Post by Coach Campbell on Jan 22, 2013 10:01:35 GMT
Frequently Asked Questions about Compensation
The FAQ was recently reorganized with the addition of the Rosters topic and the shuffling of some questions. If you can't find your question on this page, please check the Rosters page.
1.What is the average salary of a CFL player? How much are CFL players paid during training camp? What is the salary of [player x]? What are the average salaries of CFL players by position?#
The CFL has a $4.4 million salary cap in 2013 and a roster size of 53 players resulting in a mean (average) salary of $83,018. Due to short-term injuries and other factors the average salary is lower. Without detailed player salary information, it is impossible to calculate the salary median (middle) or mode (most frequent) which would provide more meaningful representations of the salary sample. The average salary of all starting players would be much higher than the average of all players so the mathematical average is much different than what the "average" player's contract states.
Reports around the 2010 CBA negotiations (sorry, source is no longer available) put the CFLPA salary survey average at about $60,000.
The minimum player salary as dictated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement is $45,000 in 2013, incremented by $1,000 per year for the past four years of the current CBA. Base salary plus pre-season compensation is paid over a five-month span, with playoff bonuses topping off compensation for an additional month of play. When this is taken into consideration, the minimum salary is about $90,000 on an annual basis. Players are free to find employment in the off-season to supplement their CFL contracts.
A player's salary is divided and paid equally over the 18 games of the regular season (the game cheque). Once a standard player contract is signed, the player is entitled to the contract salary, no matter the roster he appears on (active, reserve, injured) except the suspended or disabled lists, until he is released. Players must be released and voluntarily sign a practice roster agreement to be transferred to that roster. See our CFL Roster Makeup chart for details on the CFL roster makeup.
Per Article 11 of the CBA, players who qualified as a veteran of one year received $525/week, a veteran of two years $625/week and a veteran of three years or more $725/week for a minimum of three weeks of training camp/pre-season compensation.
Players are also compensated with a per diem when travelling, free and discounted tickets, playoff and Grey Cup compensation and pension contributions. Full obligations to players can be found in the Collective Agreement.
Individual player salaries are not made public though you may be able to find media estimates in reports of player signings. Player salaries or averages by position are not known to the public. However, some light is shed in this 2011 Prime Time Sports interview (MP3, 13:43, 6.4MB), with then Toronto Argonaut coach and general manager Jim Barker in which he discusses the Canadian draft, player salary ranges by position, dealing with agents and more.
2.How much is the CFL salary cap? What is the CFL Salary Management System (SMS)? What is included in the CFL salary cap calculations?#
The CFL's player salary cap is defined as part of the Salary Management System framework. For the 2013 season, the CFL Maximum Salary Expenditure Cap (SEC) is $4.4 million per team. This cap applies to players' salaries and bonuses, excluding pre and post season compensation, per diems, pension payments and players on the nine-game injured list. The SEC is the maximum amount teams may pay in player compensation. Exceeding the cap results in fines progressing with the overage and the potential loss of draft picks. The framework also sets out the number of players allowed under contract, roster sizes, and practice roster make-up.
The SMS was introduced in late 2006 with a $4.05 million cap for the 2007 season. This increased to $4.2 million for the 2008 season, $4.25 million for the 2010 season, $4.3 million for the 2011 season and $4.35 million for the 2012 season.
The SMS system includes player contracts only, coach salaries are not included. The period for the SMS calculations start and end with the expiry of player contracts, from Feb. 16 to the following Feb. 15 (to my understanding). To understand exactly what is included against the cap and what is not, we can examine Article 14.09, paragraph 3 under Salary Management System of the 2006 CBA, which outlines the compensation which will not be included in the SEC amount.
In the event that the C.F.L. and the Member Clubs implement a salary expenditure cap for player compensation, it shall not include compensation paid to players and compensation paid for player benefits with respect to pre-season compensation, pension plan, travel allowance, play-off compensation, Grey Cup compensation, compensation paid to players named to the nine game injury list, compensation paid to players for the reasonable fair market value of services other than practicing and playing professional football; compensation paid to players on the practice roster in excess of 7 players per Member Club and compensation paid to players in the form of gifts, free services, travel and items or services of value provided by Member Clubs to players provided that such payments to an individual player shall not exceed $2,000.00 in the aggregate in a single year and such payments to all players by each Member Club shall not exceed $92,000.00 in a single year.
Per Article 30.02 of the 2006 CBA players were entitled a minimum of 56% of the defined league gross revenue. Their salaries at the time of negotiation exceeded this amount. If this percentage were to fall below 56% the league would be required to pay the CFLPA the difference. These payments would not have counted against the salary cap, which was introduced after the 2006 CBA was ratified. This requirement was negotiated away in the 2010 CBA in exchange for immediate and scheduled cap increases.
3.How much is a CFL practice roster player paid? What is the salary of a CFL practice roster player? Are CFL practice roster salaries included in the salary cap? Are CFL active or practice roster players provided a housing allowance or housing by their clubs?#
The CFL Practice Agreement (see Appendix I of the CBA) allows the team and player to agree to a weekly salary. For unproven players practice roster pay can start in the $2500/month range. Players have the choice to reject any practice roster contract offer, so teams may have to increase their offer to keep the player. Teams have the option to pay the league minimum or the amount on the standard player contract the player signed to attend training camp, however, by doing so for a practice roster player, the player is entitled to all the benefits of a regular player except post-season compensation as laid out in Section 17.02 of the CBA. Of course, increased pay for practice roster players also cuts into available funds under the salary cap.
Most media reports state practice roster pay is in the $500 per week range (2005, 2007, 2009, 2009), though $600 is also stated. In Hamilton in 2011, Drew Edwards says practice roster players make $500 week, plus team provided shared housing and some meals.
It is unknown how accurate these media estimates are or if they are based on repeating media estimates decades old ($500/week has been quoted since the early 1990's). One player's quote in 2009 can help us calculate using some assumptions: 5 active roster games in 2006 x $2,350 (minimum game salary) = $11,750. $20,000 - $11,750 = $8250 ÷ 15 games on practice roster = $550/week.
Per Article 14.09 of the CBA (page 47, paragraph 3 under Salary Management System), the seven player practice roster salaries are included in the SMS but salaries of players during expanded practice rosters are not included. Practice roster rules are defined under Article 17 of the CBA.
Teams must provide reasonable living accommodations for all players who do not reside in the location where training camp is held as noted in Article 6.01.08 of the 2010 CBA. The same article specifies that non-veteran players still on the roster at the end of training camp are entitled to a one-time $300 payment (as a housing allowance, I assume).
Active roster players are not obligated by the CBA to receive any housing allowance after training camp nor is housing provided by the club except what is negotiated in an individual players contract. Practice roster players are also not obligated to receive a housing allowance or housing by the club. Therefore, it is not uncommon for players to share accommodations, either as a group of players sharing an apartment or other residence or boarding with a veteran player, although the practices in each CFL city will vary. In a 2008 interview with a Canadian player, the interviewer states the player received $600/week plus $500/month for living expenses as a practice roster player. It is likely the specifics of practice roster salaries and other payments vary from team-to-team and city-to-city.
4.How long is a CFL contract? What is the minimum player contract length in the CFL?#
The minimum length of contract in the CFL is one year. However, the standard player contract, as required by the CBA, contains paragraph 15 which provides the member club an option to renew the contract on the same terms for another year at a minimum of 100% of the amount of the contract plus 100% of the amount of bonus payments specified in the contract, excluding any signing bonus. After fulfilling their option to renew a contract in this way, the member club will not have another option to renew the contract in this way. This option is available to member clubs for an additional year on any length of contract. There is no limit to the length of a contract.
All CFL contracts expire on Feb. 16th, 12:01 AM after their term length has expired (this changes in 2012, when the league dictated the contracts would expire at 12:00 pm (noon) EST Feb. 15th). Teams must inform the player in writing before the expiry of the contract their intent to exercise their option to renew the contract. Players who do not have their option year picked up must be placed on waivers.
5.What is the playoff compensation for CFL games? How much are CFL players paid for playoff games? What is the history of CFL playoff compensation?#
For 2012 and 2013, playoff and Grey Cup compensation is as follows:
First Place Standing (Bye) $3,400
Semi-Final Participation $3,400
Division Championship Participation $3,600
Grey Cup Runner-up $8,000
Grey Cup Winner $16,000
This is an increase of $100 for First Place Standing, Semi-Final Participation and Division Championship Participation over the 2011 amounts.
The FAQ was recently reorganized with the addition of the Rosters topic and the shuffling of some questions. If you can't find your question on this page, please check the Rosters page.
1.What is the average salary of a CFL player? How much are CFL players paid during training camp? What is the salary of [player x]? What are the average salaries of CFL players by position?#
The CFL has a $4.4 million salary cap in 2013 and a roster size of 53 players resulting in a mean (average) salary of $83,018. Due to short-term injuries and other factors the average salary is lower. Without detailed player salary information, it is impossible to calculate the salary median (middle) or mode (most frequent) which would provide more meaningful representations of the salary sample. The average salary of all starting players would be much higher than the average of all players so the mathematical average is much different than what the "average" player's contract states.
Reports around the 2010 CBA negotiations (sorry, source is no longer available) put the CFLPA salary survey average at about $60,000.
The minimum player salary as dictated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement is $45,000 in 2013, incremented by $1,000 per year for the past four years of the current CBA. Base salary plus pre-season compensation is paid over a five-month span, with playoff bonuses topping off compensation for an additional month of play. When this is taken into consideration, the minimum salary is about $90,000 on an annual basis. Players are free to find employment in the off-season to supplement their CFL contracts.
A player's salary is divided and paid equally over the 18 games of the regular season (the game cheque). Once a standard player contract is signed, the player is entitled to the contract salary, no matter the roster he appears on (active, reserve, injured) except the suspended or disabled lists, until he is released. Players must be released and voluntarily sign a practice roster agreement to be transferred to that roster. See our CFL Roster Makeup chart for details on the CFL roster makeup.
Per Article 11 of the CBA, players who qualified as a veteran of one year received $525/week, a veteran of two years $625/week and a veteran of three years or more $725/week for a minimum of three weeks of training camp/pre-season compensation.
Players are also compensated with a per diem when travelling, free and discounted tickets, playoff and Grey Cup compensation and pension contributions. Full obligations to players can be found in the Collective Agreement.
Individual player salaries are not made public though you may be able to find media estimates in reports of player signings. Player salaries or averages by position are not known to the public. However, some light is shed in this 2011 Prime Time Sports interview (MP3, 13:43, 6.4MB), with then Toronto Argonaut coach and general manager Jim Barker in which he discusses the Canadian draft, player salary ranges by position, dealing with agents and more.
2.How much is the CFL salary cap? What is the CFL Salary Management System (SMS)? What is included in the CFL salary cap calculations?#
The CFL's player salary cap is defined as part of the Salary Management System framework. For the 2013 season, the CFL Maximum Salary Expenditure Cap (SEC) is $4.4 million per team. This cap applies to players' salaries and bonuses, excluding pre and post season compensation, per diems, pension payments and players on the nine-game injured list. The SEC is the maximum amount teams may pay in player compensation. Exceeding the cap results in fines progressing with the overage and the potential loss of draft picks. The framework also sets out the number of players allowed under contract, roster sizes, and practice roster make-up.
The SMS was introduced in late 2006 with a $4.05 million cap for the 2007 season. This increased to $4.2 million for the 2008 season, $4.25 million for the 2010 season, $4.3 million for the 2011 season and $4.35 million for the 2012 season.
The SMS system includes player contracts only, coach salaries are not included. The period for the SMS calculations start and end with the expiry of player contracts, from Feb. 16 to the following Feb. 15 (to my understanding). To understand exactly what is included against the cap and what is not, we can examine Article 14.09, paragraph 3 under Salary Management System of the 2006 CBA, which outlines the compensation which will not be included in the SEC amount.
In the event that the C.F.L. and the Member Clubs implement a salary expenditure cap for player compensation, it shall not include compensation paid to players and compensation paid for player benefits with respect to pre-season compensation, pension plan, travel allowance, play-off compensation, Grey Cup compensation, compensation paid to players named to the nine game injury list, compensation paid to players for the reasonable fair market value of services other than practicing and playing professional football; compensation paid to players on the practice roster in excess of 7 players per Member Club and compensation paid to players in the form of gifts, free services, travel and items or services of value provided by Member Clubs to players provided that such payments to an individual player shall not exceed $2,000.00 in the aggregate in a single year and such payments to all players by each Member Club shall not exceed $92,000.00 in a single year.
Per Article 30.02 of the 2006 CBA players were entitled a minimum of 56% of the defined league gross revenue. Their salaries at the time of negotiation exceeded this amount. If this percentage were to fall below 56% the league would be required to pay the CFLPA the difference. These payments would not have counted against the salary cap, which was introduced after the 2006 CBA was ratified. This requirement was negotiated away in the 2010 CBA in exchange for immediate and scheduled cap increases.
3.How much is a CFL practice roster player paid? What is the salary of a CFL practice roster player? Are CFL practice roster salaries included in the salary cap? Are CFL active or practice roster players provided a housing allowance or housing by their clubs?#
The CFL Practice Agreement (see Appendix I of the CBA) allows the team and player to agree to a weekly salary. For unproven players practice roster pay can start in the $2500/month range. Players have the choice to reject any practice roster contract offer, so teams may have to increase their offer to keep the player. Teams have the option to pay the league minimum or the amount on the standard player contract the player signed to attend training camp, however, by doing so for a practice roster player, the player is entitled to all the benefits of a regular player except post-season compensation as laid out in Section 17.02 of the CBA. Of course, increased pay for practice roster players also cuts into available funds under the salary cap.
Most media reports state practice roster pay is in the $500 per week range (2005, 2007, 2009, 2009), though $600 is also stated. In Hamilton in 2011, Drew Edwards says practice roster players make $500 week, plus team provided shared housing and some meals.
It is unknown how accurate these media estimates are or if they are based on repeating media estimates decades old ($500/week has been quoted since the early 1990's). One player's quote in 2009 can help us calculate using some assumptions: 5 active roster games in 2006 x $2,350 (minimum game salary) = $11,750. $20,000 - $11,750 = $8250 ÷ 15 games on practice roster = $550/week.
Per Article 14.09 of the CBA (page 47, paragraph 3 under Salary Management System), the seven player practice roster salaries are included in the SMS but salaries of players during expanded practice rosters are not included. Practice roster rules are defined under Article 17 of the CBA.
Teams must provide reasonable living accommodations for all players who do not reside in the location where training camp is held as noted in Article 6.01.08 of the 2010 CBA. The same article specifies that non-veteran players still on the roster at the end of training camp are entitled to a one-time $300 payment (as a housing allowance, I assume).
Active roster players are not obligated by the CBA to receive any housing allowance after training camp nor is housing provided by the club except what is negotiated in an individual players contract. Practice roster players are also not obligated to receive a housing allowance or housing by the club. Therefore, it is not uncommon for players to share accommodations, either as a group of players sharing an apartment or other residence or boarding with a veteran player, although the practices in each CFL city will vary. In a 2008 interview with a Canadian player, the interviewer states the player received $600/week plus $500/month for living expenses as a practice roster player. It is likely the specifics of practice roster salaries and other payments vary from team-to-team and city-to-city.
4.How long is a CFL contract? What is the minimum player contract length in the CFL?#
The minimum length of contract in the CFL is one year. However, the standard player contract, as required by the CBA, contains paragraph 15 which provides the member club an option to renew the contract on the same terms for another year at a minimum of 100% of the amount of the contract plus 100% of the amount of bonus payments specified in the contract, excluding any signing bonus. After fulfilling their option to renew a contract in this way, the member club will not have another option to renew the contract in this way. This option is available to member clubs for an additional year on any length of contract. There is no limit to the length of a contract.
All CFL contracts expire on Feb. 16th, 12:01 AM after their term length has expired (this changes in 2012, when the league dictated the contracts would expire at 12:00 pm (noon) EST Feb. 15th). Teams must inform the player in writing before the expiry of the contract their intent to exercise their option to renew the contract. Players who do not have their option year picked up must be placed on waivers.
5.What is the playoff compensation for CFL games? How much are CFL players paid for playoff games? What is the history of CFL playoff compensation?#
For 2012 and 2013, playoff and Grey Cup compensation is as follows:
First Place Standing (Bye) $3,400
Semi-Final Participation $3,400
Division Championship Participation $3,600
Grey Cup Runner-up $8,000
Grey Cup Winner $16,000
This is an increase of $100 for First Place Standing, Semi-Final Participation and Division Championship Participation over the 2011 amounts.