Did NFL owners collude this offseason?

[dead_poet]

According to CBS Sports' Mike Freeman, various "agents, players and union officials" believe the league's 32 teams colluded to deflate the market in free agency.

Dwight Freeney is one player who believes collusion took place. "I basically think the owners got together and decided not to spend the cash on free agents," Freeney told CBS' Mike Freeman. "I think the owners made a pact. There's only 32 of them and none of them broke ranks. I think they all decided not to spend money." A "prominent" agent agrees. "I've been in this business for several decades and there was never an offseason like this. Never." There's been widespread suspicion — and anecdotal evidence — of collusion this offseason, but no hard proof. It's an extremely serious charge, but one that ultimately appears unlikely to stick.
http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/blog/mike- ... -back-cash

[Reignman]

I don't believe ALL 32 owners would agree to such a thing, but who do they hope to receive sympathy from? Oh no, the millionaire players didn't get as many millions as millionaire players in the past. It's outrageous, how are they expected to feed their families in this economy?

[HornedMessiah]

I don't believe ALL 32 owners would agree to such a thing, but who do they hope to receive sympathy from? Oh no, the millionaire players didn't get as many millions as millionaire players in the past. It's outrageous, how are they expected to feed their families in this economy?

The fact that the people involved here are millionaires is beside the point: if the owners of a major company that has 32 branches across the country schemed together to drive down the salaries of their employees (the players) then that's a problem. The player's union would definitely have a problem with that.

[Reignman]

I know, but you're never going to be able to prove it. Where is the data to support his claim? He's 33 and only had 5 sacks last year and he's upset nobody was jumping to sign him. And he felt Dumervil should have commanded more money? Well case closed. It just looks like bellyaching to me and maybe Dumervil needs a better agent.

[HornedMessiah]

Ya, I'd agree that it sounds like bellyaching more than anything. Like that article said, the accusation is a serious one and a serious accusation needs some solid evidence to back it up. Seems like all they have is assumptions. This is pretty much a non-story unless they reveal some kind of damning evidence

[Eli]

The fact that the people involved here are millionaires is beside the point: if the owners of a major company that has 32 branches across the country schemed together to drive down the salaries of their employees (the players) then that's a problem.

It would NOT be collusion if the 32 locations were branches of the same company. If they were 32 different companies or franchises, it would be.

[PurpleMustReign]

Didn't players do this before? I thought I remember this same accusation a few years agi too. Maybe it was a different sport.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

[Demi]

It would NOT be collusion if the 32 locations were branches of the same company. If they were 32 different companies or franchises, it would be.

Isn't that what they are though?

[Eli]

Isn't that what they are though?

I was addressing the corporate analogy described above, not the NFL situation. However, pro sports leagues have always been a gray area in terms of the law. Should the NFL treated as one big conglomerate, or a network of competing companies? It's not always clear.

[HornedMessiah]

Wasn't that a big part of the recent league/union negotiations? Whether the individual teams are considered independent companies or if they are just considered "branches" I remember that being an important distinction in the lockout talks but I don't remember what was decided.

[glg]

Wasn't that a big part of the recent league/union negotiations? Whether the individual teams are considered independent companies or if they are just considered "branches" I remember that being an important distinction in the lockout talks but I don't remember what was decided.

Not part of the negotiations, part of the NFLPA's court case. Since the case was dropped as part of the new CBA, it was never settled in court.