America's Game: Locked & Loaded!

It's time to Break It Down!

The 2011 Super Bowl; in the vault, this year’s Pro Bowl; history; the National Football League (NFL) Draft, source for new talent; right around the corner, yet, for now, the topic uppermost on the minds of football fans across the nation and around the world is “The Lockout.” While college Basketball owns the rights to the term March Madness, Trademarked, I’m sure, NFL owners and players may want to at least borrow the moniker until they can resolve their current impasse. Talk about killing the goose that laid the golden egg, nothing screams insanity more than a work stoppage in America’s Game.

In full disclosure, it is important for me to say, I am neither an avid, nor knowledgeable football fan. Having put that in the forefront, please know that it’s possible my opinion will be devoid of what you may consider fundamental understanding of the game and its infrastructure. I own that caveat and invite you, as always, to feel free to share you own point of view in the comments section of the blog.

At the core, this is a disagreement between NFL owners and NFL players. The source of the disagreement is revenue sharing. Briefly stated, there is a $9 Billion pool of money that will be split, ultimately, between the 32 Franchise owners and the players.

There are two basic premises that punctuate the respective positions of each side. The owners, citing reduced profitability, have asked the players to accept a decrease in their share of the revenue pot, dropping back to 2009 levels. The players, in turn, have asked the owners to open their books...completely.

Now there are certainly other points of contention, but those represent the stakes in the ground. The owners contend they have offered compromises that would permit the players to see records for the past 5 years, and argue that the players have declined, refused to compromise, and have not bargained in good faith. The players counter the owners have been planning a Lockout all along, and have borrowed and/or saved to ensure that they have a contingency fund that will sustain their organizations through a 2011 Work Stoppage.

In their finer moments, both the owners and players have accused the other side of lying. It goes down hill after that. This past Friday, the National Football League Players’ Association (NFLPA) decertified. That action resulted in the organization ceasing to operate as a union, and enabled players to sue the owners. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expired midnight Friday; the owners locked out the players Saturday, marking the first NFL work stoppage since 1987. The players have asked for an injunction against the lockout. A hearing to consider this request has been scheduled for April 6th in Minneapolis. It is anticipated injunctive relief will be granted, which means the doors would be opened, and teams would operate by 2010 rules.

In the interim, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is investigating a charge by the NFL that the NFLPA decertification is a sham, merely designed to delay negotiations. If the NLRB finds for the NFL, it could still take action against the NFLPA, despite its decertification.

Meanwhile, in addition to the compromise on opening the teams’ books, the owners’ offer included:

• Maintaining the 16 regular-season games and four preseason games for at least two years, with any switch to 18 games down the road being negotiable.

• Instituting a rookie wage scale through which money saved would be paid to veterans and retired players.

• Creating new year-round health and safety rules.

• Establishing a fund for retired players, with $82 million contributed by the owners over the next two years.

• Financial disclosure of audited profitability information that is not even shared with NFL clubs. That was proposed by the NFL last week, and rejected by the union, which began insisting in May 2009 on a complete look at the books of each of the 32 clubs.

Many fans and a multitude of casual observers have characterized this tête-à-tête as a classic battle between billionaires and millionaires. Particularly in the midst of an environment dominated by employee dislocation, and economic turmoil, it is difficult to muster the energy or emotional traction to take sides in this seemingly senseless battle. Fans are hard pressed to stay engaged, while the non-vested have already embraced firmly the Rhett Butler position; “Frankly, my dear, I don’t…”

I don’t know any NFL owners, and only a few players and former players.  I have not had the occasion to discuss the state of the game recently, with any of the players I know. However, in formulating my best estimation, I believe there will be football in 2011. It’s a shame it appears litigation rather than negotiation will be required to make that assessment a reality. Why has it come to this? In my humble opinion, “America’s Game: Locked & Loaded,” is the scenario we are faced with because:

1. The owners are so loaded, they can afford a season without football, and absorb the economic consequences

2. The players are so locked into their position, they are willing to go all out to make their points, which seem to be:

a. the owners are so loaded, they can afford a season without football, and absorb the economic consequences

b. If the owners are that well off, they do not need the money they are trying to take off the table

In summary, this is a clash of Titans. The interests, investment, and enjoyment of fans appear to be secondary considerations…if that high. Fans should take stock; not just fans of the grid iron. It is worth noting that 2011 has the potential to be the year of the CBA Triple Crown, as the Agreements for Basketball and Baseball also expire this year. You may want to consider installing seat belts on your couch; it could be a bumpy sports year.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_NFL_franchise_owners

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_League_Players_Association

http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2011/03/21/110321ta_talk_surowiecki

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6215282

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/11/n-f-l-lockout-q-a/

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6215317

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-lockout-new-collective-bargaining-agreement-players-league-031211

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-lockout-new-collective-bargaining-agreement-players-league-031211

http://www.nfllockout.com/

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nfl_housing_plan_owners_get_the_keys_fans_get_the_bills/2011/03/15/ABVOyCY_story.html?wprss=rss_homepage

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/11/nfl-lockout-nearly-certain-union-decertifies_n_834772.html

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/03/11/2131076/nfl-players-face-expiration-of.html

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6205936