NFLPA director: likelihood of a strike/lockout in 2021 "almost a virtual certainty"

[oaklandhater]

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/n...n-near-future/

It's been over six years since the NFL had to deal with a work stoppage of any sort, and unfortunately for the league, that's a streak that could be coming to an end soon, according to DeMaurice Smith.

Smith, who serves as the executive director of the NFLPA, believes there's going to be a work stoppage after the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires following the 2020 season.

"I think the likelihood of either a strike or a lockout in [2021] is almost a virtual certainty," Smith said this week during an interview with MMQB.com.
The last time the NFL had to cancel games due to a work stoppage came in 1987. This time around, Smith isn't quite sure yet if a work stoppage would lead to any canceled games, but he didn't sound optimistic.

"I don't know. Let's look at our history," Smith said.

The problem with negotiating a new CBA is that it sounds like the players don't really trust the owners right now.

"The owners do a deal in 2006 and opt out in 2008. We do a deal in 2011 with no opt outs because we like the benefits under the current deal and we didn't want to give the owners an opportunity to opt out and take back the games that we currently have," Smith said. "If there was no renegotiating of the collective bargaining agreement and we reach 2021, there is no uncapped year. The last time we went through it, we found out that the owners lied and cheated about the uncapped year, so why would I do that again?"

The seeds for the 2011 lockout were planted in 2008 when the NFL's 32 owners voted to opt out of a CBA that was supposed to run through 2012. When the league opted out, that meant an early end to the 2006 CBA agreement and left the league with an uncapped salary year in 2010.

According to Smith, the owners "colluded with each other" so that the players wouldn't be able to take advantage of the uncapped year.

"All the mutual benefits that were supposed to happened as result of the opt out didn't happen last time," Smith said. "Owners colluded with each other and we found out that they colluded with each other. All of the bad things that went to the players happened and none of the bad things that went to the owners happened. So we have a new deal that if it doesn't get fixed, you go into a certain Armageddon."

What this all means is that Smith is ready to take the NFLPA to battle with the NFL over the new CBA. The NFLPA is taking the possibility of a work stoppage so seriously that it warned players in May to start saving money.

If a work stoppage does happen, it wouldn't start for at least four more seasons. The current CBA runs through the 2020 season, which means any potential work stoppage wouldn't take place until the 2021 season.

[notorious]

Let the battle of rich, greedy owners vs. rich, greedy players begin!!!!!

[oaklandhater]

Originally Posted by notorious

Let the battle of rich, greedy owners vs. rich, greedy players begin!!!!!

players really don't want to do 18 games

and the owners really want them too

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

players really don't want to do 18 games

and the owners really want them too

All the owners should do like Clark does and charge full price for the preseason games. Problem solved.

[DaneMcCloud]

It's just posturing.

The players won't strike because their careers are too short.

[Red Dawg]

I doubt it. Players spend way more than they make. Most of them need their checks more than just holding out to help few bad apples that don't like Goodells power.

If you don't act like an idiot you have nothing to worry about.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by oaklandhater

players really don't want to do 18 games

and the owners really want them too

I don't blame them, but if the owners will pay them the prorated extra two games more, they would be dumb not to take it.

They need to think about earning that extra 12% a year when your line of work and income is limited by age.


I will almost always side with the players when it comes to a dispute. The owners are some snake in the grass bastards.

[MTG#10]

If they do it'll probably be our best team/shot at a superbowl in decades. Then the following year we'll be rebuilding. Just how it is.

[Dayze]

It's almost a virtual certainty that I'll be done with NFL completely at that point.

Lol

[Hydrae]

Not like there is 4 years before then where things could change. Lots of time for negotiations. Stating this so early is a bad look for the union, imo.

[Rain Man]

Mahomes will enter his prime in ... (counting years on fingers) ... yep.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Gonna be epic.

The Replacements 2 will have some prime material to draw from.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by notorious

I don't blame them, but if the owners will pay them the prorated extra two games more, they would be dumb not to take it.

They need to think about earning that extra 12% a year when your line of work and income is limited by age.


I will almost always side with the players when it comes to a dispute. The owners are some snake in the grass bastards.

Even that, I still wouldn't want to play 18 games at all. It's a long season and adding two more games will more likely increase the odds of injuries, especially if the owners still keep it as the 53 man roster and still trotting out 4 pre-season games.

Plus, I want the NFL to get rid of the Thursday games. The quality of the game on Thursdays is very bad, considering a team just played on Sunday and have a 3 day turn-around. (This is unlikely to happen because they make money off of it anyways, but still...)

There's plenty more that I would go on, but these two would be a start.

[JakeF]

4 years

[Sandy Vagina]

I doubt I'll GAF by then.. Year by year, the NFL gets less necessary. It's still the best pro sports around, imo, but still losing its necessity in the grand scheme.