FanPost

18-game schedule is off the table


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Players' union leader DeMaurice Smith had a lot to say Wednesday.

Smith indicated that NFL owners have lowered from $1 billion to $800 million the amount of additional revenues they want to take off the top of their $9 billion business.

The NFLPA's executive director also, according to an SI.com report, told fans during a radio station Q&A that an 18-game schedule is off the table for the union. Smith then confirmed to SI.com that an expanded regular season is something that the union would not agree to.

"First of all, the league has never presented a formal proposal for 18 games," Smith told SI.com. "But more importantly, it's something that our players don't want. Eighteen games is not in the best interest of our players' safety, so we're not doing it."

However, Smith also was clear when he spoke to reporters after Wednesday's negotiating session that he considers that lower figure still too high, because the league is not offering to turn over enough financial information.

Leaving the 14th day of mediated talks -- and with the extended labor contract set to expire Friday -- Smith called the information the NFL proposed to provide "utterly meaningless." The union rejected what the league offered to give -- financial information doesn't include data requested nearly two years ago by Smith in a letter to commissioner Roger Goodell.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=6196585

rookie wage scale - check
no 18 game - check
spliting revenue - still waiting
benefit plans - still waiting

 

update (j16941) http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/03/10/union-sending-mixed-signals-on-18-game-season/

i still think it will stay at 16 though...

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