NFL teams bearing down for major changes for '10 and '11 seasons

[ddaryl]

(although an NFL topic, I feel it will be a much better discussion here on themain board and its go wit effects the Bills and what they might be doing in advance to prepare for this inevitablity)

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...ml?eref=si_nfl

The 2010 uncapped season is right in front of us, and there is a strong possibility of a lockout in 2011.

"I can't imagine we get a deal before there's a work stoppage at this point,'' one team's general manager told me. "The players are going to dig in, and that's where this thing is headed.''

Many fear an uncapped season will benefit wealthy teams, but there are a lot of new parameters that change for 2010's uncapped year.

You are no longer eligble for UFA unless you have 6 years in the league

For starters, once the salary cap disappears, players can't be free agents until they've completed six NFL seasons, rather than four. That means there will be fewer quality young players in the 2010 free-agent pool, and less talent for any spend-happy teams to accumulate.

Teams get to use 2 tags in 2010.

In addition, teams in 2010 would own an extra transition tag, meaning a franchise could use both a franchise tag and a transition tag on two of its own free agents (or two transition tags) in the same season, as opposed to the one or another they get to designate now. Again, that stipulation should serve to limit the quality of the free agents who actually reach the open free agent market

and if you are a playoff team that makes it to divisional games or later your FA market capabilities are limited

And there's more. In the uncapped season of 2010, the league would have a rule called the top eight plan, in which the eight teams that reached the divisional round playoffs in 2009 would have their activity in free agency limited. The NFL's final four teams wouldn't be able to sign an unrestricted free agent until they had lost one of their own. The other four teams among the final eight to be eliminated in 2009 would have some salary restrictions on the free agents they signed, which would serve to keep them from being able to afford any elite free agents.

However the overall feelings are that a work stoppage in 2011 is unavoidable...

The uncapped year of 2010 has some good rules in that I feel even better balances the league, but the thought of a nasty work stoppage in 2011 sucks.

However given the present state of the NFL they are going to have to do more to keep costs in check or risk alienating fans who find their everyday expenses sucking them dry and having to sacrafice things like NFL to make end meet

[yordad]

Why would these greedy SOBs feel they should be paid MORE for palying a friggin game? "YEah, milliions just doesn't cut it, I gotta eat!"

[ddaryl]

Why would these greedy SOBs feel they should be paid MORE for palying a friggin game? "YEah, milliions just doesn't cut it, I gotta eat!"

It's the American way...

[venis2k1]

"I've got my family to feed,"

[yordad]

It's the American way...

Give an inch, they take a mile. They are so hungry, they would kill the golden goose. Dang, I'm glad I don't have to suffer through playing a game for millions. Those NFL players have it rough. I don't know how they deal with all those big gold chains they have to wear around their necks. They should just circumvent the lockout, and go on strike.

[Pinkerton Security]

i think these rule changes are good. but i dont want a stoppage. that would suck.

also, do teams actually use the transition tags they have now?

[BAM]

Only thing I dislike about that article is the reference to a possible stoppage. The rest sounds good.

[psubills62]

i think these rule changes are good. but i dont want a stoppage. that would suck.

also, do teams actually use the transition tags they have now?

Not really, but it could be useful, especially when there are more restrictions on free agency. As far as I know, it only allows a team to match any offer that player is given. It doesn't give any compensation if the team chooses not to match. That's my understanding anyway, I could very well be wrong.

[methos4ever]

And with the new deal with DirectTV, the owners are making 1 BILLION dollars a year total (31 mil/each) a year from 2010/11 - 2014. So, even if the league does lock them out, the owners will still be raking in the cash!

[ddaryl]

And with the new deal with DirectTV, the owners are making 1 BILLION dollars a year total (31 mil/each) a year from 2010/11 - 2014. So, even if the league does lock them out, the owners will still be raking in the cash!

the NFL has a few billion in debts to pay off that are tied to new stadum construction.

In all honesty I don't think the league was very smart with their wealth, and these new mega-stadiums are going to put a drag on NFL economics.

Also if DirectTV is paying more for the NFL package that probably means they are going to try and pass that price onto customers. From my point of view, I'm near the breaking point of what I would be willing to pay for the Sunday Ticket. Any raise is price will probably see lots of fans cancelling. I would imagine lots of fans will be cancelling this year becuase of the economic situation for many. How does that translate into the leagues economics ?

[methos4ever]

Well the money DTV is giving them for this is guaranteed - which means even if there is a stoppage, even if the fans don't buy it, the NFL gets the money.

Don't forget, Murdoch owns DTV, so he is also going to use this abroad for international broadcasts, where he'll make money hand over fist by selling it to his own companies in Europe...

[ddaryl]

Well the money DTV is giving them for this is guaranteed - which means even if there is a stoppage, even if the fans don't buy it, the NFL gets the money.

Don't forget, Murdoch owns DTV, so he is also going to use this abroad for international broadcasts, where he'll make money hand over fist by selling it to his own companies in Europe...

actually I would think that DirectTV would have negotiated a clause that protects them from making payments during a work stoppage.

[Yasgur's Farm]

At some point the machine will blow itself up... I'm thinking there may be a new league on the horizon for working class stiffs like us.

Maybe it would be good for Buffalo to lose it's NFL franchise to Toronto. Then we can all be fans of the Buffalo Bills of the CFL. AT LEAST THOSE PLAYERS WON'T BE GREEDY BASTARDS!!

[justasportsfan]

Wait til' tams start paying LT's more than 11.5 . Peters 11.5 could look like a bargain down the road just like Josh Reed.

[ddaryl]

At some point the machine will blow itself up... I'm thinking there may be a new league on the horizon for working class stiffs like us.

Maybe it would be good for Buffalo to lose it's NFL franchise to Toronto. Then we can all be fans of the Buffalo Bills of the CFL. AT LEAST THOSE PLAYERS WON'T BE GREEDY BASTARDS!!

for me these under leagues wouldn't be attractive. If we won a championship out side of the NFL it would be like the Bandits winning the indoor Lacrosse championships. Sure its nice but it never satisfied, and I sure didn't feel like running around my neighborhood tipping over cars and causing havoc because the Bandits won.

[Mercy]

Better not be a work stoppage.

[Luisito23]

A year is not a year without September!...With all the money they're making their betta never be another lockout!!!

[FlyingDutchman]

I heard theyre trying to extend the season to 18 games as well

[ddaryl]

I heard theyre trying to extend the season to 18 games as well

That seems like a heluva alot more punishment for the players who have a tough time playing 16 games in a season healthy.

if this is the case then the NFL is chasing more revenues to offset there debt loads and keeping up with the jonses...

[Night Train]

That's why a see a future with Buffalo and several other small market teams like Cinci, Jacksonville and others in another league, like the upstart UFL.

The NFL went way past the point of no return and many cities don't have the inflated corporate fanbase to support the high cost.

Tickets can cost $15-$25 with hard cap. Six figure salaries, instead of seven. I actually expect this is where we'll be in 5 years.

I'll still be a fan.