There’s been a lot of discussion about the NFL’s proposed new collective bargaining agreement.
Under this new proposal, the league will add a 17th regular-season game, expand the playoff field from 12 to 14 players and three-game preseasons. Additionally, players would get an increased share of revenue and former players would get added benefits.
The NFL players voted to approve the proposed new CBA. The vote closed Saturday night.
Sources to ESPN: NFL players voted to approve the proposed CBA, giving the NFL 10 more years of labor peace, players an increased share of revenue, former players added benefits, and the league 17-game regular seasons along with an expanded playoff field.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2020
The final vote was extremely close, separated by only 60 votes. There were 1,019 players that voted “Yes” and 959 that voted “No.”
The final vote: 1019 YES against 959 NO. So, very close, but a new CBA is passed and agreed to.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2020
It sounds like the expanded playoff field will begin in 2020, while the 17-game regular season would begin in 2021, at the earliest.
In addition, teams will be allotted just one franchise or transition tag. There will be $700 million extra dollars for 2020, which includes a $100 thousand increase in minimums.
While the coronavirus outbreak has all but shut down the sports landscape, the NFL has insisted that the new league year will indeed begin Wednesday as scheduled.
That means that, as of now, free agency is slated to begin on March 18.
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