New CFL CBA a relief for Mosaic Stadium vendors

Vendors at Mosaic Stadium can smile knowing they won’t miss out on a Saskatchewan Roughriders home game this season.

Many vendors were left worried they’d miss out on a home date this year because of the CFL players’ strike, but that all changed Wednesday when the league announced it had reached a tentative deal with the players.

Spiro Bonis, the owner of Western Pizza, says the CFL announcement is huge for all vendors in the stadium, especially the volunteers.

“We have a bunch of different volunteer groups that are raising money for their causes,” he said. “Just to have them be able to work and be able to make money is just fantastic. ”

While they won’t miss out on a home date this year, there was some worry the Victoria Day game against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers would be cancelled. But the CFL decided to move that game to May 31.

Bonis added while vendors are disappointed the newly scheduled game isn’t on a long weekend anymore, they’re just happy they didn’t have to scramble at the last minute.

“It’s going to be a little different being there on a Tuesday, but that’s OK,” he said. “It’ll ease us back into the routine.”

Bonis mentioned he was willing to wait until noon on Thursday to order his food for Monday’s game, which would have been pushing it.

“It’s great news that we’re going to be playing, not (for) just me as a vendor but the city as a whole,” he said.

Roughriders training camp began Thursday in Saskatoon.