The Canadian Football League Players Association (CFLPA) has released the results of its first annual report card, which allowed players to anonymously assess all nine CFL teams.
In October, the union distributed an online survey to its membership which was completed over a two-week period. The survey consisted of 58 questions in eight different categories including football operations, management and administration, training and medical staff, equipment, family therapy, nutrition and diet, team travel and training camps. An in-depth description of each category can be found at the bottom of this article.
495 players completed questionnaires, with the results refined by Dr. Desmond McEwen, assistant professor in sports psychology at the University of British Columbia. The CFLPA indicated that this was done “to ensure a comprehensive and unbiased systematic review of all data collected.”
The results were as follows.
Only two A’s were provided, which went to Saskatchewan for football operations and Hamilton for equipment. No team got an A+ score in any category in the report card.
Only two F’s were rated, which went to the Elks in the categories of nutrition and diet and training camp.
The nine CFL teams are ranked as follows, with average grades across eight categories to create an overall score.
Hamilton Tiger-Cats – B (3.00)
Saskatchewan Roughriders – B (3.00)
Ottawa Redblacks – B- (2.83)
Winnipeg Blue Bombers – B-(2.79)
Toronto Argonauts – B- (2.67)
Montreal Alouettes – C+ (2.25)
Calgary Stampeders – C-(1.75)
BC Lions – C-(1.67)
Edmonton Elks – D+ (1.46)
“The CFLPA Report Card initiative is about empowering our players and raising the standards across the league,” CFLPA President Solomon Alimimian said in a statement. “By sharing their honest feedback, players are driving positive change and fostering a better environment for everyone involved in Canadian football.”
Players were also given the opportunity to make general comments as part of the survey, which received positive and negative feedback.
A player at BC indicated that the team needed a new training facility, saying that the staff “does what they can” but the facilities “are unsatisfactory compared to other teams in the CFL.”
One Stampeders player took aim at the team’s weight room, claiming, “Most players have to have a gym membership to get a real workout during the season.” Several players also complained about the turf at McMahon Stadium, although these comments were made before the team announced that the surface was being replaced this off-season.
Two Elks members gave negative comments regarding the nutrition, one of whom wrote, “Cold pizza isn’t good enough.” A different player wrote to local construction giant Larry Thompson expressing optimism about conditions improving as a result of the team’s sale, “There is much promised with the new ownership.”
A Saskatchewan player called the food “very bad”, claiming that other teams, including Toronto, had “better options”. The person also raised concerns about the availability of medical staff. Another player echoed those concerns, writing, “We need more athletic trainers.”
The Blue Bombers received mostly positive comments but there were several complaints about team travel. One player wrote, “Our plane is horrible and falling apart,” while another player claimed the plane has no seating and leg room, adding, “Everyone I know on the team , they’re afraid of away games.”
Hamilton received the most positive comments, although one player objected to how practices were scheduled during the bye week. Another suggested that players’ families and significant others should be given space to watch games together instead of being isolated, allowing fans to make unwanted comments.
The Argonauts received complaints about the equipment. “Shouldn’t be a hassle to ask for a new pair of gloves or cleats,” one player wrote. The same man claimed he buys two pairs of cleats every season and is not reimbursed for the cost. A different player complained about having to travel 30 minutes each way for off-site practice.
One Montreal player wrote that they “feel compromised” when injured and “always have to use a second opinion.” The same man complained of being moved off-site for treatment because the team lacked facilities “apart from a 20-year-old ultrasound machine”. There were also several complaints about players having to pay for post-game meals at home, although post-game meals on the road are free.
No Redblack members provided a written response to the survey.
The CFLPA wants the report card to highlight the league’s positive work environment and identify areas that are lacking, which they hope will improve overall working conditions. The results are also meant to help free agents make more informed decisions about where to sign on the open market.
“We are giving clubs the opportunity to compete with each other to provide our members with the best work experience and work environment so they can retain and attract the best talent,” said Interim Executive Director Peter Dykowski. ” 3downnation“When you look at the scores, there are some rough correlations with success on the field, which shouldn’t be a big surprise.”
The CFLPA developed its survey with help from the NFLPA, which launched a similar initiative in 2023. Unlike its four-down counterpart, the CFLPA decided not to have any categories tied to features, indicating it would be a “difficult move”. For teams with older facilities. He also stressed that he was not considering “forming teams for an impossible category”, although he acknowledged that he might make changes to the categories for next year’s survey.
The CFLPA survey was also graded on a “half-curve” to better honor the raw scores generated from the data. Dykowski indicated that the NFLPA survey is graded on a true curve, resulting in teams earning more extreme scores.
“This is just the first year we’re doing this, so think of it as a baseline,” Dykowski said. “We’re going to do this again in 2025 and 2026, so a lot of teams will have an opportunity to focus on areas where they can provide a better experience for players and improve resources for players that reflect and Will be celebrated. In their grades.
“We got a very positive response that (players) liked the opportunity (to fill out the survey). He could speak openly. Sometimes, it is a little uncomfortable to express your concerns in a highly competitive workplace like ours because sometimes the difference between you and the next person competing for your job can be a little small and you don’t want to tip the scales. .
“Many of the areas we highlighted are areas that teams can improve on on a CFL budget and they’re probably areas — even teams that are graded poorly — where they Trying to do something and it’s just a sign that, ‘Hey’, you need to try a little harder or try something different or talk to teams that have scored really well and see that. What are they doing?
“Hopefully, we’ll see it next year and we’ll see a lot more As and Bs than Cs and Ds. We only got a few FS, which is great, and hopefully next year we’ll end up at zero.”
3downnation All nine CFL teams and the league office were given the opportunity to comment on the report card. Any statements provided will be added to this article.
Below are detailed descriptions for each of the eight categories defined by the CFLPA.
Football Officiating:
Players were asked about their relationships with their head coach, coaching staff, and video staff; their team activity scheduling; and his team’s adherence to CBA provisions, including provisions related to padded practices and practice time.
equipment:
Players were asked whether they were required to pay for any essential football equipment, including gloves, mouthguards and cleats; If they were given a proper helmet option; about the status of their issued instruments; And about the general knowledge and assistance/availability of their equipment staff.
management Administration:
Players were asked whether they were ever requested to renegotiate existing contracts for lower total compensation; If CFL and CFLPA All-Star bonuses were offered during contract negotiations; about the availability of their club’s financial department staff; If the player has been offered the opportunity of paid appearances and/or employment outside football; Regarding the quality of seats provided for home game tickets; And about their comfort in addressing concerns with their club’s management.
Training and Medical Staff:
Players were asked whether their club had an adequate level of medical staff; If therapy was offered at sufficient time in and out of season; about the perceived quality of their care; Regarding availability of massage and chiropractic therapy; About the quality of their club work out facilities; and the availability and expertise of strength and conditioning coaches.
Treatment of Families:
Players were asked whether their club provided services and support, including housing for spouses and children, child care, open work permits for Americans, and assistance with medical and mental health services; And if family gameday facilities were provided.
Nutrition and Diet:
Players were asked about what food their club provides and the quality of those foods; If they were charged for that meal; Regarding the availability of the club dietitian; and about the quality, quantity and adequacy of nutritional supplements provided.
Team Trip:
Players were asked about the quality of their club’s travel arrangements; If the time of flights allowed for adequate rest and recovery after the game; Regarding reimbursement of any travel-related expenses; And, if applicable, about travel to off-site facilities during practice week.
training camp:
Players were asked about the quality of their accommodation during training camp; If they have to share a room during training camp; about the quality of their food during the training camp; And if their club adheres to CBA practice time and padded practice requirements during training camp.
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