Latest On CBA Negotiations

Negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement resumed a few weeks ago, and the NFL is believed to have upped its offer in a key area. The league offered the players an increased revenue split, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The latest NFL proposal includes a figure closer to 48% revenue share for the players’ side, according to Anderson. Players are currently guaranteed at least 47% of league revenue. The owners would collect 51.5%, with Anderson adding 1.5% would go to stadium credits. The revenue split has been a central component of these CBA discussions; the sides were far apart on this deal point during their July talks. The players are pursuing a 50-50 split.

The current CBA has between 47-48.5% going to the players. From 2012-14, the labor force took back 47-48% of the pie, with the higher-end figure increasing to 48.5% from 2015-20. It’s unclear if Anderson’s report indicates the players’ revenue floor will move toward roughly 48%, though that would be the logical progression. The players received a 51% revenue split in the previous CBA, but the cap has ballooned by greater percentages during the life of the current 10-year agreement and is expected to approach or surpass $200MM in 2020.

The league has injected the prospect of a 17-game season into the negotiations and was reportedly ready to bend on key issues like marijuana and the personal conduct policy to entice the players on this front. A revenue-split concession may be another sign the owners are serious about increasing the schedule by a game.

Additionally, the status of NFLPA president Eric Winston may be a key point in these winter talks. The NFLPA will vote to either re-elect Winston or name a new chief at end of the league year in March, and Anderson tweets the NFL’s familiarity with the current leader may explain the increased activity toward getting a deal done before March rather than potentially starting over in talks with a new chief. Winston has served as NFLPA president since 2014.

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