Everything is changing for CFL player agent
Rob Fry is adapting to the CFL’S new normal.
The Edmonton-based CFL player agent is following the restrictions that have been implemented to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s also navigating two CFL drafts that are scheduled to take place even though regional and national combines were cancelled due to the coronavirus.
“Initially, the cancellation of the combines was the first piece of news that’s impacted our day-today work with our young guys who were preparing for the combines and the drafts at the end of April,” Fry said from his Edmonton home.
The cancelled regional combines were set for Montreal (March 13) and Edmonton (March 20), followed by the national combine on March 26-28 in Toronto. As of Friday, the global draft is slated for April 23 and the national draft is April 30.
Those dates could change considering what is taking place with the coronavirus. Fry, however, feels that the drafts will take place as scheduled.
“I’m basing that off the most recent release from the NFL and that they are going ahead with their draft,” Fry said. “I do expect that (the CFL drafts) will go ahead as scheduled, but things change from day to day.”
An option the CFL could consider is conducting the drafts remotely.
“CFL teams gather in small groups as is (for the draft)” Fry said. “I imagine they will be able to work out ways that they can make conference calls to make selections together. Operations-wise, the drafts can definitely go on.”
A looming question is whether the CFL’S 2020 season will start as scheduled due to the COVID -19 pandemic.
CFL training camps are to open May 17. The first pre-season game is scheduled for May 24, followed by the regular-season opener on June 11.
“If the season is postponed or pushed back, does it make sense then to push the draft back to buy teams more time to get proper evaluations of the players?” Fry said.
The combines play a key role in evaluating draft prospects. Player agents are now trying to get that data into the hands of CFL teams without combines.
“Just like the teams are doing, we’re looking at ways we can adapt and try to make the process as efficient as possible,” Fry said.
“I’ve been talking to scouts and to general managers and getting their feedback on what we can do to help them evaluate our players. Game film is there, which is always huge tool regardless of the circumstances. We’re looking at ways of connecting our players to the evaluators through the phone or via Skype. We’re also looking at film of them from outside of their game film.”
That film would include the players doing the actual testing, including the recording of measurements such as height and weight.
However, there is an additional challenge in that gyms where prospects could work out or conduct the tests have been shut down due to the pandemic.
“I’ve had clients text me that they were about to do those tests and the gym was closed, so it’s getting harder and harder,” Fry said. “It will be a different evaluation process if things remain this way and the draft stays when it’s going to be.
“There will be a heavier focus put on just pure game film and evaluators trusting their relationships around football, whether it be with coaches, mentors or trainers. Evaluators will also be leaning on their relationships with the agents that they trust as well and have been credible over the years.”