Here We Go Again, CBA Deadline Approaches Final 24 Hours

Despite two separate extensions that delayed the expiration of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement by 8 days a new deal has yet to be put in place and it appears the owners and players have yet to make any more significant progress. It appeared as though the key issue all week was how to distribute the a billion dollars a year that the owners claimed they needed because of their dwindling profit margin. The owners lowered that total to $800 million a year last week with the deadline pressing down upon them. The players union however has refused to give ground on their side because they are demanding full financial transparency from the owners to validate the owner's claim that they need more money.

The owners have responded by making some of their financial records available to the union and feel that should sufficient because it is more information than they have made accessible to practically anyone else. The unions feels this is still not enough information and are demanding all of it if they are going to make a compromise. My feeling here is that the owners are embarrassed to filly disclose their financial records because I am sure they all have lots of unnecessary expenses on the books for things like hiring relatives and needlessly expensive travel that will make them look bad.

The owners may once again cave however because if the union is forced to decertify tomorrow afternoon this labor negotiation will go to court and most if not all of their financial data will go on record anyways. What's worse for the owners is that if it goes to court their financial books will become public knowledge whereas the players' union is willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement in return.

The latest news from from the labor talks is also discouraging as union spokesman Demaurice Smith went on record today saying the players will not accept adoption of an 18-game regular season schedule, one of the major issues of contention, no matter what. At this point the best we fans can hope for tomorrow is another extension but in order for that to happen one side is going to have to make a move toward shortening the divide between the owners and players will the deadline breathing down their neck.