NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell spent the majority of his annual state of the league address answering questions about the league’s CBA, which is set to expire on March 4. Goodell said, “I believe the window of opportunity is in the next few weeks to get an agreement that works for everybody. … We want to get this deal done in the next few weeks. That’s where our focus is on.”
An official negotiating session between the league and the union is scheduled for Saturday, with two additional meetings set for next week. Goodell said, “I have frequently said – and I will be as clear as I can on this – this will get resolved at the negotiating table. All of the other public relations, litigation strategies Congressional strategies, this is about a negotiation.” He added, “We need to have intensive, round-the-clock negotiations. … I have that sense of urgency.”
Goodell said uncertainty “will continue” should a deal not be reached by March 4. He said that would be “bad for our partners, it’ll be bad for the players, it’ll be bad for the clubs.” Goodell: “That uncertainty will lead to – potentially – a reduction in revenue and when that revenue decreases, there will be less for us to share and that’ll just make it harder to get an agreement.” He added in an interview after the press conference he also believes NFLPA Exec Dir DeMaurice Smith “understands that after March 4 this becomes more difficult to reach an agreement.”
Goodell last month noted he would reduce his salary to $1 if a new CBA is not reached by March 4, and after joking that he, and especially his wife, did not want such a low salary, he said, “The reality is it’s a collective sacrifice.” Goodell: “It’s a bad outcome if we are not able to reach that agreement and it should affect everybody in the league, including yours truly” (NFL Network, 2/4).
