Stampeders get low marks for field conditions, facilities in annual CFLPA report card

A football sits on the sidelines as the Calgary Stampeders runs drills during opening day of training camp in Calgary, Alta., Sunday, May 12, 2024. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

The Calgary Stampeders received some harsh marks in the CFL Players’ Association’s (CFLPA) 2024 club report card.

The CFLPA released the annual report cards on Tuesday after receiving survey results from 495 players across the league.

The survey asked questions assessing football operations, management and administration, training and medical staff, equipment, family treatment, nutrition and diet, team travel and training camp.

“The report card presents valuable insights, provided by players, about their respective clubs to not only assist one another in making informed free agency decisions but also to contribute to raising standards for conditions across the league,” the CFLPA said in the report card.

The Stampeders did not grade above a C+ in any category. Their full slate of grades included:

The report card included some anonymous quotes from Calgary Stampeders players, with one calling the practice and game field “unacceptable.”

"Most players have to get a gym membership to get a real workout during the season. The field in Calgary has also led to many major and minor injuries,” one player said.

"We need a new field and need meals. We also need help with transportation to and from the facility for guys that are from the U.S. and don’t have cars out here in Canada,” another player said.

The report notes that since the survey was conducted, Calgary announced a new turf field would be installed at McMahon Stadium ahead of the 2025 season.

"Improvement needed on food offered during (the) season, strength and conditioning, meetings early morning after travelling very late for away games, the quality of the gym," another player said.

Winnipeg, Toronto and Saskatchewan scored some of the highest marks in the survey, with several grades in the As and Bs.

The CFLPA got its results from a 58-question survey that was distributed online to all players on CFL rosters at the time.

“The CFLPA collaborated with assistant professor in sport psychology, Dr. Desmond McEwan, PhD, from the University of British Columbia to refine the survey analysis and ensure a comprehensive and impartial systematic review of all data collected.,” the CFLPA said.

The survey was conducted over a two-week period in October.