NFL players, owners reportedly close to 10-year deal

According to ESPN, this Thursday's owner's meeting is crucial (they sent a memo to all 32 team owners emphasizing that they absolutely attend this meeting, purportedly so they could vote on an agreement); players will possibly vote on the deal Wednesday and if the owners vote yes, teams can start re-signing players Friday for 72 hours, before free agency begins.. Encouraging news!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/67796 ... ources-say
Sides hope to roll cases into 1 accord [/b] ESPN.com news services Updated: July 18, 2011, 12:38 PM ET [quote]The sides in the NFL's labor dispute are amenable to rolling the remaining issues that are most problematic -- the settlement of the Brady vs. NFL antitrust lawsuit and the television "lockout insurance" damages case -- into a global settlement, sources familiar with the talks told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter. A global settlement would mean that those two cases, along with the retired players' lawsuit and all other legal issues, would be dropped if the players ratify a new collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to cover the next 10 seasons. That would be the quickest way to get the lockout lifted. Lawyers from both sides are meeting in New York on Monday to work on the unresolved issues. The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams Monday instructing all key executives to attend Thursday's owners meeting in Atlanta, sources told Schefter. Each team is allowed to bring two representatives (owner and one executive). It highlights of the importance of Thursday's meeting, when the NFL would like to ratify a new CBA. Meanwhile, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will do "whatever is necessary," including traveling to Washington, where the NFL Players Association's executive committee is scheduled to meet Monday, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.[/quote] [url=http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFL-players-owners-close-on-new-deal-071611" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;]http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFL- ... eal-071611[/url] [b]Two sides to meet Monday, Tuesday[/b] NewsCore Updated Jul 17, 2011 [quote]The hope is that the Monday and Tuesday meetings will see the two sides agree to a deal in time for the players to vote to recertify as a union on Wednesday and approve the agreement -- before the owners ratify the new CBA Thursday, ESPN reported -- adding that the new deal would be a 10-year agreement. According to NFL.com, the major breakthrough came Thursday during a 15-hour negotiating session, when the sides came to an agreement on the framework of a new rookie wage scale. The NFL preseason is scheduled to begin Aug. 7 with the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams playing in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio. [/quote][VIDEO][/b]
ESPN.com news services
Updated: July 18, 2011, 12:38 PM ET

The sides in the NFL's labor dispute are amenable to rolling the remaining issues that are most problematic -- the settlement of the Brady vs. NFL antitrust lawsuit and the television "lockout insurance" damages case -- into a global settlement, sources familiar with the talks told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

A global settlement would mean that those two cases, along with the retired players' lawsuit and all other legal issues, would be dropped if the players ratify a new collective bargaining agreement, which is expected to cover the next 10 seasons. That would be the quickest way to get the lockout lifted.

Lawyers from both sides are meeting in New York on Monday to work on the unresolved issues.

The NFL sent a memo to all 32 teams Monday instructing all key executives to attend Thursday's owners meeting in Atlanta, sources told Schefter. Each team is allowed to bring two representatives (owner and one executive). It highlights of the importance of Thursday's meeting, when the NFL would like to ratify a new CBA.

Meanwhile, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will do "whatever is necessary," including traveling to Washington, where the NFL Players Association's executive committee is scheduled to meet Monday, sources told ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/NFL- ... eal-071611
Two sides to meet Monday, Tuesday
NewsCore
Updated Jul 17, 2011

The hope is that the Monday and Tuesday meetings will see the two sides agree to a deal in time for the players to vote to recertify as a union on Wednesday and approve the agreement -- before the owners ratify the new CBA Thursday, ESPN reported -- adding that the new deal would be a 10-year agreement.

According to NFL.com, the major breakthrough came Thursday during a 15-hour negotiating session, when the sides came to an agreement on the framework of a new rookie wage scale.

The NFL preseason is scheduled to begin Aug. 7 with the Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams playing in the annual Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.