If football fans think they’re getting nervous as the March 3rd CBA deadline approaches and the mediations take place in Washington, they should try being gaming industry professionals! Messing with the NFL is like messing with our livelihood! Seriously, we’ve been keeping an eye and ear out to try and track or gain some insight into how this might play out.
According to SI.com’s Jim Trotter, if we’re looking to Washington, we’re looking in the wrong place. The place to look is on the real battle ground in a Minnesota courthouse where union representatives argued for blocking the owners’ access to $4 billion in television revenues if there’s no football in 2011.
Basically, with $4 billion in TV revenues still available for the owners in case of a lockout, they can afford to squeeze the players, many of which wouldn’t be financially capable to withstand a long work stoppage.
On the other hand, if the Judge David Doty rules in favour of the players then the owners could find themselves without their lockout insurance plan, and organizations that have recently built new stadiums and or have liabilities may have trouble meeting their financial obligations, which in turn would push them to the bargaining table.
Make no mistake about it, the owners saw this day coming years ago, and this $4 Billion lockout insurance was basically their ace in the hole. So instead of us waiting and watching the proceedings in Washington, it appears a significant portion of the fate of the NFL lies in what Judge David Doty decides in his ruling.
We’ll keep you posted.
