Stuff on the CBA
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Charlotte becomes unlikely CBA battleground
Posted by Mike Florio on May 22, 2010 9:49 AM ET
Earlier this week, NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith spoke at the Charlotte Touchdown Club. Apart from his inaccurate claim that no team has reported reduced profits, Smith also spent time attempting to curry favor with the constituency that both labor and management are trying to woo -- retired players.
"Every one of these stadiums in the country has that ring of fame that celebrates all of those great players who used to play that game. I know for a fact that each and every team in the National Football League sells legacy," Smith said. "My problem is, that as we look on those names up there on that ring of fame, not one player gets a dime from that team."
On Saturday, the NFL will take a shot cozying up to former players by providing free health screenings. In Charlotte.
According to NFLLabor.com, 30 retired players will receive "a comprehensive health screening" as part of a three-year effort to identify risk factors for heart attack, stroke, and sleep apnea.
These problems typically are found in players whose football prowess was premised on having large bodies. Many such players remain large -- or get even larger -- after retiring, which in many cases results in a much smaller life span.
Moving forward, retired players in Charlotte and beyond will continue to be in the middle of the CBA tug-o-war. As one active player pointed out in response to last night's item regarding the disappearance of the Tuition Assistance Plan in the uncapped year, the reaction "will be nothing compared to the uproar when NFL owners revoke health insurance for retired players." The players generally believe that the owners will "revoke [the] earned benefit for retired players in March 2011." The player who contacted us said that the NFLPA "will vigorously fight for this earned benefit."
Regardless of whether this contention is accurate, one thing is clear: the health insurance for retired players will go nowhere as of March 2011 if the two sides can work out a deal.
More importantly, if (as we believe) the owners will bargain to impasse and impose their last offer as the new rules, we suspect that the NFL's last offer will include a provision regarding health insurance for retired players.
Either way, the recent developments in Charlotte likely will be unfolding in other cities over the next 10 months.
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