Reason.tv: The NFL 2011 Lockout Labor Mess

Now that the Super Bowl is over, it’s time for the

really big game: the labor battle between National

Football League owners and players.

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, which governs how

much players can make, what teams can spend on payrolls, and

much more, is set to expire in March. Despite sweetheart deals with

publicly financed stadiums and hefty national television

contracts, owners say they are being bled dry by

runaway salaries and tight economic times. They’re

looking to extend the regular season to 18 games and for

players to forego $7 billion in potential pay increases

over the next seven seasons. The players, represented by the

federally certified NFL Players Association, want to see the

owners’ books, more pay for extra games, and other

concessions.

Given the amount of money in play,

Vegas oddsmakers are betting heavy that the owners will

lock out players for the first time since 1987, when a work

stoppage shortened the season by a game. In 1982, similar problems

led to just nine regular-season games being played.

But don’t mistake this for a classic showdown between management

and labor hashing out differences on an even playing field. Given

the amount of public money in play through stadium deals and the

fact that individual players must negotiate collectively

through the government-certified NFLPA, federal regulations

have almost guaranteed a nasty, sudden-death battle.

How things will shake out is far from certain, but

this much is a lock: If the 2011 NFL season is scrapped

in part or in whole, the real goat will be government

meddling in what should be a purely private negotiation among

millionaires and billionaires.

Approximately 3 minutes.

Produced by Austin Bragg.

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