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Sources: NFL owners consider voiding CBA
by JAY GLAZER and ALEX MARVEZ, FOXSports.com
What it all means
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.
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"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.
Member Comments
I could not agree more. Baseball salaries are ridiculous and with the recent very large free-agent contracts that have been given out to mediocre players like Gibril Wilson and Justin Smith, I'm getting pretty worried that The NFL may lose sight of the integrity and the heart of the game. I'm a Cowboys fan and i realize we have a lot more money than a lot of other organizations, but I don't want to be the New York Yankees of the NFL, I'll go ahead and leave that title for the Patriots.
Big_D_Dominance5/19/2008 22:18:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Football is about the love of the game. I honestly could do without the "me me me" players that only care about payday. Big name players are making tens of millions of dollars and they sure as hell don't need to be paid more. Do we really wan't football to turn into a joke like baseball?
TheHalfDemon5/19/2008 12:55:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
This league is a monster and it's that way because they get the best of the best employees. Believe me we wouldn't watch or attend games if the players were all 140 pounds and ran 6.0 fourtys. Let's be realistic. If we could make the same thing happen on Thanksgiving in our back yards we would have no reason to watch. We control when enough is enough by the amount of support we offer. Since, everyone in here has a MBA we should know that. A business is only as good as the product.
25Johnh255/19/2008 9:16:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I just hope the owners and Mr. Upshaw have enough sense to prevent this issue from causing a strike. I think players who have proven they can play deserve big money, rookies should have a cap, and more money should go to retired players, education, and charity.
elh4445/18/2008 20:10:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Who really cares? Big deal? We only care how to find these celerbities. Luckily, I found one. That's Beckham. seems he is finding himself another partner on wealthymingle.com?///////////. It's a site for professional athelets, celebrities and millionaires to mingle.
Susie32adsd5/18/2008 15:22:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
50- for the players<br />40- for the owners<br />10- for the old timers fund
Facts5/18/2008 14:31:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Budda what planet are you from? Are you actually going to say that someone who bearley gets out of college and is jacked up on roids is going to be able negociate their own contracts and be able to manage astadium, come on. Hello earth to budda. Don't get me wrong I am all about the players and their compensation, but there is a reason that there are players and there are owners. LATER!
ddriskill19845/18/2008 9:11:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
The only problen with your arguement Budda is the PLAYERS get 60% of each hot dog and beer. Stadium concessions are part of the CBA. So please direct 60% of your anger to the players.
Doomsday075/18/2008 5:00:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I have a better idea....<br /><br />The Players should ditch the owners COMPLETELY, and start their own league....<br /><br />Think about it - who needs the owners???<br /><br />The players could negotiate their own deals, and play at whatever stadiums they want - like in LA etc...<br /><br />They have enough cash between them to pay for parking attendants and beer vendors and whatever else they need.... Plus they could negotiate their own TV deal - I mean, without the players, the existing owners TV deals would mean NOTHING... Who's gonna watch grass grow in an empty stadium???<br /><br />I say get rid of the GREEDY OWNERS - I don't mean to swear but I'm well and truly sick of their ****... I mean, what's up with $8 dollar hot dogs and $9 beers?? Buddah's got a BIG BELLY - He can drink ALOT - at $8 bucks a POP you can go broke real fast !! Parking is another TWENTY (20) DOLLARS!!! You gotta be kidding me !! I'm surprised the toilets aren't "coin-operated"!!! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE !!!!!<br /><br />Get rid of the owners, bring the prices back to normal, and ditch the Prima Donna athletes (T.O. can't act) ONCE AND FOR ALL !!!!<br /><br />(Ok, I feel better now....)
5/18/2008 4:23:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
The only reason the owners want to void the CBA is so a-holes like Snyder and Jones can spend at will like the little Steinbrenner punk-a.s.s.e.d. b.i.t.c.h.e.s they are
Shindig5/17/2008 20:31:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Upshaw ought to be putting some effort into coming up with a better program for those who get devastating permanent injuries. There's a lot of guys that used to play and now someone is having to help them with daily living activities, he ought to put some real money toward them! That would be a union that really cares for their members.
footballmedic5/17/2008 17:48:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Oracle. If I had to belong to a debate team I would want you on my side! The Golden arches LOL!!!
footballmedic5/17/2008 17:38:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
I agree with the owners on this one even though I hate to admit it. Players are well paid ( and good players bring their worth in ticket sales and such), but the overrated players still get their share of the pie even if they crap out during the year. I know teams will do this due to demand and overexpectations, but it is still lopsided. If a player like Tom Brady, or Terrell Owens for exaple decides to "take the year off" so to speak, then the team is not only out their salary but that player's share of the gross profit regardless of the fan money coming in to see these players.
carnealox5/17/2008 15:41:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
gocolts...it may be the players who are wearing the jersey's...but it's the owners who own the jersey that the players are wearing. <br /><br />Fans buy a team jersey that sometimes has a player's name on it. But the players name on the back is totally replaceable.<br /><br />Without the owner, there is no player and there is no NFL.<br /><br />Without the players, you get new players.<br /><br />McDonalds employees wear hats with a golden arch on them....but they don't own the golden arches. The owners own the helmet on these big headed players.<br /><br />Without a business owner, there is no business. The (employees) players need to watch themselves or else they'll get fired and be playing football in a parking lot somewhere in front of only their friends and girlfriends.
Oracleofsports5/17/2008 15:38:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Greed threatens to ruin this sport. The players, for the most part, are well paid. There should be no percentage of gross revenue attached to the owners. The owners are the ones that INVEST THEIR CAPITAL. The players are the Capital. When it gets reversed, the sport is sunk just like baseball.
footballmedic5/17/2008 14:13:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Its a very easy ..quit going to games...its all about money and the people that go to the games pay for this..Look at our Bills playing in Toronto for more money,my saying is GO get the hell out of here...it would say taxpayers all kinds of money..
nipster7215/17/2008 12:58:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
Colts, I have no problem with the players being very well paid. What I do have an issue with is the players demanding such a high percentage of the gross. That would be like my employees demanding I pay them 60% of the gross revenue of my company. My answer to that is you're fired. That's not a union looking out for it's members. that's a union totally out of control and reeks of communism, not capitalism. It's not up to the players to determine when the owner makes enough money. It's the other way around. That's the way business works and that's why he invests a billion dollars.
Doomsday075/17/2008 12:07:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
How many owners are losing money? The players are the product the owners are selling, so they deserve to get paid. You don't see too many people wearing jerseys with the team owner's name on it, do you?
gocolts45/17/2008 11:00:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I can write, but I can't add. Too early on Saturday, should have been $118 Million.
FIREBIRD20085/17/2008 9:06:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
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