As expected, the NFL opted out of its current CBA deal, which ran thru 2012. In a unanimous vote, all 32 NFL owners voted to opt out. Games aren’t threatened and are “without threat of interruption for at least the next three seasons.” The NFLPA (NFL Players Association) and the league will continue to negotiate aggressively for a new deal.
What this means? There will be NFL thru atleast 2010, not 2012 as originally. The 2008 and 2009 seasons will be played the same, but after that there might be some drastic changes. In 2010, there’s speculation that in an un-capped year, the free agents rights could be limited. In and after 2011, the annual NFL Draft would not exist, severely clothespinning the infusion of young talent.
I’ll end this with an interesting quote from NFLPA President Gene Upshaw:
“Roger [Goodell] e-mailed me this morning [and] told me they had a unanimous agreement to terminate the deal,” Upshaw told ESPN’s Chris Mortensen. “My response back to him? ‘What a surprise.’ “
