[Updated at 2:01 p.m.] Members of the NFL Players Association have unanimously ratified their collective bargaining agreement, an association executive confirmed Monday.
[Posted at 8:59 a.m.] The NFL Players Association and the league have reached an agreement on a new labor deal, NFL.com reported Monday.
The deal is not set in stone: the 32 player representatives and all NFL players must approve the new deal. But NFL.com reports "at this point it appears a formality."
Sports Illustrated senior writer Peter King (@SI_PeterKing) reported the representatives will have a conference call at 11 a.m. ET.
Negotiators reached the agreement in the very early hours of Monday morning, the report said. If accepted, the deal would end the lockout that started in March.
Since the lockout, the two sides have faced off in courts and around conference tables. The major issues have revolved around how to divide the billions of dollars of revenue reaped via the league each year, rules of free agency, a possible rookie wage scale, retirement benefits and a host of other matters.
At the heart of the issue between the players and the owners was how to divide the league's $9 billion in revenue.
Under the old agreement, NFL owners took $1 billion off the top of that revenue stream. After that, the players got about 60%. The owners said the old labor deal didn't take into account the rising costs related to building stadiums and promoting the game. The players argued that the league has not sufficiently opened up its books to prove this.
SI.com: With end of NFL lockout at hand, it's time to focus on football again
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So what in the heck does getting paid millions of dollars to play a game have to do with "LABOR".
ever hear of supply and demand?
To Thinkfirstyo
Yes. There is an oversupply of people who wants to chase the skin of a pig, but not enough demand for people who wnt to pay millions to watch them.
Ever try playing at their level? NFL players are by far the strongest athletes on the planet they also put millions in everyones pockets, how many people working in stadiums, TV radio, retail sales, not to mention every team gives $800,000 for charities the players assn. matches that and the NFL does free clinics to kids free of charge look up, NFLHSPD,
David: You are clearly not a sports fan or someone who proof reads what they write..."chases skin of a pig" lol.
who cares about NFL ... stupid pple running around in spandex .. dumb americans grab the ball with hand call it football ..
try playing reall sports like soccer .. not world series where only 25 states dumb teams play
Coach John,
Get off your high horse. Nobody cares how big and pretty their shiny muscles are. Nobody cares they can bench press more than a Gorilla. Don't you get it? Big brute idiots are no longer the prefered mentor for the normal family. Brains are the NEW thing in town. Get wth the program and grow a brain.
And I was starting to get excited about Sundays without show preemption's!
I really don't pity any of them. There are people unemployed and starving. And others making 6 dollars an hour. These guys make what? $50,000 an hour?
they have a skill that is in demand. obviously you don't.
To Thinkfirstyo
Skill? yes, a well worthy skill chasing the skin of a pig on a filed. I have skill taking a &$*% on the toilet too.
@David you can supply it, but it isn't in demand.
To Scottish Mama.
Neither if NFL anymore. Hence my point.
@David. Listen, I understand the very weak point you are trying to make. But please stop calling it "skin of pig" It makes you sound like a fool. Firstly, say pigskin if you are going to refer to the football's nickname. Second, a football is really made out of leather, rubber and other synthetics. So trying to make football sound barbaric and childish is only making you out to be a fool.
I can't wait for the NFL
Drew,
I understand your point. but it only sounds foolish to those who worship the pigskin chasers. I have no problem if you love the piskin chasers. But it's loosing fan base. Most of don't care. Sorry....... but you will just have to accept it. Maybe you need to learn what is really important in this county. Not your piskin chasing freaks. But the future of your children.
...could we have these negotiators move over to the whitehouse and settle one last issue.....
It's Obama's fault!
Yeah Bush had nothing to do with it, Wars, deregulation of Parma, dregulation of Banks, and all his strategery?
It's this nation's fault for being big spenders and not big producers! Stop trying to place blame! You only remain part of the problem, not the solution!
Now only if we could get that group of kids that call themselves CONGRESS to come to a deal
They did my way or highway, and no negotiations in between or or I will take my marbles and go home.
These players cannot avoid the law!
I am the law!
I was hoping there wouldn't be a football season. These idoits get paid millions of dollars to play a game, to throw and catch a ball, things anyone can do. Yet teachers get paid maybe $40,000 to teach children how to read, write and grow up to be decent human beings. They are responsible for being a teacher, a nurse, and a parent now. This is insane! People get so worried and panic that there won't be a football season and are willing to pay crazy amounts for tickets. But heaven forbid there be talks of increasing taxes for education and people care calling for cutting preK and kindergarten. This society is backwards.
An unproven rookie qb taken in the first round of the draft gets a $50 million contract. How much do you think someone will make for curing AIDS or cancer? All these athletes are tatted up with crosses and always thank god whenever they "score" I can assure you God has nothing to do with football.
If you think anyone can play in the NFL you are very wrong. But on the other hand anyone, can be a teacher. And nobody if forcing people to pay for those tickets.
unfortunately, also anyone can be a teacher too. There are thousands of new college grads every year that qualify to be teachers. And many of them have been recently caught cheating in Atlanta to improve their kids scores and get raises based on those improvements.
when did 40 million people tune in to watch a show on solving a math problem, i agree these men are not Heros, we use that term too easy, but the reason that they make that much is because they generate that money, and before you wantto cancel their season think about the vendor, who relies on sunday to pay his bills.without the game hes unemployed. And ther are alot of those people,
WHO CARES?...that they found a way to split a billion dollars amongst themselves....ddduuuhhh!
Oh YES!!!!!!!! I don't care about the details. I don't care about the politics. I just want some football!!!!!
Are you ready for some football?!!!!
I sure am. College football. I lost interest in the NFL when there heads became to big for their britches.
Who cares? The world has more important things going on than caring about oversized men chasing the skin of a pig on a field.
Footballs haven't been made out of pig skin in a long time.
Such as mixing island-themed martinis whilst watching made for tv movies on the Oxygen network with your life partner? It's subjective, David...
by the way its not pig its leather, try going thru their pace in the gym you'd be crying like a lil girl
Ian,
It's a figure of speach, duh. Money isn't made of paper, but it's still the choice of words when desribing it.
Coach John,
I have NO desire to such an idiotic thing. making my muscles all big and pretty doesn't feed my family stupid. In today's world, BRAINS mean more than muscles. Maybe you need to work out your brain.
Yay now all you fat limp d I c k e d white men can gobble sausages and watch the bachelorette on turf. I'm sure this new labor agreement includes lower ticket prices for the fans? I'm going to be working, going to the gym and nailing chicks while you get fatter and more broke. Haha losers.
If people are so unhappy over their salaries than stop tuning into to watch the games. Stop buying the merchandise and most of all stop going to the games and buying the tickets. The only reason they make money is because people want to watch it are willing to pay to watch it. Yeah, they get a gross amount of money while others can't even make enough to get by, but it's not like they're being paid for absolutely no work (considering the ones who play the most get paid the most). Plus most end up broke in the end because they're never taught how to manage their money and their average career life is what, four years, due to injuries and whatnot? That, and a lot of them cut out after their junior years of college to pursue the multimillion dollar dream of the NFL. Just look at Blaine Gabbert and Cam Newton and a bunch of others out there. Personally, I like football and I'm excited to watch it. Plus, the revenue generated from the games and the job opportunities at stadiums seems like something that would be missed if they hadn't reached a deal.
well said , Mega. people dont look atthe whole picture
Redskins owner Dan Snyder flying into Miss. to meet with QB Brett Favre this afternoon.
Out of retirement again?
If we get the senior citizens to play will it be cheaper by the dozen..
well at least the NFL and Union can cut a deal. Maybe we should send the owners and players to DC to work on a debt deal