NFL players divided on these key issues ahead of labor deal vote: Report
The NFL Players Association’s membership of roughly 2,000 players is expected to begin the voting process this week
NFL players remain divided about several key terms of their pending labor deal with owners, including a proposed revenue split and a 17-game regular season, as they prepare to cast votes on whether to ratify the new collective-bargaining agreement, according to a report on Tuesday.
The NFL Players Association’s membership of roughly 2,000 players is expected to begin the voting process this week, the New York Times reported. A simple majority, or more than 50 percent, of NFL players must vote to approve the labor deal in order for it to be finalized.
A push by NFL owners to shift to a 17-game regular season has long rankled players, many of whom have expressed concerns about the potential health risks. Additionally, players have expressed concern about the labor deal’s financial terms.
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Under the proposed labor deal, players would receive 48 percent of NFL revenue starting with the 2020 season. Their share of league revenue would rise to 48.5 percent through a media kicker if the NFL plays a 17-game regular-season schedule and would increase by another three-tenths of a percentage point if the league’s media rights deals rise in value by at least 120 percent.
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Some players have balked at the kicker tied to the media rights deals, which are often worth billions of dollars. As currently constructed, players are projected to receive an additional $5 billion over the deal’s 10-year term when compared to the previous collective-bargaining agreement.
Other points of contention include the proposed labor deal’s terms governing disability benefits, postseason pay and minimum salaries, the Times reported, citing interviews with players, agents, attorneys and consultants familiar with the deal.
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The player vote is the final step for this cycle of labor talks. If players vote to reject the deal as presently constructed, team owners and union representatives will return to the negotiation stage.
The NFL’s current collective-bargaining deal expires after the 2020 season. NFL owners previously indicated that they would likely table negotiations until after the season if players vote to reject the proposed deal.