While Canada Soccer says a new labour agreement with its players is contingent on a reworked deal with Canadian Soccer Business, CSB says it B次元官网网址減roactively made a new, landmark offerB次元官网网址� six weeks ago.
Kevin Blue, Canada SoccerB次元官网网址檚 CEO and general secretary, said Monday that the association has reached a B次元官网网址渇rameworkB次元官网网址� for a long-awaited labour agreement with its menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 national teams. But he emphasized that sealing the deal is contingent on a reworked agreement with Canadian Soccer Business.
CSB, whose investor group and board includes the Canadian Premier League owners, looks after marketing and broadcast rights for both Canada Soccer and the CPL, now in its sixth season.
The players have complained the CSB agreement is holding the game back and preventing national teams from getting the preparation they need.
Canada Soccer is believed to receive some $4 million a year under the current CSB deal as B次元官网网址渢he beneficiary of a rights fee guarantee.B次元官网网址� That amount has been boosted by some $500,000 each year leading up to the 2026 World Cup.
In a short statement Tuesday, CSB said it was B次元官网网址減leasedB次元官网网址� that progress had been made between Canada Soccer and its players. And it said its offer was B次元官网网址渇or the benefit of all stakeholders.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪ince then, we have been actively engaged in the process of bettering our partnership, and we are encouraged by the discussions with Canada SoccerB次元官网网址檚 leadership,B次元官网网址� it added.
B次元官网网址淚t is time for all stakeholders to come together to ensure the next couple of years are the most successful and cohesive in Canadian soccer history, as we build toward hosting the 2026 World Cup on home soil.B次元官网网址�
CSB did not provide details of its offer. Canada Soccer did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the CSB proposal.
Blue, who joined Canada Soccer in late February, put the onus squarely on CSB in his statement Monday.
B次元官网网址淎 critical step to finalizing a CBA is a revision to the Canadian Soccer Business deal that will be more favourable to Canada Soccer and will put it on a firm financial footing going forward,B次元官网网址� Blue said. B次元官网网址淭he new CBA framework is contingent on such a revision to the CSB deal.
B次元官网网址淐anada SoccerB次元官网网址檚 leadership and CSB are in active discussions on a restructured deal, and we are hopeful we will arrive at a positive conclusion soon.B次元官网网址�
Blue said the players have been B次元官网网址渢rue partners throughout the negotiations.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hey have made meaningful concessions to help put Canada Soccer in a better position to fund other important priorities more effectively,B次元官网网址� he said.
The Canadian Soccer Players Association, which represents the womenB次元官网网址檚 team, confirmed that progress had been made on the labour front.
B次元官网网址淲hile we donB次元官网网址檛 yet have a collective bargaining agreement, the players have worked hard with Kevin to align on a framework that we view as fair and equitable, and that brings us closer than ever to a long-term deal,B次元官网网址� the association sad in a statement Monday.
And the women credited Blue for his B次元官网网址渃ourtesy, transparency and candour.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淗e has earned our trust and our respect. We share the same vision for what this federation can be, and look forward to working collaboratively with him for years to come to build up the sport we love in the country we are so proud to play for.B次元官网网址�
The womenB次元官网网址檚 previous labour deal expired at the end of 2021. While they had previously reached an interim labour agreement with Canada Soccer, that deal was tied to the menB次元官网网址檚 negotiations given the pay equity provisions of the deal.
The sixth-ranked Canadian women formed their playersB次元官网网址� association in 2016.
Their association has filed a $40-million lawsuit against 15 current and former board members of Canada Soccer, alleging B次元官网网址渘egligence and breach of fiduciary dutyB次元官网网址� over the CSB contract.
The 40th-ranked men are negotiating their first formal agreement in the wake of forming their own players association, the Canada MenB次元官网网址檚 National Soccer Team Players Association, in the summer of 2022.
The lengthy, acrimonious labour dispute has seen job action in the past and B次元官网网址� in addition to the womenB次元官网网址檚 lawsuit B次元官网网址� prompted the resignation of former Canada Soccer president Nick Bontis and job action by both teams.
The Canadian men boycotted a World Cup warm-up against Panama in Vancouver in June 2022 while the women briefly refused to train at the SheBelieves Cup in early 2023 before reluctantly returning to the field after Canada Soccer threatened legal action.
