CFL Awards Resurgent Toronto Market, Argos ‘07 Grey Cup

The CFL has awarded the Rogers Centre the 95th Grey Cup in November ‘07, and in Toronto, Donovan Vincent notes the Vanier Cup will be held in the city on November 23, 2007, “marking the first time the CFL and Canadian university championships will be held in the same city on the same weekend.” The Argonauts also want to combine amateur and high school football with the Vanier Cup and Grey Cup to create a “celebration of football.” Argonauts President & CEO Keith Pelley said that “bringing in the Metro Bowl [high school] finals or semifinals and including the amateur Canadian Junior Football championship are ‘works in progress’” (TORONTO STAR, 11/17). Argonauts co-Owner David Cynamon: “It’s going to be a real festival of football.” The CP’s Gregory Strong reported former CFL Renegades President Brad Watters will handle the GM duties for the ’07 Grey Cup (CP, 11/16). In Toronto, Stephen Brunt writes if “all goes well” in ‘07, the Grey Cup “could be back” in Toronto in 2012. The Argonauts, “under the very smart, capable stewardship of [co-Owner] Howard Sokolowski, David Cynamon and Keith Pelley, are healthier now than they’ve been in eons” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/17).

NEW CAP ERA? In Toronto, Naylor & Maki cite sources as saying that CFL teams are “being told to anticipate operating under a salary cap” of C$3.8M next season. The new cap would represent a 46% increase over the league’s current C$2.6M cap, “which is being exceeded and ignored by all its nine teams.” It is believed all CFL teams this season are “at least C$700,000 over the current cap and many teams are above” C$3.8M. The CFL has had a salary cap since the mid ‘80s, “but with no effective way to enforce it, it’s rarely been taken seriously. No team audits are performed nor have there been measures to penalize teams that spend over the set amount.” CFLPA President Stu Laird said that he has had “no discussions regarding a cap with the league or its salary-cap committee yet.” Naylor & Maki write if the new cap is approved, “the measure could represent some degree of support for [CFL Commissioner Tom] Wright’s leadership” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 11/17).

FOR MORE: See today's Back Of The Book for final CFL regular-season attendance.