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With August just around the corner, football season should be preparing to begin their preseason games. However, this year may end up a little different then previous years.
In 2006, the current collective bargaining agreement was extended through the 2012 football season, but the team owners decided that they wanted to opt out of that contract. This led to the current agreement expiring at the end of the 2010 season, two years earlier. What led us to this situation?
The profits for each team is split amongst the owners and players. For the last 10 years, the players received just over 50% of the profits. This money is used to pay player salaries. The owners want more of this money and have refused to renegotiate. However, the owners will still be paid $4.5 billion for their TV contracts this year whether a game is played or not.
With the lockout in full effect for the past 100 days, the players are left with no pay and no health insurance. Players are not allowed to use the team facilities or contact the coaching staff. This leaves the players to fend for themselves when it comes to training and conditioning to keep in peek physical shape in the event that this years season isn’t completely ruined. The problem with this is that if an injury occurs, that players has no health insurance to cover him.
Talks are currently under way to try and sort out a plan to end the lockout. There is also talks on an 8 game season as well, but don’t hold your breath.
