NFLPA Warning Agents of a Possible Year Long Stoppage

[Akrasian]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-smith-warns-agents-to-plan-for-work-stoppage

NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith Warns Agents to Plan for Work Stoppage

Rumblings about an NFL work stoppage have been percolating for months, and NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has reportedly added a new wrinkle to the proceedings.

Per Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal, Smith sent an email to every NFL agent saying that the union is "advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length" when the collective bargaining agreement ends after the 2020 season.

Just 100 days from the NFL's centennial season, the looming threat of a work stoppage continues to be a hot topic in league circles.

ESPN.com's Adam Schefter reported in January that teams were using language in new coaches' contracts to protect themselves in the event of a work stoppage that impacts the 2021 campaign.

The NFLPA responded to that report on Twitter:


NFLPA

✔@NFLPA
https://twitter.com/NFLPA/status/1084499719693500416

These contract provisions were also seen in the lead up to the 2011 lockout

. Take note.

Adam Schefter

@AdamSchefter

Players and agents have expressed their dislike of the NFL's current CBA, which was agreed upon in 2011.

"The NFLPA absolutely failed the NFL players," one unnamed agent told the Boston Globe's Ben Volin in 2013. "It's the worst CBA in professional sports history. It's pushing the veterans out of the game and cuts the rookie pay in half. How is that a good deal?"

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman told reporters last September a lockout is "going to happen."

Per ESPN.com's Dan Graziano, changes the NFLPA would like to see made in the CBA include an increased share of league revenue from the current 47 percent rate, obtaining greater guarantees in contracts and decreasing free-agent limitations (e.g., the franchise tag, fifth-year rookie options).

The NFL and NFLPA have started negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, though there's no indication the two sides are close to an extension.

As the CBA hovers over the league and players union, the 2019 season will begin Sept. 5 when the Green Bay Packers take on the Chicago Bears.


Smith told The MMQB's Albert Breer two years ago that a lockout before the 2021 season was "almost a virtual certainty."

_______________________________________________________

Hopefully the Rams can win a Super Bowl or two before then. Sounds like they think it will be nasty.

 

[kurtfaulk]

.

the bottom of the roster guys will still get screwed by smith.

.

 

[Akrasian]

.

the bottom of the roster guys will still get screwed by smith.

.

Since most sports leagues seem to screw the replaceable guys in terms of salary compared to the top, I'm not sure it's the NFLPA. In baseball, I've long wanted them to greatly raise the minimum salary, and raise the minimum for players on the 40 man (but not 25 man) roster too. The NBA has a cap on salaries, but it ends up being token.

I suspect that the league doesn't want to raise the minimum for bottom of the roster, mostly replaceable players. I would love to see a significant raise, and also see pensions and lifetime health care vest sooner. Maybe a scholarship program, since so many players learn diddley squat in college, spending all their time prepping for a pro career. It's hard enough to get a college degree without basically working your way through it full time as an athlete. It'd be nice if once players were done, if they didn't have a career waiting for them they could go to a trade school for 3 months and learn something to make them employable.

When I was an adjunct instructor for various colleges teaching useless material, I saw many non-athletes who were a waste of space in college - how many more athletes also didn't learn anything useful? The NFLPA and the NFL should put aside a small amount of the billions to help them not be useless. Especially since it's hard to hold a job without non-football skills and with the need to take relatively many sick days, thanks to the beating they've taken.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Bring on :


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yirpnXAX-bQ

 

[TSFH Fan]

Maybe a scholarship program, since so many players learn diddley squat in college, spending all their time prepping for a pro career. It's hard enough to get a college degree without basically working your way through it full time as an athlete. It'd be nice if once players were done, if they didn't have a career waiting for them they could go to a trade school for 3 months and learn something to make them employable.

When I was an adjunct instructor for various colleges teaching useless material, I saw many non-athletes who were a waste of space in college - how many more athletes also didn't learn anything useful? The NFLPA and the NFL should put aside a small amount of the billions to help them not be useless. Especially since it's hard to hold a job without non-football skills and with the need to take relatively many sick days, thanks to the beating they've taken.

Well, it seems there are programs out there, offered by the NFLPA and by universities/colleges and the NFLPA does offer tuition reimbursement for qualified trade schools. Could everyone do more? Probably, including the players on their own behalf, but I guess at least something is being done/offered.

Going back to school could be easier than ever. As an active player, you may qualify for this collectively-bargained benefit of up to $20,000 reimbursement each League Year for tuition, fees and books related to undergraduate or postgraduate coursework. Check to make sure your institution and course(s) meet all qualifications for reimbursement prior to enrollment.

Learn More Call 1 (800) 635-4625

https://www.nflpa.com/active-players/education

https://nflpaweb.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/NFLPA/Active Player Resources/Tuition Assistance Plan.pdf

-------

". . . players have returned as part of the Bruin Varsity Club Degree Completion Program that helps the school’s former athletes come back to obtain their diplomas. Provided the athletes’ professional contract doesn’t include tuition reimbursement, UCLA foots the roughly $4,800 quarterly bill for tuition, books and fees (plus an additional $9,700 for those who live out of state) as well as housing costs for those who have not gone on to make millions in a pro league.

"UCLA also provides tutorial support, academic counseling and access to its learning center, giving returning athletes the same services that the school’s current student-athletes receive."​

https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-josh-rosen-ucla-20190303-story.html

Despite congressmen questioning the ability of student athletes to complete their degrees and recent letters penned by the presidents of the Big Ten and Pac-12 that mention degree-completion goals for student athletes, the issue here isn’t about the lack of programs. At best, the issue is a lack of awareness of all of the existing degree-completion programs.

https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com...Opinion/From-the-Field-of-College-Sports.aspx

 

[jjab360]

Are we really going to have to do this same song and dance every time? What kind of leaders do both sides have in place that they can't keep this from happening?

 

[Loyal]

I'm not into idle threats and no one in the NFL would care even if I did....But there was a time in the 90's when baseball was my favorite sport until 1994 when they struck. Before that time, I knew every player on the Dodgers and most of their batting averages, and era's for most of the starting pitchers. Now I can tell you very little about those stats for today's Dodgers and I am a fair weather fan since then. It's just what happens when you screw with the passion of fans, whether fair or not, people will find ways to occupy their time away from the sport...and things may never be the same afterwards.

 

[Merlin]

I think the owners are going to need to serve the union some humble pie. They're rich pricks, but there has to be balance where the business side of things functions in the black. I realize that happens now, or at least I think it does. But I don't want to see the NFL turn into another league run by the players.

 

[coconut]

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-smith-warns-agents-to-plan-for-work-stoppage

NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith Warns Agents to Plan for Work Stoppage

Rumblings about an NFL work stoppage have been percolating for months, and NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has reportedly added a new wrinkle to the proceedings.

Per Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal, Smith sent an email to every NFL agent saying that the union is "advising players to plan for a work stoppage of at least a year in length" when the collective bargaining agreement ends after the 2020 season.

Just 100 days from the NFL's centennial season, the looming threat of a work stoppage continues to be a hot topic in league circles.

ESPN.com's Adam Schefter reported in January that teams were using language in new coaches' contracts to protect themselves in the event of a work stoppage that impacts the 2021 campaign.

The NFLPA responded to that report on Twitter:


NFLPA

✔@NFLPA

These contract provisions were also seen in the lead up to the 2011 lockout

. Take note.

Adam Schefter

@AdamSchefter

Players and agents have expressed their dislike of the NFL's current CBA, which was agreed upon in 2011.

"The NFLPA absolutely failed the NFL players," one unnamed agent told the Boston Globe's Ben Volin in 2013. "It's the worst CBA in professional sports history. It's pushing the veterans out of the game and cuts the rookie pay in half. How is that a good deal?"

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman told reporters last September a lockout is "going to happen."

Per ESPN.com's Dan Graziano, changes the NFLPA would like to see made in the CBA include an increased share of league revenue from the current 47 percent rate, obtaining greater guarantees in contracts and decreasing free-agent limitations (e.g., the franchise tag, fifth-year rookie options).

The NFL and NFLPA have started negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement, though there's no indication the two sides are close to an extension.

As the CBA hovers over the league and players union, the 2019 season will begin Sept. 5 when the Green Bay Packers take on the Chicago Bears.


Smith told The MMQB's Albert Breer two years ago that a lockout before the 2021 season was "almost a virtual certainty."

_______________________________________________________

Hopefully the Rams can win a Super Bowl or two before then. Sounds like they think it will be nasty.

Of course the Rams are on the rise. Fate wouldn't have it any other way.:banghead:

 

[TexasRam]

 

[den-the-coach]

FWIW, I believe there will be a work stoppage because I believe the players want to get rid of the ability of teams to tagged them during free agency. Now, some get paid well, but that does hinder them for a long term deal and the player's associated does not want a Le'Veon Bell scenario all over again.

Also the players want to take the power away from the commissioner, but I believe the owners will agree to that concession. Vince McMahon is counting on a work stoppage for his league and I also concur with my Ram Brother in Arms @LoyalRam Baseball was !A with me before 94 and now although I'm in a fantasy league I cannot communicate the last time I actually watched a baseball game from the opening pitch to the final out unless I was in attendance....But again I believe the Players are ready for this one to last a while and it would not shock me if it's at the very minimum a half of a season and again JMHO.

 

[snackdaddy]

If they cancel the season and the Superbowl, I can see the popularity dropping like MLB after 1994. It took a few years to get back to where they were when they canceled the whole season including the World Series. To this day, the NFL is more popular.

If they shut down the 2021 season it would definitely hurt both sides. On the players side the lower level guys will be most hurt. The stars will be just fine. The owners will still be rich. The union heads will still get paid. The lower level guys will have to go along with the union.

All I know is, in the meantime we got two years to win a Superbowl. Lets get it done.

 

[MadGoat]

.

the bottom of the roster guys will still get screwed by smith.

.

And their agents let it happen. I don't understand how a union that is mostly filled with the lowest-paid members of the sport lets the top 5% of the players dictate the negotiations. Financially, the most important things to most NFL players will be some of the throw-ins that the league gives to the players. Meanwhile, the union is going to did their heels in on stuff that affects elite players, future rookies, and agents. The NFLPA is going to ask for a bigger piece of the revenue pie... and then insist that it be given to the stars (i.e. QBs)

 

[OldSchool]

.

the bottom of the roster guys will still get screwed by smith.

.

They always do.

I seem to remember this kind of warning every time a cba in any league is ending. Don’t know that there is as much to worry about as some media is pushing.

 

[Ram65]

They have plenty of time to get a new deal done. Why have to go to the extreme of having a work stoppage. In the end the fans get screwed with higher costs for tickets, clothing, concessions and parking. I don't think they will ever get it so everyone is happy.

 

[snackdaddy]

I do think the NFL needs to even up the salaries a little better. Lower level guys should get more. The best way to do that is raise the salary cap. They don't need to go the MLB route where small market teams can't afford to keep up. But they do need to allow more so 3 guys don't take up over 30 percent of the cap.

This is the classic killing the golden goose. If they shut down a whole season they absolutely will lose fans. How much remains to be seen. It could propel MLB back to the top of the popularity sports.

 

[wmc540]

XFL is going to take over

 

[Loyal]

I do think the NFL needs to even up the salaries a little better. Lower level guys should get more. The best way to do that is raise the salary cap. They don't need to go the MLB route where small market teams can't afford to keep up. But they do need to allow more so 3 guys don't take up over 30 percent of the cap.

This is the classic killing the golden goose. If they shut down a whole season they absolutely will lose fans. How much remains to be seen. It could propel MLB back to the top of the popularity sports.

The problem will always be the average NFL players who are starting to earn slightly higher yearly wages and then get bumped off the squad by cheap rookies. I don't know how you fix that except to pay rookies more up front so that experienced guys have an advantage...

 

[jetplt67]

They will demand more money, more benefits, more this, more that. Bicker back and forth and over what?
The answer: Our money. We pay for all this: ticket prices, jerseys, memorabilia and game time tv commercial frequency will all increase to pay for it.
We need a consumer Union. We are the ones who need to organize but I know that will never happen

 

[fanotodd]

You don't get paid if you can't play. The owners don't like it, the players don't like it, the fans don't like it.

A significant bargaining topic will be PEDs and marijuana use. There are guys using PEDs to cheat and those to aid in recovery. As for the pot smokers, there are plenty of cannibis options that don't get you high. Their medicinal properties are now widely accepted.

I don't know what the answers are to these significant issues, but they are definitely gonna be discussed.

The rookie cap was necessary, but locking these guys into 4-5 years, is a travesty. I would think 3 years tells you if the guy is gonna pan out and if he's wrecking it, he should start getting paid. See Aaron Donald.

Franchise tag? Either crap or get off the pot. That goes for both sides. What happened with tjohnson was ridiculous.

I know the players won't like it, because of guaranteed $$, but I'd like to see less 5 yr deals and more 3 yr contracts. It could fly if there was more guaranteed $$.
Seriously, the first thing I think of when a guy signs a 5 yr deal, "he won't see the end of that contract." I'm sick of guys whining after the guarenteed $$ is paid out but they still have time on their contract. They knew it was coming, and they planned to play it that way. The teams knew it too. We, as fans, are stuck in the circle jerk waiting to see if he's staying or going. It's unnecessary.