The work stoppage, which jeopardises the 2011 season, was announced after the NFL Players’ Association (NFLPA) renounced its union status on Friday, allowing players to file anti-trust lawsuits against the League. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees were among the 10 named plaintiffs in litigation filed on Saturday.
Both sides have blamed the other for the breakdown in negotiations, with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell insisting the union had “walked away” from the mediated talks, which he described as the “fairest and fastest” way of resolving the dispute.
“They’ve chosen to pursue another strategy, and that is their choice,” Goodell said. According to Reuters, New York Giants co-owner John Mara was more outspoken in his criticism of the union, saying: “Their position has quite literally been ‘take it or leave it’.”
The union had given owners until 17:00 ET on Friday to turn over 10 years of audited financial records, but the owners did not comply. The collective bargaining agreement deadline had already been extended by seven days.
NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith told reporters: “I’m sad for our fans, I’m sad for our players...but I’m proud of the (players) who have devoted themselves to be leaders.” He said the league’s contention that the union was more interested in litigation than negotiation all along “flies in the face of reason, flies in the face of facts and is simply untrue”.
