With the two parties currently locked in talks over a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the players’ union, which had called for the $4 billion due in TV revenue for 2011 to be set aside until the confirmation of a new deal, was awarded about $7 million in damages from the League.
The union accused the NFL of structuring TV contracts so that owners would be guaranteed money even if a lockout takes place next season – a scenario that remains a distinct possibility as the current CBA expires in March. The union argued that this violated an agreement that the NFL must make “good-faith” efforts to maximise revenue for players.
The union released a statement to the Associated Press that said it had been awarded damages because of violations in “the NFL's negotiation of lockout insurance in its contracts with ESPN and NBC”.
The union's statement added that “although the special master awarded damages, the players intend to file an immediate and expedited appeal before” US District Court judge David Doty, who has jurisdiction over NFL labour matters. An NFL statement said the special master had “squarely rejected the union's demand that the NFL be denied access to payments that the league's television partners are obligated to make for the 2011 season”.
The league added: “As we have said all along, a new CBA has to be hammered out at the negotiating table, not in the courtroom. If the union commits to invest as much time, energy and other resources in negotiations as it has in its litigation strategy, a new agreement could well be reached by March 4.”
