Although the current collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and the NFL Players Association does not end until 2020, that hasn't stopped the two sides from having discussions on a new agreement.
The two sides have been having preliminary talks for several weeks now, but a report from the New York Times Tuesday said the NFL is pushing to get the deal finalized before the current agreement expires — a move to avoid another labor war and lockout.
The last time the CBA came up for review in 2011, the league locked the players out for four months.
“I do hope it is sooner rather than later,” Roger Goodell, the N.F.L. commissioner, told reporters last week. “I think there is great value to all parties, and most importantly our fans, that we get this issue resolved and move forward.”
Driving the negotiations is a unique moment in which the needs of the league and the players association coincide. The NFL is feeling the pressure of expiring media contracts and, while not necessary, a non-expired CBA goes a long way in securing heftier television deals.
The players are also motivated to finish the deal while Eric Winston, its president, is still in office, and not risk a shift in leadership during negotiations. Winston, who won his third term last year, will be president through March 2021.
The Times also reported the players expect a “modest increase” in their share of overall revenue after taking slightly less during the last negotiations.
That could come when the media negotiations start to take place.
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