Jamie Nye: CFL asking players to take pay cut was inevitable

If the players didn’t see the Canadian Football League asking them to take a pay cut coming, then they need to pay closer attention.

The CFL has been losing money, it has been in front of government talking about losses, it has been in front of fans talking about losing money and it has fired staff. Others in organizations like the coaches and managers took a 10 to 20 per cent pay cut last year.

Now was the time to say to the players that they had to take an across-the-board pay cut.

Previously it was the higher-paid guys renegotiating contracts. Some of them were taking significant cuts for the greater good.

Now this requested cut will impact every contract. But the league says the players will get money back as more fans get added to the stands throughout the season. How that math works, nobody knows.

But as much as many players may not like this, you have to start to wonder how many players accept that making 80 per cent of their contracts is a lot better than the zero they got last year.