PDA

View Full Version : Broncos players vote to decertify union in case of lockout



Denver Native (Carol)
10-21-2010, 06:58 PM
http://www.denverpost.com/broncos2009/ci_16399669?source=rss

NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith was in the Broncos' Dove Valley complex today to meet with players about a potential course of action in 2011 if the NFL owners impose a lockout.

This is the last year in the league's collective bargaining agreement. It is widely believed owners will lock the players out in the coming year if no new deal is reached, possibly as soon as March.

Smith has met with teams advising players to approve decertification of the union if the players are locked out. Like the other teams Smith has met with, the Broncos players voted Thursday to approve decertification of the union as an option.

That gives the players the potential to battle the NFL owners in court under anti-trust laws instead of labor laws. Their hope is they would have a better chance under anti-trust laws to continue playing while the legal battle would be fought.

Ravage!!!
10-21-2010, 10:15 PM
Every team in the NFL will decertify. They've interviewed a lot of lawyers about this on ESPN radio, and they have explained that this will give the union a stronger stance.

Canmore
10-22-2010, 01:24 AM
Every team in the NFL will decertify. They've interviewed a lot of lawyers about this on ESPN radio, and they have explained that this will give the union a stronger stance.

The real question though is will there be football in 2011, and that is anyones quess.

Jagsbch
10-22-2010, 09:17 AM
The players have enough money to actually invest in a PFL Player Football league, and get rid of the money grubbing owners all together. Now how interstng would that be?

pnbronco
10-22-2010, 09:49 AM
The real question though is will there be football in 2011, and that is anyones quess.

From what I heard on the radio yesterday unless something big changes fast the lockout is going to happen. DeMaurice Smith was on "The Fan" and said that the players health insurance was going to be cancelled in March. When Mr. Bowlen pulled the contract negotiations from Champ and they were almost done, that told me that all signs pointed to a lock out.

GEM
10-22-2010, 09:51 AM
This sucks.

Ravage!!!
10-22-2010, 09:58 AM
The NFL will lose BILLIONS if they don't play in 2011. I"m betting something gets done. Something will get done. The sport is too big, the money is too much. it was just two weeks ago that reports of things moving along, and it was looking positive. Now, its back to dire again. Seems its as much using the media to strengthen your stance, more than anything.

Ravage!!!
10-22-2010, 10:00 AM
The players have enough money to actually invest in a PFL Player Football league, and get rid of the money grubbing owners all together. Now how interstng would that be?

Absolutely retarded.

Where are they going to play? Who advertises? You really think that there is a snowball's chance in hell that the players "pool" their money together to form billion dollar franchises? :confused: no way.

Lonestar
10-22-2010, 10:09 AM
Unless I'm wrong. Congress gave the NFL anti trust exemption when they merged. The courts do not have the authority to overturn that.

It would IMO take another act of congress as well as a presidental *edit* to do that.

If they lose anti trust. Then they lose the draft as well as a few other things ERGO no reason to be in business for most of the NFL. I could see billionare owners take their money and invest it elsewhere.

Btw 50% of the revenue for 18 games is still more than 16 games or frankly zero games. The players are not going get their 60% back time for them to get over it.

BTW if their is no union just who does the NFL negoiate with? Individual players. Lmao
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

rcsodak
10-22-2010, 10:34 AM
there will be a 2011 season. It may be abbreviated and start late, but 53X32 players have mortgages, car pmts, utilities, mouths to feed.
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

Denver Native (Carol)
10-22-2010, 10:42 AM
Absolutely retarded.

Where are they going to play? Who advertises? You really think that there is a snowball's chance in hell that the players "pool" their money together to form billion dollar franchises? :confused: no way.

That is exactly what I was thinking - where would they play? In a local park?

Jagsbch
10-22-2010, 11:07 AM
Retarded? Where are they going to play?

How many teams actually own the stadiums?

Where did the USFL play?

Teams can play in the spring and summer when the stadiums are available on Sunday.

Start the season in April, and have the Super Bowl in Hawaii on July...

It doesn't take billions to start a new league, it takes players being bought in to the investment that is making billions...

Nomad
10-22-2010, 11:49 AM
there will be a 2011 season. It may be abbreviated and start late, but 53X32 players have mortgages, car pmts, utilities, mouths to feed.
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

No amount would be enough to feed Latrell Sprewell's family!!:D

But you're right and we're not talking cheap either!!

rcsodak
10-22-2010, 12:42 PM
No amount would be enough to feed Latrell Sprewell's family!!:D

But you're right and we're not talking cheap either!!
or denver's old baby daddy rb. Lol
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

Nomad
10-22-2010, 12:45 PM
or denver's old baby daddy rb. Lol
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

The NFL should teach NFL players money management and when to pull out!:D

weazel
10-22-2010, 01:12 PM
The players have enough money to actually invest in a PFL Player Football league, and get rid of the money grubbing owners all together. Now how interstng would that be?

LMFAO! :elefant:

Ravage!!!
10-22-2010, 01:23 PM
Retarded? Where are they going to play?

How many teams actually own the stadiums?

Where did the USFL play?

Teams can play in the spring and summer when the stadiums are available on Sunday.

Start the season in April, and have the Super Bowl in Hawaii on July...

It doesn't take billions to start a new league, it takes players being bought in to the investment that is making billions...

Yes.. retarded. SOMEONE would have to be the owner of the team. Since you JUST called the owners "money grubbing" (interesting since the players are just as money grubbing) who is going to be the main man? You think that these players are going to form a league, and they are ALL going to be the "owners."

You really think that these players, the ones that just made a TON of money by playing for the NFL, really believe that they can form a football league that would make them as MUCH money as they are making now.... by somehow investing THEIR money to start it up and then pay themselves? Especially since there has been other football organizations that have tried to compete for the 'football revenue' by starting their own leagues and completely failed (USFL being one)?

Yes... I'll stick with my initial thought on the idea that players could simply start their own league and cut out the "money grubbing" owners.

slim
10-22-2010, 01:33 PM
The players have enough money to actually invest in a PFL Player Football league, and get rid of the money grubbing owners all together. Now how interstng would that be?

If anyone can make this happen, it is Tim Tebow.

slim
10-22-2010, 01:34 PM
BTW, if there is a lockout, I will have to seriously consider why I am a fan of the NFL.

BroncoTech
10-22-2010, 02:48 PM
I can say with certainty I'm a Broncos fan and not a fan of the NFL. The NFL has allowed too many self serving exclusive agreements without the best interests of fans at heart. They've ended contracts in the USA and replaced them with businesses in India. They've allowed player salaries to balloon to 100 times that of a common working man and have disenfranchised their fan base doing so. Their putting games on cable TV only is self serving and not in the interest of fans. Next time they need stadium, don't even look at my wallet.

Bosco
10-22-2010, 05:33 PM
Unless I'm wrong. Congress gave the NFL anti trust exemption when they merged. The courts do not have the authority to overturn that.

It would IMO take another act of congress as well as a presidental *edit* to do that.

If they lose anti trust. Then they lose the draft as well as a few other things ERGO no reason to be in business for most of the NFL. I could see billionare owners take their money and invest it elsewhere.

Btw 50% of the revenue for 18 games is still more than 16 games or frankly zero games. The players are not going get their 60% back time for them to get over it.

BTW if their is no union just who does the NFL negoiate with? Individual players. Lmao
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

I think you're referring to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. That did give the NFL the Antitrust Exemption but only on certain matters relating to the broadcasting of games. The Supreme Court denied a more broad application of antitrust exemption earlier this year.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?confirm=true&id=09000d5d8184a051&template=with-video-with-comments

The draft is in fact in violation of labor laws but is legal because the NFL and the union have collectively bargained for that. If there is no CBA, the draft cannot be held.

Lonestar
10-22-2010, 05:37 PM
The players have billions of money. Ahahahahaha

95% blew ther signing bonuses on bling, a car or ten and a house for mom.

They do not have a pot to piss in. Until last year they lived week to week paying monthly bills just like us. Just in a bigger scale.

All 1500 could not pool enough to get a loan to buy a franchise.


Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

Lonestar
10-22-2010, 05:43 PM
I think you're referring to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. That did give the NFL the Antitrust Exemption but only on certain matters relating to the broadcasting of games. The Supreme Court denied a more broad application of antitrust exemption earlier this year.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?confirm=true&id=09000d5d8184a051&template=with-video-with-comments

The draft is in fact in violation of labor laws but is legal because the NFL and the union have collectively bargained for that. If there is no CBA, the draft cannot be held.

IIRC they have not always been unionized. A couple of decades or so ago they decertified before and there was some talk about not going back to a union.

Not all that sure that that draft is illegal. While it could be and if it was the draft will be held long before a lock out happens.
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums

PAINTERDAVE
10-22-2010, 06:02 PM
We lived through the last strike season/lockout.

This , too, shall pass.

PAINTERDAVE
10-22-2010, 06:05 PM
The 1987 NFL season was the 68th regular season of the National Football League. A 24-day players' strike reduced the 16-game season to 15. The games that were scheduled for the third week of the season were canceled, but the games for weeks 4-6 were played with replacement players. 85% of the veteran players did not cross picket lines during the strike. Some, like Joe Montana, did cross and play.

The replacement player teams were given mock names like "Chicago Spare Bears", "San Francisco Phoney Niners", "New Orleans Saint Elsewheres" and "Seattle Sea-scabs"[1]. Final television revenues were down by about 20%, a smaller drop than the networks had expected.[2] The defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants went 0-3 in replacement games, ultimately costing them a chance to make the playoffs and repeat their championship.

Starting on November 8, 1987, ESPN debuted ESPN Sunday Night Football, in which the cable network started to broadcast NFL Sunday night games primarily during the second half of the season.

Due to Game 7 of the 1987 World Series, the Denver Broncos - Minnesota Vikings game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome was moved back one day to Monday, October 26.

Walter Payton played his last NFL season retiring as the NFL all-time leading rusher.

The season ended with Super Bowl XXII when the Washington Redskins defeated the Denver Broncos.

Bosco
10-22-2010, 06:07 PM
Not all that sure that that draft is illegal. While it could be and if it was the draft will be held long before a lock out happens.
Mobile Post via Mobile.BroncosForums.com/forums It is. It's violates just about every labor law in the country as it removes the player's ability to shop around his services to the highest bidder. If the agreement which allows this to happen ends up expiring, then so does the legality of the draft.

Here's a little more in depth discussion of that topic.

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=149&f=1547&t=6440476

KCL
10-22-2010, 07:37 PM
Yes.. retarded. SOMEONE would have to be the owner of the team. Since you JUST called the owners "money grubbing" (interesting since the players are just as money grubbing) who is going to be the main man? You think that these players are going to form a league, and they are ALL going to be the "owners."

You really think that these players, the ones that just made a TON of money by playing for the NFL, really believe that they can form a football league that would make them as MUCH money as they are making now.... by somehow investing THEIR money to start it up and then pay themselves? Especially since there has been other football organizations that have tried to compete for the 'football revenue' by starting their own leagues and completely failed (USFL being one)?

Yes... I'll stick with my initial thought on the idea that players could simply start their own league and cut out the "money grubbing" owners.

LMAO..Someone would have to be the owner of the team...I couldn't see it working out the way Jags says it would..even if most if not all stadiums are owned by the counties (taxpayers).

I could see these guys getting together and not one of them agreeing with the other..what a mess that would be.

camdisco24
10-22-2010, 08:12 PM
Not having an NFL season is like shooting the golden goose.
Hopefully these fools are smart enough not to ruin a good thing. As successful as the NFL is right now, they would be making a HUGE mistake to not work something out.




Plus I would be miserable without football for a whole year....

FanInAZ
10-22-2010, 11:37 PM
Unless I'm wrong. Congress gave the NFL anti trust exemption when they merged. The courts do not have the authority to overturn that.

It would IMO take another act of congress as well as a presidental *edit* to do that.

The courts' roles in the checks & balances arraignment is to declare laws that are passed by Congress to be unconstitutional. I have no problem seeing how the courts can say that its unconstitutional for Congress to basically say that its OK for their favorite corporation to not have to obey the same laws as everybody else.

Nomad
10-23-2010, 05:33 AM
Not having an NFL season is like shooting the golden goose.
Hopefully these fools are smart enough not to ruin a good thing. As successful as the NFL is right now, they would be making a HUGE mistake to not work something out.




Plus I would be miserable without football for a whole year....

You must only watch the NFL!! I find college alot more exciting and always have since I was a kid!! I was a freshman in high school back in '87 and watched a little NFL but not a lot and didn't really have a team to root for and a coach of mine was a Elway/Bronco fan so I started following them and over 20 yrs later I'm here! So i didn't pay much attention to the strike and it didn't have any affect on me!!

I use to never follow the business side of the NFL.....turn off the tv in Feb and turn it back on in Sept. But the last couple years, I've followed the offseason especially with the internet and I'd have to say I've been turned off by the NFL. I loved the NBA in the 80s and 90s and MLB in the 80s but I don't care to watch them anymore! I guess the older I get the less appealing watching millionaires and billionaires fight over money that in turn always comes back to bite the fan!! Regardless of which way my path takes, I will always be a college fan and over the last 20 yrs the BRONCOS have been a big part of my life!! But it will be hard to support the NFL if it continues to rake the fans over the coals!!

Ravage!!!
10-23-2010, 08:51 AM
I only watch the NFL and find it to be MUCH more exciting than the NCAA. College football, after about 1 half, bores me.

Ravage!!!
10-23-2010, 08:52 AM
They tried to say it was "unconstitutional" that the NFL didn't allow players into the NFL until a certain age..... the Clarett case. That was found to be incorrect as well.

camdisco24
10-23-2010, 11:45 AM
You must only watch the NFL!! I find college alot more exciting and always have since I was a kid!! I was a freshman in high school back in '87 and watched a little NFL but not a lot and didn't really have a team to root for and a coach of mine was a Elway/Bronco fan so I started following them and over 20 yrs later I'm here! So i didn't pay much attention to the strike and it didn't have any affect on me!!

I use to never follow the business side of the NFL.....turn off the tv in Feb and turn it back on in Sept. But the last couple years, I've followed the offseason especially with the internet and I'd have to say I've been turned off by the NFL. I loved the NBA in the 80s and 90s and MLB in the 80s but I don't care to watch them anymore! I guess the older I get the less appealing watching millionaires and billionaires fight over money that in turn always comes back to bite the fan!! Regardless of which way my path takes, I will always be a college fan and over the last 20 yrs the BRONCOS have been a big part of my life!! But it will be hard to support the NFL if it continues to rake the fans over the coals!!

Yeah, I love the NFL. College football is alright, but i've never been able to get into it as much. Its probably doesnt help that I go to a college with no football team either. NFL is HUGE at my school because thats the only football we have! I usually cheer for NC State at the college level, and I'll fully admit that the ACC is horrible in football. College basketball is what i LOVE, no NBA here. Pro Football and College basketball (and a little racing)! thats my sports lineup!

Nomad
10-23-2010, 01:35 PM
Yeah, I love the NFL. College football is alright, but i've never been able to get into it as much. Its probably doesnt help that I go to a college with no football team either. NFL is HUGE at my school because thats the only football we have! I usually cheer for NC State at the college level, and I'll fully admit that the ACC is horrible in football. College basketball is what i LOVE, no NBA here. Pro Football and College basketball (and a little racing)! thats my sports lineup!

That's cool!! I know everyone has their different preferences and nothing wrong with that! I do enjoy a lazy Sunday and watching NFL football especially BRONCO football!!

Bosco
10-23-2010, 05:36 PM
I only watch the NFL and find it to be MUCH more exciting than the NCAA. College football, after about 1 half, bores me.

I agree. I've never been able to get into college ball like I do with the NFL. The technical aspect of the NFL that I love show much is just not there in the NCAA.

BCJ
10-23-2010, 08:21 PM
The players have enough money to actually invest in a PFL Player Football league, and get rid of the money grubbing owners all together. Now how interstng would that be?

I would love to see Union members actually run a business and see it from the other side. Some of these guys are bankrupt after a few years after they are retired after a few years. Better leave it up to the Professional business men and they play while the owners spend and make money.

Joel
10-24-2010, 03:56 AM
Sounds like it's going to be '87 all over again, a year of which "The Hidden Game of Football" said, "For the first first time since 1947 fans wondered if a good college team could beat an NFL team and were pretty sure they knew". The same book also notes that the Draft and other such things make a mockery of labor and anti-trust laws. Where else but in professional sports could a college grad be told, "Look, you have all the skills to work for the company down the street from you, which has an opening in your field, but you got drafted by one of their competitors on the other side of the country, so go home, pack up your family and call an airline and mover"?

This if the first I've heard of the NFL being exempt from anti-trust laws at any time. Major League Baseball gets away with it, I'm told, because of a legal fiction that the AL and NL are separate entities; the NFL has no such luxury. However, if Congress did, in fact, exempt the NFL from anti-trust laws after the merger it shouldn't be unconstitutional, because there are no anti-trust laws in the Constitution (unfortunately). Consequently, any new law that comes out of Congress can alter, amend or abolish any other that's not itself in the Constitution.

*wonders what odds he can get on a 2011 Redskin championship right now* :P

Bosco
10-24-2010, 06:01 AM
Sounds like it's going to be '87 all over again, a year of which "The Hidden Game of Football" said, "For the first first time since 1947 fans wondered if a good college team could beat an NFL team and were pretty sure they knew". The same book also notes that the Draft and other such things make a mockery of labor and anti-trust laws. Where else but in professional sports could a college grad be told, "Look, you have all the skills to work for the company down the street from you, which has an opening in your field, but you got drafted by one of their competitors on the other side of the country, so go home, pack up your family and call an airline and mover"?

This if the first I've heard of the NFL being exempt from anti-trust laws at any time. Major League Baseball gets away with it, I'm told, because of a legal fiction that the AL and NL are separate entities; the NFL has no such luxury. However, if Congress did, in fact, exempt the NFL from anti-trust laws after the merger it shouldn't be unconstitutional, because there are no anti-trust laws in the Constitution (unfortunately). Consequently, any new law that comes out of Congress can alter, amend or abolish any other that's not itself in the Constitution.

*wonders what odds he can get on a 2011 Redskin championship right now* :P

As I said earlier and was explained in the thread I linked, the NFL is allowed to hold a draft because it was collectively bargained for between the union and the league. If that agreement expires, so does their right to hold a draft.