As the football spins in the drama that is the NFL labor disputes… Back in March, the NFL owners imposed a lockout on players after mediation failed. A lockout means no work, whatsoever, for the players. After this, the player’s union decertified as a means to file a suit to end the lockout. Last month, a judge ruled the owners must lift the lockout.
The draft went on as scheduled; young hopeful happy men without a clue that soon the lockout would be reinstated. Yesterday, an appellate court ruled that the owners can lockout players. “NFL Owners Win Ruling to Continue Lockout” by Matthew Futterman reports, “as a result, barring a settlement, the NFL lockout will continue through the appeals process, which could last into the summer”.
Training camps are planned in July and the season in September. The NFL stated that they hoped this new decision would lead to a more negotiations to prevent a delay of the season.
Of course, the NFL would say they hope for more negotiations; they don’t have to worry about paying players and as stated in my first post on the lockout, the owners are financially stable to survive a season cancellation. On the other hand, some players are not financially stable to handle a work-less season and with freshly drafted rookies awaiting their future, the lockout clearly gives the owners the upper hand. As before, I’m still hoping for an article detailing the potential financial impact of a cancelled season. I perceive that a cancelled season would be bad news for many major cities who receive economic benefits from home games and not to forget advertising and the niche businesses that cater to fans during the season.
Please remember the NFL is a business. I’m not a hardcore fan but I write about the disputes because it’s business news.
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