ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports NFL owners walked away from the negotiating table on Wednesday after the union proposed that they receive an average 50-50 split of all league revenue. As Mortensen details, "All" league revenue includes the $1 billion taken off the top by owners for operating costs. In the current labor agreement set to expire on March 3, players received nearly 60% of "Total" revenue, a figure comprised of the $9 billion worth of revenue the league generates annually, minus the $1 billion taken off the top by owners. The league is looking for an additional $1 billion in givebacks from the union in the next collective bargaining agreement, which NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has balked at without seeing the financial books of all 32 NFL teams. (The publicly-owned Green Bay Packers are required to show their finances.) Under the league's proposal, the players would receive 40-42% of "All" revenue, Mortensen adds. Source: macsfootballblog
I'll be longing for football like crazy when September rolls around, but right now I just think about how stupid this will be if they don't get this crap figured out and fast.
