AFL Threatens Lockout, But Union Says "Sides Are Closer Than Ever" To New CBA

Arena Football League Players Union Exec Dir Ivan Soto said that the league is "threatening to lock out players, jeopardizing the season, if the union calls for another work stoppage this weekend," according to Jerry DiPaola of the PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW. The threat was "included in a seven-year proposal sent to the union" yesterday that offers a 106% salary increase "and other concessions." Soto said, "If they shut down the league this weekend and for the rest of the season, they are shutting down this league forever. If they are trying to play poker, this is a pretty poor way of negotiating." Soto said that he "won't present the offer to the players until he crafts a counter proposal, but he admitted the sides are closer than ever" to their first CBA since the AFL emerged from bankruptcy in '10 (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 6/13).