Owners Opt Out
 

the nfl owners have voted unanimously to opt out of labor contract in 2011....this according to Mike and Mike in the morning

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

well enjoy the 2009 season. players will now go back under the 6 year clause before becoming FA. The media has their story for 2009. Monday night football will be worse than ever. The game coverage will be like commercials. This should put a damper on the spygate thing once and for all. the media now has a bigger story to move to the front burner. Spygate to the back burner for simmering now. Man I love this stuff.
A deal will be worked out and the 2010 season will go on. The last strike cost to much money. no way will this be like baseball. Well I hope not.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

NFL Statement in CBA Early Termination Decision

New Orleans Saints, NewOrleansSaints.com
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 - 8:41 AM



What happened?

The current Collective Bargaining Agreement, initially negotiated in 1993, has been extended on several occasions, most recently in March 2006. The 2006 extension, which could have continued through the 2012 season, gave both the NFL and the NFLPA an option to shorten the deal by one or two years.

NFL clubs today voted unanimously to exercise that option and to continue negotiating a new agreement for the 2011 season and beyond that will work better for both the clubs and the players.

What does this mean to fans and games on the field?

Even without another agreement, NFL football will be played without threat of interruption for at least the next three seasons. The 2008 and 2009 seasons will be played with a salary cap. If there is no new agreement before the 2010 season, that season will be played without a salary cap under rules that also limit the free agency rights of the players. If not extended, the agreement would expire at the end of the 2010 league year.

We are resolved to do our best to achieve a fair agreement that will allow labor peace to continue through and beyond the 2011 season.

What are the issues?

A collective bargaining agreement has to work for both sides. If the agreement provides inadequate incentives to invest in the future, it will not work for management or labor. And, in the context of a professional sports league, if the agreement does not afford all clubs an opportunity to be competitive, the league can lose its appeal.

The NFL earns very substantial revenues. But the clubs are obligated by the CBA to spend substantially more than half their revenues – almost $4.5 billion this year alone -- on player costs. In addition, as we have explained to the union, the clubs must spend significant and growing amounts on stadium construction, operations and improvements to respond to the interests and demands of our fans. The current labor agreement does not adequately recognize the costs of generating the revenues of which the players receive the largest share; nor does the agreement recognize that those costs have increased substantially -- and at an ever increasing rate -- in recent years during a difficult economic climate in our country. As a result, under the terms of the current agreement, the clubs’ incentive to invest in the game is threatened.

There are substantial other elements of the deal that simply are not working. For example, as interpreted by the courts, the current CBA effectively prohibits the clubs from recouping bonuses paid to players who subsequently breach their player contacts or refuse to perform. That is simply irrational and unfair to both fans and players who honor their contracts. Also irrational is that in the current system some rookies are able to secure contracts that pay them more than top proven veterans.

Our objective is to fix these problems in a new CBA, one that will provide adequate incentives to grow the game, ensure the unparalleled competitive balance that has sustained our fans’ interest, and afford the players fair and increasing compensation and benefits.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Good add Canton.

That is pretty clear, and sounds oddly reasonable.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

I love football and bleed black and gold(even though I was born and raised in NJ...go figure) but could someone break this down for me as to what it will mean for the league with no cap?
will this be like baseball where if a team (like the marlins) from a small market does pull off the unthinkable and wins they will have to scrap the team and start again?

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Big loosers... Small Market Teams and Joe Ticket buyer. We all know its a leverage play by the owners to "get back control" from the player union. But in reality in the short term it could hurt small market teams like the Saints. If you ever wanted to give the NFL an excuse to move a franchise/team then this is the play. It's also a convient excuse for the owners to jack ticket prices in order to "stay competitive" in the free agency market. Don't even start on the big new stadiums needed... You'd think in an economy where the word recession is hanging in the air like an errant Rex Grossman pass the two sides could work this out easly.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

This reads like a Lawyer wrote it.

Bad news for fans everywhere.

Money, money, money, money, Mooney... MOONN'AEY

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

What it means for New Orleans is that we will end up going back to the days of 1-15, 2-14 and a good year if we get 3 wins. lol. New Oreans can't lure the big players who want major money because well New Orleans being a small market team.

Small market teams will not be able to compete day in and day out.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

I guess that means.... "There goes our chance at a dynasty".:mrgreen:x(

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Reggie would be gone in 4 years.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Well, we've still got a healthy in his prime Brees - our window of opportunity is NOW. Let's go win this Superbowl. We can do it before 2011.

MAKE IT HAPPEN.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

i really dont think that they opted out of it to completely get rid of it....or else it wouldnt have been unanimous....benson isnt dumb..he knew what he was doing when he voted to opt out of it...i think they are just looking to renegotiate it.....not get rid of it completely...im not sure exactly what they are looking to help remodel it but im sure thats what they are doing....look for a new labor contract to emerge in the 2010 season

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Well its a no brainer anything other than some type of agreement would kill competition and the league.

Of course its in everyone's best interests to get this deal done. You cancel one to get the other one in place.

Benson would have to move the Saints.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

This is ironic. Just this weekend I watched the Replacements on TNT. Ha. What a coincedence.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

I don't think it is obvious that getting rid of the salary cap is the goal - it is just a by-product. My understanding was that the major point of contention is player salaries and the enforcement of contracts.

That is, I think what we'll see is longer rookie contracts with RFA and UFA being postponed longer. Also, there will probably be a cap and revenue sharing, though the details may change. Of course, this is based on the limited information.

I don't think it is time for doom and gloom. This is why there are two more seasons of status quo - time to negotiate a new agreement. Don't forget, the owners don't get to make all the decisions; that is why there is a player's union.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Salary cap is a good thing... one of the better things that has happened to the NFL, in my opinion. It helps smaller teams become competive. Salary cap will be used still however there needs to be some adjustments. No college player should be drafted and get more money than any Vet at his position. That 'big money' should be going to the Vet.

Re: Owners Opt Out
 

Euph, we are in complete agreement.