Benjamin Barker Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 (edited) If you don't know anything about the NFL labor dispute or the potential lockout, here's some basic information for you. This is all just stuff that I've heard or read, I'm obviously not an official NFL representative or anything. Enjoy! Why Should I Care? Because there is a very real chance there will be no football season next year. It's not some far off thing that will probably never happen, it's very much in doubt that there will be NFL football played next season. The current CBA (collective bargaining agreement) expires after this season, and as of right now nothing is in place for next year. What are They Fighting About? Money, naturally. The players want to be paid more, and the owners want to pay the players less. The owners are the ones really forcing the issue, looking to give a substantial pay cut to the players. Who are the Key People Involved? DeMaurice Smith is head of the NFLPA (player's association). Roger Goodell is the NFL commissioner and a representative of the owners. These are the two that are representing their sides, and they seem to have a little personal animosity towards each other. Owners such as Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Jerry Richardson have been at the forefront. Why do the Owners Want to Pay the Players Less? The owners don't think the current deal is fair. Tagliabue was about to retire when they made the current deal, and people say that Upshaw and the players association strongarmed Tagliabue into a bad deal because he didn't want to tarnish his legacy by leaving the league in a state of labor lockout, and they knew this and took advantage. They are also claiming increased costs of doing business. Can you Give Me Some More Detail? The players get about 60% of all the league's revenue. When all the total revenue is added up, before they start dividing up the money the owners get to take a certain slice right off the top for operating and investment expenses (like stadium costs). Basically the owner's feel that slice isn't enough to cover their costs, so they want a much bigger slice off the top, leaving less money for the players. The players will still get 60% of the pool, it will just be a smaller pool because off the funds skimmed off the top. Do the Owners Really Have That Much More Cost Now? It's hard to say. The players are demanding the owners open the books and show them exactly what all this extra cost is, and the owners are refusing. That sounds a little shady on the owner's part, but when it comes to big business accounting and law it's obviously a very complex thing. That stadium in Dallas wasn't free, that's for sure, but the owners might be exaggerating their costs some, too. What's the Deal with the Stadium Costs vs Revenue Sharing Issue? The owner's have some issues amongst themselves, too. There is revenue sharing in the NFL so the small market teams get some of the money the big ticket teams bring in. But what is not accounted for in this is stadium costs. Some small market teams, like the Bengals, didn't have to pay for their stadium because the city provided it or what not. Other teams, like the Cowboys, paid for their new stadium out of pocket. So they Cowboys don't really feel they want to give the Bengals money for being a small market team, because the Bengals are actually making more profit than the Cowboys since they have no stadium costs. Will Anything Good Come From a New Deal? Probably. They might fix rookie contracts to use a set wage scale like the NBA. Maybe they can have max contracts like the NBA has, too. There is talk of creating a funds pool for players that far outperform their contract - situations where a late round pick becomes a superstar but is still playing for minimum salary. There could be improvements to the retirement funds system. Who Will Win the Lockout? If it comes down to a lockout, the owners will win. They are extremely wealthy and have the resources to make it through a period of time without earning money a lot more easily than the average player. Also, players have short windows of opportunity for their careers, so losing an entire season of earning money is a big deal. It will hurt them both badly, but the players will feel the burn more. Is There Any Hope? Yes, there is still hope. It's not guaranteed that there will be a lockout, but it's also not guaranteed there will be football. The whole thing is very much up in the air, and after this season it will become a huge story. Do You Think Trent Edwards is a Good QB? Nope. Edited September 15, 2010 by Benjamin Barker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fbzh2 Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 If you don't know anything about the NFL labor dispute or the potential lockout, here's some basic information for you. This is all just stuff that I've heard or read, I'm obviously not an official NFL representative or anything. Enjoy! Why Should I Care? Because there is a very real chance there will be no football season next year. It's not some far off thing that will probably never happen, it's very much in doubt that there will be NFL football played next season. The current CBA (collective bargaining agreement) expires after this season, and as of right now nothing is in place for next year. What are They Fighting About? Money, naturally. The players want to be paid more, and the owners want to pay the players less. The owners are the ones really forcing the issue, looking to give a substantial pay cut to the players. Who are the Key People Involved? DeMaurice Smith is head of the NFLPA (player's association). Roger Goodell is the NFL commissioner and a representative of the owners. These are the two that are representing their sides, and they seem to have a little personal animosity towards each other. Owners such as Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Jerry Richardson have been at the forefront. Why do the Owners Want to Pay the Players Less? The owners don't think the current deal is fair. Tagliabue was about to retire when they made the current deal, and people say that Upshaw and the players association strongarmed Tagliabue into a bad deal because he didn't want to tarnish his legacy by leaving the league in a state of labor lockout, and they knew this and took advantage. They are also claiming increased costs of doing business. Can you Give Me Some More Detail? The players get about 60% of all the league's revenue. When all the total revenue is added up, before they start dividing up the money the owners get to take a certain slice right off the top for operating and investment expenses (like stadium costs). Basically the owner's feel that slice isn't enough to cover their costs, so they want a much bigger slice off the top, leaving less money for the players. The players will still get 60% of the pool, it will just be a smaller pool because off the funds skimmed off the top. Do the Owners Really Have That Much More Cost Now? It's hard to say. The players are demanding the owners open the books and show them exactly what all this extra cost is, and the owners are refusing. That sounds a little shady on the owner's part, but when it comes to big business accounting and law it's obviously a very complex thing. That stadium in Dallas wasn't free, that's for sure, but the owners might be exaggerating their costs some, too. What's the Deal with the Stadium Costs vs Revenue Sharing Issue? The owner's have some issues amongst themselves, too. There is revenue sharing in the NFL so the small market teams get some of the money the big ticket teams bring in. But what is not accounted for in this is stadium costs. Some small market teams, like the Bengals, didn't have to pay for their stadium because the city provided it or what not. Other teams, like the Cowboys, paid for their new stadium out of pocket. So they Cowboys don't really feel they want to give the Bengals money for being a small market team, because the Bengals are actually making more profit than the Cowboys since they have no stadium costs. Will Anything Good Come From a New Deal? Probably. They might fix rookie contracts to use a set wage scale like the NBA. Maybe they can have max contracts like the NBA has, too. There is talk of creating a funds pool for players that far outperform their contract - situations where a late round pick becomes a superstar but is still playing for minimum salary. There could be improvements to the retirement funds system. Who Will Win the Lockout? If it comes down to a lockout, the owners will win. They are extremely wealthy and have the resources to make it through a period of time without earning money a lot more easily than the average player. Also, players have short windows of opportunity for their careers, so losing an entire season of earning money is a big deal. It will hurt them both badly, but the players will feel the burn more. Is There Any Hope? Yes, there is still hope. It's not guaranteed that there will be a lockout, but it's also not guaranteed there will be football. The whole thing is very much up in the air, and after this season it will become a huge story. Do You Think Trent Edwards is a Good QB? Nope. Good assessment of the situation, and clear explanation. Thanks for the info…… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobDVA Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Good assessment of the situation, and clear explanation. Thanks for the info…… signed Benji's mom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 (edited) If you don't know anything about the NFL labor dispute or the potential lockout, here's some basic information for you. This is all just stuff that I've heard or read, I'm obviously not an official NFL representative or anything. Enjoy! Why Should I Care? Because there is a very real chance there will be no football season next year. It's not some far off thing that will probably never happen, it's very much in doubt that there will be NFL football played next season. The current CBA (collective bargaining agreement) expires after this season, and as of right now nothing is in place for next year. What are They Fighting About? Money, naturally. The players want to be paid more, and the owners want to pay the players less. The owners are the ones really forcing the issue, looking to give a substantial pay cut to the players. Who are the Key People Involved? DeMaurice Smith is head of the NFLPA (player's association). Roger Goodell is the NFL commissioner and a representative of the owners. These are the two that are representing their sides, and they seem to have a little personal animosity towards each other. Owners such as Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and Jerry Richardson have been at the forefront. Why do the Owners Want to Pay the Players Less? The owners don't think the current deal is fair. Tagliabue was about to retire when they made the current deal, and people say that Upshaw and the players association strongarmed Tagliabue into a bad deal because he didn't want to tarnish his legacy by leaving the league in a state of labor lockout, and they knew this and took advantage. They are also claiming increased costs of doing business. Can you Give Me Some More Detail? The players get about 60% of all the league's revenue. When all the total revenue is added up, before they start dividing up the money the owners get to take a certain slice right off the top for operating and investment expenses (like stadium costs). Basically the owner's feel that slice isn't enough to cover their costs, so they want a much bigger slice off the top, leaving less money for the players. The players will still get 60% of the pool, it will just be a smaller pool because off the funds skimmed off the top. Do the Owners Really Have That Much More Cost Now? It's hard to say. The players are demanding the owners open the books and show them exactly what all this extra cost is, and the owners are refusing. That sounds a little shady on the owner's part, but when it comes to big business accounting and law it's obviously a very complex thing. That stadium in Dallas wasn't free, that's for sure, but the owners might be exaggerating their costs some, too. What's the Deal with the Stadium Costs vs Revenue Sharing Issue? The owner's have some issues amongst themselves, too. There is revenue sharing in the NFL so the small market teams get some of the money the big ticket teams bring in. But what is not accounted for in this is stadium costs. Some small market teams, like the Bengals, didn't have to pay for their stadium because the city provided it or what not. Other teams, like the Cowboys, paid for their new stadium out of pocket. So they Cowboys don't really feel they want to give the Bengals money for being a small market team, because the Bengals are actually making more profit than the Cowboys since they have no stadium costs. Will Anything Good Come From a New Deal? Probably. They might fix rookie contracts to use a set wage scale like the NBA. Maybe they can have max contracts like the NBA has, too. There is talk of creating a funds pool for players that far outperform their contract - situations where a late round pick becomes a superstar but is still playing for minimum salary. There could be improvements to the retirement funds system. Who Will Win the Lockout? If it comes down to a lockout, the owners will win. They are extremely wealthy and have the resources to make it through a period of time without earning money a lot more easily than the average player. Also, players have short windows of opportunity for their careers, so losing an entire season of earning money is a big deal. It will hurt them both badly, but the players will feel the burn more. Is There Any Hope? Yes, there is still hope. It's not guaranteed that there will be a lockout, but it's also not guaranteed there will be football. The whole thing is very much up in the air, and after this season it will become a huge story. Where's the link? Cause sure as ****, you didnt write the above. Edited September 15, 2010 by Bluesky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Can you Give Me Some More Detail? The players get about 60% of all the league's revenue. When all the total revenue is added up, before they start dividing up the money the owners get to take a certain slice right off the top for operating and investment expenses (like stadium costs). Basically the owner's feel that slice isn't enough to cover their costs, so they want a much bigger slice off the top, leaving less money for the players. The players will still get 60% of the pool, it will just be a smaller pool because off the funds skimmed off the top. No they don't. They never have. The salary cap is set to the 60% of revenue. If you are an owner and you don't want to spend the increase salary cap, you don't have to--you can stay anywhere above the minimum. Since the vast majority of players were locked into contracts during the period of the last CBA, very few saw any increase in their pay as a result of that CBA. The only ones who might have benefitted were FA's, first round draft picks and the few holdouts like Peters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Again, semantics. The players, up until this year, got 4.5% more than under the old CBA. And that's the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yungmack Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 The only thing you left out of your fine analysis is that the problems the owners have with the CBA are PRECISELY the problems Ralph Wilson and Mike Brown had with it in the first place. You remember how the other owners laughed and laughed at ol' senile Ralphie? They ain't laughin' now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Barker Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 (edited) Where's the link? Cause sure as ****, you didnt write the above. I did indeed write it, and exclusively for Two Bills Drive! Geez, I try to write something helpful for the community and immediately people come in and give me a hard time. Edited September 15, 2010 by Benjamin Barker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kasper13 Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 In addition, last week the NFLPA sent out voting cards to all of the players. The vote is to decertify the union. If that happens, then it will be illegal for the owners to lockout the players. This would set the stage for a strike. In that case, the owners could use replacement players. Also, the UFL could quickly expand to fill the void if there is no NFL season in 2011. Players not under contract could play in the UFL. There is always college football on Saturday. Trent Edwards does suck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Barker Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 Yah, some people think the UFL was created specifically hoping for a labor stoppage, so that next year they can some big name players and capitalize on the lockout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yungmack Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 In my opinion, the NFL (owners and players) had better think very carefully before blowing up a season. I believe the league has about peaked financially, peaked in ticket sales, and peaked in fan interest. Demographic forecasts are not favorable, the days of unquestioning municipal financial subsidies are largely in the past, and expansion as a method to fatten ownership bank accounts is probably over with (and the rest of the world has largely yawned with boredom at American football). In the 1930s, the three big sports in the US were baseball, boxing and...horse racing. Pro football was an afterthought. Then came the Baby Boom generation. It was huge in pure numbers and, more importantly, seemed to be looking for something other than their old man's manias. You can track the growth of the popularity of the NFL (through expanding markets, increasing television coverage and ratings, zooming revenues, etc.) with the growth of the Boomers and their earning power. Now that generation is beginning to age out and interest in the NFL the next two generations aren't large enough to make up the difference. I don't know what your experience is right now, but I've noticed that an an awful lot of high school and college age kids no longer seem to be rabid fans of the NFL. The people I see in sports bars and at games seem to be late 30s and up. Baseball, boxing and even horse racing are still around, and big money is still made with them. But you'd have to be delusional to argue that they are still the top three fan favorite sports. So the NFL will continue to be popular and to make money. Still I really believe its days as The Biggest Baddest Dude On The Block are coming to an end. And a strike/lockout will only accelerate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollars 2 donuts Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 The only thing you left out of your fine analysis is that the problems the owners have with the CBA are PRECISELY the problems Ralph Wilson and Mike Brown had with it in the first place. You remember how the other owners laughed and laughed at ol' senile Ralphie? They ain't laughin' now. I have no idea what you're talking about. Sincerely, Colin Cowherd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Where's the link? Cause sure as ****, you didnt write the above. look at this article: My link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. WEO Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Again, semantics. The players, up until this year, got 4.5% more than under the old CBA. And that's the issue. A few of them anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 look at this article: My link Thanks. Looks like the OP has the cribbed version of that article. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akm0404 Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Thanks for distilling that down a bit. It is a pretty confusing issue, and the mountain of information out there is tough to sift through. I believe the owners will lock out the players, and ultimately strong-arm a deal this go 'round. I'd personally estimate the chance of NFL football next year to be a bit south of 50/50 - maybe 40% chance of play next year. I think there is almost a 100% chance that there will be a lockout for at least some period of time, and even that will leave a lasting mark on the season, if there is one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Barker Posted September 15, 2010 Author Share Posted September 15, 2010 Hey guys, I used a variety of articles. I liked the question/answer format in the one that was linked so I went with it, I felt it made for easy reading. I'm not getting paid for this! I just wanted to make a shortened version to share with the community as a platform for getting discussion going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloBill Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Hey guys, I used a variety of articles. I liked the question/answer format in the one that was linked so I went with it, I felt it made for easy reading. I'm not getting paid for this! I just wanted to make a shortened version to share with the community as a platform for getting discussion going. Did you pick up on the article from the other thread on the same topic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartacus Posted September 15, 2010 Share Posted September 15, 2010 Thanks for distilling that down a bit. It is a pretty confusing issue, and the mountain of information out there is tough to sift through. I believe the owners will lock out the players, and ultimately strong-arm a deal this go 'round. I'd personally estimate the chance of NFL football next year to be a bit south of 50/50 - maybe 40% chance of play next year. I think there is almost a 100% chance that there will be a lockout for at least some period of time, and even that will leave a lasting mark on the season, if there is one. A lockout by the owners makes absolutely no sense. That makes it too easy on the players since they have no decison to make and the owners automatically become the bad guys. there will be no lockout. The owners will bargain to an impasse and then impose the last proposal as the new rules. The players will then have to decide whether to play under the new rules or strike, but the owners will not lock them out. The NFLPA will then de-ceretify and some players will sue the league for anti-trust restraint of trade violations caused by the draft & free agency rules The longer it goes on, the more players will miss the money and the game, and cross the players strike lines to resume play under the new rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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