By Scott A. Andresen
On January 13, 2010, the Chicago chapter of the NFLPA hosted “An Evening with DeMaurice Smith” at Ditka’s restaurant in Chicago. Attended by a large contingent of retired NFL players, Mr. Smith opened his remarks with a conciliatory statement that he doesn’t represent current or retired players—but all players.
Moving quickly into the topic on everyone’s mind, Smith remarked that the current status of collective bargaining efforts between the NFLPA and the NFL boils down to this: The NFL generated $8 Billion in revenues last year (with an average team profit of $31 Million), but wants a 20% reduction in player compensation. “It’s my job to figure out why $8 Billion is not enough,” Smith commented. Other topics addressed by Smith included:
• NFL team values have increased 500% over the past 20 years, in large part through the efforts of the players on the field. As such, it is important to take care of the retired players who made the NFL what it is today;
• The NFL players will not strike as part of the current collective bargaining process. The players want to play and any work stoppage will only occur as a result of an owner lockout of the players;
• In the American Needle case heard by the United States Supreme Court earlier in the day, attorneys for the NFL essentially tried to argue that the NFL was above the law, and was attempting to take back court victories earned by the NFL players through the Reggie White case and others; and
• A lockout-caused work stoppage remains a viable option for the NFL owners as the NFL’s current television contracts are guaranteed through 2013 and call for the payment of television revenues to the NFL- even if no games are played.
Scott A. Andresen is the name partner at Andresen & Associates, P.C. in Chicago. He can be reached at Scott@AndresenLawFirm.com
