Gridiron money haggle

Press, 22 September 1987, Page 12

Gridiron money haggle

Even before competition has begun, American football has its fans on the edges of their seats. Instead of who will win, however, the fans wonder who will play. The. union contract covering the National Football League’s 1580-players expires this year. Never before has a new contract been signed without a strike. Barring sudden agreement in negotiations which have so far been as strenuous as the game itself, this year’s strike will begin this week.

Television has made football into big business. Players permitting, the National Football League (N.F.L.) will get SNZ2.3 billion over the next three years from television stations eager to show its games. That money is split between owners of the 28 individual teams, who also get revenues from ticket sales, licensing and the like.

Not surprisingly, the players feel the owners can afford to be

generous with salaries and benefits.

The owners — who point out that the average N.F.L. player’s salary has already climbed from SNZISO,OOO in 1982 to SNZ3BO,OOO in 1986 — disagree. Several issues now divide players and owners. Probably the most contentious is the players’ demand to be allowed to negotiate as “free agents.” To prevent the teams with the deepest pockets from cornering the market for talented footballers, the N.F.L. controls the movement of players between teams. Although the players are willing to let the teams with the most losses have first pick of new players entering the league from college, they want to allow veterans to play for the highest bidder.

The players also want contracts that guarantee their salary even if they are dropped from the team in mid-season; they want better pensions, protection for union representatives, and a

bigger voice in safety and drugtesting. Although the owners are willing to bend on some issues, like contract guarantees, they also want to cut salaries for starting players to SNZIOO,OOO in the first year and SNZII6,OOO in the second, plus a one-time signing bonus of up to SNZB3O,OOO. The players are unlikely to have much truck with that. For today’s top newcomers, the salary would be mere pocket money. Mr Brian (“the Boz”) Bosworth — an excellent defensive player from Oklahoma whose fast tongue and mohawk haircut make for equally excellent press conferences — this year signed a contract with the Seattle Seahawks which will pay him up to SNZIB.3 million over the next ten years. The players say that, since the average N.F.L. career lasts only four years before age and injury take their toll, they cannot afford to wait for their rewards.