CBA Progress (or Lack thereof)

[CRedskinsRule]

One of the biggest storylines over the next month and a half will be what progress, if any, is reached in the CBA negotiations. Will they have any chance of avoiding an uncapped year? A lockout next year?

Well, NYG owner Mara has made the first public statement of an owner, and it is not a very positive one:

Giants’ John Mara Cites Lack of Progress in Labor Talks - NYTimes.com

Mara said he still had hope that a lockout could be averted.

“I don’t think we’re making any progress,” Mara said in a telephone interview. “We made a proposal in early November. I don’t think we’ve received a meaningful counterproposal. The point that we try to make to them is that the costs and risks are much greater than they ever have been. Especially in this economy. I don’t think there has been enough of a recognition on their part of that concept.”

Mara added, “They want a deal that is equal to or better than the existing one, and that is not acceptable to us.”

According to the article the owners are also talking about a rookie salary cap that could be effective as early as this draft. (for what it's worth, the NFLPA president is on record as saying that is an issue for the owners, not a CBA negotiated fact, but that doesn't mean they want that money going anywhere other than players.)

From the article, uncapped seems inevitable, a lockout a very real possibility.

[tryfuhl]

ugh.. neither side can ever be satisfied.. a lockout would really suck

[Zerohero]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

ugh.. neither side can ever be satisfied.. a lockout would really suck

We have our best years during strikes and lockouts, bring it on.

[Dirtbag59]

Ask the MLB and NHL how well their lockouts went.

[sportscurmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

Ask the MLB and NHL how well their lockouts went.

Actually don't ask. MLB's revenues now are the highest they have ever been - - and approach those of the NFL. Today, the majority of NHL teams are profitable and that was certainly not the case before the season-long lockout.


The sad reality is that both of those lockouts helped the economics of MLB and the NHL far more than they hurt the economics.


Pissed off fans vent and holler but they don't stay pissed off. They come back and spend their money.

[Rajmahal33]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

Actually don't ask. MLB's revenues now are the highest they have ever been - - and approach those of the NFL. Today, the majority of NHL teams are profitable and that was certainly not the case before the season-long lockout.


The sad reality is that both of those lockouts helped the economics of MLB and the NHL far more than they hurt the economics.


Pissed off fans vent and holler but they don't stay pissed off. They come back and spend their money.

I don't think the lockout in MLB should be given as much credit as you are giving it. I think raised ticketing and merchandising prices are mainly to credit for the league raising revenue.

Here's some food for thought (doesn't exactly support or refute your point) but it shows how player's salaries affect the league's profit margin. It may not be how most of us thought it would be:
Sporting News - Your expert source for MLB Baseball, NFL Football, NBA Basketball, NHL Hockey, NCAA Football, NCAA Basketball and Fantasy Sports scores, blogs, and articles

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

Actually don't ask. MLB's revenues now are the highest they have ever been - - and approach those of the NFL. Today, the majority of NHL teams are profitable and that was certainly not the case before the season-long lockout.


The sad reality is that both of those lockouts helped the economics of MLB and the NHL far more than they hurt the economics.


Pissed off fans vent and holler but they don't stay pissed off. They come back and spend their money.

I'm just one guy but I have forgiven neither baseball nor the NHL. They haven't seen a penny from me since they disgusted me. Their problems made me more of a soccer and lacrosse fan.

[Redskin301]

What is a lockout No season in 2011

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by Redskin301

What is a lockout No season in 2011

A lockout means that the owners do not allow the players to come to work. This is unfortunately going to happen in 2011 but I seriously doubt there will be no football in 2011.

A more likely scenario is the owners lock the players out in the offseason which will linger until mid summer and push back the start of the '11 football season (maybe a 14 game season rather than 16 games).

The owners and players have far too much to lose and don't want to screw up the best thing going in sports today with an in season work stoppage.

[53Fan]

I think it would be in the players best interest to make concessions. They are not going to bring the NFL to their knees IMO and with their salaries they won't get any public support. Baseball was hit bigtime with this sort of thing and the players were portrayed as ungrateful, money-hungry prima-donnas. They may have some legitimate gripes but you don't want to kill the goose that layed the golden egg. In this economy it's hard to feel for players (especially rookies) who are guaranteed millions of dollars, no matter what the conditions.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

I think it would be in the players best interest to make concessions. They are not going to bring the NFL to their knees IMO and with their salaries they won't get any public support. Baseball was hit bigtime with this sort of thing and the players were portrayed as ungrateful, money-hungry prima-donnas. They may have some legitimate gripes but you don't want to kill the goose that layed the golden egg. In this economy it's hard to feel for players (especially rookies) who are guaranteed millions of dollars, no matter what the conditions.

The ironic thing is that the general public will often show sympathy for billionaires (the owners) over the millionaires (players) by calling the players selfish, greedy, etc.. In no other industry does public perception favor management/ownership over labor so greatly.

[MTK]

These things always come down to the last minute.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

These things always come down to the last minute.

Exactly. There is nothing to worry about YET. Once they missed the last deadline and it rolled into another contract year with a deadline 12 months away, their negotiating intensity died down. They'll make a deal when time is nearly up, it's a tactic both sides use to put pressure on the other side.

There's no real benefit for them to make a deal now, other than simply to get it done. They want to use the time left to their advantage and that only comes into play near the deadline.

[Longtimefan]

It's going to take a great deal of compromise but I believe a deal will get done in time to avert a lock-out to the 2011 season. For sure the owners are not content with the deal that's in place now, and for the PU to demand even more concessions is going to present a difficult challenge.

Upshaw was a tough negotiator, his experience now being absent from the process will be an issue most players don't have the knowledge of being without. We'll get a glimpse of the kind of negotiator the new Union boss is going to ultimately be.

[skinsfan69]

I remember this non sense back in the 80's and it really sucked. Watching those replacement games was just awful and having no football was worse. Although I'll never forget that Monday night against Dallas where Gibbs had Tony Robinson running the option and we beat a Dallas team that had many players cross the picket line. Anyone out there remember that? They carried Gibbs off the field....that was great stuff and one of the best coaching jobs I've ever seen. I don't know which side is being greedy but to me the players really don't have the upper hand here. Playing 18 games is the worst idea I've heard and putting in a rookie salary cap is the best idea I've heard.