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Talks are ongoing between the NFL and the NFL Players Association as both sides gear up for the 2020 season despite the impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic. One point of contention in recent conversations between labor and management is an NFL proposal to hold 35% of wages in escrow to help manage costs during the upcoming season.
Naturally, that wasn’t an appealing offer to the players’ union, which told ownership “to kick rocks” when the option was brought up. Superstar New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas took aim a little more directly at NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the ownership group he represents, saying that, “Roger and those owners better use their billions and put it in escrow or plan accordingly.”
Thomas is likely more skeptical of whether a season can get off the ground while addressing players’ health concerns than he’s worried about whether it’ll be a profitable season. And he’s not alone in those concerns, with teammate Cameron Jordan laughing at the in-escrow suggestion as “an option on the table.”
Lol everyone will sit out and not play until they get their stuff together before we do this 😂 https://t.co/cqOuQfQvr8
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) July 7, 2020
Has to be a joke lol 😂ðŸ˜ðŸ˜. Roger and those owners better use their billions and put it in escrow or plan accordingly. Our health is way more important. This is about as backwards as it gets ðŸ˜ðŸ˜‚😂🥴 https://t.co/Egq2RaYsuO
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) July 8, 2020
NFL owners are clearly expecting some sort of loss in revenue from the 2020 season, probably due to decreased ticket sales and gameday concessions. But with new TV broadcasting contracts on the horizon and the collective wealth of league ownership (estimated at a combined net worth north of $72 billion among just the 10 richest team owners), owners are in a better position to take a financial hit this year than the players themselves.
Still, there will be ripple effects from a less-profitable 2020 season. The Saints stand to lose out on as much as $440 million if they aren’t able to bring fans into the Mercedes-Benz Superdome this year, and a big reflection of those losses will come in the form of a decreased 2021 salary cap. But we’re a long ways off from those anxieties becoming reality.
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