Paying OHL players could be costly
Re Stop exploiting young players, Nov. 12
As a longtime Star reader, I enjoy reading its editorials and generally agree with the opinions expressed. However, the editorial in the Nov. 12 edition clearly misses the mark.
Proposing that OHL players be paid a minimum wage of $14/hour would likely force teams into insolvency. Excluding London and Kitchener, most teams are located in smaller cities and would draw on average 2,000-3,000 fans per game. Ticket prices average around $25. A quick calculation would show an average team on an average night making a gross of $75,000 plus.
For remotely located teams, such as Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, transportation and accommodation costs associated with road games are significant. Players receive a weekly stipend for expenses, free room and board, free equipment, while all accommodation and transportation costs are covered by the team.
While we are not privy to the actual financial status of OHL teams, it would be safe to say that most teams are lucky to break even and some would currently be losing money. Paying players a minimum wage (based on 22 players, making $14/hr for a 40-hour week over a six-month season) would add an estimated $320,320 to the annual budget.
This would impact the NHL, which draws many of its players from the OHL and other Canadian Hockey League teams. Raising ticket prices for small town fans would result in decreasing attendance. Perhaps players graduating to the NHL should pay a significant portion of their salaries back the junior teams, which trained them for the “big show.”
Clearly, forcing the OHL to pay its student athletes a minimum wage is a poorly conceived, lose-lose proposition. The author of this editorial should have done their homework. Ken Marchant, Guelph So OHL management has decided to persist in treating their players as serfs and to not recognize them as employees when in fact the players meet Canada Revenue Agency’s criteria to be treated as employees. This would have ramifications under labour laws, Canada Pension Plan deductions and workplace insurance coverage relating to the WSIB.
As a retired tax specialist, I am willing, at no cost, to pursue this matter with CRA on behalf of the players. Richard Bouchard, Toronto