The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the NFL and NFLPA is set to expire following the 2020 season, but the two sides have been working hard to avoid a strike.
Dan Graziano of ESPN reports the ongoing discussions “are set to intensify in July in an effort to secure a new deal before the start of the 2019 regular season.” He also reports that there are expected to be “as many as three or four direct owner/player negotiating sessions scheduled for July alone.”
Graziano reports NFL owners want to get a new CBA hammered out before the start of the 2019 season so that the coming “NFL100” marketing campaign to celebrate the league’s 100th season isn’t marred by the threat of a coming strike.
There are many big issues to sort out as the two sides look to forge a new agreement. Among them is the ban on cannabis, which could potentially be lifted. Guaranteed contracts are also a huge talking point, as is the power that is currently being wielded by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell in disciplinary cases.
Another, perhaps more overriding issue, is the fact that legalized gambling is starting to become more mainstream. That huge money-making machine has already been embraced by some NFL owners, and a recent report indicated the money generated by this coming wave could be a big reason why a new CBA is attained without necessitating a strike.
Stay tuned.