OHL appears to have government support in fight against paying players

Commissioner David Branch is standing firm in his belief that the players in the Ontario Hockey League are there for the love of the game, and shouldn’t be getting paid for their services.

It appears that the Ontario government agrees.

Branch sent a letter to the provincial government on Monday as an effort to keep the league’s 425 players under the title of amateur athletes, and not allow them to potentially become employees regulated by provincial employment standards legislation, like some people are trying to make happen.

The government responded to Branch’s letter on Thursday, with Michael Tibollo, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, offering support.

“I want you to know, that our government is behind you,” said Tibollo. “We are going to do everything in our capacity to grow and support the Ontario Hockey League and junior hockey across our province.

“I want to reassure the OHL and the people of Ontario that we are actively looking at providing this clarity to the OHL and we will have more to say in the coming weeks.”

Branch, who also serves as president of the Canadian Hockey League, which the OHL is part of along with the Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, has always considered major junior players — typically ranging from 16 to 20 years old — as student athletes.

Players are currently eligible for post-secondary school scholarships, with each season spent in the league being worth one year of tuition, books and compulsory fees. Players also get money for out-of-pocket expenses, equipment, billeting and travel costs while on a CHL roster.

“To us it’s the best scholarship program in North America, it’s the hallmark of our player experience,” said Branch.

“In addition we have concussion management, mental health programs, we do drug education and antidoping. We have taken a position in what we believe the right thing to do is — that’s to help develop our players.”

But not everyone agrees with Branch that what the players get in return for their services is enough and that’s led to him having to fight to keep the league the way it is.

In 2014 Toronto lawyer Ted Charney filed a $180-million lawsuit against the CHL on behalf of all current and many former players for outstanding wages, overtime pay, holiday pay and vacation pay. Sam Berg, a former Niagara IceDogs forward, and Daniel Pachis, a former member of the Oshawa Generals, were recognized as the representative plaintiffs against the OHL when the lawsuit was certified in March 2017.