NFL Labor Negotiations Back On, Deal Close

[Kaiser Toro]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030500255.html

The NFL's labor negotiations took a dramatic turn overnight. After the talks faltered yesterday, representatives of the team owners and the players' union agreed to resume negotiations, and participants said the two sides were close to completing a deal.

Gene Upshaw, the executive director of the NFL Players Association, said via e-mail early this morning that the parties had scheduled another meeting in New York and were "now in the area where we will get a deal. I think it may be there. It comes down to a few final points."

[F-minus67]

why do I doubt that there will be a deal done today? I mean one would be awesome but both side have seemed to be close for the past week.

[cap1]

I just hope they can get together on something. It is just crappy that they can't get the deal done when they have been working for the past 18 months.

[TexasJedi]

I wonder if that means the owners came to an agreement on revenue sharing. Otherwise I don't know why they would be so eager to resume negotiations with the players on a new CBA.

[mancunian]

Originally Posted by TexasJedi

I wonder if that means the owners came to an agreement on revenue sharing. Otherwise I don't know why they would be so eager to resume negotiations with the players on a new CBA.

Gene Upshaw had said earlier this week that part of the problem was that the owners couldn't come to agreement on revenue sharing and that has to be done first.

[Errant Hothy]

Originally Posted by mancunian

Gene Upshaw had said earlier this week that part of the problem was that the owners couldn't come to agreement on revenue sharing and that has to be done first.

I, nor apperantly some of the players, trust Upshaw as far as we can throw him.

There are issues within both camps, with the owners already offering more concessions then the players.

[aj.]

Originally Posted by mancunian

Gene Upshaw had said earlier this week that part of the problem was that the owners couldn't come to agreement on revenue sharing and that has to be done first.

Just like some owners have said that one doesn't have to be done before the other - as long as they both get done. -- but that doesn't seem to be real considering the more recent news.

Sunday afternoon: Owners offer 59% but 24 of 32 would have to ratify a new agreement. The league year start could be delayed again by a few days. High revenue owners could still block the agreement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...030500255.html

[HoustonFan]

Someone let me know which big market last won a Superbowl. Because to an extent I can see where some are coming from. For example, I like the Cowboys and all, but I hate that I see their merchandise alot here in Houston, and hardly see any Texans merchandise when I go to Dallas. You're selling your team's merchandise in my market? You're damn right I want a piece of the action.

Suely it's much bigger than that. But I think that so long as each team has the NFL logo that it's fair to share the wealth..

[aj.]

Houston is a high revenue franchise and New England is an example of a big market franchise that recently won a bunch of SBs.

[nunusguy]

Just caught the latest on ESPN, and they said that things looked encouraging midday, but right now there's pessimism again and they are talking about
it going to be very challenging to get things turned around before the midnight deadline. And apparently the High and Low Rev teams are still out
of sync. Its beyond me how the Low-Rev teams can be so bull-headed,
because if the cap goes away, they (Low-Rev teams), are gonna get slaughtered in FA, and that will include the rookies coming out of college.

[houstonhurricane]

nun,

I totally agree with your analysis. Why would the Bengals, Jags, etc. risk turning the NFL into a capless wonderland? They will struggle to compete in the long-tem. This will be a very interesting four hours...

[aj.]

Originally Posted by houstonhurricane

Why would the Bengals, Jags, etc. risk turning the NFL into a capless wonderland? They will struggle to compete in the long-tem. This will be a very interesting four hours...

Not that you asked me but the Bengals made it to the SB twice before there was a salary cap in the NFL.

[texasguy346]

Labor talks between NFL owners and the players' union have broken off without an agreement, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports. Representatives of the players' union walked out of negotiations Sunday evening, believing that an agreement with owners cannot be made.

"They're off," NFL vice president Joe Browne said after a day of bargaining that seemed to provide hope for an agreement.

...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2355190

[chuckm]

profootballtalk.com is reporting that talks will resume at 7:30 our time ....

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

[edo783]

Maybe they just took a dinner & Martini break so they could talk amongst themselves? If these m@@r@ns keep working at it, they will really screw it up.