Steely Dan Posted May 20, 2009 Share Posted May 20, 2009 Sporting News NFL, players to begin CBA talks next month FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- Talks on a new collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the players union are expected to begin next month, with an eye on avoiding a lockout that could disrupt the 2011 season. Jeff Pash, the NFL's executive vice president and general counsel, said Tuesday at the NFL meetings he believes both the league and new NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith have laid "a good groundwork for these discussions to begin," but stopped short of saying how long they may take. "We'll stay at it for as long as it takes," Pash said. NFL owners opted out of the collective bargaining agreement last year, meaning there could be a labor-related stoppage if a new deal isn't struck for the 2011 season. Combined with the global economic downturn and the chance of a longer NFL schedule, it seems possible talks between the league and union could be, at best, contentious. "The right place to start is a place where the players understand why the owners opted out," Smith said. "We all know that the players didn't opt out of this deal. We do know the NFL generated in excess of $8 billion last year. We know that the average team has grown by 400 percent in 10 years. ... What we don't understand is what is wrong with the current deal when those facts exist." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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