UPDATE, 10:45 PM: The NFL and its owners have officially locked out the players, marking the league's first work stoppage since the players went on strike in 1987. Both sides seem so far apart, it's unclear when they might start talking again.� Instead both sides appear headed for a courtroom confrontation. "We are locked out," union president and former player Kevin Mawae said in a text message to the Associated Press. "We were informed today that players are no longer welcome at team facilities."�Meanwhile, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell posted a letter to NFL fans�today after the labor talks ended.
FRIDAY, 5:30 PM: Looks like NFL fans won't have to pay up for those recession-unfriendly DirecTV packages next season. Dissolving the union this afternoon after 16 days of negotiations and two extensions to the collective bargaining agreement means individual players can file antitrust lawsuits against the league to prevent an expected lockout by owners. They did, too, with 10 signing on to a class-action suit including star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. Said the former union: "The NFLPA will move forward as a professional trade association with the mission of supporting the interests and rights of current and former professional football players." The league, meanwhile, said the players left "a very good deal on the table."
If the season is shut down, football risks losing the huge ratings momentum ... Read More »
No comments:
Post a Comment