Post by TheShadow on Mar 27, 2007 7:28:27 GMT -5
www.usatoday.com/
By JARRETT BELL
USA TODAY
PHOENIX - Houston Texans owner Robert McNair summed up the impact of the agreement reached by owners Monday regarding revenue sharing in a way anyone who has engaged in drawn-out negotiations will understand.
"Over the past year, we've had 13 committee meetings on this," said McNair, a member of four finance committees and chairman of the investment committee. "No one is completely happy, but in the end, we compromised."
Owners agreed last year to establish a pool of previously unshared revenues for lower-grossing teams to draw from to help pay for costs associated with a new collective bargaining agreement.
They haggled for months over what would qualify teams to tap the pool.
By a 30-2 vote (the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars opposed the measure), owners adopted a plan that will split $430 million over four years.
To qualify, teams must spend 65 percent of their revenues on player costs and have gate receipts of at least 90 percent of the league average. Also, there are restrictions on teams with new stadiums and that were recently purchased.
"We will all be able to compete now," Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson said as he walked through the lobby of the plush resort that is hosting the league meetings. "This was a big step that we needed because the bargaining agreement was so bad. We gave up 60 percent of the gross in the CBA. I kept saying, 'You mean net?' No, gross."
Wilson voted against the CBA because he felt that without additional revenue sharing, his small-market franchise would not be able to meet player costs.
Higher-producing teams, though, balked at sharing more revenues because of costs and debts associated with their franchise operation.
As many as 15 teams might qualify to draw from the pool, which will include $100 million retroactive to 2006 and $110 million a year through 2009. The $3.7 billion shared equally by the 32 teams from the league's television contracts is not affected by the new pool. "This is great for the new commissioner," Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis said, referring to Roger Goodell. "I was not totally satisfied, but I want to see him get off to a good start."
Even so, owners still grumble about the CBA with players - which includes opt-out clauses that could fuel more unrest.
Still pending
Despite expectations that a new player-conduct policy would be announced today, Goodell said he expects that will occur in April, before the draft.
Goodell admits that there are obstacles attached to issuing discipline for off-the-field mishaps before they have run their judicial course, but he insists that will not deter him from implementing a plan with tough penalties.
"It is an issue that we have to be careful with. We're sensitive to it," Goodell said. "Our legal system is based on the presumption of innocence. So we want to be careful with that. But to some extent, what we're looking at is players that are repeat offenders. That would be something I think our players, coaches and clubs feel that at some point we need to act (on) before the judicial (process) is completed."
Goodell said he hopes to establish a players advisory council.
Briefly
The New Orleans Saints and the state of Louisiana agreed to eliminate exit clauses that would have allowed either side to terminate their existing agreement, ensuring that the team will remain at least through 2010. The Saints could have opted out of the deal by repaying $70 million the state has paid in inducements. Talks for a long-term deal will continue. "The fans are passionate about this team," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "So those are great signs for the people of New Orleans as they continue to recover (from Hurricane Katrina)." ... St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk, who sat out the 2006 season after undergoing knee surgery, officially announced his retirement after 12 NFL seasons. Faulk is working as an analyst for the NFL Network, but doesn't rule out pursuing a front-office job. Health forced his decision to eschew a comeback. "The instinct never goes away. The fire never dies," said Faulk, who holds the single-season record with 2,429 yards from scrimmage in 1999. "But in my training, where I wanted to be and feel, (it wasn't) coming around." ... The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes and quarterback Kelly Holcomb from the Buffalo Bills for defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional draft pick in 2008.
By JARRETT BELL
USA TODAY
PHOENIX - Houston Texans owner Robert McNair summed up the impact of the agreement reached by owners Monday regarding revenue sharing in a way anyone who has engaged in drawn-out negotiations will understand.
"Over the past year, we've had 13 committee meetings on this," said McNair, a member of four finance committees and chairman of the investment committee. "No one is completely happy, but in the end, we compromised."
Owners agreed last year to establish a pool of previously unshared revenues for lower-grossing teams to draw from to help pay for costs associated with a new collective bargaining agreement.
They haggled for months over what would qualify teams to tap the pool.
By a 30-2 vote (the Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars opposed the measure), owners adopted a plan that will split $430 million over four years.
To qualify, teams must spend 65 percent of their revenues on player costs and have gate receipts of at least 90 percent of the league average. Also, there are restrictions on teams with new stadiums and that were recently purchased.
"We will all be able to compete now," Buffalo Bills owner Ralph Wilson said as he walked through the lobby of the plush resort that is hosting the league meetings. "This was a big step that we needed because the bargaining agreement was so bad. We gave up 60 percent of the gross in the CBA. I kept saying, 'You mean net?' No, gross."
Wilson voted against the CBA because he felt that without additional revenue sharing, his small-market franchise would not be able to meet player costs.
Higher-producing teams, though, balked at sharing more revenues because of costs and debts associated with their franchise operation.
As many as 15 teams might qualify to draw from the pool, which will include $100 million retroactive to 2006 and $110 million a year through 2009. The $3.7 billion shared equally by the 32 teams from the league's television contracts is not affected by the new pool. "This is great for the new commissioner," Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis said, referring to Roger Goodell. "I was not totally satisfied, but I want to see him get off to a good start."
Even so, owners still grumble about the CBA with players - which includes opt-out clauses that could fuel more unrest.
Still pending
Despite expectations that a new player-conduct policy would be announced today, Goodell said he expects that will occur in April, before the draft.
Goodell admits that there are obstacles attached to issuing discipline for off-the-field mishaps before they have run their judicial course, but he insists that will not deter him from implementing a plan with tough penalties.
"It is an issue that we have to be careful with. We're sensitive to it," Goodell said. "Our legal system is based on the presumption of innocence. So we want to be careful with that. But to some extent, what we're looking at is players that are repeat offenders. That would be something I think our players, coaches and clubs feel that at some point we need to act (on) before the judicial (process) is completed."
Goodell said he hopes to establish a players advisory council.
Briefly
The New Orleans Saints and the state of Louisiana agreed to eliminate exit clauses that would have allowed either side to terminate their existing agreement, ensuring that the team will remain at least through 2010. The Saints could have opted out of the deal by repaying $70 million the state has paid in inducements. Talks for a long-term deal will continue. "The fans are passionate about this team," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "So those are great signs for the people of New Orleans as they continue to recover (from Hurricane Katrina)." ... St. Louis Rams running back Marshall Faulk, who sat out the 2006 season after undergoing knee surgery, officially announced his retirement after 12 NFL seasons. Faulk is working as an analyst for the NFL Network, but doesn't rule out pursuing a front-office job. Health forced his decision to eschew a comeback. "The instinct never goes away. The fire never dies," said Faulk, who holds the single-season record with 2,429 yards from scrimmage in 1999. "But in my training, where I wanted to be and feel, (it wasn't) coming around." ... The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Pro Bowl linebacker Takeo Spikes and quarterback Kelly Holcomb from the Buffalo Bills for defensive tackle Darwin Walker and a conditional draft pick in 2008.