In his opening address, NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue is likely to focus on talks with the Players’ Association on a post 2008 contract.
The major issue is the expansion of the salary cap pool from which players are paid. This can only be done by including sources of revenue that teams previously kept for themselves.
An agreement in principle to expand the pool has been reached, but the main issue yet to be resolved is what percentage will go to the players.
After two strikes in the 1980s and an antitrust suit following the 1987 strike, the NFL has had labour peace since 1992, continually extending the contract before it was due to expire.
Attention will also focus on the prime-time television contract that is still up in the air.
CBS and Fox have renewed their AFC and NFC contracts for a total of $8billion over six years. But ABC and ESPN are still haggling over the prime-time packages and it's conceivable other networks could get involved.
The television deal expires after this year.
