Lockout, decertification leave NFL in limbo (at midnight, the owners locked out the players)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By HOWARD FENDRICH

WASHINGTON (AP) - All along, the NFL said it was certain the players' union would decertify and head to court.

All along, the union insisted the league's owners were planning to lock out the players.

And that's exactly what happened.

Unable to decide how to divvy up $9 billion a year, NFL owners and players put the country's most popular sport in limbo Friday by breaking off labor negotiations hours before their contract expired.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20110312/D9LTJO680.html

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Former NFL players Ernie Conwell, left, Don Davis, Jason Belser leave after negotiations with the NFL involving a federal mediator broke down without an agreement Friday, March 11, 2011 in Washington.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

[SkyDaddy7]

1. From what I had read earlier was...

The players were willing to give the owners what they wanted off the top if the owners would open their books to show not only that they needed it for what they claimed but going forward that the money was being used for that. I think the owners say they need the money for stadium keep up.

Anyone else that knows more please respond...I am spoiled after 15yrs of Fantasy Football it would suck to miss next season!

[underpants]

4. They want to see the books because the two sides use different accounting models

The players typically want to account on a cash basis - how much CASH did you take in (that is not much of a mistery) and how much did you pay out (that is a mystery) THIS YEAR

The owners use an accrual basis. Not just cash out but also liabilities - for instance Troy Aikman and Rodney Harrison are probably still being paid by their former teams in some way. Accrual is how 90% of businesses do accounting.

[SkyDaddy7]

6. OK, thanks...

So, who do you think is being reasonable & who is the problem.

Or are they both being hard headed?

[underpants]

9. I think that the current personnel rate is 60% of revenue

I am not sure how that relates to most other industries.

I support the NFLPA mostly because they are the talent that fuels the league, they are labor, and the owners get hand outs by localities for stadiums (that never pay off for the localities) and TV networks who use our airways to make money.

[SkyDaddy7]

16. YES! You described exactly the way I see it as well!

The bottom line is we do not pay to see Jerry Jones run down the field & catch TD passes!! LOL!

[underpants]

20. I found it. It was 60% of football revenue. They offered 50% of TOTAL revenue

“Football” revenue is a collection of certain revenue streams, but it also exempts some sources of revenue from the Salary Cap calculation.

Recently, there has been a lot of talk that the NFLPA has agreed to reduce their percentage of “revenue” from close to 60% down to 50%. This has been seen by many as a major concession by the NFLPA and has garnered the player’s association a decent amount of positive PR; however, it is a gross oversimplification of what the NFLPA is actually offering.

In reality, the NFLPA’s offer isn’t really a reduction at all. What the NFLPA has offered is to accept 50% of the “total” revenue of the league, instead of taking the 60% of the “football” revenue that it has been receiving under the present CBA. What this amounts to is essentially a preservation of the status quo.

To illustrate, if, for example, the “football” revenue is $10B, then under the expiring CBA, the players were entitled to $6B of that (60% of $10B). But, if the “total” revenue is $12B, then under the NFLPA’s proposal, they would end up getting the same $6B (50% of $12B).

http://www.ravens24x7.com/columns/The-Money-Clip-Baltimore-Ravens-Salary-Cap-Analysis/NFLPA-gamesmanship-irks-owners

[Fuddnik]

2. Screw 'em all.

It will save me a lot of pain and suffering, watching the Browns get their asses handed to them week after week, year after year.

If I need a new excuse to drink and swear on Sundays, I'll play golf.

[Gman]

5. +1

[neoralme]

3. I stopped watching all professional sports almost twenty years

ago now. When anything turns predominantly about money, I'm gone.

[SkyDaddy7]

7. Seriously, then what do you do...

as everything is about money!

[bahrbearian]

11. Everything is about Money? Really

You may need to spend your Sundays in the back yard.

[SkyDaddy7]

17. I used to before I got hurt but...

I still had to spend money on landscape materials, BBQ, don't have a pool but that would cost money as well, etc., I get your point though.

My case is a bit different now...I had a spinal cord injury that wrecked everything to say the least but I have neuropathic pain that is hard to describe...But anyway I can't be in a breeze or the sunlight as both hurt. I actually keep a few soft blankets over my legs to keep the ceiling fan breeze from bothering me.

So, I am really a slave to the internet, TV, books & NFL which is the only sport I watch on a regular basis. And that is because I play fantasy football. If you have never played it it is FUN!

But really you can't really knock the NFL Players wanting to be paid if they are dedicating their lives to the sport...And folks want to see them play. Well, you can but I don't think it is fair. They have a product people want.

[neoralme]

19. Money is a necessary medium of exchange. I understand that. But

the amount of money professional athletes make in contrast to nurses, doctors, school teachers, etc, is ignominious. And the perpetual whining of these athletes is more than I can stomach. I use my time to help diabetics. I make very little money doing so, but it gives me peace. To each his own.

[Gman]

8. I couldn't care less about the NFL

the football is bland and repetitious. No one takes a chance anymore and makes the game exciting.

[glinda]

10. I like football. I think the players should play in open fields and leave the owners.

[bahrbearian]

13. Professional Sand Lot Football

[Gman]

15. I could go for that

just like politics. Get the money out of it.

[former9thward]

18. Who would pay the players in these 'open lots' ?

[glinda]

21. Sell tickets to attend.

[former9thward]

22. So a few dozen people would pay salaries for dozens of players on both sides.

They would be working for less than minimum wage. And if they played at NFL standards they would be putting their health and safety for no benefits. But at least you would be entertained.

[glinda]

23. Guess so. Then again, they would get pretty much all of the money from a few hundred attendees.

[iandhr]

12. A pox on both their houses.

[gtar100]

14. I hope the player's union stays strong. All teams should be like Green Bay.