Monday Lockout... Stuff

Okay, so, once a week, I'll find some stuff concerning the lockout from actual sources (not B*R bullshit) and post it here.

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7022805222?As%20season%20ends,%20uncertainty%20begins%20for%20NFL%20players;%20possible%20lockout%20looms%20large

All Headline News reminding us that football has ended, again, which is normally sad, but the fact that it might be going away for even longer is WAY MORE SADDER. Yeah. They interviewed a lineman from the Steelers reminding us that this all comes down to money, which segways nicely into...

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/briefs/articles/90033487

Jerry Jones is taking home somewhere between a "shitton" and a "fuckton" of money from hosting the Super Bowl by virtue of owning several restaurants, hotels, and stadium concessions in the Dallas area, in addition to the stadium itself, which is bringing in $10 million alone through tickets and parking.

Again, I don't really care who gives in the end, I just want football. The problem, of course, is that the owners are going to plead poverty, and the NFLPA is going to be able to throw this whole thing in their faces.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4887844

And now, from the worldwide leader in sex scandals and Favrellating, the NFL stands to make $5 billion dollars through their television contracts, despite no football actually being played. The television companies have their stance clear (what with the refusal to air NFLPA commercials), and it's hard to fault them for it. Their dealings are with the NFL as a corporation, and not with the individual players, and breaking a deal with the NFL would be a horrible idea for these companies, because the airing of NFL games is a cash cow. Of course, when it comes time to renegotiate all of the NFL's TV contracts, the networks may have a $5 billion bone to pick with the NFL. They're also floating around the idea (the NFL, that is) of an 18% pay cut across the board for all players. Naturally, the Ginger Hammer rejects the idea as coming from his office, but that's what a trial balloon is for, right?

By the way, it might be important to define the conditions of a lockout. There WILL be a lockout, because the CBA will expire without a new one being made. There is almost no doubt about that. However, a lockout only means that NFL players cannot take part in official NFL activities until a new contract is signed. That's why the draft is still on. However, the NFL draft will only include the rights to sign players. Essentially, the teams cannot sign draft players to team contracts until the lockout is over, because there is no system of employment for NFL players. Lockouts are somewhat standard procedure for sports teams, but the question of length is the real issue. If the lockout is only a month long, the only thing that will be delayed is free agency and contract kickers (usually roster or incentive bonuses). If it's longer than that, well, that's when things start to get messy. The CBA can be signed at any time, though, so once it's done, things will proceed as normal. Unfortunately, that could take as long as October or November, if not longer.