CFL commissioner Mark Cohon says his goal is negotiated

Bryan Crawford is betting he and other CFL players will be playing football next summer.

Crawford, the Toronto Argonauts player-union representative, said Friday he doesn't believe he and other players will be locked out as a result of negotiations between the league and CFL Players' Association on a new collective bargaining agreement.

The present deal expires the day before the start of training camps in June. On Thursday, two CFL sources requesting anonymity told The Canadian Press that the CFLPA is visiting the respective teams advising its membership of the possibility of a lockout.

"We'll be playing in the CFL," Crawford said. "That's my opinion.

"I can't predict how negotiations are going to go. I can only say that during any type of labour negotiation there are challenges. But I think both sides have the best interests at heart and we're going to go forward in a manner that is appropriate."

CFL commissioner Mark Cohon issued a statement Friday saying the league is seeking a negotiated labour settlement that's fair to all parties.

"We are now in the midst of the collective bargaining process," said Cohon. "It would be inappropriate to comment further on that process, except to say that our goal is a negotiated settlement that's in the best interests of our fans, our players, our member clubs, and our league."

The sources said two big issues will be the number of hours CFL players spend at their team facilities during the season - presently it's 4 1/2 hours a day - and reducing the number of Canadians clubs must start.

The league reportedly wants the players' workday to be six hours and cut the minimum of non-import starters from seven to four.

"Everything is negotiable," Crawford said. "That's something we've left up to our executive committee going forward to discuss and work on.

"I think that (reducing Canadian starters) is an issue that all of a sudden has become very prominent in the media. It's not something that's a huge issue for us going forward. It's something we're addressing, it's something our executive is addressing along with a large number of other issues."

The CFL has enjoyed labour peace for decades, with there being only one players' strike in its history. That came in 1969 when the Toronto Argonauts players walked out of training camp to protest Canadians not being paid during camp and for exhibition games. The matter was ultimately resolved with the Argos missing no regular-season contests.

Keeping its teams on the field is crucial to the CFL, as the league is gate driven and its teams draw a big chunk of their operating revenue from ticket sales. Having said that, the belief is talks between the CFL and its players will be heated this time around but Crawford believes both sides fully understand the damage a lockout would do.

"I don't think any work stoppage is beneficial to either party," Crawford said.

Crawford also said CFL players spend a lot more than 4 1/2 hours a day at their team's facilities during the season.

"With treatments and workouts and that type of thing, it's a full, long day," he said.