NFL, NFLPA will begin collective bargaining agreement talks in June

**Zeus** · 05-20-2009, 09:11 AM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/05/19/cba.talks.nfl.ap/index.html

[size=12pt]NFL, NFLPA will begin collective bargaining agreement talks in June[/size]
Posted: Tuesday May 19, 2009 10:04PM; Updated: Tuesday May 19, 2009 11:13pm

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Talks on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players union are expected to begin next month, with an eye on avoiding a lockout that could disrupt the 2011 season.

Jeff Pash, the NFL's executive vice president and general counsel, said Tuesday at the NFL meetings he believes both the league and new NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith have laid "a good groundwork for these discussions to begin," but stopped short of saying how long they may take.

"We'll stay at it for as long as it takes," Pash said.

NFL owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement last year, meaning there could be a labor-related stoppage if a new deal isn't struck for the 2011 season. Combined with the global economic downturn and the chance of a longer NFL schedule, it seems possible talks between the league and union could be, at best, contentious.

"The right place to start is a place where the players understand why the owners opted out," Smith said. "We all know that the players didn't opt out of this deal. We do know the NFL generated in excess of $8 billion last year. We know that the average team has grown by 400 percent in 10 years. ... What we don't understand is what is wrong with the current deal when those facts exist."

Smith reiterated Tuesday that he'd like to obtain more details on the league's revenues, only to have commissioner Roger Goodell counter by saying the union knows details of the books "to the penny."

Pash said the league has not set a deadline for a new deal to be struck, saying that would be counterproductive.

"I think fans should be confident that we're going to be single-minded in our focus on this as we possibly can," Pash said. "I think it's in everyone's interest. We've had a very healthy partnership ... it's clearly in everyone's interest to try to maintain that."

This is infinitely more important than any Favre speculation.
I wonder if it will get the attention it deserves on PPO....

=Z=

**jmcdon00** · 05-20-2009, 09:23 AM

I have a feeling by the time this deal gets done I'm going to be even more pissed at the NFL. 8 billion annual revenue and 400% growth in 10years should make this a simple process, but there is never enough money for some people and they will be bickering back and forth over every dime. Both sides will likely hold out until just before a work stoppage, or later.

Hopefully the Vikings have representatives on both sides that are ultimately trying to help the Vikings stay in MN.

**marstc09** · 05-20-2009, 09:23 AM

"Zeus" wrote:

This is infinitely more important than any Favre speculation.
I wonder if it will get the attention it deserves on PPO....

=Z=

Maybe you should give us your insight and opinion on it instead of just posting an article. I think what is more important is are we even going to be a franchise for much longer? Anyways I don't know enough about this to give it my attention. Enlighten me O great one.
:P If this is all about money, fuck that shit. It is not worth my attention. You assholes get paid enough.

**Purplebus** · 05-20-2009, 09:28 AM

"marstc09" wrote:

Maybe you should give us your insight and opinion on it instead of just posting an article. I think what is more important is are we even going to be a franchise for much longer?

To that final question, is there talk of dissolving this franchise? I'm a fairly new Vikings fan so I don't know the history behind the question you just asked.

**marstc09** · 05-20-2009, 09:29 AM

"Purplebus" wrote:

"marstc09" wrote:

Maybe you should give us your insight and opinion on it instead of just posting an article. I think what is more important is are we even going to be a franchise for much longer?

To that final question, is there talk of dissolving this franchise? I'm a fairly new Vikings fan so I don't know the history behind the question you just asked.

If we don't get a stadium deal soon, the Vikings might move to a different state.

**Purplebus** · 05-20-2009, 09:32 AM

"marstc09" wrote:

"Purplebus" wrote:

"marstc09" wrote:

Maybe you should give us your insight and opinion on it instead of just posting an article. I think what is more important is are we even going to be a franchise for much longer?

To that final question, is there talk of dissolving this franchise? I'm a fairly new Vikings fan so I don't know the history behind the question you just asked.

If we don't get a stadium deal soon, the Vikings might move to a different state.

That's not good. I hope it works out. I have always associated MN with the Vikings. It would be akward describing them any other way.

**BleedinPandG** · 05-20-2009, 09:34 AM

"marstc09" wrote:

"Zeus" wrote:

This is infinitely more important than any Favre speculation.
I wonder if it will get the attention it deserves on PPO....

=Z=

Maybe you should give us your insight and opinion on it instead of just posting an article. I think what is more important is are we even going to be a franchise for much longer? Anyways I don't know enough about this to give it my attention. Enlighten me O great one.
:P If this is all about money, floop that pooh. It is not worth my attention. You donkey butts get paid enough.

Everything I've read says the owners and league will take additional power from the players in this round of bargaining... the players simply aren't of the same mind to do the negotiating.
Losing Upshaw when they did has really hurt their position at the table.

**marstc09** · 05-20-2009, 09:40 AM

"BleedinPandG" wrote:

"marstc09" wrote:

"Zeus" wrote:

This is infinitely more important than any Favre speculation.
I wonder if it will get the attention it deserves on PPO....

=Z=

Maybe you should give us your insight and opinion on it instead of just posting an article. I think what is more important is are we even going to be a franchise for much longer? Anyways I don't know enough about this to give it my attention. Enlighten me O great one.
:P If this is all about money, floop that pooh. It is not worth my attention. You donkey butts get paid enough.

Everything I've read says the owners and league will take additional power from the players in this round of bargaining... the players simply aren't of the same mind to do the negotiating.
Losing Upshaw when they did has really hurt their position at the table.

So is this a good thing? I don't think I would want players involved.

**jmcdon00** · 05-20-2009, 09:51 AM

My hope is that we still have a salary cap when this is done.
Hopefully the NFL looks at big picture and realizes that it would be foolish to allow smaller market teams to fail, simply based on how the NFL shares it's revenue. They need to remember that all there revenue comes from the fans, my guess is that concept is lost on them.

**marstc09** · 05-20-2009, 10:03 AM

"jmcdon00" wrote:

My hope is that we still have a salary cap when this is done.
Hopefully the NFL looks at big picture and realizes that it would be foolish to allow smaller market teams to fail, simply based on how the NFL shares it's revenue. They need to remember that all there revenue comes from the fans, my guess is that concept is lost on them.

My biggest fear is no salary cap. There is a reason the Brewers have never won a world series.