National Football League

NFL schedules 11th-hour meeting

Published Feb. 15, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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Alex Marvez

There was a sliver of good news Tuesday in the impasse between the NFL and its players union — even if it doesn't directly involve the latter group.

The NFL announced Tuesday that a special league meeting will be held March 3 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. From a logistical standpoint, the assembly of owners and/or representatives from all 32 franchises could make it easier for a last-minute agreement before the current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires at 11:59 p.m. that night.

There is little reason to believe a new labor pact can be reached before then — if at all in the immediate future. The NFL and NFLPA haven't held a face-to-face bargaining session since last Wednesday when talks broke off. The lack of progress is reflected by the fact the two sides have met in such a fashion only twice since late November.

Team ownership also met en masse in 2006 on the eve of the previous CBA's expiration. The league and union were close enough to a deal that a deadline extension was agreed upon. The CBA was approved the following week, although NFL owners have since decried the pact as being too lopsided financially for the players.

League and union officials will be in Indianapolis starting Feb. 23 for the NFL Scouting Combine. That raises hopes for a renewal of negotiations.

The NFL hasn't experienced a work stoppage since an in-season player strike in 1987.

On the heels of the combine, league owners are expected to begin gathering March 1 in Fort Lauderdale for subcommittee meetings and labor talks.

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