League Notes
YAHOO SPORTS' Jason Cole reports NFL Owners at their meeting in March "approved the right of teams to change or eliminate the payments they make to 401(k) and pension plans for employees," and while no team has "changed the benefits it gives to coaches and staff as of yet, the mere implication that changes could be coming has sent a large number of non-playing staff into a tizzy." The move could be "enough of one to lead coaches to push harder for a formal union." Three owners said that the decision "was a direct reaction to the fact" that the CBA is set to expire at the end of the '10 season, and that the economy "has gone south." Additionally, there has been an "increasing push throughout American business to reduce such benefits" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 5/1).
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Montezemolo (l) Argues F1 Teams Haven't Had
Enough Time To Digest Proposed Measures |
SPEED LIMIT: In London, Tom Cary reports leaked letters revealed that FIA has "slapped down" Ferrari's attempts to "block the introduction of a budget cap from next season." The FIA Thursday confirmed that the World Motor Sport Council has ratified the optional budget cap of US$59.7M. But Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo argues that F1 teams "have not been given enough time to digest the measures proposed and says they will discuss the issue at their next meeting on May 6." However, FIA President Max Mosley in response "appears to suggest that Ferrari [is] motivated by self-interest and desire to be treated as a special case" (London TELEGRAPH, 5/1).
OUT OF BOUNDS: In Manchester, Matt Scott reports FIFA's desire to institute the 6+5 rule for English soccer "appears to have been dealt a mortal blow by the European Commission." FIFA hopes that the rule, "under which six players in every starting line-up would have to be qualified to play for the national team where the club is based, could be introduced under a 'specificity of sport' provision, giving it an exemption from European legal norms." However, in analyzing the 6+5 plan, European Union Sports Commissioner Jan Figel said, "The Commission cannot agree to an illegal system" (Manchester GUARDIAN, 5/1).
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