NFL in trouble due to bargaining agreement

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By Matt Muncy, September 16, 2009

With the NFL team owners opting out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in 2008, it left the door open for a multitude of problems to occur if they were unable to agree upon a new set of terms in three years.

The CBA is a deal between the NFL Players Association and the NFL. The old CBA caused too many problems. Rookies were getting paid double and triple what veterans were and players who underperformed did not have to give back any bonus money to their team.

With the new United Football League starting this October and the Canadian Football League still going strong it feels like it is only a matter of time before the giant collapses.

The NFL has not had direct competition since the American Football League was around. The NFL was found in 1920 and in 1926 the AFL was started to compete. From 1926 till 1970 the NFL and AFL feuded over teams, fans, and players. The AFL closed its doors four times during that span, but was able to reopen each time until 1970 when they agreed to merge with the NFL.

The 2008 and 2009 seasons would play under the old CBA while 2010 would become a non-salary cap season. In 2011 the owners would lock out the players. Not only does this hurt the teams, it hurts the players who are free agents after 2009 because it will limit how much money they would have potentially made. The fans would be hurt in 2011 when the lockout occurs and the NFL shutdowns for the season.

This is where the UFL and the CFL have a chance to shine. If a lockout was to occur, players who were not under contract could opt to play a season in either of the leagues and could cause the leagues popularity to skyrocket.

The UFL has the best chance. Each of the current four teams are located in the United States and already have three former NFL head coaches and numerous NFL veterans.