As many NFL fans know, owners and the Players Union are responsible for reaching a partnership on a brand new Collective Bargaining Agreement prior to the 2010 season. The reason most fans should be aware of this is because from the current CBA there exists a provision how the final season in the agreement (2010) have to be an uncapped salary season. There is no doubt that the deal may ultimately be struck, and can we lose the salary cap forever? Possibly.
The reason the NFL along with leagues may use a salary cap to start with is due to the Non-Statutory Labor Exemption created as a part in the Clayton Act in 1914, that allows owners and Players Union to negotiate and are avalable to agreements, such as a salary cap, that may normally be an antitrust violation. The salary cap and free agency are created in the NFL when antitrust law was put on the the premise of restrictions on player movements in the suit filed using a group led by Reggie White. In the current CBA, the NFL could be under antitrust liability if a contract can’t be reached a few months after it expires, or if negotiations are argued to impasse, whichever comes later. So there exists incentive on both sides to acquire a deal done quickly, or risk losing their exemption.
The owners are justified inside their demand for a brand new CBA. Here is often a list underneath the current CBA that owners must follow, plus the big issues surrounding these negotiations:
-Guaranteed Spending
Every year there’s an boost in team salary that all team should pay. In 2006, each team’s salary would have to be at least 84% in the current salary cap. That number rises 1.2% annually, so teams have to spend money on players to keep above the minimum.
-The salary cap rises each year
The salary cap rises according to projected league revenues, so naturally, it rises yearly. With the increase inside minimum plus a higher salary cap, teams have to spend far more money compared to what they may want.
-Teams should pay 50% towards contracts
50% of total league revenues have to be paid towards player contracts. Why is this even just in there? In the end clubs are required to spend almost 60% in their revenues towards player contracts.
-Rookie salaries
This is usually a large sticking point, and where sound judgment has seemingly been dumped the door. The first pick inside the 2008 NFL Draft was Left Tackle Jake Long. He signed a five-year, $57.5 million manage the Dolphins. Good for him, right? That contract made him the greatest paid Left Tackle from the NFL, and the man hadn’t even played a down yet. This isn’t the one instance of a rookie increasing money than Pro Bowl players. Rookies taken within the top 10 in the draft are generating Pro Bowl type money right out on the gate. I wonder how that produces 5 and ten year veterans feel? I think this really is one from the issues that both parties will agree on as well as a slotting system are going to be put into place, or maybe a rookie pay scale, much like what the NBA is utilizing.
Effect of No Salary Cap
If no agreement is reached and 2010 is surely an uncapped season, it certainly can’t be the spending free for many that many people think. Provisions in the current CBA state that inside event of an uncapped season, how many seasons forced to become an unrestricted free agent goes toward six. Another provision states that all club will probably be able to work with a Transition Tag on any in their unrestricted free agents, which works similar to the franchise tag. These two provisions will severely cut down the quantity of free agents accessible in 2010. So don’t search for the Redskins to sign 27 Pro Bowlers.