Revenue Split Key To NFL Labor Talks
Less than a month away from expiration of the collective bargaining agreement the NFL and NFL players union hit a $1 billion snag that resulted in Thursday's meeting between the two sides being canceled.
"The first thing that has to be taken care of is the revenue split," Matt Bowen, of the National Football Post, said on the Mully and Hanley show.
LISTEN: Matt Bowen On The Mully And Hanley Show
Podcast
Currently, the players union receives roughly 60% of the estimated $9 billion league revenue. The owners are pushing for closer to a 50-50 split, but before that can even be discussed the players union wants the league to open up its financial record books.
"The big sticking points that are kind of glorified in through the media and out in public right now are rookie wage scales and an 18-game season," Bowen said. "But we're not going to get to that until this revenue split is taken care of."
The revenue split might be the most hard fought topic at the negotiating table. The players union leaders have been preaching for years not compromise any of their 60% of the revenue. But if it's worth roughly $1 billion, then the owners might have plenty of incentive to keep fighting for the 50-50 split, with the other key issues falling into place shortly after a resolution.
"Does that mean there's going to be a lockout on March 4? I don't know," Bowen said of the stubbornness by both sides regarding the revenue split. "If there is, I don't think it's going to hurt the season. I do think we'll have football. We'll have training camp. I do think we'll have free agency before the summer hits. It just might be a little delayed."
