Sources: NFL owners consider voiding CBA

by JAY GLAZER and ALEX MARVEZ, FOXSports.com

Updated: May 16, 2008, 3:46 PM EST 122 comments

In a series of conference calls this week, NFL owners have seriously discussed voiding the current labor agreement, FOXSports.com has learned. Team owners believe the current labor agreement, which gives players 59 percent of the defined gross revenues, is too lopsided in favor of the NFLPA.

The opt-out could come at Tuesday's spring meeting.

After a conference call Friday between high-level owners and executives, indications are that the league is leaning toward opting out. NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw expects the deal to be voided on Tuesday, according to the players' association Web site.

Only nine votes from NFL owners are needed to abort the CBA in 2011 rather than 2013.

"It's hard to predict Tuesday that (owners) are going to nuke the CBA," a high-ranking team executive told FOXSports.com. "I don't think that's accurate right now, but the subject is going to come up whether this is a better time than in November. There's a broad concern that (the NFL) doesn't want this to become a focus that takes away from the regular season.

"Everyone agrees that we want to maintain a strong, competitive league. There is a mindset that this is a step along the way that helps clarify things. It seems rather obvious the league is going to opt out. Rather than have that looming, let's get that behind us, roll up our sleeves and get to work on a new CBA."

League and union officials held talks about the labor agreement last week. Discussions will continue even if the deal is voided, sources told FOXSports.com, but no date has been set to resume talks.

Should the owners in fact make the move next week, it would dramatically alter the NFL's landscape for the next few years. Such a significant move would make the 2009 campaign the last year in which the salary cap is in effect. 2010 would be uncapped. The NFL would also still have a draft in 2011, but beyond that everything else would be up in the air.

The owners have until November 8th to void the current agreement.

"I think deadlines are helpful in trying to get things resolved," commissioner Roger Goodell said at April's NFL owners meeting. "Any time a deadline can be established to force us into reaching an agreement on a particular issue, that's helpful to us."

While it appears likely that owners will opt out of the deal, several owners and executives indicated Friday that things could still change once everyone comes together at Tuesday's meeting. Still, there seems to be a general consensus that if the decision is going to be made to void the deal, it makes sense to do it sooner rather than later.

Calls for comment to both the commissioner's office and Upshaw on Friday have not yet been returned. However, Upshaw and upper NFLPA management are expected in Atlanta, which could lead to CBA dialogue.

The NFL and the players association have renewed the CBA five times, the most recent coming in March 2006. In that vote, the owners ratified the agreement by a 30-2 count, extending the labor deal through the 2011 season.

"The objective is to get a labor agreement, one that works for both parties," Goodell said last month. "That's what we're working towards. Obviously as part of planning we have to look at various alternatives. The reality is, and I think the union understands this, and we certainly understand this, you can grow your business better if you're in partnership. That's what having labor peace helps you do. That's one of the things we clearly understand. I believe the union fully agrees with that. That's what we're going to continue to try to do."

Jay Glazer and Alex Marvez are senior NFL writers for FOXSports.com.

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