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We're approaching the end of the current league year in the NFL, and if a new Collective Bargaining Agreement isn't reached by midnight March 4, the players could be locked out. Translation: We can't even show up for work. The players have suggested having a "lock-in," where we would basically hunker down in a hotel somewhere for as long as needed and hammer out a new CBA before the clock strikes midnight. We have received no response from the league about this.


What all this means is that our families will lose their health coverage, injured players will no longer get treated by our doctors and trainers, and games could be cancelled. Do I expect anyone to feel sorry for us? Absolutely not. The real issue is what's at stake for everyone involved in the business of football and the undeniable impact that a lack of football will reap. Each NFL city is expected to lose about $150,000,000. Trust me, the city of Cleveland can't afford that. And as for the city of New Orleans, whose economy is so dependent on the service industry and visitors staying in their hotels and eating in their restaurants, it's just not fair to them. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recently claimed a lockout wouldn't be all that devastating. For someone with his level of influence, that's one of the most irresponsible things I've heard yet. This is much bigger than some gripe the owners have with the players.


So what's the gripe? In a nutshell, the owners are demanding that the players play two more games each year AND take an 18% pay-cut. And when we ask why, they tell us it's none of our business. The players are willing to be reasonable about this, and if we knew the NFL had fallen on hard times and that sacrifices were a must, then that's a different story. But as we all know, the league is doing just fine. Revenues are as high as they've ever been and the fan-base is growing every year. This season, TV ratings for regular season NFL games blew the World Series out of the water. The NFL has negotiated TV deals that will pay them $4.5 billion in 2011...even if NO games are played. So when we ask them to explain how the "current economic model is broken," I think that's a pretty justifiable question.

Fujita gives player's side of potential NFL lockout | wwltv.com | WWL Sports

D_it_up

I sure hope that something is figured out and figured out fast. I think the people that will be most affected by a lockout would be the fanbase of every NFL team which in turn will have a huge affect on the franchise they support. Any sport that has went through a players strike or lockout has suffered to regain fan support in the few following years after. Jerry Jones is a complete moron if he thinks the NFL won't take hit. It will most definitely. Many fans who live and breathe football season, go to the games, and buy the licensed merchandise will not be as willing to shell out the bucks after they have been deprived of it because of the bickering between players and owners. Don't get me wrong, though. People will still attend games once they commence, but it will be a lot tougher for the NFL to win over the entire increasing amount of fans they've received every year.Like Fujita said, cities like Cleveland, New Orleans, and others will take a massive hit in tourism, service industry, many other city aspects when games are played. I don't care what has to happen, just get this thing done. No football player wants to sit. No owner wants to lose money. And last, but definitely not least, no fan wants to be without their football. I know I sure as hell don't.

niteadept

I agree with you D. No one wins and especially not us fans. Funny thing is the owners are asking of the players exactly what my job has done to me over the past 3 yrs. Only my employer didn't ask, I was told. Paycut and more hours with less help...

lynwood

There needs to be issues addressed on both sides. Rookie pay being high on my list for them to settle.

Danno

Greed versus Greed.

I'm disappointed the players are taking it to the fans.

STOP USING US AS A WEDGE!!!

Even babies raised by wolves know exactly when they've been used-Tragically Hip

lynwood

Agreed. Both sides make tons of money. Players need to do what they are paid to do and stop whining and the Owners need to stop crying about salaries cause they are the ones that allowed it to get outta control. A rookie holds out for 25 million...let him watch the games from home.

neugey

The NFL and owners have taken it too far - not only against the players but against the common joe. Unfortunately it may take a lockout to correct the system.

GeauxForMore

This is all the owners fault. If you look at other leauges the NFL player get paid less and have shorter careers. I don't blame them. I blame the 32 rich, tight wallet owners that don't want to pay the players who made them the money. They also want them to pay stadium cost too. I'm tired of fans whining to about how much they get paid. It is what it is. Look at CEO's. Come on. If fans had the talent to get paid to play they would. Get over it.

Crusader

I think its the player fault. The owners runs a business and every business is expecting a fair return on investment. With so many teams building new stadiums or renovating old ones the money has to come from somewhere. Why do you think the state of Louisiana has to pay Benson? The players are very well compensated, all of them, there are a lot of high risk jobs that pays a lot less.

xan

I don't mean to sound all economisty and such, but Football, in of itself, is not a great source of GDP. We vastly overvalue passive entertainment and undervalue our own participation in physical activities. If it takes a lockout to realign salaries to reflect the real world and not some imaginary land where holding a ball and hitting each other with pads entitles one to outrageous compensation, I'm all for it. If the effect of the activity is transient, it should have marginal value. If the effect is long lived, then there should be greater value. The NFL is the 21st century Tulip.

Calvin: "I wish I was a Tiger."
Hobbes: "Common lament."