The National Football League is in the middle of a labor dispute and a four-month-old lock out, but team owners and current players work to resolve issues before the league's schedule begins. Here is what we know!
NFL labor negotiations are still in full swing, even though the league is rapidly approaching its 2011 preseason. The NFL has been in the middle of a labor dispute for some time now and the league is working to successfully negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement between team owners and the NFL Players Association.
The goal of the NFL labor talks is to bring a four-month-old NFL lock out to an end before the league's schedule begins. The major issue between the parties in the labor dispute is how to divide the multi-billion dollar revenues ($9.3 billion last year). Other issues, such as a rookie wage scale, benefits for retired players, and player health and safety could fall in line quickly once the revenue issue is resolved.
Roger S. Goodell is the commissioner of the National Football League and his responsibility in the labor negotiations is to make sure an agreement is reached between the owners and players. Goddell has worked for the NFL since 1982, when he began his career as an administrative intern in the office of then-commissioner Pete Rozelle. He has been involved in previous collective bargaining agreement negotiations, as well as in league expansion, realignment, stadium development, and television agreements.
To date, some of the team owners who have attended the labor talks are John Mara of the New York Giants, Jerry Richardson of the Carolina Panthers, Clark Hunt of the Kansas City Chiefs, Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots, Jim Irsay of the Indianapolis Colts, and Dean Spanos of the San Diego Chargers.
DeMaurice Smith is the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA). Smith was elected unanimously by a board of active player representatives in 2009. Prior to his election, he was a trial lawyer and litigation partner in Washington, DC law firms, where he represented Fortune 500 companies in criminal and complex civil cases, compliance matters, and internal investigations.
Also, the NFL is currently in the middle of a lawsuit with retired players in federal court in Chicago. Resolution in this case could result in the retired players breaking from the current players as related to the long-term benefits for the players who made this game great.
select one here...