yeah, but if he wants out he wants out…and I am not saying he does…just saying. Either way…if he goes it could be the end of Rhodes…and I think many Esks fans would rejoice in that alone.
I am not sold that if Reilly goes it means Jennings. I don’t think Harris is willing to cave on a contract in the final hours 2 years in a row.
I would love to see the base bump up…but that means these 700k contracts can’t really happen. 70k base would, when considering that it really means moving others up as well, cost about 700k by the time you settle things out. You would essentially need to make brackets for everyone from base to say 140k and give them compensation…that would happen over a couple of seasons. So…the guy making base would be getting like a 34% raise to get them to 70k, the guy at 70k would be getting say a 23% raise to get them to about 88k. You have to bump the mid down to base in different increments…otherwise you have salary leapfrogging and a lot of simply pissed off players because that 80k contract doesn’t look so sweet if the base is now 70k. That effects attitude and effort, and thus product. It also effects future negotiations league wide and come next CBA…80% of the league would set themselves up to be pending FAs…and that’s not good.
Could the SMS go up 6-700k? Maybe. Much more…probably not…not yet. I would think the most it could sit at right now is like 6.2-6.4. If it doesn’t reach somewhere in there and the base is 70k, I don’t see how teams can afford >600k for a QB. I would actually rather see a cap added to max salary for a player TBH, along with abase hike…that helps spread it to players lower down and creates stability. essentially any established starting QBs making double anyone else is silly. QBs in the NFL make big bucks, but there are still a few players in the conversation for somewhat comparable money. We don’t need to see the high paid players of the CFL making 700k instead of 500k…they aren’t going anywhere unless it is to the NFL…and 700k isn’t going to stop them if they get a crack.
All this said, the league tried bumping the base more last contract and it went nowhere fast. The guys controlling the union wanted their pie. IMO the league Fd up by not trying to open the contract 2 years ago and try to buy back practice time by offering more SMS under a controlled distribution…ie the base getting a hike and laid out like I mentioned. Would have been pretty hard for the union to say no to it at that time. Do I see it hitting 70k in year one of this contract…probably not…58-60k…I can see that. IMO the SMS will land around 6 mil. If they increase the base, that gives them a couple hundred K to play with…What a damned shame if that basically slap that at QBs around the league.
Looks like QB salaries will get inflated again at the expense of the rest of the players. Not saying this is good or bad… but more of the same.
I know it’s quite different but, nevertheless, for comparison purposes and taking into consideration different caps in NFL and CFL, a $700,000 to $750,000 salary for QB in CFL compares to roughly $24.0 millions for a QB in NFL.
I tend to agree that given the CFL max. cap, a $700,000 to $750,000 salary to a QB, is too high in 2019. Yes, a top QB should bring you more victories than an average QB, but he needs a good offensive line, good receivers and good running backs. If you pay your QB too much,you won’t have enough funds to pay for top players at key positions.
Last season,Mike Reilly was apparently the highest QB in CFL at $500,000 to $550,000; yet, Edmonton finished last in the West in 2018.
If he does sign in BC at between $700,000 and $750,000, BC won’t be able to afford too many players at $200,000 or so.
I/we all want the players to be paid as much as possible,with the QB being the highest paid, but there has to be some balance. A QB at $700,000 or so with a max. cap of roughly $7.0 millions would be more acceptable, but the max. cap won’t be that high in 2019. Should not be much more than $5.6 millions.
Richard
Yeah…i basically feel a top end proven QB should be 9 or 10% of cap…and contracts have pretty much followed that for years…since the cap started basically. I know of multiple who actually used that as a baseline in negotiating
New stadiums have also brought in even more revenue, making teams even more profitable. And new stadiums were all in at least the planning stages when the league TV revenue increased so it was all accounted for in the teams old financial situations. The new TV money was like mannah from heaven that dropped right into the owners laps.
Most teams were already profitable before the increased TV and sponsorship money, and now they make even more.
Lets keep in mind that if BC lands Reilly his salary is not just an add-on to SMS.
Either way Jennings is gone. Lions will shed his $200,000 contract.
I believe Elimimian days are numbered there too. He’s 32, slowed by injury and earns $200,000 plus. He doesn’t fit DC or his Mentors Stubler use of MLB. They want fast and very mobile MLB who can defend both run and pass. I look for a trim or outright shedding of him. Saving could be $75,000
Aceneaux’s days and/or $185,000-$200,000 salar are over. At minimum he will be trimmed. Saving about $25,000.
So net, Reilly will add about $400,000. Add on Lulay’s B/U contract of $200,000.
Total QB investment in starter and B/U about $600,000. Not terrible.
I highly doubt that the new revenue outways immediate costs. Long run…sure
“most teams” means little…only >50%. Reality is that a few were not. but yay…2 or 3 teams in an 8 or 9 team league made money. Are we really supposed to becelebrating that? And no…they don’t all make more. Since the new deal and over the past few years, Montreal’s attendance has tanked as has the Argos and they are not the only 2 with dipping numbers…most teams have dipped, with the Lions getting to a point of concern now. It is still a gate driven league at this point.
Again…3 teams at breakeven or a loss. Let’s maybe make it appealing for investors. I mean I know some seem to think it is a mortal sin that people who invest in these teams should make money, but it is not. It has been pretty well touted that a team needs that lower mid 20k attendance to get out of red…that is not the reality for a few teams. But yeah…in the world of “oh no” there are a few clubs making money.
finding an extra 400k is not a small task. Teams are essentially spending to the limit.
If you want to pay 700k to a QB, barring a big SMS hike, you are going to suffer in a big way elsewhere. There is really no way around that.
There are not only new revenues-TV deal- but also major salary increases to players. While we are talking about TV revenue increase of $20. millions or so, since 2007, during the same period salaries to players,League wise, have increased by $15.0 millions. Furthermore, we must not forget that the present TV deal is valid until end on 2021 whereas salaries to players will continue to increase in these next three years. By the end of 2021 salaries to players will have increased more than the TV deal,since 2007. Let’s hope that the new TV deal will increase substantially in 2022.
Richard
Great point on those player increases. Something pretty easy to overlook. So really the league is +5 mil in that area at this point…about half a mil a team.
Nope. In the short term it boosts the bottom line too. No point doing it otherwise. The publicly available team financials have shown us this.
And no, most teams were making money even before the new TV deal. Only the two Ontario teams were losing before and one of them solved that problem with a new stadium. That should be celebrated because back in the 90’s only 2 or 3 teams were. That’s a huge change. However, yes both Montreal and BC are concerns and they used to be two of th bigger money makers in the league. Toronto was a dumpster fire back then and still is today.
Of course we need owners making money, as that is the cornerstone of a strong league. Owners play the most important role actually. BUT they don’t need to make $2-4 million profits while players are working second jobs in the offseason to make a half decent wage.
There’s enough money to go around for everyone to be satisfied, but it’s just that right now things are far too skewed towards one side
Every “elite” QB is going to command $400,000 net. So, $6oo,ooo tied up in two QB’s is in line or close to it.
At any rate BC is in a risk-risk position. They need a draw who can play. A legit guy.
At any rate I think Lions will be all in on Reilly whatever it takes.
Any starting QB not on their original contract is going to command 400k. Any of the top end guys are around 10% cap. Agreed on the ~600k though…after that you start suffering elsewhere
I agree. But I think Lions will be all in on Reilly whatever it takes.
Riders’ revenues have displayed minimal increases the past several seasons despite moving into the new stadium. In fact, last year their revenues of $38 million were less then a few years prior - $42 million - in a non-Grey Cup hosting year.
The eskimos’ revenues have been approx. $24 million for the past several years - no significant increases for the past 4 or 5 years. This year, of course, will see a significant increase thanks to the Grey Cup. However, that can only be counted on once every 10 years or so and is in no way of long-term positive revenue growth.
The Bombers appear to be the only team to have displayed significant revenue growth increasing from $24 million in their 2014 financial report to $32 million in their 2018 financial report. Keep in mind, they have an onerous stadium debt hanging over their heads for which they have a privilege of paying $4.5 million per year for the next generation and beyond. Yes, the provincial government has written off the debt, but they have not FORGIVEN the debt. There is a difference. Until it is forgiven, the Bombers will be required to make their annual payments.
Montreal is losing millions at this point playing in a dilapidated stadium with minimal revenue streams - fewer suites, loges, club seats, one scoreboard, no electronic ribbons, pathetic merchandise sales. I suspect crowds will average less then 15,000 per game this year even with the reduced ticket prices meaning losses in excess of $5 million should be expected. Expect similar results in Toronto.
Meanwhile in BC, thanks to persistence of reporters and the Freedom of Information Act, it has once again been discovered that the Lions true attendance was far less then the announced attendance. 14,000 vs. 19,000. No doubt many and probably most of these are freebies so no skin off the backs of people who did not use them. Factor in reduced or no revenues for naming rights, concessions, parking and concerts and the Lions are easily losing millions at this point as well…even with Braley’s likely cheapskate operations.
In no way is this environment conducive to a major increase in players’ salaries as you claim it should be.
Add the falling viewership on TSN and part owner ESPN’s problems. I don’t see how that relates to a monster increase in TV rights either.
Was viewership not up for the CFL this year?
I know it took a dive for a few years…part of that was changes in how it was measured…part of that was horrific rule changes that caused flag fests and mass disinterest
CFL viewership on ESPN is growing not dropping, setting an all-time record TV audience last year of over 400,000. CFL ratings on TSN were up 3% to 4% for much of last season and only ended up with a less than 1% drop (.4%) because there were so many mean-nothing games to finish the season. The sky is not falling. Just with inflation the next TV contract should be up 10% or more.
When the Als were selling-out their 20,000-seat stadium for so many years they were considered the most profitable franchise in the league…but now there a basket case? I don’t believe things are so bad in Montreal…or Toronto for that matter who’s losses are very minor especially for such a huge corporation like MLSE.
They should be more worried about the $15 million U.S. losses of TFC, or Rogers the $30 to $50 million U.S. annual losses of the BJ’s…which they aren’t.
If Reilly is so important for the Lions franchise health, what about the Esks? They stand to lose their starting QB and most valuable player in the league. The Lions have nothing to lose after bad-mouthing their starting QB out of town.
