Quote:
Originally Posted by DaFace
Based on the press conference today, that appears to be false. The league made the call to send them to the locker room. Technically this doesn't refute the possibility of the teams refusing to come out afterward, but the strong implication is that it was the league's call.
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Sending them to the locker room for a delay is understandable. Hell, even postponing the game for a day or two is understandable. Post that, it has to be a no contest.
If one team declares they will not play within the specified time frame, it is a forfeit. If both teams declare they will not play within the specified timeframe, it is a no contest.Seems the NFL did not specify a timeframe? If so, the NFL screwed the pooch big time on this one.
The only solution in that scenario would be an owner & NFLPA conference to determine next steps. Good luck with that happening in a timely fashion. Consensus being reached will require taking into consideration dozens of factors, e.g. ticket sales, logistics, television rights, potential rescheduling of other games, adjusting rules... and then factor in PR and the emotional aspect. For all intents and purposes it would be like trying to come to a collective bargaining agreement in less than one week. Not impossible, but highly improbable.
NFL unilaterally making a decision on this will likely result in several lawsuits from affected teams, media (contract rights, agreements, and obligations), and fans (class-action).