I'm going to be honest. I think that the players are making more of this than it is.. Now, before some of you go off blazing, lets review some things.
There used to be 6 pre-seasons games. With the 14 game schedule. It was changed to a 4+16 schedule when the league re-aligned before the 1978 season.
Currently, players play in 16 regular season games and about 1.5 pre-season games if you are a vet and as many as 4 pre-season games if you are a rookie or JAG.
Now, from a fan's standpoint, 18 regular season games sounds like a great idea. On the surface. But once you factor in an increased amount of injuries, you have to take a step back. What would you rather have? 4 games in the beginning of the year where you get to see mostly young talent fighting for a roster spot OR a multitude of games later in the season where there is significantly more young talent playing than in the pre-season games. Personally, I think that 4 preaseason games is fine. Especially when the teams scrimmage and practice against one another during the week.
Now, let me also say this. There is no guarantee that more games will equal more injuries. But, in all likelihood, it will. Also, there is no guarantee that an expanded active roster, game day roster, and practice squad will lower the number of injuries.
The reality is that the owners think that eliminating 2 pre-season games and making those games into 2 regular season games, that they'll get more revenue. That is not necessarily the case. They'll only get more revenue if the Sponsors are willing to shell out for it. And there is no guarantee of that. Especially after the last few years of down economy. They also want to reduce the share of the revenue that the players get from the 59.5% of "total revenue". I can understand this because many of these owners have put in tens to hundreds of millions of their own money and would like to see a better return on their investment.
The owners also want a rookie cap. They claim it's so they can give the veterans a larger share of the yearly revenues. I also believe it's to reign in some of the owners like Dan Snyder.
The Players, on the other hand, do not want to change from the 4+16 to the 2+18 format because it would, essentially, mean that there would be fewer games to get the team ready for the regular season and could result in more injuries. The claim that they would have to play in more games rings very hollow with me since the total is still the same. What the players fail to acknowledge is that the owners are willing to expand the rosters and expand the practice squads.. That means that the NFLPA would get BIGGER.
The players also want their retirees to be taken care of. Personally, this should be a UNION issue and not an NFL issue. Let the Union invest in setting up a post-retirement plan. I'm sure that with tens of thousands of potential members, they should be able to get a very good plan for themselves. Probably one that is even better than the people in Government get. However, if the owners are forced to set this up, then this should be seen as an extended benefit and should count towards the amount of money the players get as a whole. It should not be an "in addition to" item.
I can understand the player balking at taking a "pay cut". But they really aren't. From what I have read, the owners do not want to cut the veteran minimum pay scales. They want to cut the amount of money available. I don't believe that a 20% cut is realistic. But I do believe that 5-10% would be more than fair.. In fact, I see no reason why the players should get more than 50% of the total amount. Not when they are not the ones who have put up the initial capital. In fact, I would challenge any one of the players who also have a business of their own as to whether or not they pay out OVER 50% of their revenue in wages and benefits. I bet most of them don't.
Back during 2006, I said that BOTH sides need to realize that they need one another. One can't be successful without the other. The owners would not continue to have the outstanding product without the players. The players would not be so well paid without the owners. That's fact.
The problems that the players face is that there is, in fact, 3 other leagues they can now play in. The CFL, Arena league and the UFL. But, rest assured that NONE of those 3 pay as well as the NFL. But pay is not a consideration when it comes to whether or not there are other avenues of employment in the same field.
