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Leagues and Governing Bodies

NFL's Escrow Proposal For '20 Considered Non-Starter By NFLPA

Economics have "started to come into focus" as the NFL prepares to start its season amid the pandemic, and one issue the league and union are working through is the NFL proposing to escrow 35% of "players' salaries throughout the 2020 season to account for some cost and potential lost revenue," according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. NFLPA Senior Dir of Player Affairs Don Davis "said on a call with all the players a short time ago, 'Basically we told them to kick rocks.'" Pelissero noted the NFL's potential revenue loss could escalate to $4B if there are no fans in the stands this season, and "from the union's perspective, they would love to spread that over an 11-year CBA, spread out until 2030." Pelissero: "Obviously, the NFL is thinking about cost savings right now" ("NFL Total Access," NFL Network, 7/7). In DC, Mark Maske notes the NFL's proposal states the funds withheld "would be paid to the players on a timetable determined once any revenue decline for this season is calculated." A source said that the NFLPA "does not intend to agree to the proposal" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/8).

NON-STARTER: NFLPA President JC Tretter said the NFL is "going to have some sort of shortfall this year and that shortfall could be substantial, and then it's about the two sides coming together and collectively bargaining over an option to fix that issue." Tretter: "Both sides I don't think want to see a huge dip in the cap." But Tretter noted the "first step is to focus on the safety protocols and making sure that we get through 16 games because that's going to be how we bring in the revenue to not cause a huge dip in the first place" ("Golic & Wingo," ESPN Radio, 7/8). WFAN's Boomer Esiason said the NFL's escrow proposal to the NFLPA "went over like a lead balloon." Esiason: "That was basically like a 'kiss my ass' moment right there. No way that's happening" ("Boomer & Gio," CBSSN, 7/8). YAHOO SPORTS' Jack Baer wrote it is "not hard to understand why players would react" negatively to the escrow proposal. NFL owners "have raked in profits and seen their franchise values skyrocket into the billions for years with player pay lagging behind." Now, the league "wants the players to help absorb its losses the one year it might not be profitable, and in a season in which they will face the dangers of a pandemic" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 7/7).

SETTING UP A PLAN: PRO FOOTBALL TALK's Mike Florio reported the NFL and NFLPA have "reached an agreement regarding team travel protocols for 2020 training camp and preseason." The document "implies strongly that there will be a preseason; however, it does not expressly state that preseason games will be played." A source said that the "length of the preseason is still being discussed." The sections of the detailed protocols "focus on the rules for traveling by plane and bus, PPE use, disinfection of hotel rooms, airlines, buses, equipment, and luggage, rules for hotel employees and bus drivers, food service standards, and physical distancing requirements." Highlights include "mandatory masks for all members of the traveling party, limitations on the size of the traveling party" (NBCSPORTS.com, 7/7).

NOT SEEING EYE TO EYE: Tretter yesterday escalated a disagreement with the NFL over the terms of training camp and the preseason amid the coronavirus pandemic, writing in a blog post that the league "is unwilling to prioritize player safety and believes that the virus will bend to football." Tretter noted that the NFL has "not provided a medical reason for insisting on two preseason games." Tretter: "The NFLPA will do its part to advocate for player safety. We will continue to hold the NFL accountable and demand that the league use data, science and the recommendations of its own medical experts to make decisions" (ESPN.com, 7/7). The days keep passing and the important questions facing NFL training camps continue to go unanswered, leading to a growing sense of concern around the league. Yesterday's blog post by Tretter highlighting outstanding disagreements with the league over COVID-19 mitigation measures only added to that feeling. A league source says owners dispute many of Tretter's arguments, but that's not the point. The point is that after months of more or less amenable (and we'd been led to believe, productive) negotiations around how the league will operate during the pandemic, a final deal appears to still be far off. Coaches and GMs are "getting antsy" because they can't plan a schedule, one source said, and team business-side operators are, too. Also, the two sides have barely started negotiating how the economics will work with reduced revenue (Ben Fischer, SBJ Unpacks).

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