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Blog covering the upcoming NFL CBA negotiations

September 15, 2009 • 3:31 pm 0

Goodell Fines Jones for Breaking Gag Rules

There’s been a bunch of news on the CBA front since I’ve last posted, but I’ve been a little busy.  But in this quick post, I want to highlight a troubling development that I’m sure you’ve seen if you watched the games this weekend: the commissioner’s office is punishing those owners who speak to the media in way that it disapproves.

Without confirming a six-figure fine by the NFL, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones did confirm Sunday that commissioner Roger Goodell frowned upon Jones breaking the league’s gag order 10 days ago when he said the league’s revenue-sharing era is on life support.

Jones’ reaction to league’s reaction? “So be it.”

“The league and I won’t be confirming that [the fine] one way or the other,” Jones said. “My comments were to help out Minnesota in such a way to get some energy up there to possibly get some help on building a stadium. So, the fact that that type of subject matter can get over into the labor thing shows how they’re intertwined. So if I crossed the line, so be it.”

Before the Cowboys’ preseason finale at Minnesota on Sept. 4, Jones spoke to a Minneapolis reporter about the need for public support of a new stadium there and said, “Right now, we are subsidizing this market. It’s unthinkable to think that the market you’ve got here, with 3.5 million people, and have teams like Kansas City and Green Bay subsidizing this market. That will stop. That’s going to stop. That’s called revenue sharing. That’s on its way out

Owners and team executives are under a gag order from discussion pending labor issues. The league’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires in 2010, and revenue sharing is a contentious issue among owners.

You’ll note that no other owner who has spoken to the media about the CBA process or NFL business issues has been fined — it’s because they’ve been towing the party line.  I think those journalists with access should be chipping away at this fault line to get to the heart of the matter.

Also, this punishment clearly shows (as if it wasn’t already apparent), that decertification by the union could bring the league a major antitrust headache.

Filed under: Roger Goodell, antitrust

September 9, 2009 • 12:46 pm 0

The NFLPA Refrain: Open The Books

DeMaurice Smith takes to the media again (USA Today this time) with a plea for the NFL to make its first proposal and to justify its claims that NFL teams are losing money:

“The time was ripe two months ago,” Smith said of the minimal progress on CBA talks during an hour-long interview at union headquarters. “We’re still waiting for the first proposal from the NFL.”

…

“It takes two people to negotiate. I’m hoping they will respect the process and begin negotiating. I’m willing and able to meet anytime.”

Smith, who has spent extensive time visiting players across the league since taking office . . . said he is seeking to understand why league owners opted out of the CBA. He points to the $8 billion in league revenue last year and contentions that no NFL teams are losing money as reasons the deal works. When owners opted out, several cited rising costs as an overriding factor, including capital for new stadiums

“Saying that stadium costs means that we need to change the CBA ignores the fact that the players have been a part of the stadium growth over the last decade,” Smith said.

“And if there is an economic reason to change the CBA, why not turn over the audited financial statements and we’ll find out if the owners are hurting?”

…

“The league is making a determination of how much information I need,” said Smith, who had lunch with Goodell last week. “Philosophically, that starts off in a bizarre place.”

…

“If the information the league provides is so detailed and complete, how much did all of the teams make in profit last year?” Smith said. “Is it a question of whether the players need to give back? Or is it that the owners need to make more money?

“Which is it?”

Filed under: DeMaurice Smith, NFL revenue, Roger Goodell ,

• 8:36 am 0

Roger & You: Chatting with the Commish

Earlier today Roger Goodell waded through some of the 6,000 questions that were submitted for his pre-season chat on NFL.com.  Among the surprises, it turns out that the commissioner “can’t wait” for the beginning of the season and thinks that “its important to recognize the tradition and history of our game.”  But he take on a number of good questions concerning the CBA.  Here are the relevant answers:

Extended Schedule. When will there be less pre season games & more regular season games?

Goodell:  [A]s you may know, we have discussed restructuring our 20-game season from its current format of 4 preseason games and 16 regular-season games to possibly 18 regular-season and 2 preseason games. I’ve heard consistently from NFL fans that they don’t believe the preseason games are up to NFL standards. I agree. We are discussing changing this with our partners, including the players.

State of the CBA Negotiations. Hello,Commissioner Goodell! What can you tell me about the current labor situation and when will the players and owners meet again for negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement? Like many other big NFL fans,I hope there’s football in 2011 and beyond.Thank you very much!

Goodell: [W]e just started a formal negotiation with the NFLPA this past summer. We have a lot of work to do, but we recognize we need to get the CBA negotiated in a way that will allow our game to continue to grow.  We don’t want to stop football from being played and are hopeful that negotiations will result in bringing you more football.

Rookie Salary Cap. Commissioner, how important do you think it is to implement a rookie wage scale?

Goodell: I have been on record as saying the rookie wage scale is good for veteran players and the game. Money should go to the players who have proven their success on the NFL field. I expect this will be one of the issues that will be addressed in the CBA.

Commish’s Goals. As Commissioner, what are your top 3 business objectives for the NFL master franchise over the course of the next 5-10 years?

Goodell: Our focus will be continuing to have 32 strong teams with a new CBA that works for both players and owners and continues to grow the game. Additionally, we hope to find new and innovative ways to bring more football to our fans, including on new technology like we’re doing with the RedZone this season.

Suspensions. How do you go about deciding the length of a players suspension? What is the process that u go through[?]

Goodell: [T]his is an important part of my job, but fortunately a small part of it. The first step is to make sure you understand all the facts and provide each individual player with due process, including a full hearing. You want everyone in the NFL to understand the standards and privilege of being part of the NFL. If we engage in mistakes that reflect poorly on the NFL shield, there must be consequences consistently applied. We see positive signs that this is having an impact in reduced incidents.

End of the Salary Cap: Commissioner, could you explain what would happen in an uncapped year? Thanks.

Goodell: [T]here are a number of rules in place if we move into an uncapped year for the 2010 season. For example, eligibility for free agency would go from four years to six years, there are restrictions on the final eight playoff teams signing free agents, and each team gets an additional transitional tag along with a franchise tag. The rules during an uncapped year are designed to keep our competitive balance. The clubs are prepared for this outcome and I don’t think it will affect the quality of the game on the field.

Advice for the Commish?: There is no handbook to follow on how to be a comissioner, so what person/persons and/or things help guide you in your daily decisions?

Goodell: [Y]ou’re right — there is no handbook. You are faced with a variety of issues and challenges. My best advice is that you get all the facts by talking to a wide range of people. You can never think you have all the answers and normally your decisions will result in a number of people who disgree with you. You just try to do what you think is right for the game regardless of the consequences.

Development of Future NFL Players: With the closure of NFL Europe and the collapse of the Arena League, it seems like there is a large void in the development of players that don’t fill the immediate need of the current 53 man roster. Is the NFL looking into expanding the practice squads or developing a development league like the NBA?

Goodell: As part of our discussions on a restructured season, we have discussed offseason training, the possibility of a developmental league and additional roster positions, including practice squad. The development of players, coaches and officials will be important as we continue to grow the league.

———

It was a good chat.  Kudos to the commish for taking the time to answer the questions.  Hopefully the NFLPA will go on the record in a similar sort of chat.

Filed under: Roger Goodell, extended schedule, personal conduct policy, restricted free agency, rookie salary cap, salary cap ,

September 4, 2009 • 2:50 pm 0

NFL ALSO Flush with Cash for Fight

It’s not only the NFLPA who’s saving up.  We’ve only mentioned it briefly before, but Michael Silver over at Yahoo Sports notes that the renegotiated television deals with FOX, CBS, and NBC, will keep the league floating (on golden clouds) throughout any labor lockout or strike.

In negotiating two-year extensions with FOX, CBS and NBC through the 2013 season – and with NFL Sunday Ticket provider DirecTV through 2014 – [Bob] Kraft and [Roger] Goodell successfully manipulated the deals to give the league a serious edge in its impending labor fight with the NFLPA.

According to terms of the extensions, if there’s no new collective bargaining agreement after the 2010 season and the owners, as expected, lock out the players, the lucrative weekly checks from the networks that are the league’s lifeblood will still keep streaming in as scheduled throughout what would have been the 2011 campaign.

This wouldn’t be money for nothing; for each week without football, the networks would receive a credit toward a free week in a future season. But the ability to sustain a large share of their usual cash flow will be an enormous benefit for the owners as they try to get the players – who’ll presumably have a much lower percentage of their normal income flowing in – to blink first in the standoff.

Filed under: NFL revenue, Roger Goodell

September 3, 2009 • 5:14 pm 0

Goodell: Strong Possibility of Uncapped Year

From Bob Glauber of Newsday:

Goodell says there is a strong possibility of an uncapped year in 2010. “Progress at this stage has been minimal [on CBA extension].”

Filed under: Roger Goodell

• 4:43 pm 0

Brace Yourself for Fawning Tomorrow

According to Sam Farmer of the LA Times, Goodell is currently holding a meeting with national sportswriters.  You remember Farmer’s last hard-hitting piece on the Commissioner?

I called Goodell on Monday to ask whether this was really the year to take a voluntary $2-million pay cut, what with the job being more demanding now than ever.

Filed under: Roger Goodell ,

• 4:21 pm 0

NFLPA Lockout Summit

DeMaurice Smith and the NFLPA have seen the writing on the wall and are digging in already.  From the NFLPA website yesterday:

NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith met Wednesday with a group of economists, lawyers and business advisors at NFLPA headquarters to discuss strategies for countering a potential lockout by the NFL owners.

Since March 2009, there have been only two formal negotiating sessions. Smith and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell briefly met over lunch Tuesday in Washington, D.C. after the Commissioner paid a visit to Redskins Park in Ashburn, Va.

According to the Washington Post’s coverage of Tuesday’s visit, Goodell said, “We’re communicating, we’re trying to get information to the union leadership, make sure they understand the challenges we’re facing as a system and as a business. And make sure they understand that so we can design a system that addresses the issues for the players, the coaches and the game.”

When Goodell’s comment in Wednesday’s newspaper was raised during the morning’s strategy meeting, Smith reminded NFLPLAYERS.COM that numerous written and public requests have been made for precisely that information, including profit and loss figures, details of television contracts and, above all, a formal proposal to negotiate a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

“If they need to use our copy machines or printers to get us this information,” Smith said, “the door to our office is always open.”

It’s on.

Filed under: NFL revenue, NFLPA, Roger Goodell ,

• 8:38 am 0

Goodell’s Gag Order (Unless It’s Positive for the League)

Last week, the Sporting News had an article about the CBA negotiations, quoting lead negotiator, Pat Bowlen, as saying he was optimistic a deal could be reached by March 2010.  He thought the talks would pick up once the season started.  But, the Sporting News also spoke with two other NFL officials whose outlooks were not so rosy:

[T]wo senior NFL sources at the meeting said the league found it difficult to engage with the union during the two negotiating sessions that occurred this summer because representatives on the players’ side, in response to what these sources said were issues presented by the league, kept responding that they did not understand why the owners disliked the deal.

The sources, citing commissioner Roger Goodell’s gag order against discussing the CBA, declined to be identified, but both disagreed with Bowlen’s sentiment that a deal could be struck by March.

The article details the other big issue that has been raised publicly: the secrecy of the league’s finances.

Smith has insisted the league open its books before the union can truly judge the financial health of the teams. Goodell by contrast has said all revenue information already is shared with the union and the historical practice of not opening the books has served the sport well . . . .  [Depsite the league's complaints that the teams' profit margins are shrinking, Smith] points to healthy operating results reported by the Green Bay Packers, the only team that publicly discloses its financials, as evidence that the NFL is far from financial distress.

Not that the NFLPA hasn’t been represented by lawyers before in these negotiations, but it strikes me that the new NFLPA executive director is not a former player, but fully-fledged lawyer who won’t just sit down and discuss whatever issues the NFL thinks are important. He wants the league to put its proposal on the table and work down to details from a framework.  Interesting.

Filed under: NFL revenue, NFLPA, Roger Goodell , , , , ,

September 2, 2009 • 8:44 am 0

Goodell: Step Forward, Step Back

Roger Goodell spoke with Jason Reid of the Washington Post during his visit to Redskins Park.  He addressed a few issues related to the CBA.

On the negotiations:

“I think everybody in the NFL wants to play,” Goodell told reporters this morning. “The owners want to play, the players want to play. It’s our job to get a deal. It’s why I keep saying a lockout is not a strategy or an objective. What we want to do is get an agreement that works for the players, the coaches and the game, allows us to continue to grow it. There’s not a lot of rhetoric that’s needed. We need to sit down at the table and try to get those issues resolved.”

…

“Any time you’re in negotiations, you take a step forward and maybe a step back,” Goodell said. “We’re communicating, we’re trying to get information to the union leadership, make sure they understand the challenges we’re facing as a system and as a business. And make they sure they understand that so we can design a system that addresses the issues for the players, the coaches and the game.”

“When we get an outcome, I don’t know. What we’re looking for is the right outcome.”

Reid reports that Goodell is planning on meeting with NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith while he’s in Washington.

On the personal conduct policy:

“When we developed a personal conduct policy, we did it with player input. I met with well over 150 players, worked with Gene Upshaw [the NFLPA executive director who died in August 2008] to create the policy, and it was something players really wanted, for exactly the point you’re making: we’re good people; a few people are giving us a bad reputation. And I don’t think that’s right.

“I’m proud of what our players do, both on and off the field. I think we have a bunch of great guys. It’s one of the things I hear consistently from coaches and when I spend time in the locker room: these are great young men.”

I’ll note, once again, that the sports journalists are very much on Goodell’s side when it comes to the personal conduct policy.  Reid’s characterization of the policy to Goodell? “a few bad apples spoiling the bunch.”  Is that really the issue?  Isn’t it the problem of judge/jury/executioner? Goodell as the first, last, and only reviewer of this policy? There’s a process issue here.

He’s got some more quotes from the commissioner in there, too.

Filed under: Roger Goodell, extended schedule, personal conduct policy ,

August 25, 2009 • 11:04 am 1

LAT Lap Dogs: Poor Roger Goodell

Sam Farmer of the LA Times has a goofy article out today about how hard it is to be Roger Goodell.  What with his job to do, plus his additional self-imposed responsibility for tucking all the players in each night, he “must feel like punting sometimes.”  Ugh.

This is the type of crap that the union is going to have to deal with.  It’s pretty clear that most of the sports columnists are on the side of management in this one.  Look at what premise this cupcake column started with:

I called Goodell on Monday to ask whether this was really the year to take a voluntary $2-million pay cut, what with the job being more demanding now than ever.

Jesus.  Is he down to $8 million a year or did it come down from $12 million to $10 million?  Either way, atrocious journalism — even for sports journalism.

Filed under: Roger Goodell, personal conduct policy , ,

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