Here’s What Was on the Agenda for the N.F.L. Owners’ Meeting
• Owners meeting began at noon. • Players meeting was scheduled for 11:00 a.m. • Most topics related to players’ collective bargaining agreement • Team-wide meetings were scheduled for 2:30 p.m. • First, players were expected to vote on whether to authorize a special vote on a new collective bargaining agreement. The vote was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today. (See story on players’ vote to authorize special vote). • Owners also addressed a number of other topics. • Owners discussed the possibility that the N.F.L. might decide to suspend the season. It was the possibility raised by league owners Monday, when owners voted to impose unprecedented sanctions on the league for the first time in history. • The owners discussed the issue of concussions, and the “unfair” trade practices involving N.F.L., National Hockey League and NBA players who are injured. The N.F.L. said it would be willing to cooperate, but owners said they would be willing to go to court if necessary. • In a story about a New York Times article on the issue, the N.F.L. said that, based on the information provided by the league and its independent investigators, there was only one case of a concussed player suing the league. • There were discussions about the league’s long-term viability, the costs associated with players’ pensions and other expenses, as well as the future of the league and its teams. • Owners discussed the idea of the N.F.L. owning a football team. The N.F.L. has tried to buy a team in the past, but it never succeeded. Owners have also raised the idea of making the N.F.L. into a “league within a league,” but those discussions are very preliminary and no decision has been made. The N.F.L. is working with other leagues to try to negotiate a league-owned football team. • There was a discussion on whether the N.F.L. should be involved in the future of the XFL, if the league that is planning its own football league goes on to have a successful season. • Owners heard