The NFL owners met at the Westin Hotel in Chicago near O'Hare Airport on Tuesday, with commissioner Roger Goodell outlining the key elements of the proposed agreement the sides have been working on.
The representatives for the owners and the players who have been involved in mediated talks the past three weeks are expected to meet again in Boston on Wednesday and Thursday.
Goodell informed owners that the next proposed agreement would include a 48 percent share of "all revenue," for the players, without the highly-debated $1 billion credit off the top for owners, according to a report by ESPN's Chris Mortensen. The new formula would not allow the players' percentage to dip below 46.5 percent. It's a major shift in the approach, as the players received 60 percent of "total revenue" after the $1 billion credit in the last CBA. Owners initially wanted an additional $1 billion credit, which ostensibly was to go toward news stadiums and stadium renovations, along with other projects for increasing overall revenue.
Other key elements include:
*Teams would be required to spend close to the full salary cap in salaries.
*A rookie wage scale proposal is being "tweaked."
*The hotly-debated 18-game regular-season schedule the owners have been seeking would only be listed as a negotiable item going forward.
*Players would gain unrestricted free agent status after four years, but certain tags such as franchise and transition players are still being discussed.
*An 18-game Thursday night schedule beginning in 2012.
*Improved health care and pension benefits for retired players.
One issue remains a division among some owners, with Cincinnati's Mike Brown and Buffalo's Ralph Wilson among those believed to be against the high minimum threshhold spent on salaries.
If the sides can agree on terms, the players are willing to commit to a 10-year labor deal, according to ESPN's John Clayton.
League counsel Jeff Pash and outside attorney Bob Batterman were present Tuesday. Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson and Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen are the co-chairs of the labor committee.
Others from the committee in attendance were Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Green Bay Packers chief executive officer Mark Murphy, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, New York Giants owner John Mara, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney and San Diego Chargers president Dean Spanos.
Considered an encouraging sign Tuesday is that each team had a second club executive in addition to the owners, and they are from the football operations side. Input there is important as the league gets set to ramp up a compacted free-agent signing period as teams with around 50-55 signed players have to go about the business of also signing draft picks and undrafted players and increasing the camp roster to 80 players and perhaps more.
Present at the meetings include Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren, Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, Indianapolis Colts vice chairman Bill Polian, Atlanta Falcons president Rich McKay and Kansas City Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli.
Colts owner Jim Irsay, who has previously said it's important to have a deal done by July 4, told reporters before the meeting started, "It just makes sense to have a sense of urgency. It doesn't make sense to get a deal on Oct. 1 when something could've been done by July 14.
"Ninety-five percent of both sides want to get something done. There's hope. These are tough, fragile negotiations. We've just got to keep moving. Now's the time to keep pressing on, to chug along. These things stop and start, but you stay the course. We'll see what happens. … It's the season for getting a deal done."
