I found myself enjoying the Georgia Oklahoma game last night, not only because it was very entertaining, but also because Baker Mayfield is on the Argos neg list. But when I go to the Argos site, the list is no where to be found. I know it leaks out from time to time who is on the neg list, and the Ticats made a big production of who was on thier list, but I don’t understand why this list has never been made fully public. All the teams know who is on and isn’t on each teams’ list. As a fan, who pays the frieght for my team, I want to know. It makes watching football…ON TSN…more entertaining!
The premise of a neg list is ridiculous, IMO. Why should a free agent player be restricted to who they can negotiate a contract with?
Example, Ticats can offer Johnny Football a lowball contract and if he doesn’t take it, he can’t play for any other CFL team for a year unless the Tiger-Cats trade his neg list rights to another team. Like being held hostage.
That’s not fair to the player at all.
Good luck with that one. This would cause mass chaos with NFL, NCAA clubs pissed off and a bunch of agents for the rest of them trying to force the team to sign their clients to get their FA while they are looking for NFL employment.
It will never happen. At some point they will find out who is leaking other teams neg list to the press and that will be a bad day for that leaker.
Players and agents already know who owns thier rights in the CFL. Its only the fans that don't know. I don't see it as any different than a draft pick.
Its up to the union to negotiate a change to that. Agreed a player has little to no say in where they play, or perhaps more importantly, how much they get paid to play if they find themselves on a neg list.
The rule should be changed to if a team and a player can't come to an agreement within a specified amount of time, other teams can sign the player.
Right now, much like new draft picks, the player has little leverage. That's straight out of 1950's sports and must be changed.
Agreed. Really enjoyed bowl season a few seasons ago when a few team's neg lists were leaked out. Makes watching crappy bowl games like the Capital One/Monster.com/Famous Idaho Potato/Gaspirilla/TaxSlayer/Foster Farms/Camelia Bowl much, much easier.
Its a great way for fans to identify with potential future players so when they eventually do sign up here, it makes it that much of a bigger story.
If Baker Mayfield doesn't pan out in the NFL, the interest in the Argos in the tough Toronto market would instantly increase (just as it has for the Ticats with Johnny Football) with all media outlets.
Fundamentally it's the same premise as the draft. Why should a new player be forced to sign with a team that drafts him. Shouldn't all the teams have to bid for his services in the open market? You either have a wholly open system, or the current wait in line at the meat market for what players you can reserve for signing that we have now.
As far as why it's not public, well that's a different story. There's no real reason for it as far as I am concerned. If the players know, and all the teams know, then to hide it from the public is asinine.
Not sure about that. I always thought that players and their agents only find out they're on a team's neg list when they actually contact a team to try out.
Just need to get ride of teams owning players for 365 days. Only stipulation is that a player can not sign with another team for any less that the previous offer plus 10 percent.
That would generate fair offers based on how teams really project these players. Tying up talents and cornering prospects at positions a team is strong at just to mess with a rival. We see a bit of everything with these underhanded cloistered tactics.
I don't believe that unproven players should be able to choose what team they go to. Free agent yes, otherwise no. I thought that Eli Manning saying he would not go to San Diago and Eric Lindros refusal to sign with Quebec to be asinine and I wanted them to have bad careers.
Unproven players should be glad that someone wants to draft them or put them on negotiation list.
Let them sign or let them sit.
Not to mention that these things are continuously changing
I think most of the "leaks" are from teams giving out the odd bit of it. ET has been straight up known to disclose his list to the public a few times now and makes a bit of a media production of it. Other teams leak out the odd one and we often hear some names when there is a listed player traded....usually a bit after the announcement of the trade.
correct. neither players nor agents are contacted to be made aware of this. Why is that? Because players are not allowed to have agents and are really not allowed to contact pro teams...that is a little more grey, but basically they can't.
Extreme majority for a player to be on a list and have no clue and often not even really know much about the CFL...even after they are eligible to have agents and such...which is right after their last college game.
I agree. I have serious doubts that NCAA players often on neg list since their freshman year know they are on CFL neg lists. For example I doubt very much that Tillman called the AD at A&M and said by the way please let Johnny know we have secured his right to play in our league. LMAO
The teams can only add a certain number of players to their negotiation list. If the list is full, they must drop a name if they want to add a new one. Does anyone know the actual number of players a team can have on their list?
It is not a large number. Most likely, 95% or more of free agents are not on a negotiation list, and can sign with anyone. The lists are for teams to secure the rights to a few high potential prospects.
Now, when a team can add a player (freshman year, junior, etc), and what happens when more than one team wants to add a player to their list, remain mysteries to Johnny.
Google is Johnny's friend! 35 players per team list (or 45, see text).
What is a CFL team's neg list or negotiation list? How does the neg list work in the CFL? Where can I get a CFL team's negotiation list?
In the CFL each team has a negotiation list, or neg list, consisting of 35 players they have exclusive rights to negotiate a contract within the league (being placed on a neg list does not prevent a player from signing with a team in another league, only a signed contract does that). Starting with the 2014-2015 offseason, neg list sizes increase to 45 players for the period mid-December to May 15th. The regulations surrounding negotiation lists are defined in Section 3 of the CFL By-laws. As the CFL conducts its College Draft for National (primarily Canadians) players only, the negotiation lists serve as a way of acquiring player rights for International players (though non-drafted National players can be placed on neg lists as well). Players who qualify as CFL veterans (have appeared on a game roster, reserve list or injury list for seven games) are not allowed to be placed on a neg list. Veteran players are free agents and able to negotiate with any team when their contract has expired or they have been released and cleared waivers.
On March 31st, 2017, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats began a practice of releasing information on select neg list players as exclusive content to Ti-Cats All Access members.
Being on a CFL negotiation list does not limit or restrict a player in any way outside of the CFL, it is a method of managing the negotiation rights to players just as a draft does. Players may negotiate with teams in other leagues as provided by that league's rules. If a player has no interest in playing in the CFL, they may never know they are on a CFL negotiation list.
Teams place players on their neg lists on a first come, first serve basis. It is estimated 75% of players do not know they are on a CFL team's neg list. The lists change frequently and additions/deletions are published by the league to the teams daily. Teams must follow rules to negotiate in good faith. Players can notify the league of the negotiation window and if a contract offer is not received within 10 days, the player is removed from the team's neg list. If a fair contract offer is received, but rejected, the player is removed from the list one year from the offer date.
Just like a draft limits competition for new players, the neg list does the same. However, rather than hold an International draft annually the negotiation list system provides much greater flexibility in adding and removing players as information changes through the year. The system seems to be well liked by CFLgeneral managers and there does not seem to be any desire to change it or make it more open. The sheer number of players in the US along with determining their suitability and intentions makes the negotiation list system more appropriate than an annual draft.
The CFL's negotiation lists are secret, shared amongst teams and the league office only and are not public. From time to time media reports will name additions and deletions to negotiations lists, but complete lists are held private among the CFL head office and member clubs. An increase of neg list players published has occurred in the past few years, and as seen above, teams are seeing an opportunity to use fan curiosity to highlight select players on neg lists to member only areas of their web sites.
Agree.