the positional players are likely to be fringe/roster bottom anyway, but if a Canadian was in that spot he’d ALSO be that fringe player, arguably even luckier than a Global because he’d be earning $65k just because he holds the right passport.

In addition, It’s not like the Globals are completely protected from meeting the team’s needs - if they are way out of their depth, they get cut. Look at the batch of Globals who didn’t make rosters this year, or look at last season when Yamasaki got booted during the regular season.

The CFL needs to find a new talent pipeline from somewhere because USports and the junior leagues can’t supply the numbers needed and if the XFL and USFL both survive, that spells real trouble for the CFL as the FCS and high-end Div. 2 players the CFL currently scoops up will look for a shot in those leagues before they think of Canada.

If there is any “BS” you should be concerned about, It’s this “Naturalised/Nationalised American” scheme for U.S. players who’ve spent years in the CFL. The teams will absolutely love that - a player who was born and raised in the USA, spends his off-season living there, but for roster purposes he’s “Canadian”.

Then the creep starts - the rule is 1 naturalised player. a few years down the line, let’s add another, then it becomes 3 - then let’s give “nationalised” status to a player who lives in Canada year-round, and so on…

removes tinfoil hat

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Jim Mullin said on an interview that in 1985, there were more Canadians starting on the BC Lions than the minimum ratio requirements because of the USFL. The Lions went on to win the Grey Cup that year.

Just because they have the rule in place that doesn’t mean that there will be less Canadian talent playing. I think that there will be more Canadians starting in 2030 than recent times. What the rule really does is bring the cost down for Canadian talent as far as salary is concerned. If you’re American and you’re any good you’ll be in the NFL first then the Spring Leagues second unless the CFL is willing to overpay. Coaches and GM’s want to win as much as anyone. They’ll pick the best talent and that talent in the next few decades will be Canadian.

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Oh… Touche… The BC Lions missed the playoffs last year because of this BS.
The Lions would have beat the Riders in the opening game, and won their third game of the year as well, without this abortion of an experiment. They say that the CFL is 3 phases. Offense, Defense, and Special teams.
This experiment(abortion) has literally made the CFL look bush league. 33 yard punts, and missed field goals from 35 yards.
This experiment (abortion) not only makes the league look below CIS standard during kicking downs, but has also robbed Canadians kickers of jobs.
Just ask Jon Ryan what he thinks of this experiment(abortion)
Ya… Ya… Ya… A Canadian gets a job at different position, but after QB, sadly kickers are the second highest profile position in this Trevor Harris led(never throw the ball more than 10 yards) league.
Its been garbage football for awhile, now compound these 30 yard punts with an automatic 15 yard penalty. WTF will the point pf punting even be?
This league just keeps making up new rules to make its product even worse.

If Canadian or American kickers can outperform their global counterparts, they get the job. That hasn’t happened in many cases. Kicking has improved because of the globals.

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