Before NFL training camps get underway later this month, the action is set to heat up off the field in the form of collective bargaining negotiations. While the current CBA doesn’t expire until after the 2020 season, Commissioner Roger Goodell is determined to stay ahead of the curve and get a deal done when the league and Players Association meet for negotiations from July 17-19.
“Our intent is to make sure we have a collective bargaining agreement, we’ve been in it for eight years. It’s worked very well, mainly for our fans but also for our players and our clubs, and so we have the structure of a system that works quite well,” Goodell said while appearing on CNBC last weekend.
“We’re continuing that dialogue, there are obviously changes we all want on both sides, and I think those are things that’ll improve us and try to make the collective bargaining (agreement) continue to be successful for all the parties, and I hope we’ll do that.”
Goodell appears optimistic and hopeful of getting a deal done, but there are several issues that will need to be hammered out. For instance, the possibility of an 18-game regular season could be on the table. In the past, the players have been steadfastly against two extra games, but the owners could make it happen if they’re willing to make significant concessions elsewhere.
Player safety and the desire from the Players Association to guarantee lifetime health insurance is another major issue. Last time around, the players were able to reduce mandatory off-season requirements, but they are likely to keep pushing for stricter punishments for teams that violate workout rules and the league’s concussion protocol.
Meanwhile, the owners have several financial issues they’d like to address, most notably money available to owners for stadium construction or renovations. This is perhaps the biggest motivating factor in the owners wanting to get a deal done now rather than when the CBA expires. How much the owners can negotiate in this area will likely have a direct effect on what they concede in other areas.
In the end, there’s no guarantee a new CBA will be reached before the season the way Goodell wants. Negotiations are likely to intensify during the upcoming three-day period, which is a long time for both sides to be on opposite ends of the bargaining table. But only time will tell if Goodell gets the new CBA he covets before the 2019 season kicks off in September.