I think the lockout is coming. The owners and the players are pretty much in agreement about the 18 game schedule, the rookie wage scale and the compensation for retired players, but the owners want the split lowered to about 50%. And they are willing to give up a season or even two to get it.
I can't believe either side could be this stupid and selfish - the owners especially. They are really showing themselves to be an unscrupulous bunch. I think it would be funny if the taxpayers for these new zillion dollar football stadiums sued over it. The owners just want it all.
The 2012 draft class should be amazing if there's a lockout...a lot of juniors may stay after this year imo.
I believe that the players (right now) get like 63% of all revenue. If that is the case, then the owners are doing the right thing.
My understanding is that they feel they made a bad deal last time, that they gave up too much. They plan to correct that error. I expect that the players will balk at that big of a change (+60% down to about 50%). Reportedly the owners initial offer was 40%. I think they intend to eventually meet in the middle (between 40% and +60%). The owners seemed to have covered themselves so that their losses during a lockout would be minimal. They still get the TV money, which I believe is 60% of the NFL's revenue. They'll lose the ticket money, concessions, parking, etc, and most merchandise sales. But they also won't have any salaries and many other expenses. If salaries alone are +60% of the team's costs then the teams will probably make more money during the lockout, as long as the TV contracts are in place, than they will if they played. Obviously that's not a sustainable long term strategy, but in the short term there is some allure. And going forward the owners could feel that any loss in fan support and attendance, etc. may be easily offset by them getting +10% more of the revenue pie.
Curious, Doesn't the citizens of Green Bay own the Green Bay Packers? So right now, if i'm right they held a rally for the Owners to agree with the players?
Yes, the Packers are the only NFL franchise to be publicly owned. They don’t have an owner, they have a CEO who acts as proxy representative. Anyway, I’m not surprised that DeMaurice Smith is trying to negotiate in public. He has no leverage at the bargaining table. Crying about the mean evil owners is about the only thing he can do. He’s done it his entire career.
