NFL owners and players met for the second straight day in Hull, Mass., 18 miles south of Boston, as they attempt to close in on a collective bargaining agreement.
Jonathan Colter, general manager of the Nantasket Beach Resort, told The Associated Press that the meetings lasted until late Thursday afternoon. Non of the owners or players was scheduled to stay at the resort Thursday night, meaning this set of meetings is over unless they are moved elsewhere, Colter said.
Among those seen leaving the hotel after the meetings were Commissioner Roger Goodell and members of his labor committee, and players association chief DeMaurice Smith and several players.
“Some of them didn’t stay and were dropped off here,” Colter added. “We were honored to host the NFL owners and players association over the past few days.”
The two sides have exchanged proposals on a variety of issues after meetings over the last three weeks in suburban Chicago and New York, and on the Maryland shore. The main topic has been how to divide revenues _ $9.3 billion last year _ and league owners were briefed this week on a plan that would give the players just under 50 percent of total income. An off-the-top expense credit of about $1 billion that went to the owners would be eliminated.
Also being discussed are a rookie wage scale and a more specific breakdown of benefits for retired players.
A lengthy new CBA _ between six and eight years, for example _ would enable the league to turn to its broadcast partners and negotiate more lucrative contracts.
One item that has the players’ support is a salary floor keeping teams within 90 percent of the cap. Recently, particularly in 2010 when there was no cap, several teams whose revenue streams don’t match up with the richer clubs did not spend anywhere near what those teams did.
The proposal would require the full salary cap spending to be in cash.
“Through our player reps, things sound really good,” Rams wide receiver Mark Clayton said. “From the players’ perspective, we’re kind of set with what we want.
“We pretty much agreed to what our (players association) was fighting for on our behalf. It sounds like a lot of what we asked for, apart from the finances, they’ve been able to agree upon. At that point, we’re just kind of waiting to get the final say-so and just roll it out …”
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AP Sports Writer Jeff Latzke in Norman, Okla., contributed to this report.
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