US EditionReady for NFL Replacement Referees? League Begins Training because of Labor Disagreement
NFL owners plan to train college-level replacements and add replay upgrades as talks with referees fail, with the current contract ending May 31, league sources said.
- NFL owners are moving to hire and train replacement officials as negotiations with the NFL Referees Association stall, with league sources indicating Sunday that owners are "alarmed" ahead of the May 31 contract expiration.
- The league has proposed a six-year deal with 6.45% annual growth, but the NFLRA is demanding 10% plus $2.5 million for marketing fees and resists implementing full-time official roles.
- Seeking to implement a "pay for performance" model, the NFL wants to shorten the offseason "dead period" and extend probationary periods for new officials from three to four years.
- Training for replacements begins May 1, a timeline league sources warn makes agreement harder to reach, as the league aims to avoid a repeat of the 2012 lockout featuring the disputed "Fail Mary" call.
- With the May 31 deadline approaching, one league source stated reaching an agreement is unlikely "unless an act of God gets involved," while the league has prohibited public comment on negotiations.
66 Articles
66 Articles
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NFL set to begin hiring and training replacement officials
The NFL is moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. Both…
Ready for NFL replacement referees? League begins training because of labor disagreement
PHOENIX — The NFL is moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees’ union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.
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