NFL Draft to dissappear without a CBA

[spodog]

. . . and if the spring of 2011 rolls around without a new deal, there will be no CBA at all, and although the league maintains that there would be another draft in 2011, the legality of holding a draft under those circumstances is debatable. In other words, the NFL would be facing complete anarchy . . .

. . . what happens if, during an interim period in the spring of 2011 with negotations ongoing but no deal in place, one of the league's wealthier owners - lets say a Daniel Snyder or a Jerry Jones - choses to sign the 10 or 15 best players coming out of college to contracts, even if a deal is eventually struck and the draft reinstated?

- excerpt from an article by Hub Arkush in the May 2009 edition of Pro Football Weekly

Arkush argues in this article that the only thing keeping the draft happening every year is the fact that it is explicitly agreed to between the team owners and the NFLPA in the CBA. He states that without the CBA in place, that the idea of a college draft itself violates antitrust laws and restricts free trade. He also states that with the possibility of a 2010 season occuring without a CBA in place, that the legal status of the draft would likely come into question, and owners who are more inclined to look out for their own interests could start signing indiviudal deals with college players, much like the AFL did when it started to dangle some $ and steal players away from the NFL back in the 60's.

Could it come to this?

[mattb47]

They'll never let it get to where there is no CBA...I wouldn't worry about it in the least.

[Kensat30]

I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the fears of a CBA breakdown. We have a relatively new commish and a brand new rep for the players union. This is new territory and there isn't a lot of experience at the top. Owners are stubborn and many of these guys are so rich that they can afford to holdout until they get their way. Couple that with reports that some owners are losing a lot of money on the NFL... it has almost become an expensive hobby to own a pro-football team. It's that much more difficult to get new stadiums built these days (when many states are slashing budgets and lending has dried up). We've already seen changes in pension payments, there are gripes about the healthcare benefits for retirees, the current economy and layoffs in the industry that have already happened and will continue to happen...

There may be a much smaller pie to divide up in the near future and the players are still going to want a very large chunk of that. Any agreement will be difficult. Rookie salaries are completely out of control, but then again for all we know player salaries in general may be out of control. There may not be many concessions left to give on either side.

[mattb47]

I know all those details and things they need to work through but both sides know full well how much it could ruin the NFL to not come to a decision as far as a CBA goes. It won't happen.

[Cowboys 4 life]

I know all those details and things they need to work through but both sides know full well how much it could ruin the NFL to not come to a decision as far as a CBA goes. It won't happen.

I'm in agreement. No way they allow this to happen.

[spodog]

I know all those details and things they need to work through but both sides know full well how much it could ruin the NFL to not come to a decision as far as a CBA goes. It won't happen.

I'm in agreement. No way they allow this to happen.

Well, guys, I think we are all in agreement that they would be fools to not get a new CBA in place next year at the first opportunity.

However, with the recession in full roar, the rookie salaries out of control (uncapped and unbanded), and the superego's with some of the owners (the aforementioned Jones and Snyder are excellent examples) leading them astray, it wouldn't be that surprising to see these guys let this thing get messy before it gets settled.

They wouldn't be the first group of people to take a really good thing and screw it up royaly out of self-interests.

Currently, the system (primarily the revenue sharing system) and the CBA that is set to expire, works to the advantage of the teams, the owners and the league as a whole. The NFL has almost perfected the art of competitive balance with the draft, the salary cap, and the revenue sharing agreements that exist for league wide revenue sources like broadcast contracts.

But I don't have as much confidence as a few of you do that they won't reach a stalemate at some point during 2010, and open the door for at least some of the things that Arkush is warning about in his article before it gets resolved.

Doesn't anyone recall the loading dock workers who put on NFL jerseys in 1987 and the stupid All Star games in 1982 where no stars showed up?

Your fooling yourself if you think something just as absurd isn't possible again 2010 or 2011. With this much $ on the line, people don't make rational, alturistic decisions very easily.

[moochman]

I know all those details and things they need to work through but both sides know full well how much it could ruin the NFL to not come to a decision as far as a CBA goes. It won't happen.

I'm in agreement. No way they allow this to happen.

Well, guys, I think we are all in agreement that they would be fools to not get a new CBA in place next year at the first opportunity.

However, with the recession in full roar, the rookie salaries out of control (uncapped and unbanded), and the superego's with some of the owners (the aforementioned Jones and Snyder are excellent examples) leading them astray, it wouldn't be that surprising to see these guys let this thing get messy before it gets settled.

They wouldn't be the first group of people to take a really good thing and screw it up royaly out of self-interests.

Currently, the system (primarily the revenue sharing system) and the CBA that is set to expire, works to the advantage of the teams, the owners and the league as a whole. The NFL has almost perfected the art of competitive balance with the draft, the salary cap, and the revenue sharing agreements that exist for league wide revenue sources like broadcast contracts.

But I don't have as much confidence as a few of you do that they won't reach a stalemate at some point during 2010, and open the door for at least some of the things that Arkush is warning about in his article before it gets resolved.

Doesn't anyone recall the loading dock workers who put on NFL jerseys in 1987 and the stupid All Star games in 1982 where no stars showed up?

Your fooling yourself if you think something just as absurd isn't possible again 2010 or 2011. With this much $ on the line, people don't make rational, alturistic decisions very easily.

It scares the heck out of me that I cannot agrue any point you make, Spodog. The owners may feel certain that they will make more money with a larger part of the pie than they will lose with a lockout. I think the owners, for the most part, share Lions owner William Clay Ford's attitude (IMO) that the fans are simply a part of the furniture. What sucks is that they are right, we're not going anywhere. We will whine and protest, but once they decide to lace em up again we will be there, assuming the position and loving it.

[deacon]

There is one main thing that leads me to believe the draft will in no way be endangered.

MONEY!!!

As much money as the NFL brings in with their 'draft weekend' festivities there is know way they will allow this cash cow to be in jeapordy.

[dmacblue]

I know all those details and things they need to work through but both sides know full well how much it could ruin the NFL to not come to a decision as far as a CBA goes. It won't happen.

I'm in agreement. No way they allow this to happen.

No one will kill the Golden Goose, there will be some posturing, chest thumping, and stare downs from all parties , but when push comes to shove the goose lives on.

[moochman]

I know all those details and things they need to work through but both sides know full well how much it could ruin the NFL to not come to a decision as far as a CBA goes. It won't happen.

I'm in agreement. No way they allow this to happen.

No one will kill the Golden Goose, there will be some posturing, chest thumping, and stare downs from all parties , but when push comes to shove the goose lives on.

You are being naive. Its not about killing the golden goose, its about getting a bigger slice. The owners have been looking to this day to try and gain more of the money and may think now is the time to be very aggresive. I fear that the owners may be feeding or sensing growing displeasure over players making so much money. Fans are stupid, IMO, on this issue. The money isn't going to go back into our pockets-it will go into some multi-millionaires account. But if you have ever taken the temperature in the Cafe (to use as a barometer for all of society, as I think we'll all agree is only just ) you'll find that a decided, or vocal, majority thinks that players are over paid and undeserving of the money they make. If the league senses this, they may feel the fans have their back if they should close shop for a year to keep those greedy athletes from getting so much money. It is a very real possibility.
Of course I may be being overly cynical. I hope I am.