Every March, the NFL Players Association conducts an annual meeting in Hawaii.
This year will be no exception.
Per a league source, the union will again be heading to Maui in March 2010 — and some players aren’t happy.
They believe that, given the current economic climate and the union’s desire to transform the coming labor battle into something other than a fight between the rich, the meeting shouldn’t be conducted in Hawaii.
They also believe that the meeting should occur before the uncapped year begins in March.
We’re not so sure that we agree with the latter point. With a deal looking unlikely by March, it makes more sense for the player reps, the Executive Committee, and union leadership to caucus after the uncapped year begins so that firm plans can be made for the final year of the CBA.
But it definitely would be smart for the union to hold the meetings somewhere in the Continental U.S.
nothing says, economic downturn sensitivity like a days inn in cleveland ohio…just sayin
That’s a very expensive meeting covering many days and is not the image a union should make going into a potential work stoppage and shutdown. Keep the money in the treasury to support the union and its players during the lockout.
Cleveland has some very nice days inns thank you
@ Florio,
Any fool realizes that once the uncapped year starts, the owners will never want a salary floor again. Having the meeting after that is useless. They might as well just not have it–Hawaii (or Cleveland) be damned.
It seems like you’d understand something this obvious. NFL players aren’t exactly the brightest minds around, and they understand it.
You know times are tough when professional athletes can’t afford to go to Hawaii.
Their being Payed Million of dollars to play football…shouldn’t be suprising that they hold a big meeting in Hawaii
I am economically conservative, but if they destroy football by turning it into baseball, do away with the anti-trust exemption. Maybe the next batch of owners will learn not to kill the golden goose.
Getting their vacation time in on the players dime while they can.
What’s the likelihood of union leadership returning after a strike? Those that do return might not last very long.
Looks like the owners and NFL are ready and the union is dealing with a lot of players that are not. NFL is going to take a hit, just see the union taking a much harder one if a strike does occur.
Gene Upshaw kept the league free from work stoppages for so long and the new crew screws up the first chance they get.
Just about 2010……….Can’t they video conference this badboy? Faxing used to be the thing, yet traveling to a tropical island trumps all. Fans will know when both sides are serious.
Hey Florio – would it kill you to confirm a story like this by getting an actual player to say he objects to the meetings being in Hawaii?
This looks like a classic shill piece placed by someone in the management council trying to make it appear that the players are divided prior to negotiations.
You guys are total tools. Also too.
Ya know Lord Florio, you need to pick a side and stay on it.
In one blog you say that college kids are nuts if they stay in school and turn down the millions they could get if this is the final year of skyrocketing rookie salaries……then now you are agreeing that meetings should be held in the continental US which is in part due to the economic climate.
Just think, if you could get rid of the sky high rookie salaries, that would mean that ticket prices could come down, which in this economic climate, more football games would be shown on TV instead of being blacked out due to fans unable to pay for tickets that are priced out of range of most families.
Just sayin……..
I never understood why they don’t have their annual meeting in that very expensive office building on “L” Street in D.C.!!!!!
if the union didn’t pay upshaw that obscene salary maybe there would be some money left over for better pursuits.
To protest the holding of the meetings in Hawaii, players gathered and chanted ” USA!USA!USA!USA!”
ummmm…. it IS an argument between the rich.
it’s Fat Cat owners and Arrogant players figuring out how to divy up blue collar america’s weekend money because they want more more more….
how many median income people in this economy (or any economy for that matter) can truly afford $80ish average ticket price + $8 per beer +$40 parking + $6 per hot dog?
If 2 people can keep it down to 2 beers and one dog… = $244
I don’t have any sympathy for them at all.
News Flash: This is / will be a pissing contest between the Mega Rich and Merely Rich. Don’t insult our intelligence and compound the problem by cutting out the hotels and workers depending on tourist convention dollars. If ya’ll have to, pretend not to have a good time but don’t f*&% the WORKERS to make a lame point.