There are more than a few things to take into consideration:
1) The owners will be paid regardless if there are games. This will come back to byte them in the next TV contract. The networks are all owned by large Corps that are looking at their botton line(s) by business unit. Paying for a non existent product does not go oevr well in Corporate Suites.
2) If there is a lockout the NFLPA will decertify (they did it before) and the matter winds up in court.
3) If there is football lockoutm then I would look for Congress to get into the act. Neither the GOP nor the Dems will be schilling for the owners. Why does football have an exemptions from the anti-trust laws?
4) All of the networks will start showing Baseball come April. Baseball, Basketball and Hockey (to a lesser extent) will get the all of the media attention. Normally football fans start counting down the days to camp. That starts in June.
5) Can you imagine a red hot Baseball season (which the networks will push to make up for the lost dollars on football) and an exciting NBA finals.
6) The NFLPA has more level headed players than the owners give them credit for. Do we really think that many of the players are sympathetic to Antonio Cromartie. Cromartie is an
excpetion to the rule. Never under estimate the local PA reps in the locker room. I think alot of the older players have prepped the younger guys.
This can either be a train wreck or everyone will be smiles around the first week of March.
ok fire away...
