The Canadian Football League (CFL) and the players’ association agreed to the terms of a new draft collective agreement on Thursday.
The athletes voted in favor of the agreement in principle in the evening, it was confirmed on the AJLCF’s Twitter account.
“We are happy to learn that the players have ratified the new collective agreement negotiated between the CFL and the AJLCF. The Board of Governors will proceed to its ratification vote shortly. We now anticipate a successful season, including the holding of preseason games on the weekends, and a long and productive partnership with our players,” commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a press release.
According to the specialized site 3DownNation, the approval bonus (“ratification bonus”) would increase from 1 to 1.25 million $ with this new offer. Besides that, the ratio between Canadian and American players is one of the points debated by the league and its athletes.
Ambrosie had raised the threat of a new freeze on training camps if the players again refused the draft collective agreement. The only strike seen before that in league history was in 1974.
The regular season of Canadian football will begin as planned on June 9, with a duel between the Montreal Alouettes and the Calgary Stampeders, at McMahon Stadium.
The Sparrows will play their first exhibition game on Saturday against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.